Mad Love: Madison (3 page)

Madison
passed the card to Becca.

“Nice,” Becca said with an expressive roll of her
eyes. “Someone has a sense of humor. An over the hill joke and a lawyer joke in
one.”

Madison shivered as she tore open the black
wrapping. “It’s ghoulish.” Her fingers hesitated slightly, once the wrapping
and the ribbon were dispensed with. Shrugging off a sudden sense of dread at
what might be lurking inside the plain white box, she lifted the lid and looked
inside.

Becca leaned over, excited to see what was
inside. “Well,” she said, when she couldn’t lean close enough, “what is it?”

“It’s a corsage with a black rose.” Madison
reached inside to pick the corsage up, hissing in pain as something sharp
pricked her finger. She jerked her hand back up and looked down at the spot of
blood pooling at the tip of her index finger.

Becca looked at her in concern. “What happened?”

“One of the thorns from the rose nicked me,”
Madison said as she pressed her fingers together. Being more careful than before,
she gently picked the corsage up and laid it on the table, pushing it as far
away from her as she could.

Becca looked at her friend curiously for a second
before chuckling. “What’s wrong, Madison? It’s just a joke.”

“If it’s just a joke, why didn’t they sign their
name to the card?”

“Because it’s a bad joke.” Becca gestured towards
the corsage. “What are you going to do with it?”

“What would I do with a black corsage?” Madison
asked.

Becca reached over, took the corsage, and pinned
it to her black cocktail dress. “Waste not, want not.” She looked up past
Madison’s shoulder and waved her hand. “Here comes Keith. You can finally open
your last gift. I can’t wait to see what he got for you.”

Madison turned her head to look as Keith
Callahan, one of the new associates at their firm, pulled a chair from another
table and placed it between her and Derek. He spun it around on one leg before
straddling it. She watched in amusement as Derek turned his head to the side
and rolled his eyes.

“I’m glad you’re still here,” Keith said, leaning
over the back of the chair. “I thought you were leaving early to pick up your
sister.”

Madison leaned closer to Becca, blinking at the
strong mixture of alcohol and cologne that suddenly permeated the air around
the table. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she said politely. “I didn’t want to
open my gift until you got here.”

A broad, happy grin spread across his face. It
was a nice change, Madison thought, returning his smile with one of her own.
Keith, while friendly, wasn’t exactly what one would refer to as emotive
person. Thinking back, Madison struggled to remember a time that he actually smiled;
at least not a true genuine smile. His face typically bounced between a smirk and
a scowl. Smiles were definitely unusual.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I got hung up talking with
Judge Mebane.” He picked up the gift cards lying on the table, his dark brown
eyes lighting up in amusement. “My, my, my, what carefully thought out gifts,”
his deep baritone voice said with an amused chuckle.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Madison said.

“Well, I have no doubt they spent hours agonizing
over what to give you,” he said, bitterness creeping into his voice.

“Considering the size of the Christmas bonus they
just gave me,” Madison said, “I think I can live with the gift cards. Besides,
it looks like I won’t have to buy coffee for another year.”

“Whatever.” He reached forward and pulled his
gift closer to her. “My turn.”

 Madison pushed her chair back and stood up in
order to rip open the wrapping surrounding the large box. In a hurry to see
what was inside, she tossed it to the side.

A gasp parted her lips as she stared down at an
intricately carved cuckoo clock. “How did you know I wanted one of these?” she
asked running her fingers over the face of the clock.

Keith tapped a finger against his forehead. “I
pay attention,” he said. “I remembered the way you were oohing and ahhing over
the thing after work a couple of weeks ago and decided it would make a good
gift.”

Still holding on to the box, Madison sat back
down. “Oh, Keith, but it’s so expensive. I can’t—”

He held up his hand. “Don’t tell me you can’t
accept it. You’d hurt my feelings if you did. It’s just a simple little gift
between co-workers.”

“Simple?” Madison said, remembering how much the
clock had cost.

“I’m not a starving student anymore. I can afford
to spend a little money now and again on my friends.”

Smiling, Madison reached over and hugged him. “Thank
you so much.” She pulled back quickly as she felt his hands brush against her
back before sliding to her waist. “I, um, I don’t know what to say,” she said
moving a little further away.

“Don’t say anything,” Keith said.

“By the way,” Becca said, “my birthday is in
February and I like jewelry. Just so you know.”

“Mine’s October.” Derek said brightly. “I could
use a set of golf clubs.”

Keith barely acknowledged them as he reached into
his pocket and pulled out his phone. It vibrated slightly as he stared down at
it. His face darkened as he tapped at the screen. “I’ve got to get going.”

“Is everything okay?” Madison asked in concern.

“Yeah, just family drama. It’s that time of the
season,” he said with a sad expression on his face. “I’ll see all of you
Monday.”

“Bye, Keith,” Madison said as he strode through
the room to the door. “I wonder what that was about?”

“He hardly ever talks about his family,” Becca
said. “I wonder if he has anyone to spend Christmas with.”

“I think so,” Derek said. “He mentioned something
about going to Louisville. I asked if he was spending the holiday with anyone
special and he nodded before asking me what was taking so long with that memo
he assigned me.”

“Nice,” Becca said with a tight-lipped smile. “Do
you have plans for Christmas?”

“Eating a lot of turkey,” Derek said. “My aunt
puts out this nice big spread every year and she invites the whole town. What
about you two? Are either of you going anywhere special?”

“Home with Bill and the kids,” Becca responded.

“Sarah and I are having a low key Christmas in Winchester
with my grandpa,” Madison answered. “Our other sisters can’t make it this year,
so we’ll have a bigger celebration sometime in January.”

Derek grinned. “Sarah will like that. Last time I
saw her she was all excited about Christmas.”

Becca raised an eyebrow, her eyes gleaming. “When
did you see her?”

“I went by the pub where she works the other day
for lunch,” he said. “I only got to talk to her for a minute. They certainly
keep her hopping over there.”

“That can’t be good for her leg,” Becca said.
“How is she doing by the way?”

Madison waved her hand. “Her leg is almost fully
healed.”

Derek opened his mouth to say something but
hesitated for a moment before asking, “I don’t mean to pry or anything but…was she
in a car accident or something?”

“Some creep mugged her six months ago,” Madison
said softly.

Derek winced. “I’m so sorry. Did they catch the
guy?”

Becca shook her head.

Derek gestured to his face. “Is that how she got
the…” He hesitated a moment, seeming unwilling to say the word scar.

Madison nodded. “He shattered her leg in three
places and slashed her face before running off with her bag.”

 “When I first met her, she said that she used to
be a ballerina,” he said. “Is that why she quit dancing?”

“She had no choice,” Madison said. “Her leg was
too badly damaged.”

Derek licked his lips as a myriad of expressions
crossed his expressive baby face.

“She’s lucky she can walk,” Becca said.

“It’s not as bad as that,” Madison responded. “After
that last surgery, she’s up and running around like usual. She just can’t dance
as well as she used to.”

“I can’t believe someone would do that,” Derek said,
with anger coloring his voice. “How much did they even get?”

“Five dollars, workout clothes, wallet, keys, and
a pair of ballet slippers.”

“That’s not all.” Becca looked like she wanted to
say more, but then hesitated. She looked over at Derek. “Could you do me a
favor? I’m dying of thirst. Could you get me more punch, please?”

He nodded as he picked up her glass. Madison
shook her head as he shifted his attention to her. Once he was gone, Becca
leaned over. “I forgot to tell you. Sarah stopped by today while you were in
court.”

“She didn’t tell me that. What did she want?”

“I don’t know. She said it wasn’t important, but what
I saw was.”

“What did you see?”

“I saw sparks.”

Madison arched an eyebrow. “Did she stick her
finger in electrical socket?”

“I’m serious. Derek is in love. Every time she
comes by to see you, he comes bounding out of his little cubicle and for the
first time, I noticed her giving him a little look too. She was awfully
friendly to him.”

“It’s Sarah,” Madison said dismissively, “she’s
friendly to everyone.”

“Yeah, but this time, I’m pretty sure I saw
something there. She had a definite gleam in her eyes that wasn’t there before.”

“She had a slight fever this morning. It was
making her eyes appear even more bright and shiny than usual.”

Becca gave Madison an exasperated look. “Fever
does not make a person’s eyes bright and shiny, but I have a feeling you know
that. You should be doing more to get them together. They’re both young. He’s
twenty-three. She’s…” She looked at Madison with raised eyebrows. “She’s…”

“Twenty-two.”

“She’s twenty-two. They’re both attractive and
most importantly, they’re both single.”

“These things take time. Besides, what more can I
do? I’ve introduced them. I’ve talked to her about him. Sarah has a lot on her
mind.”

“Such as?”

“Healing, for one.”

“You said her leg is almost healed.”

“She’s lost her way. Her whole life was turned
upside down.”

“Which is why I’m hoping Derek can help get her
living again. Derek is definitely all for it.” Becca turned thoughtful. “She
hasn’t been on a date since she was attacked, has she?”

“No. To tell you the truth, I think she’s
scared.”

“All the more reason for her to get out there. If
she doesn’t venture out once in a while—”

“She’s not a recluse. She goes out all the time.
To work, shopping, visiting friends… It’s just that she seems preoccupied by
something.”

“Well, let’s see if we can’t get her preoccupied
by Derek.”

“For God’s sake, Becca, you’re an attorney; primarily
a divorce attorney. How can you be this obsessed with romance?”

“It takes practice. I have to keep the flame
alive by meddling in everyone else’s personal business. Plus, I look at it as
job security. As long as people are getting married, they’re getting divorced.
And as long as they are getting divorced, they’re going to need us.” She raised
her head and looked toward the door. “Speaking of romance.”

Madison turned as Ethan walked into the room. Her
breath caught in her throat the same as it did when she first met him. She
watched as he looked around the room, only stopping when his gaze found her.
She had to force herself not to raise her arms and motion him to her like an
excited cheerleader. It didn’t really seem as though it was necessary. As soon
as he locked his gaze on her, he started heading her way.

Look away
, she ordered herself.
Act cool. Nonchalant
.

It was no use. No matter how hard she tried, she
couldn’t break his gaze. Her fingers nervously played with the diamond pendant
around her neck as he approached, his eyes never once leaving her face.

He was halfway to her table when one of the
partners intercepted him to shake his hand. The connection lost, Madison turned
back to see Becca looking at her with a smug grin. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything.” Becca stood up and
intercepted Derek who was just about to sit down. Taking her drink out of his
hand, she said, “Let’s mingle.” Her gaze shifted to a spot over Madison’s head.
“Ethan,” she said by way of greeting.

Ethan pulled out the chair Becca had just vacated
and sat down. “Hi, Becca.” His brow furrowed. “Something I said?” he asked
Madison as Becca dragged Derek away from the table.

“They’re mingling.”

“I see.” He looked around the nearly empty room.
“Looks like I missed the party.”

“You’re fashionably late.” Her gaze travelled to
the cut on the side of his mouth. “What happened?”