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If it took this long just to drill the ushers, Madison couldn’t help wondering how long it would take until Phyllis was satisfied with the rest of the wedding party’s performances. It had already been a rather long day, and it was far from over.
Though the time in the spa had been intended to be relaxing, it hadn’t been overly successful, as far as Madison was concerned. BiBi seemed to be growing more stressed as the wedding drew nearer, which rather surprised Madison. BiBi had seemed so blissfully happy when the long weekend began. Madison couldn’t imagine that her friend was getting cold feet about the marriage itself, so she wasn’t sure why BiBi was being so obsessive about the wedding details. Every little glitch sent her into another frenzy of phone calls and pacing, and glitches were inevitable with plans as detailed as BiBi’s. While it hadn’t surprised Madison at all that BiBi was being such a perfectionist this weekend, she had thought her friend would handle the setbacks better than she had thus far.
Madison had been waiting for a chance to speak to BiBi in private, but that opportunity hadn’t yet presented itself. Either BiBi had been surrounded by other people in the spa or at the luncheon following, or she’d been on the phone or in a frantic discussion with her mother or wedding planner. Now that rehearsals were underway in the church only a few blocks from the hotel, there was certainly no way to pull BiBi aside.
As directed by the wedding planner, Madison stood at the back of the church with the other bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, and the flower girl and ring bearer while the ushers were being trained. Carl and his groomsmen were grouped at the front of the church waiting to be herded to the side room where they would listen for their cue in the ceremony.
“That will do,” Phyllis finally pronounced. She made a note in her ever-present notebook, dismissing the ushers. Justin and the other three ushers quickly escaped to sit in a tight clump on a pew at the back side of the church where they seemed to hope she couldn’t see them.
Phyllis raised her voice so that everyone in the church could hear her clearly. For a small woman, she projected very well. “Once the guests are seated, the soloist will perform before the grandmothers and mothers are escorted into the church.”
“Maybe I should have chosen that other song I was considering,” BiBi fretted from behind Madison. “What do you think, Mother? Should I have Lorelei sing them both for me again? She said she would be happy to sing either.”
“She didn’t say it was okay for you to change your mind twenty-four hours before the wedding,” Corinna countered. “She and the pianist have already practiced several times. That song will be fine.”
“I think that’s my decision, not yours,” BiBi snapped.
Madison knew that tone. Her friend was on the verge of a hissy fit. BiBi didn’t let her temper get out of control often, but when she did…well, suffice it to say that was one reason Madison had been so cautious that weekend. She loved BiBi, knew her to be a loving, generous, warmhearted woman, but she had learned years earlier to avoid BiBi in full-on diva mode.
“The song is beautiful, BiBi,” their mother interceded swiftly, also familiar with her older daughter’s sometimes capricious moods. “And you said it was special to you and Carl. I think you should keep it.”
BiBi nodded shortly. “Fine. We’ll keep it.”
“Is there a problem back there?” Phyllis inquired, looking up from her notebook, obviously displeased at not having everyone’s full attention.
“No problem,” Tina replied cheerily. “Carry on.”
“Thank you.” Phyllis cleared her throat. “After the soloist performs…”
“I heard she used to teach junior high before switching to wedding planning,” Hannah murmured to Madison.
Madison stifled a laugh. “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” she
whispered back.
She stood back and watched as Phyllis sent the groom and his attendants to the side room. “Listen for your cue, now,” she warned them. “We’ll practice your entrance a couple of times before the bridesmaids rehearse.”
Carl and his friends turned obediently to obey her instructions. Jason glanced casually toward the back of the church as he filed out, and Madison spun quickly away before their eyes could meet. She’d had little chance to interact with him that day. They’d sat at different tables during lunch and had arrived separately at the church for the rehearsal. Yet she had been acutely aware of him whenever they’d been in the same room, even if they were facing opposite directions. He’d been equally careful not to give any indication that he noticed her, but she suspected he was aware of her, too. How could they not be focused on each other, considering the connection they had formed during the night together?
She looked toward the ushers, noticing that Corinna had slipped over there and was now giggling animatedly, if very quietly, with Brandon McCafferty. Corinna had to be flattered by the fascination on Brandon’s face when he looked at her. He seemed to be enthralled by her every word and gesture, and what woman wouldn’t respond to that, especially when another man had recently made it clear that he wasn’t enchanted by her?
Madison was pretty sure there was a new appreciation in Corinna’s eyes for Brandon, who really was a very attractive man. Not as gorgeous as Jason—but then, not many men were, she thought with a ripple of wry exasperation with herself.
She hoped Corinna and Brandon hit it off—not because Madison wanted Jason for herself, but because Corinna deserved to give her heart to someone who wanted it, and who was eager to give his own in return. Whatever suspicions Corinna might have had about Madison earlier had seemed to fade during the day. She had been relaxed during the spa time and lunch, as polite as ever toward Madison. Either she had convinced herself that nothing was going on between Madison and Jason, or she’d decided to move on from her unrequited crush. Whatever the reason, Madison was relieved, and even more convinced that discretion had definitely been the right decision for herself and Jason.
Madison noticed that BiBi was nearby and for once not talking on her phone or conversing with anyone else. Madison took advantage of the opportunity to ask, “How are you holding up, Beebs? Getting a little stressed?”
“Why? Are you saying I look stressed?” BiBi frowned and whirled to study her image in a gilt-framed mirror on the foyer wall. “Oh, damn, I look terrible. Bags under my eyes, and my skin looks yellow.”
Everyone within range of her plaintive complaint hastened to assure her that she looked as beautiful as ever. Fluttering around her daughter anxiously, Tina shot Madison a look of reproof, as if Madison had deliberately upset the anxious bride.
Madison sighed, losing patience. “BiBi, could I talk to you for a minute?”
“There’s no time for a talk now,” Tina said, tapping her watch. “Phyllis is going to want to start rehearsal for the procession as soon as the men know their places. And we don’t want to annoy Phyllis.”
Everyone nodded as if that were a given.
“Excuse me.” Phyllis spoke loudly enough to draw all attention to herself as she faced the front of the church. “Where is the third groomsman?” She glanced at her notebook. “Jason D’Alessandro?”
