Goody Two Shoes (Invertary 2)

“You need to expect this sort of thing, babe. You’re marrying a superstar.”

His dad grunted into his coffee. Josh could practically hear Caroline roll her eyes on the other end of the line. He grinned.

“I won’t have the town overrun with press.” She sounded like she had some say in the matter.

“There’s nothing you can do about it. I know it’s a pain in the ass, but you’ll get used to it, and after the wedding they’ll move on to something else.”

“I don’t accept that. This is my life, and no matter what you or anyone else thinks, I will have control over it.”

Yeah, good luck with that.

“There’s a town meeting tonight at 7:30, in the church hall. I need you to be there.”

“Won’t that cause more problems?”

She sighed heavily, taking him right back to the sounds she’d made the night before. He shuddered. She was definitely too far away from him.

“You aren’t going to

be mobbed, Josh. I know you think everyone in Invertary is dying to get close to you, but you have to trust me when I tell you that you aren’t that big of a deal.”

“Whatever you want to believe, baby. Whatever you want to believe.”

“Just be at the meeting,” Caroline ordered, then hung up.

He shook his head at the phone. His woman had some serious control issues. As he lifted his coffee to his lips, the drilling started.

His dad moaned. “Please tell me that isn’t in my head.”

Josh frowned at him—he’d spotted the empty whiskey bottle on the floor beside the sofa this morning. “No it isn’t. But you’d deserve it if it was. You made an ass of yourself at dinner last night. You could have made an effort with Caroline. You embarrassed the family.”

“This sham of a wedding is embarrassing me.”

“Dad.” Josh tried to soften his voice. It was obvious from the fact his father was living in the TV room that the guy had his own problems. “Caroline is a good woman. I’m marrying her. If you can’t support us that’s your problem, but you need to keep your mouth shut about it.”

“As your father—”

“I’m thirty-five. I don’t need or want your approval. But I would like to have you involved.”

“I can’t do that. You’re being a fool.”

“Seems to me I’m not the only one.” He put his hand on his dad’s shoulder. “Do us all a favour. Stop worrying about my love life and sort out your own.”

He left his dad grumbling into his coffee and went to the study to make some calls—if he could manage to hear anything over the drilling, hammering and sawing.

Caroline closed the library early, again. She was beginning to spend more time out of the centre than working in it. At this rate she’d have to refund a percentage of her wages for the time she was missing. Not to mention she could add being irresponsible to her list of sins. Lying. Stealing books. Taking care of personal business on work time. She didn’t recognise herself anymore.

She pushed open the door to her best friend’s lingerie shop, and was ashamed that part of her was hoping Kirsty wasn’t there. No such luck. Kirsty grinned at her from behind the counter. As usual she was stunning, in a long green dress with spaghetti straps. After years of watching her cover her scars, it still surprised Caroline to see Kirsty wearing clothes that revealed them. She was proud of her friend.

“Hey,” Kirsty said. “You shopping?”

Caroline shook her head. She took a deep breath.

“I need to talk to you about the town meeting tonight.”

Kirsty folded her arms over her chest, flashing the huge engagement ring Lake had bought her for Valentine’s day.

“I heard about that. Do you know what it’s about?”