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“Just wanted to get away for a few days,” Madison replied smoothly, and Payton couldn’t believe it when she slid her arm around Payton’s waist. “You know how crazy work can get, so we thought we could use the break.”
Jen’s smile turned into a chuckle. “Oh wow. Madison taking a vacation. Well, it must be love.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but it seemed like it was in good fun even though Payton sensed that Jen would have loved to have seen this side of Madison years ago.
“What about you?” Madison asked. “You’re a week early too?”
“Oh, Hazel’s meeting me here. We’re just going over everything one last time so that we can relax and enjoy the lead-up to the ceremony.” Jen’s eyes moved beyond them, a wide smile coming to her lips. “And there she is.”
Madison’s hand was resting on her hip, and before Payton had a chance to turn, a young woman about her age joined them, her hand sliding into Jen’s.
What?
Payton hoped she didn’t look like a deer in the headlights, because that was exactly how she felt.
Why was she looking at a woman her age? She’d just assumed that Jen would be marrying someone else in her forties.
Payton blinked, nearly missing the introductions, saying hello to Hazel, struggling to process it all.
“This was a nice surprise,” Jen said. “Getting to meet like this before the wedding. Maybe we should have dinner this week?” she asked, turning to Hazel who nodded. “Yeah, that would a great way to catch up.”
Payton barely registered Madison agreeing, saying that they’d both check their schedules and be in touch, because what the actual fuck. That would be a whole other level of pretending.
Payton’s understanding of this situation was that they would look the part of a happy couple at the ceremony and the reception along with the celebrations the next day. That was all across the room kind of stuff.
Dinner with Jen and Hazel? Who were very clearly in love?
How were they going to compete with that?
They said their goodbyes, and Payton made the short walk to the elevators in a daze, Madison’s hand finding hers again, although once the doors slid closed, her hand fell away, reminding Payton that this was only a job, and it just got a whole lot harder.
18
Madison leaned her head back against the metal, her eyes falling closed. “I’m so sorry.”
They were the only ones in the elevator, and Madison’s heart was still racing after that unexpected interaction.
She knew she’d have to talk to her ex-wife for the first time since their divorce became official, and while things had never really been messy or ugly between them, it was still hard to see a woman who once had meant so much to her be so happy with someone else.
It brought up all kinds of thoughts and fears about her own future, and if she really was happy being married to work and maybe never having a connection like that again.
If Jen had been surprised to see that Madison was also with someone so much younger, she hid it well, although she’d definitely given Payton a once over.
“It’s fine,” Payton said, taking her away from her thoughts as the doors opened to their floor, and she stepped out ahead of her, taking her keycard from the back pocket of her shorts as she walked.
Madison thanked her as she unlocked the door and held it open for her. “I didn’t think I’d see her. Or them. Before the wedding.”
Madison sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through her hair, exhaustion from the trip and the morning walking all over London setting in.
“Did you know?” Payton asked standing opposite her.
“Know what?”
“That Hazel was my age.”
Madison bit the inside of her cheek. There was no point lying. “Yeah.”
Payton smiled. “Is that one of the reasons you asked me?”
Madison arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Like I'm competing with Jen, and I also need to have a beautiful woman on my arm that’s almost half my age?”
