Taking a Chance (11 page)

“Goodnight, Maddie. Please keep in touch.”

“Bye, Todd.”

Understandably, Todd had been upset. Although he said he understood, he had asked if they could spend more time together to see what they had. Maddie thought it would be easier to cut ties now rather than spending another day or evening with him, but it still hurt. She hated what Lola had made her do.

A
week had passed since Maddie watched Austin at the House of Blues. They had talked every day since and she could not believe how easily they had clicked. Although she wasn’t sure what term to put on their relationship at that point, she knew she looked forward to his calls, texts and emails every day. Their connection had been instant and had continued to grow stronger over the last week. Maddie had almost forgotten that he was a famous musician and she was no longer nervous when she talked to him. Every time Austin called, he sounded as if he had missed her since their last conversation.

Even though Maddie was happy with Austin in her life, it was impossible not to feel the heartbreak of today and tomorrow. Her resentment of George had not changed, but it was still difficult to know that today would have been her rehearsal dinner and tomorrow she was supposed to have gotten married. The fact that she was not marrying George was a relief, but there was still an indescribable pain knowing she would not have the big white dress and happily-ever-after story tomorrow.

Maddie was working later than usual for a Friday because she didn’t want to go home yet. Going out and having everyone ask her if she was okay every five minutes sounded like a worse option. In reality, she would have been grateful to simply skip the weekend altogether. Maddie looked up to see Sheri walking into her office. Not totally surprised, Maddie assumed Sheri was there to keep an eye on her.

“Hey, Maddie. How much longer are you staying?”

“I’m heading out soon. In about ten minutes. What are you still doing here?”

“I had some things to finish up for the finance group, but I’m done now and heading out. Do you want to get a drink or some dinner?”

“No, I’m fine. I don’t think I would make very good company tonight.”

“Exactly Maddie, hence the reason I want to take you out. I just want to make sure you’re doing okay. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you change your mind or just want to talk, okay?”

“I will. Thanks. I’m sure I’ll have many calls and unannounced visitors this weekend.” Maddie managed a smile. All of the girls had tried to talk her into going out. She appreciated everyone’s concern, but all she wanted was for the weekend to quietly slide by. Her mom had wanted her to head home, but Maddie thought she really needed some alone time.

“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow, but please call me if you need anything sooner.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. Have a good night. Are you going to see Adam?”

“Yeah, he should be here in a little bit.”

“Have fun.”

Sheri walked out of Maddie’s office and turned back one last time.

“Are you sure you don’t want to grab a quick drink with us?”

“I’ll call you if I change my mind.”

Maddie made the last note on the profit and loss statement she was reviewing for the Henderson family account. A call was scheduled for first thing Monday morning and she wanted to finish her notes and recommendations, so she wouldn’t have to work on it over the weekend. She powered down her laptop and packed up her workbag. As she switched the light off on her way out the door, her cell phone started ringing. Molly’s name popped up on the screen and Maddie let it go to voicemail. She rode the elevator down with her eyes closed. As she stepped out, her phone rang again.
Geez, these people are not going to let me rest this weekend.

Maddie picked it up without looking at the screen.

“Hello.”

“Hi, sweetheart. Are you sad you’re not going to your rehearsal right now? Poor pathetic Maddie was supposed to be getting married tomorrow.”

“Screw you, George. You of all people will not bring me down this weekend. I’m thankful we’re not having a rehearsal tonight. I would have regretted marrying you every minute of every day for the rest of my life.”

“Oh, right, Madison. You expect me to believe that. You were desperate to marry me!”

“Wrong, and that’s the thing, George. I no longer care what you think or what you do. Leave me the hell alone.”

Maddie hung up before he had a chance to respond. Her phone rang again, but she threw it in her purse. It was a beautiful summer night, so Maddie chose to walk rather than hail a cab. The warm air of the night relaxed her and so did the exercise.

Her tension had eased a bit by the time she got to her condo. She pulled her phone out and saw two missed calls from Austin. Maddie kicked her shoes off and headed to the kitchen to pour a glass of chilled Chardonnay. She made her way through the bedroom to the deck off her room. After sitting down on the cushioned loveseat, she curled her legs under her and dialed Austin’s number.

“Hey, Maddie. I was worried when you didn’t answer any of your phones. I hate knowing you go home by yourself in a big city.”

“I’m fine.” She took in a deep breath to cover the hitch in her voice. “No need to worry.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just tired.”

“No, it’s more than that. You sound distant or down. Am I bothering you by calling every day?”

“No, Austin.” Maddie laughed weakly. “You’re not bothering me. It’s just been a long week.”

“What can I do to help?”

The cool liquid slid down her throat when she took a drink, but it did nothing to lift her mood. She wished more than anything Austin was sitting next to her right now. Even if they officially started a relationship, she knew it would be different. They wouldn’t be able to enjoy the simple things very often like now sitting on the deck in the evening enjoying a glass of wine while looking out over the lake. His schedule would not allow it often and she knew it. That fact made her even sadder that night.
Why can’t I just have it all, and with the right person?

“Nothing. I’ll be fine.” Maddie tried to disguise the sadness in her voice, but she knew she wasn’t doing a good job. “What time do you go on tonight?”

“I have to go on in a few minutes, but I don’t care about the show. I don’t like hearing you like this. Please don’t shut me out. Tell me what’s wrong. Maybe there’s something I can do.”

“Sure. Can you fly here right now and hold me?” She heard the sarcasm in her voice and felt guilty. Austin didn’t deserve her anger. He had done nothing wrong.

“Well …” he hesitated. “I suppose I could. The band might be upset, but if it’ll make you feel better, then I don’t care.”

His immediate concern made even more guilt rip through her. He sounded like he really would blow off his show. “No, Austin. I know you can’t skip the show. I just wish I could see you. I promise I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” Austin was quiet for a few seconds. “I have an idea. I have a flight first thing tomorrow morning. I’m going to have Charlie change it, so I have a short layover in Chicago. The band will be mad, but then I could see you for an hour, maybe two. Would that help?”

He sounded so eager like a kid waiting for approval. “If you’re sure you can do that. Of course I’d love to see you, even if it’s for a mere five minutes.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Depending on what time it is tonight I will either call you or text you the info. It would be around nine tomorrow morning.”

“Sounds good. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but if I do get to see you, I’m definitely looking forward to it. Have a great show.”

“Thanks, Maddie. I’ll make sure it works. Gotta go.”

Maddie hung up and smiled. Seeing Austin would actually make the entire weekend bearable.

• • •

T
he text had come in the early hours of the morning.

When she saw his text in the morning, it gave her something to look forward to. They would have to settle for a romantic brunch at the airport with the short timeframe, so she planned to stop at a bakery on the way.

Maddie put on a royal blue sundress and nude wedges. She swept her hair off her face into a casual up do. After spraying on her perfume, she grabbed her sunglasses and skipped down the stairs of her building. She jumped into her car, put on Austin’s CD and sang along as she drove to the airport.

Maddie parked and grabbed the bakery bag. She ran in to the Starbucks by baggage claim to grab two coffees before Austin arrived. Her stomach fluttered with nerves in anticipation of seeing him again. He called just as she was making her way to the exit gate.

“Good morning!” she said.

“You sound better. I don’t want to be too optimistic, but I hope it’s because you’re happy to see me this morning.”

“Absolutely.”

“I don’t know if I believe you, but either way, I’m glad to hear the smile in your voice. We’re at the gate, so I should be off in less than five minutes and by the exit in about ten.”

“I’ll be here waiting.”

“Can’t wait to see you.”

Even though he was wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses, she recognized him before he spotted her. He was walking briskly. Maddie assumed that was not just to get to her faster, but so people didn’t have time to recognize him as he moved through the crowd. For a moment, she could feel her darker emotions surface, but she managed a warm smile when he looked in her direction. He bee-lined over to her and put his arms around her. She held him tightly around his shoulders.

Maddie kept her eyes closed tight, hoping to keep the swirling emotions shut inside. She didn’t want to have to explain today, but more importantly she didn’t want to scare him away by crying. The last thing Austin needed was a drama-girl clinging to him like it was life or death. His arms felt so comforting it made her temporarily forget the pain of everything she had been through lately. She managed to push the thoughts of her wedding from her mind for the moment. She finally loosened her hold and when she pulled her head back, her eyes danced with happiness.

Austin leaned forward and kissed her. “You taste delicious this morning.”

“Thanks. I brought a coffee for you too.”

“It’s more than the coffee, Maddie. Let’s go find a quiet place to sit.”

“Sounds good.”

Austin grabbed one of the coffee cups and the bakery bag from her. He wrapped his free hand around hers as they walked to a quieter part of the airport. They found a spot away from the crowds and chairs that faced the exterior windows. Maddie watched Austin look around in all directions a couple of times.

“What’s wrong?” Maddie asked.

“Nothing. I don’t want anyone to interrupt us, so just making sure no one followed us here.”

After they had finished every item Maddie brought from the bakery, he gave her a broad smile. “Thanks for the food. It was almost as good as seeing you.” He leaned over, gave her a kiss, and licked the tiny bit of frosting from the corner of her mouth. “I wish I could kiss you all day.”

Maddie laughed, but her entire body reacted to his kiss. She could imagine the day wrapped in his arms.
Maddie, just focus on today, not on your fantasies!
“I think the band might have an issue with that.”

Maddie did not miss the change in his expression. His smile faltered and something sparked in his eyes. He still held her hand, but he straightened in his seat.

“Maddie, I know this is difficult and not fair to you. I wish I could be with you all the time like any other normal guy. I can’t explain how helpless I felt last night hearing pain in your voice and knowing I couldn’t be there to hold you. All I’m asking is that you don’t give up on us before you give it a chance. At the end of our current tour, I’ll be able to spend a lot more time with you. But, I won’t sugar coat it, I know the next few months are going to be tough.”

“I know and I’m glad you stopped here today.”

“All you have to do is ask. I may not always be able to do what you need, but I will do whatever I can to try and make this work. Promise me you will at least ask if you need something.”

His thumb was brushing back and forth on her hand. The touch was gentle, but she was so aware of it. It felt like electricity going back and forth and she was having a hard time concentrating on anything else. She had no idea how such a simple movement could make every nerve in her body alert. The heat continued to pool in her body as she focused on the back and forth movement.

“Yes. Ah, yes I can do that.”
Get a grip! It’s just his thumb brushing your hand.

“Good because I really want this to work.”

Maddie needed to shake the feeling he was causing inside her, so she could focus.
Austin appears unaffected, so why is my mind making so much of this?

“Okay, well, speaking of asking. You said you had a break at the end of the month, but I’ll be in Napa for Amanda’s wedding. I’m the maid of honor, so I’ll be busy most of the time. But you’re invited to attend as my date, if you would like.”

“Do you want me to be there, Maddie?”

She paused, unsure of herself. Maddie was hesitant to ask for what she wanted, especially from a guy. George had eroded most of her self-confidence over the last year. Narrowing her eyes to deflect any negative reaction to her response, she quickly said. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll be there. I’d love to be your date for the weekend. We have a show on Thursday night on the East Coast, so I may not get to Napa until pretty late on Friday.”

Austin’s immediate response made her feel stronger. “That works. We have the rehearsal followed by dinner at the winery’s mansion. They renovated the building and the pictures look amazing. The mansion holds the tasting room and it also serves as a B&B for a limited number of guests. Amanda wants me to stay with her that night, so you can stay in my room there. I’m moving over to the B&B down the street for Saturday night, so I’ll make sure you have a room. When do you need to travel back out?”