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Might as well just get it out in the open. “Has anyone heard from Lila and Tommy this morning?”
“BiBi told me that Carl talked to Tommy first thing this morning,” Corinna replied. “Tommy said to tell everyone that both Lila and the baby are doing well. They’re going to stay another night in the hospital, then Tommy’s taking them straight home to Houston. They’ll miss the wedding, of course.”
“It was ridiculous for them to come this weekend with a baby due so soon,” Tina Lovato, mother of the bride, commented with a disapproving frown. “They’re just lucky everything turned out well.”
“Her baby wasn’t actually due for another month,” Deidre Burleson, mother of the groom, countered quickly, as if taking the other woman’s words as a criticism of her son’s choice of an usher. “They had no idea, of course, that the baby would come early, or I’
m sure they never would have tried to be here.”
“It still seems reckless to me,” Tina insisted. “I know I never would have attempted a trip like that when I was expecting my girls. And now we’re short an usher for the wedding.”
Deidre shook her head insistently. “It’s only a little over four hours’ drive from here to Houston, not such a long trip. And Carl has already taken care of filling in Tommy’s duties. Justin D’Alessandro—Jason’s younger brother—is going to serve as an usher. He agreed this morning.”
Seated beside Deidre, Hannah spoke up. “Lila was so fortunate to have not one, but two doctors to help deliver her baby. Madison and Jason worked so well together to take care of her.”
Madison hoped the comment was innocently intended and not a deliberate attempt to stir a little friction between herself and Corinna. Madison was beginning to think Hannah rather enjoyed drama. To give Corinna credit, she merely nodded and said, “Yes, they did. Lila and Tommy were very grateful.”
Madison shrugged self-deprecatingly. “We just did what we were trained to do in med school. I’m glad I was there to help. So, wasn’t yesterday fun? I had a great time at the ranch. It’s been ages since I was on horseback.”
Angie Chen, a bridesmaid and friend of BiBi’s from work, giggled. “The last time I was on horseback was a pony ride at a friend’s tenth birthday party. I felt so awkward yesterday. But Corinna, you were great. I saw you win the barrel race. Wow.”
Visibly pleased, Corinna smiled. “Thanks, Angie. I got lucky.”
Toni Blanchard, Corinna’s stiffest competition in the race, grumbled good naturedly. “She got lucky because I got a slower horse. If I’d had my Samson with me, you’d never have gotten near my time, Corinna.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Corinna agreed, then dimpled mischievously. “But then again, maybe I still would have won. I was in the zone yesterday.”
“Brandon McCafferty certainly thought so,” the final bridesmaid, Lucy Dixon, a cousin to BiBi and Corinna, remarked. “He couldn’t take his eyes off you all day yesterday, you lucky girl. He’s so cute.”
A wave of pink touched Corinna’s cheeks. “He is sort of cute,” she admitted. “A little young for me, of course.”
Lucy blew out a dismissive breath. “He’s all of a few months younger than you. Not even a year, right? I know he was only a grade behind you back in school. He had a crush on you back then, too.”
Corinna bit her lip for a moment, then reached determinedly for the glass of orange juice and champagne a server had just placed in front of her. She jumped to her feet. “Looks like everyone’s here. BiBi, hang up the phone and come join your guests. Whatever glitch you’re fretting about now can wait until after breakfast. I’m going to start things off with a toast.”
Looking torn between irritation with the interruption and responsibility to her guests, BiBi disconnected the call she’d been on in one corner of the sunroom and hurried to her place at the table between her mother and mother-in-law-to-be.
“I was just talking to Jason,” she admitted. “I wanted to tell him to make sure Justin’s at the rehearsal later this afternoon. I know Carl’s already given instructions, but I just wanted to make sure…”
“We’re not talking about problems—or potential ones—now,” Corinna cut in insistently. Some of the charming pink had left her cheeks now, and Madison didn’t know whether to attribute it to her exasperation with her sister or the mention of Jason’s name. Maybe a little of both, with emphasis on the latter.
As Corinna began a somewhat rambling toast to her older sister, Madison made a pretense of listening, her own mimosa in her hand in preparation for lifting it toward the bride. She found her thoughts drifting backward a few hours, to a perfect, intimate moment in Jason’s arms. A flood of warmth filled her in response to the thought, making her moisten her lips and long for the cool drink waiting in her hand.
She wondered if Jason was listening to a wordy toast at the groomsmen’s breakfast, thinking of her and remembering a few perfect moments.
She couldn’t help wondering somewhat wistfully if she would ever know that sort of perfection again. At that moment, she couldn’t imagine discovering such ecstasy with anyone but Jason. That unwelcome thought was enough to make her gulp her mimosa a bit too urgently when the toast ended, causing her to cough and sputter into her napkin.
Both BiBi and Corinna looked at her oddly, but she kept her expression bland, commenting lightly that the drink had gone down the wrong way. If she was going to get through the next day and a half without any repercussions to her friendship with BiBi, she was going to have to make a concerted effort not to think about Jason at all.
That would definitely not be easy, she thought, taking another, more careful sip of her drink before reaching for her fork with a bright smile for her table mates.
Chapter Seven
BiBi’s wedding planner had the personality of a hardened drill sergeant, Madison decided later that afternoon. Her name was Phyllis Crumble and her round, pink face was deceptively innocuous. She gave instructions in a sweetly musical voice, but the moment someone stepped out of line, she barked corrections in a firm, don’t-mess-with-me tone that would have made any schoolteacher proud. Even BiBi seemed a bit intimidated by the woman she had hired to ensure the wedding went smoothly.
Phyllis worked with the ushers first, giving them instructions and then insisting that each one escort her down the aisle, and woe to them if they didn’t ask, “Bride’s side or groom’s side?”
Madison had to hide a smile when young Justin D’Alessandro gave his brother a harried, what-did-I-get-myself-into look after his training session. Apparently, he’d accidentally escorted Phyllis to the wrong side of the church when she’d asked to sit on the groom’s side, and he’d been sternly reprimanded. And then Phyllis patted his cheek and told him he’d done a wonderful job before she turned to the next nervous usher.
