Page 99 of Say it Ain’t So

“Agent who now?”

Was pretty sure acid spilled from Van’s mouth when he responded, “Drea Hernandez. FBI.”

“She’s the one he knows from back home,” Joss offered, apparently realizing Van wasn’t going to fill me in. “I told you about her, remember? He grew up with her.”

Somehow, in the months I’d been away, I’d missed that connection. But there was no missing the discomfort that wound through my friend at the very thought of this female FBI agent he’d known since he was a kid. I shifted forward and leaned on the table, a grin stretching my face. “Is that right?”

“It’s not like that.” Van lifted his beer glass, sucking down a big gulp. My grin hadn’t left my face when he set it back down. “She’s a pain in my ass. Always has been.”

I looked him over, and I swore I’d never seen him more uncomfortable. “Always will be, it sounds like.”

“Ain’t that the truth. And they’re going to be all over this shit with Donnie.” After a quiet moment, he asked, “Anyone want dessert?”

“No thanks.”

“No, I…” I rubbed at my chest. “Not feeling so great at the moment.”

Van let out a harsh breath. “Good to know I’m not the only one.”

We got our waitress’s attention, and I paid our bill, then walked outside to our cars. I sucked in a lungful of the cool, spring air, grateful to be outside and out from under the thick curtains of darkness that had settled upon us in the restaurant.

“Thanks for dinner,” Van said, lingering by Joss’s car as she helped maneuver me into the passenger seat. “I don’t know what to say. Congratulations on your marriage?”

Joss shot a beaming smile his way. “We’re going to have a nice wedding reception to celebrate, kinda like Jen and Vinny after their wedding.”

“Thought I was gonna take you on a honeymoon,” I told her. “Get out of the country for a while and enjoy a new adventure.”

She grimaced. “That might have to wait.”

“Why?” both Van and I said at once.

Joss bent over me, as if she could avoid the whole conversation by buckling me in like a child. I stilled her hand, and she edged back, tossing a glance at us both. “Jen’s going to have her baby any day, and with everything going on, I wouldn’t feel right leaving the country. Lee needs my help.”

“And what’s the real reason?” Van asked, and I loved that he didn’t pull punches.

Joss shrugged, and when she spoke, she didn’t look at either of us. “I don’t have a passport. Peter—” She shook her head as if she could shake him out of it. “I never had a chance to travel before Vegas. And since I changed my name…”

“Don’t worry, gorgeous. We’ll get you a passport.”

“Shit.” Van scratched at his jaw. “It takes long enough. By the time you finally get that, everything here should be cleared up.”

“You might be right.” I took her hand. “Until then, we’ll just have to create our own adventures.”

“Aaaand, on that note!” Van turned around, heading toward his car. “See you two tomorrow.”

Even Joss couldn’t hold back her laugh. I tugged her closer, catching sight of her flushed cheeks before I pressed a kiss to her lips.

“Let’s go home, baby. I’ve got an idea for an adventure.”

She hummed against my lips, and I could feel her smile. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

29

RYLAN

We planned to talk to Lee the next morning, but the day turned to chaos. First, Jen went into labor. Then, Lee’s ex came sniffing around, trying to determine if she still had a chance with him now that Kelly was in his life. Joss had a meeting with him, but between everything going on with Jen, the topic of our marriage didn’t come up.

Before we got a chance, Lee raced from the building with Van on his heels. We found out shortly after that Kelly’d had an accident and was rushed to the hospital to try to save her life.