Page 52 of The Catch

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Her stomach flipped all the way over and back again. After the whole Kasey fiasco, keeping it that way was exactly what she wanted. Besides, she was the youngest of three sisters; she wasn’t good at sharing. But what did that mean for the bet? Did she lose already? Did she care? Because this felt really, really right.

“Okay,” she said.

Josh’s face split into a grin, rivaled only by her own when he’d handed her that box of croissants. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’d like that.”

Twenty

Josh was always happiest inthe summer. Most of his hobbies revolved around the ocean, and he paid for the terrible gas mileage of his Jeep all year round just for the few months he got to drive around with the top down. Sunshine and salt were the cure to pretty much anything that ever ailed him, but the second half of this particular summer had been his best one yet.

He and Cat fell into an easy routine, splitting weekends between the island and the city. When she was in his bed, they’d get up early and walk on the beach. When he was at her place, they’d stay out later than he had in years, then sleep until noon. Josh had to be at the Abbott Building more often as the job picked up, and being so close to Cat’s office, they occasionally got to meet for lunch during the week too.

When fall came, and he found himself standing in a single stall bathroom at the fancy-as-hell bed and breakfast where Emma was getting married, watching Cat fix her hair, it occurred to him that this might be the happiest he’d ever been.

“How do I look?” Cat smoothed her hands over her plum-colored bridesmaid dress, and his mouth began to water again. “Everything in place?”

“You’re good.” He tucked his shirt back into his pants and zipped his fly. “You’re a bad influence,” he said, pressing his lips to her bare shoulder then running a hand through his own tousled hair.

His complaint was pure jest. He couldn’t make it in time for the rehearsal the night before because of an out of town job, so this was the first time he’d seen her in a week. After sitting in a wooden pew next to a handful of old ladies, watching Cat go through the ceremony in that sexy halter-style gown, he was more than ready to hike that thing up around her hips and show her just how much he’d missed her wherever they could find a place.

“Me?” She turned to face him and ran a finger along the lapels of his jacket. “What about you, showing up here looking like this?”

“We do have a room upstairs.”

Cat lowered her voice to a whisper as if the public nature of their location had just occurred to her. “There was no time for that. I’m already supposed to be out there. Will you be okay until I get done with pictures?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m gonna get a drink. I need to start now if you’re gonna make me dance at this thing.”

“Oh, you know I am.”

“Okay. Go get your picture taken.” He kissed her forehead, letting his hands stray one more time. “I’ll see you soon.”

Emma’s wedding day was exactly what one would expect from a girl who used to walk around her house with a lace curtain for a veil and a bouquet of dandelions, the family cat decked out in a tiny bow tie. Sonya had wrangled that story from Emma’s older sister, and they hadn’t let her live it down. Today though, even the weather had bowed to her daydream. Cobalt September sky, a warm breeze leftover from the summer, birds sang, butterflies flitted—it was a postcard from nuptial heaven. Interestingly enough, Cat hadn’t felt the urge to roll her eyes once. Not even at the harpist in the baby-pink gown playing on the front lawn.

She stood in a circle with Dani and Sonya on the rolling green lawn of the vintage bed and breakfast Emma had chosen for the big day, pretending to laugh at something hilarious as the camera captured the joyous tableau.

“Josh looks handsome in his suit,” Sonya said through an exaggerated grin for the camera. “What’s he in for today?”

“What do you mean?” Cat held her bouquet up higher at the photographer’s request and pretended to smell it.

“The bet. Your ridiculous games.”

“Oh.” Cat’s picture-perfect pose slumped. She’d been having so much fun with Josh that she hadn’t had any desire to intentionally ruin her time with him. She didn’t get very much of it with the long-distance mostly limiting them to weekends together, and it seemed a shame to spend it playing games instead of playing under the covers.

Her neck heated as she remembered pulling him into that bathroom, how she’d missed him so desperately that she couldn’t wait another minute to touch him. It wasn’t just the sex either, though there was plenty of that. It was all of it. Ever since she’d invited him to be her date for this wedding, she’d been practically giddy with excitement over it. When was the last time she was giddy? She was finding Josh’s company had that effect on all the events in her life.

“I’m calling the bet off for the day,” Cat decided as she said it.

“Oh, really?” Dani flashed a confident wink at Sonya. “Why’s that?”

“It’s Emma’s day, and she doesn’t like the idea of it.”

Sonya laughed for real this time, and the camera clicked rapidly. “So just for Emma? That’s sweet.”

“I’m a sweet girl.”

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