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“Not you, that’s for damn sure.”
“No.” His partner folded his arms and leaned against the door, as if he had all the time in the world to spend on this ridiculous conversation. “Not me. Who?”
His heart kicked in his chest. Hard and sharp, like a boot heel to his sternum. He opened his mouth to say nobody, because that was the right answer—the answer best suited to both their plans—but a different response clawed its way out of his throat. “Madison.”
Holy shit.
But true. The truth vibrated in his bones. His soul. He drew in a deep breath and his headache backed off a bit. “Madison and Joy. I can’t imagine my life without them, and they’re here, in Atlanta.”
“Not just in Atlanta, Hunt. They’re in your house. Under your roof. Even if you stay local, do you really want them in an apartment across town?”
Hell no. Somewhere between the side of the I-75 and the umpteenth three a.m. feeding, he’d gone and done the one thing he couldn’t afford to do. He’d fallen in love with them, and no amount of sticking to his plans would undo it. He wanted them with him, but… “It’s what she wants.”
Beau swept that aside with an impatient hand. “Uh-uh. Moving into her own place is one means to an end. She wants to feel needed, not needy. She wants to respect herself and feel like she brings something important to the table.” He shoved Hunter’s shoulder. “Find a way to get her there without loading up her car.”
Hunter shoved him back. “Beau, the woman is stubborn. I can’t just sit her down and tell her how it’s going to be.”
“Like I don’t know a thing about stubborn women? You’ve met Savannah, right? I didn’t say sit her down and tell her how it’s going to be. Try telling her how you feel. Here’s a helpful hint, Romeo. Women love weddings. It’s a perfect time to bare your heart.”
And left him four days to prepare, so he could do it right.
…
“She looks adorable in this one.” Nelle danced Joy in front of the mirror above the dresser, admiring the way the skirt of the red velvet dress swirled.
Madison smiled up at them from her place on the guestroom rug and folded another of the little outfits Rachel had given her. “You said the same thing about the last dress, and the one before.”
“Can I help if she looks adorable in everything? Anyway”—she sat on the bed and gestured at the selection of tiny dresses and shoes scattered around on the comforter—“Joy’s got plenty of clothes to choose from. I’m more curious to see what you’re planning to wear to this wedding.”
Yeah. Me, too. She picked a fuzz ball off her baggy black V-neck sweater and then plucked the frayed edge of a worn-to-threads tear at the knee of her jeans. “I’m not sure yet.” Her belly was almost back to pre-pregnancy proportions, but thanks to breastfeeding and pumping, she still couldn’t pack her tits into her old clothes. Even if she could, her options were limited. Madison Foley wasn’t normally on the fancy wedding guest list. She didn’t want to embarrass Hunter by showing up in something inappropriate, but she found the expense of a new dress hard to justify.
“Show me the short list,” Nelle said.
Madison managed a laugh and got to her feet. “It’s a very short list, consisting of two choices.” She opened the closet and pulled out her black maternity button-down dress—a twin to the blue one she’d been wearing the day Joy arrived. “I know this is kind of casual, but I thought with a belt, some dark tights, and my black heels… Maybe?”
“Hmm.” Nelle tipped her head to the side and considered the dress, a slight frown tugging the corners of her mouth. “What’s the other option?”
Right. No amount of accessories would turn a button-down into a ball gown. She hung the dress back up and reached deeper into the closet. “There’s this.” She pulled out a short, sleeveless, pearl gray dress in a shimmery fabric.
The older woman’s frown faded. “That is definitely the one you should wear. It’s perfect. The color sets off your eyes, and the cut flatters a young figure like yours.”
“Ha.” She held the dress up to herself. “That’s nice of you to say, but the truth is I’m not sure it fits anymore. I got this when I first arrived in Atlanta. I didn’t even realize I was pregnant yet. Cody told me to buy something pretty so he could take me out on the town, and I fell in love with this. I thought it was so classy and sophisticated.”
“And you were right on both counts. We’ll make it fit. That’s what Spanx are for. Try it on.”
She stripped in the bathroom and shimmied into the dress. It fit through the hips and middle, which encouraged her. She worked the zipper as far up as her reach would allow and then walked back to the bedroom. “Can I trouble you to zip me?”
“Sure thing. Here.” She handed Joy over. Madison turned to face the mirror, held Joy so they were back-to-front, and then smiled and waved to the baby’s reflection. Nelle ran the zipper to the end of its track and stepped back.
Madison exhaled. “Holy sh—moly. It fits.”
“It fits like a dream. How does it feel?”
“Good. Not too tight. Maybe a little snug in the”—she shifted Joy to her hip, and her eyes dropped to the neckline—“oh my God. I can’t go out in public like this.”
“What?” Nelle’s brow furrowed. “Why on earth not?”
Seven months ago the fitted neckline displayed a tasteful glimpse of cleavage. Now it displayed…too much. She turned and faced her neighbor. “I look like a reject from The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
