His distrust morphed into concern. Julie was once one of his closest friends, but over time he made the healthy, self-preserving decision to distance himself. It was too painful keeping her in his world while she built her life with another man.
But what if this was true, and they were actually over? She would need time, of course, but what if this was his shot? What if he finally had a chance to get the girl? Then it occurred to him…
“Damn it!”
“What?”
“She thinks we’re engaged!”
True guilt flashed in Jo’s eyes. “We’ll break up. We can make a whole thing of it, and tell everyone we decided we’re better as friends.”
He paced away from her and raked his hands through his hair. “How did I ever let you convince me to go along with this?”
“Me? It was your idea! You’re the one who begged me to come home with you! You suggested it!”
“I said we would lie to your mom and say we were dating. It was your crazy idea to tell the whole town we’re engaged!”
“That was your cousin!”
“Well, if you tell one McCullough anything, you might as well broadcast it to the world!”
“Why are you yelling at me!”
“Because I’m angry!”
The front door opened and Ryan poked his head out. “Hey, guys, I know we’re on the outskirts here, but I do have neighbors. Could you keep it down or at least come inside?”
“It’s fine. I’m leaving anyway.”
“Jo, wait—”
She shot up her middle finger and marched away. He cursed and turned toward his brother.
“Should you go after her?”
“No. Do you have something to drink?”
“Beer?”
“I’ll take six.”
Being away at school and then living on his own away from the insanity of his big Irish family had dulled his instincts. He should have known better. He should have expected a response to his engagement, but he’d been so preoccupied with helping Ryan pick his gift for Maggie and helping him figure out a seating chart for their overgrown family that he’d let his guard down.
Apparently, Jo hadn’t expected anything either, because when they walked into O’Malley’s that night to the scream of his entire family yelling congratulations, she looked just as stunned as him.
She smiled nervously and stepped to his side. Through a plastered on smile, she mumbled, “Did you know about this?”
“Nope.”
Crepe paper wedding bells hung from the moldings, and a pile of silver wrapped presents were stacked on a back table. For a split-second, Pat prayed this was some sort of wedding shower for Ryan and Maggie, but when he saw his brother’s expression, he knew it wasn’t.
Ryan was in on the surprise, and his earlier suspicions that Pat’s engagement to Jo might have the shelf life of a banana, left a teasing glint in his eye. As an older brother, he would always take pleasure in ordinary family tortures.
Pat’s horrified gaze scanned the crowd and he spotted Julie and her parents. Why was she standing with them instead of the younger crowd?
Sheilagh approached and bumped his hip with hers. “Well, this escalated quickly. How the hell you gonna break it to them now?”
He and Jo scowled at her.
“Smile, you two!” They turned and his mother snapped a photo with her phone. “Oh, you look completely shocked! That’s a keeper!”
They were shuffled into the back, where a spread of food had been laid out. After eating, they were forced to open presents. It was by far the most awkward experience of his life. And worst of all, many of his relatives gave him cards filled with money, expressing that it was both an engagement present and a graduation gift. How the hell was he ever going to return all of this?
He needed air. Sneaking out front, he swiped off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of the best way out of this clusterfuck. He should just go back inside, take Jo’s hand, and say they had a confession.
“I know… Me too…”
He paused at the soft voice coming from around the corner. Following the sound, he crept a few steps forward and spotted Julie. Her back was to him as she held her phone close to her ear.
“Lance, you know why…”
Lance? His mind practically hissed. Why was she calling him? Or had he called her? He knew they weren’t through.
“I love you, too.”
She loved him? He rolled his eyes.
“No, don’t come here. Just…keep your appointments. I know you need to work. It’s fine.”
They didn’t sound like they were fighting. They sounded like a couple juggling busy lives and conflicting schedules. He should have never listened to Jo, should have never gotten his hopes up.
“Okay… Me, too. Bye.”
He stepped into the shadows as she used the back door to go inside. He could kill Jo for giving him false hope. That’s it. He was through with this lie and fed up with the Cooks altogether. Marching back inside, he went hunting for his fiancée.