Mad Love: Madison (6 page)

“How could you see the sunset? There was a
thunderstorm. We could barely see the building next door.”

He looked back down at her. “I could see you. I
could barely take my eyes off of you.”

“It’s amazing how you can make a two hour lunch
in the conference room helping Nicole prepare for her trial the next day sound
so romantic.”

“It’s a gift of mine.” He clasped her hand
tightly and cupped it to his chest. “Are you having fun?”

She nodded eagerly. “Very much. I didn’t know you
were such a good dancer.”

“I’m a regular jack of all trades.” He grew quiet
as he stared down at her. “So, what are you doing tomorrow night?”

She cocked her head to the side. “It’s Christmas
Eve.”

“Oh, that’s right. I guess you’ll be with your
family.”

“Well, since it’s Christmas Eve, I thought, why
not?” she said with a grin. “Are you doing anything special?”

He shook his head. “It looks like I’ll be all
alone for the holiday.”

Everything in Madison instantly rebelled at the
thought of him alone on Christmas. “You’re welcome to come with me,” she said
in a rush to convince him. “We’re having Christmas at my grandpa’s and he has—”

“Okay.”

She grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want to
think about it first?”

“Nope.”

“Not even a bit?”

“Not even the slightest.” He lifted an eyebrow.
“Does your invitation include Christmas Eve?”

“It sure does.”

“Turkey with all the trimmings?”

“That’s Christmas. Christmas Eve is sandwiches.”

“I like sandwiches.”

“Good. It helps get you through all the
shopping.”

His face fell. “Shopping?”

She nodded earnestly as his body pulled away from
hers slightly. “Pretty much all day and all night.”

“You know, I just remembered this thing I’ve got
to do.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah.”

She took a quick step closer to him. “Can you
take me with you?”

“You don’t want to go shopping?”

“Have you ever been to the mall on Christmas
Eve?”

“No, but I try to stay out of dangerous
situations.”

“Is that why you joined the Navy?”

He chuckled. “I’m not entirely certain, but from
what I’ve heard Christmas Eve or Black Friday shopping is about as dangerous as
a war zone.”

“It’s a mad house,” she said with a shudder. “I
don’t think there was ever a Christmas Eve that I wasn’t at the mall buying
last minute gifts.” She let go of his shoulder long enough to press a hand to
her heart. “Not for me. I get my shopping done fifteen days early. Everything
is wrapped, bowed, and ready to go. My sisters, on the other hand…” She shook
her head as she slid her hand up his upper arm, enjoying the feel of him
underneath his suit jacket. “They’re always forgetting someone. It’s a
sickness.”

“So, why do you go?”

“It’s a family tradition. What else would I do?”

“Relax?”

“Overrated. We don’t spend the whole day
shopping. We take a break to go to church and then after that, we’ll head to my
grandpa’s place.”

“Well, as much fun as it sounds, I think I’ll sit
it out.”

She stumbled slightly. “You’re still coming for
Christmas dinner, aren’t you?” she asked as he protectively tightened his hold
on her.

“I was just teasing. I don’t want to impose.”

“No, please come,” she said, wincing at the
strange desperate feeling that had taken hold of her. She forced herself to
adopt a more casual tone. “Most of our family can’t make it this year so we’re
celebrating later. It’s just going to be Sarah, our grandpa and me. He’ll
disappear into his den shortly after dinner. Sarah will probably find a book…”

“If you really want me…?” he asked softly, his
blue eyes hopeful.

“I do.” She smiled softly. “I definitely do.”

“Good. What time should I arrive?”

“Can you come at noon? We’ll probably come back
into town around five o’clock. Sarah and I have to drive Grandpa to the airport
the day after Christmas. He booked a six
A.M.
flight. He’s spending a couple of
weeks at my Aunt’s house in Florida.”

“He doesn’t live in Lexington?”

“No, he lives in Winchester, about thirty minutes
away. I’ll text you the address tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” For the first time since they
began dancing, his attention wavered from her to settle on the windows.

She looked at him quizzically. “You don’t have to
come if you don’t want to?”

He turned back to her with a smile. “Of course, I
want to go. What would make you think I don’t?”

“Well, I sort of jumped the gun last night when I
assumed you were asking me out.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked holding
her hand close to his chest. “I was going to ask you out.”

“No, you weren’t,” she said with a chuckle.

He looked ready to protest but then settled on a
light shrug. “I wanted to ask you out but...”

“You weren’t going to.”

“Not right then, no,” he admitted. “Eventually,
though.”

“Why were you waiting?”

He gave her a sheepish look. “To be honest, I
didn’t want you to get into trouble and I wasn’t quite sure how to approach the
situation.”

She looked surprised, a small laugh escaping from
her lips. “How would you get me into trouble?”

“Your boss has taken… How should I put this?” He
tilted his head back as he looked at the ceiling, “She’s taken a personal
interest in me. I was afraid that if I showed an interest in you that Nicole
might become… Well, that it might jeopardize your position at the firm and I
didn’t want that to happen.”

“That’s very sweet but you don’t have to worry
about that. I bring a lot of money into the firm and Nicole is ultimately a
pragmatist at heart. She might not like the fact that you and I are seeing each
other, but my ability to bring clients into the firm will trump her personal
feelings every time.” She trailed her fingers along his shoulder. “However, if
you’re worried that you might lose us as a client then perhaps we shouldn’t let
this go any further.”

He shook his head lightly. “I’m not worried. Even
if I lost your business today, I’d be fine.” He twirled her around again. “I do
have other clients, you know.”

“Cheater,” she said in mock horror.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re my
favorite out of all of them.”

She wiggled her hand. “Slightly better.”

“The only reason I spend so much time at your
firm is in the hopes of seeing you.”

“Much better,” she said with a smile as she laid
her head on his shoulder. “What were you going to ask me last night?”

“Hmm,” he murmured into her hair.

She lifted her head. “What was it that you wanted
to know?”

His eyebrows drew down. “It can wait.”

“Oh come on, tell me. Otherwise, I’ll be
wondering about it all night.”

He bit his lip before finally relenting.
“Yesterday morning, I stopped by your office to see you, but you weren’t
there.”

“I spent most of the morning at a deposition,”
she confirmed.

“Becca told me. Anyway, I looked out of the
window and I noticed you walking down the street away from the building.”

“The deposition was at another law firm down the
street. It was nice out so I decided to walk.”

“I noticed that there was a man watching you walk
away. I just thought it was strange and wondered if you noticed him.”

She arched an eyebrow. “I see. My capturing a
man’s interest seems strange to you?” she asked playfully.

“No,” he said with a small smile, “that part
wasn’t strange. It was what happened after that, which was a bit concerning.”

“What happened?”

“He followed you down the street.”

“Perhaps, he was just going the same way.”

“No, I don’t think so.” His face turned serious.
“Have you noticed a dark blue four-door sedan hanging around lately?”

She froze, bringing them to a sudden stop on the
dance floor. “I saw one in the garage last night. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been seeing it everywhere. The first time I
really paid attention to it was three days ago. It was parked in front of your
office building and when you left work, I noticed it followed your car down the
street. I didn’t think too much about it until I saw it again at Triangle Park
while we were at the ice rink. When you left to go back to work, it left too.”

She felt a shiver go down her spine. “How do you
know it was following me? There were a lot of people there that day?”

“Because I got into my car and followed him all
the way to your office building.”

“Did you get its license plate number?”

“It was caked over with mud. When he parked, I
got out and tried to talk to him but he took off down the street before I could
get close. I lost him after that.”

“What did the guy look like?”

“I couldn’t tell. The windows were tinted and the
thing looked like it hadn’t been washed in years.”

“No,” she said shaking her head, “the one who
followed me on foot. What did he look like?” She stiffened as he described Paul
Harris down to his horn-rimmed glasses. “I didn’t even notice him the other day,”
she said after explaining who he was.

“Well, he noticed you.”

“Do you think I should be worried?” she asked as
they resumed their dance.

“Maybe.”

Madison swallowed hard as fear started to take
over.
Maybe
, was not the response she was hoping for. Her jaw tightened
suddenly as she pushed the fear away. The last thing she wanted was to spend
the best night of her life worrying about Paul Harris. She was with Ethan right
now. She was in his arms, safe and sound. She wasn’t about to spoil it by
worrying about some creep. She could do that when she returned to work. Right
now, she wanted to have fun.

She forced a smile to her face, trying to lighten
the mood. “You know, I can’t wait to hear you describe the evening we spent at the
Hatfield Arms interviewing a potential client.”

His face brightened. “I just remember how the
moonlight sparkled in your eyes when you asked me up to your hotel room.”

“It wasn’t my hotel room. It was crazy Joe Beazley’s
hotel room.”

His hands slipped to her waist. “I like my
version better.”

“So do I,” she said wrapping her arms around his
neck.

§

10:45
P.M.

Madison
slipped her arms through her coat sleeves as she exited the restaurant’s ladies
room. Still feeling flushed from the dancing, she smiled as she continued down
the hallway toward the hotel lobby. Halfway there, she stopped and glanced out
a glass door leading to the parking lot, hoping to see Ethan pass by as he
drove toward the front door of the hotel in order to pick her up. Her attention
was so focused on trying to spot Ethan’s car that she didn’t notice the man
walk up behind her until he spoke to her in a harsh, raspy growl.

“Where is she?”

Madison spun around.

Paul Harris stood a few feet away from her. His
bloodshot grey eyes bored into hers with a hateful gleam. She involuntary took
a step back, down the hallway towards the ladies’ room.

“Where is my wife?” he asked through his teeth as
he stepped toward her.

Madison backed up a few more steps as he
continued to advance toward her. “Mr. Harris, please leave.”

“This is a public place.”

“It is not a public place. It’s a private
business and unless you have a reason to be here…”

“I was thinking about having dinner. Is that okay
with you?”

“Be my guest. In fact, I hope you have a lovely
meal.” She tried to step around him but he blocked her.

“Why can’t you talk to me like a normal human
being?”

“Mr. Harris, I represent your wife and since you
are represented, it would be unethical for me to speak to you. Now if you would
excuse me,” she said taking a step to the side.

He blocked her way again. “I just want to know
why Vanessa is doing this to me.”

“In that case, I suggest you speak to your
attorney and not me.”

“I don’t want to speak to my attorney. She’s
costing me a fortune and not doing a thing to help me. I might as well be
throwing money out the window.” He crossed his arms and sneered at her. “Just
answer me this? How do you sleep at night?”

“Perfectly fine. Thank you for asking. Now if
that is all—”