“I can’t be. I don’t believe in it.”
His father threw back his head and roared with laughter. “Fine. You’re not in love. It was purely an arrangement. So I guess you’ll chalk this up to experience and go find yourself another bride.” He seemed to think about it. “If you hurry, you can slot someone else into the wedding you’ve already organised.”
Josh felt a wave of nausea rush through him.
“There was a woman at the post office around your age.” His father would not shut up. Years he spent grunting, and now all he did was talk. “She doesn’t look like Grace Kelly, but she has good child-bearing hips. And that’s what this is about, right? Get a woman. Start a family. She’s got a good reputation as a solid and reliable person. I can send Mitch over to check her out for you, if you like?”
“No.” Josh felt anger claw at him. “I don’t want that.”
“Why not? It doesn’t matter who you marry, right? As long as she’s young enough and isn’t chasing your fame. When I spoke to this woman, she wasn’t impressed that you were a singer. She isn’t into music that much. She sounds perfect. Doesn’t she?”
“No. I don’t want her.” Josh bit back the rage he was feeling.
“You could at least check her out. If you go over there now, we can still get the vicar back here before it gets too late. Your mother and I are off on a three-month trip in a couple of days. It would be good to get your wedding out of the way before we go. Come on.” He grabbed Josh’s arm. “Let’s go see her now.”
“No!” Josh roared. He yanked his arm from his father’s grasp. “Stop pushing me to check this woman out. I don’t want another woman. I only want Caroline.”
His father smiled. “And there it is.”
Josh was breathing hard. His fists clenched and unclenched. Caroline. He only wanted Caroline. No one else would do. He wanted her soft body under his. He wanted to laugh at her bossing him around. He wanted to plan a future with her and fight over who got to decide what happened. He wanted to kiss her every morning and hold her every night. He wanted to protect her from the world. And give her the world at the same time. He thought of a life without Caroline in it and saw something ugly. He needed her. She was perfect for him.
He loved her.
Josh closed his eyes and took his first calm breath since the wedding was interrupted. The words settled in his soul as truth. He loved Caroline Patterson. Madly. Deeply. Completely. He was in love with her. Crazy, cheesy romantic love. The kind he’d avoided. The kind he’d mocked. The kind that now didn’t seem that stupid after all. A deep tranquillity overcame him. Everything slotted into place. He couldn’t believe it had taken so long to see the truth. He looked at his dad.
His dad grinned like an idiot. “What are you waiting for? Go get the woman you love.”
&nbs
p; This time Josh didn’t correct him. But he couldn’t run after Caroline. He’d screwed this up big time. He’d hurt her when he’d let her walk away. No. He’d destroyed her. She’d told him she loved him and he’d said nothing. She would never believe him if he declared his love now. No. Words weren’t enough. He needed to do something else. Something bigger. With a shake of his head, he turned to his dad.
“About this newfound knowledge of yours—what women want. I might need some input with planning an over-the-top romantic gesture.” He couldn’t believe he’d been reduced to asking his dad for help.
His dad thumped him on the back. “That’s my boy. But don’t forget the caveman act and kinky sex. It worked for me.”
“Now I’m going to vomit.”
Laughing, his dad followed him out of the church. Josh felt the weight of the day lift from him. He would fix this. He would marry the woman he was meant to marry. Caroline loved him, and he was going to show her that he loved her too. Everything was going to be fine.
It was mid-afternoon the following day before Caroline got out of bed. And she only did it then because someone knocked at her door. She dragged herself down the stairs in her pink satin pyjamas, not even stopping to brush her hair. The domino boys had been standing guard outside her house since the wedding fiasco, and Caroline knew they would only let someone get to her door if it was important. Sadly, nothing was important enough to get dressed for. It was Kirsty and Officer Donaldson who were interrupting her pity party. She swung the door wide and led them into the living room.
“Oh, sweetie,” Kirsty cooed at her. Her sympathy was overwhelming as she crushed Caroline in a hug. This was why Caroline had insisted on being alone the night before. She could barely cope with her own emotions, other peoples’ were a step too far.
“I’m sorry to bother you, Caroline.” Officer Donaldson stood in the middle of the room, taking up far too much space. Just like Josh did.
She forced herself not to think about him. She was already suffering from one emotional hangover—she didn’t need to start crying again.
“I wanted to tell you that we’ve charged Beth. She’s the one who sent you the package and painted your house.” Donaldson was grim with his news.
Caroline had already figured out that Beth was behind her problems. Well, not all of them. He who shall not be named was behind the rest.
“Sit down, sweetie.” Kirsty tugged her into the sofa and patted her hand.
Donaldson took a deep breath. “She was also the one who sent the photos of you in your suits to the magazines and newspapers. And she’s been letting the paparazzi guy, Pyro, live with her. She snuck him into your wedding as her date.”
That was what Caroline got for being polite and inviting her in the first place.
“As for Pyro.” Donaldson shifted his feet on the spot, and Caroline knew the news wasn’t good. “We caught him, but not before he’d sent the pictures to his publisher. I’m afraid photos of your wedding, and what Beth did, are all over the media.”