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“What’s going on out here?” Madison rushes out of the bedroom, wearing a fluffy white Magnolia Point bathrobe. “Bentley?”
She glances from me to her ex, taking in his disheveled appearance—the rumpled tux, serious five-o-clock shadow, the dark circles under his eyes.
“Are you okay? Why are you here?” Her voice is filled with concern as she stares over at him.
“Madison, I made a terrible mistake?—”
13
MADISON LEIGH
“What do you mean?”I narrow my eyes at Bentley.
“I never should have broken up with you. Leaving you for Shavonne was a mistake.” Bentley rakes a hand through his dark hair and I almost feel sorry for him.
Almost.
“I could have told you that.” I fold my arms across my chest, self-righteousness blooming in my chest like baby’s breath during wedding season.
“You don’t have to be a bitch about it.” Bentley scowls, a deep line etched between his brow.
Next to me, Spence’s hands ball into tight fists and I’m mildly concerned he’s going to punch Bentley in his straight, peroxide-treated, gleaming white teeth right here in the Magnolia Suite.
“Don’t talk to her like that.” Spence puffs his chest out and Bentley does the same, the two of them squaring up again.
Spreading my arms wide in the air between them, I push the two men apart.
“Thank you, Spence, but I’ve got this. Can you give us a minute?”
Spence’s nostrils flare, then he takes a deep breath, huffs out a sigh.
“Fine. But I’ll be right in there—” he points to the bedroom – “if you need me. Just holler.”
“Will do.” I stand on tiptoe and press my lips to his in a soft kiss. “I’ll be fine,” I murmur against his mouth.
He nods and backs away to the bedroom, leaving me alone with my ex.
“Good gawd, Mads. The caddy?” Bentley wastes no time chastising me. “You could definitely do better thanthat.”
“What I do now is none of your business, Bentley. And what could you need so urgently that you pounded down my door at the crack of dawn, well before a decent, polite hour?”
“Sorry, let me start over. Mads—” He takes two large steps across the hardwood floor, taking my hands in his tight grip. “I blew it. Please give me a second chance. I’ll do anything. Want Shavonne fired? Done. Want me to get rid of all temptation and fire all the dental hygienists, clean everyone’s teeth myself? I’ll do it. If you want to go to couples counseling, we can. I mean, kind of lame, but for you?—”
I break free of his grasp, holding a palm up to end his diatribe. “Stop. Bentley, it’s over between us. You may think you made a mistake, but I don’t. What we had together wasn’t good and it wasn’t healthy.”
“What do you mean?” Bentley’s brow furrows, deep lines of irritation marching across his forehead. “We were great together. You were always so happy with me.”
“No, I wasn’t.” I shake my head, remembering all the times Bentley put me down and made me feel less than. Like I wasn’t good enough for him and I should feel lucky he was willing to date down.
“Thinking back on our relationship, I realize I wasn’t very happy with you at all. You were always trying to change me, make me into someone I’m not.”
“What are you talking about? No, I wasn’t.”
“Yes, you were. You told me what to wear, how to style my hair. You didn’t support my career goals. I’m clearly not what you want, Bentley.”
“Mads, if I did that, I’m sorry. You’re perfect, I see that now.”
“I’m not perfect, by any means. But I am good, Bentley. Without you.” I step back, putting distance between us. “And I’m happy. With Spence.”
