to her. He used to worry about her and he always talked about the day when he would no longer be there to keep her safe. More than anything, he wanted her to be happy. “Is there anything else, Mr. Razzano?”
“Just know I’ll be watching you two very closely. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll take a look around outside.”
“I’ll tell Jackson you’re here,” she said before he set off.
“Jackson and I have said hello. He’s greeting guests out front. I believe I last saw him chatting with your cousin, Heather. She’s a lovely woman. You could learn a thing or two from her.”
A lump formed in Madison’s throat. “If you’ll excuse me, then.” She cut a quick path around him and headed across the marble foyer, making her way to the front door. Why would Jackson be talking to Heather? Just as Mr. Razzano had said, Jackson and Heather were talking outside on the front lawn. Heather’s long fingers curled intimately around Jackson’s arm.
Memories of Heather ruining every relationship she’d ever had came to mind. Heather’s six year age difference never seemed to bother the boys she brought home. Heather was beautiful. She was also a flirt and she was good at it.
Feeling more confident than she had in a very long time, Madison kept her eyes on Jackson as she headed their way. She was on a mission. Today she would marry a handsome, egotistical, hard-to-understand man. What could be more satisfying than that?
She exhaled. She was going to enjoy her wedding day if it killed her. Besides, nothing could be worse than all the chaos at the Starlight ball. With that thought in mind, she approached the two of them and said, “Heather, I see you’ve met my fiancé.”
Jackson looked guilty—the way most men looked when Heather was around.
Heather leaned toward Madison and kissed the air. She then stepped back and scanned Madison’s attire from head to toe. “How very…sweet…you look.”
“She’s never looked more beautiful,” Jackson said, his compliment sending shivers down her spine.
“Here’s the judge now,” Jackson said.
Introductions were hastily made before Jackson ushered everyone through the house, back to the backyard. Heather lagged behind, quickly finding another male acquaintance to latch on to.
Madison couldn’t shake the uneasiness that lingered after seeing Jackson and Heather together. Did they know one another? She made a mental note to ask him later. Jackson seemed thoroughly annoyed. “Is anything wrong?”
“I’m fine,” he said, urging her onward.
“You don’t have to go through with this,” she reminded him.
“Oh, yes I do,” he said. And then he stopped and looked into her eyes. “Unless you’re having second thoughts about all of this and you want to call it quits right now.”
“I’ve come too far now,” she said.
“It’s never too late, Madison. Say the word and I’ll call it off.”
Just like that. With a snap of the fingers, it could all be over and done with. She would go her way, he would go his, and they would probably never see one another again. In that moment she realized she might not be doing this just for the kids anymore.
“So what’s it going to be?”
“I want to finish what we started.”
“Okay then,” he said, and she wondered if that was relief she’d sensed before he set off again to catch up to the judge.
Upon reaching the middle of the lawn area where a make-shift platform had been set up, Jackson cupped his hand around the judge’s elbow and helped him up three wooden steps. The judge was an elderly man with a narrow, wrinkled face and frail frame. He looked as if he might keel over at any moment.
Sensing Jackson’s urgency after seeing him rush through the house, guests began to stream through the French doors to join them. A few people entered through the side gate, leading from the driveway.
Evidently Jackson had spoken the truth when he’d said he wanted to get the wedding over with. The poor judge
“Just know I’ll be watching you two very closely. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll take a look around outside.”
“I’ll tell Jackson you’re here,” she said before he set off.
“Jackson and I have said hello. He’s greeting guests out front. I believe I last saw him chatting with your cousin, Heather. She’s a lovely woman. You could learn a thing or two from her.”
A lump formed in Madison’s throat. “If you’ll excuse me, then.” She cut a quick path around him and headed across the marble foyer, making her way to the front door. Why would Jackson be talking to Heather? Just as Mr. Razzano had said, Jackson and Heather were talking outside on the front lawn. Heather’s long fingers curled intimately around Jackson’s arm.
Memories of Heather ruining every relationship she’d ever had came to mind. Heather’s six year age difference never seemed to bother the boys she brought home. Heather was beautiful. She was also a flirt and she was good at it.
Feeling more confident than she had in a very long time, Madison kept her eyes on Jackson as she headed their way. She was on a mission. Today she would marry a handsome, egotistical, hard-to-understand man. What could be more satisfying than that?
She exhaled. She was going to enjoy her wedding day if it killed her. Besides, nothing could be worse than all the chaos at the Starlight ball. With that thought in mind, she approached the two of them and said, “Heather, I see you’ve met my fiancé.”
Jackson looked guilty—the way most men looked when Heather was around.
Heather leaned toward Madison and kissed the air. She then stepped back and scanned Madison’s attire from head to toe. “How very…sweet…you look.”
“She’s never looked more beautiful,” Jackson said, his compliment sending shivers down her spine.
“Here’s the judge now,” Jackson said.
Introductions were hastily made before Jackson ushered everyone through the house, back to the backyard. Heather lagged behind, quickly finding another male acquaintance to latch on to.
Madison couldn’t shake the uneasiness that lingered after seeing Jackson and Heather together. Did they know one another? She made a mental note to ask him later. Jackson seemed thoroughly annoyed. “Is anything wrong?”
“I’m fine,” he said, urging her onward.
“You don’t have to go through with this,” she reminded him.
“Oh, yes I do,” he said. And then he stopped and looked into her eyes. “Unless you’re having second thoughts about all of this and you want to call it quits right now.”
“I’ve come too far now,” she said.
“It’s never too late, Madison. Say the word and I’ll call it off.”
Just like that. With a snap of the fingers, it could all be over and done with. She would go her way, he would go his, and they would probably never see one another again. In that moment she realized she might not be doing this just for the kids anymore.
“So what’s it going to be?”
“I want to finish what we started.”
“Okay then,” he said, and she wondered if that was relief she’d sensed before he set off again to catch up to the judge.
Upon reaching the middle of the lawn area where a make-shift platform had been set up, Jackson cupped his hand around the judge’s elbow and helped him up three wooden steps. The judge was an elderly man with a narrow, wrinkled face and frail frame. He looked as if he might keel over at any moment.
Sensing Jackson’s urgency after seeing him rush through the house, guests began to stream through the French doors to join them. A few people entered through the side gate, leading from the driveway.
Evidently Jackson had spoken the truth when he’d said he wanted to get the wedding over with. The poor judge
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