MADISON'S POV
We had such an instant connection that it felt like we'd known each other for years. Brooke came to Cancun as a plus one for one of the groomsmen, a certified playboy she's crushing hard on.
By the end of the rehearsal dinner yesterday, she'd begged me to make up an excuse to stay the night in her hotel room because she couldn't trust herself not to end up in Xavier's bed.
And now, she's AWOL, and so is Xavier, for that matter.
Yep. They're most likely off having crazy hot sex right now.I did warn the stubborn girl that there was no point in fighting her attraction to the man.
I signal to the passing bartender for another glass of bubbly champagne.
Brooke's absence only leaves Ella. She will have to do then, provided she can peel herself away from Jordan for two seconds.
I'm reeling from what just happened, and I need to decompress.
I watch them, and the moment Ella catches my gaze from across the room, I glare meaningfully at her, swiftly cocking my head at my table.
Get your ass over here!
She gets the message, disentangles herself, straightens her long, champagne colored, silk bridesmaid dress, and saunters over to me.
I grab another champagne glass from a passing waiter and hand it to her when she reaches me. "You guys are shameless, you know."
Ella only giggles.
"Seriously, doesn't it get old? You've been married for over a year now."
Ella looks back at her husband, and a flush steals across her cheeks.
I have my answer. "Ugh." I take a gulp of my drink.
Ella watches me in amusement. "Would you prefer a bottle instead?"
I give her the stink eye.
"No, really, Madi. You seem upset. What's going on?"
"What do you mean what's going on? Didn't you see what just happened?"
"You mean the couple's dance?" She motions to the newlyweds Alex and Nora, who are currently swaying to a waltz on the dance floor.
I wonder if Ella is being deliberately obtuse. "No, Einstein. What happened with the whole bouquet and garter thing you made me do."
"Oh, no, we missed the whole thing. Jordan and I were outside taking pictures. Which reminds me, Madi, the photographer is awesome. You should totally take some. You look hot. And the dress matches your highlights."
I'm wearing a plum-colored dress that matches the streaks of purple in my curly, asymmetrical pixie cut.
"Thanks, babe."
"So, catch me up. Who caught the bouquet?"
I pin her with a hard, accusing stare. "Take a wild guess."
"What, you?"
I nod.
"Really! I wouldn't have thought you'd want…"
"Exactly. I actively avoided it. I couldn't have been further away from the bride if I'd stepped outside the room. But even with her back turned, it almost hit me square in the face. I wonder if Nora throws frisbees."
Ella chortles. "Wow, I would have loved to see your face when…wait a minute. Did you wear the garter?" She sees the expression on my face. "Oh, my God, so Calhoun took it off you? Shit, how could I have missed that!"
"Hey, wait a minute, how did you know it was Calhoun? You said you weren't there."
"All the boys…well, the single ones…had a game of poker this morning, and the loser was to take the garter off the woman who caught the bouquet. Jordan told me that Ethan lost the game."
"Wow, how nice for you to have insider information. If only you shared that once in a while with your buddies so they don'tget blindsided." If I'd known Calhoun was going to be taking off garters, I would never have agreed to participate.
"I did not for a second think it'd be you, Ella. I mean, couldn't you have thrown yourself on the floor to avoid it or pushed someone else into the way or something?"
"Right, put your two cents in, why don't you, coach?" I roll my eyes.
"Okay, sorry." She doesn't look sorry. "Anyway, how did it go? I know you two didn't get on too well yesterday. Maybe the icebreaker you guys need is something funny and ridiculous like this?"
"Uh, no. I think not. If anything, the Arctic has completely frozen over on us. Ella, that was one of the most awkward moments of my life!"
"Really? How so?"
I don't think she gets it.
"With all those guys gathered around us! And you won't believe how the jerk actually gave a victory speech afterward."
Ella again tries to look horrified, but I can see she's amused. The man can do no wrong in her eyes. "I'm sorry. The boys sometimes go overboard with their games. They work so hard in their careers but play like kids. Just be grateful it wasn't Ryan, though."
Ryan is the big, loud, blond guy who suggested Calhoun use his teeth. Yeah, he seemed to be having the most fun out there, and from what I've seen since yesterday, he doesn't hold himself back from a good time.
"They might act like that because many of them were raised as heirs of huge legacies, and they didn't always get the chance to be kids." Ella glances back across the room at Jordan, who has joined the other groomsmen, now arranging themselves like a choir.
Led by the best man, a big tattooed guy with a man bun, they start to sing offkey to the couple, and the bride goes beet red, giggling.
I don't even want to know the lyrics of the song.
"Anyway," Ella continues, "what I'm saying is that once you get to know them, they're not so bad. They're great, actually."
I'm unsure how, or if, to mention my surprising physical reaction to Calhoun, something even I am ashamed to admit to myself. Given the circumstances, I want reassurance that my reaction was normal or expected, but I also don't want her to think that there's more to it than a knee jerk response. Besides, I can't risk it getting back to Calhoun because Ella will tell Jordan, who might then tell Calhoun, his friend.
"I think I may have overreacted," I begin.
"How so?"
"I don't know. I didn't find the whole thing funny, which is strange. You know I don't mind a bit of attention now and again. But this time, it felt um… really intimate. I didn't want to do it," I finally admit.
"Did you tell Calhoun that? Because he would have never done it unless he was sure that you were good."
I don't say anything, remembering how he'd asked if I was okay and the way I scoffed at him.
"Are you alright, Madison?" Ella asks.
"Yes, I… it just caught me off guard, that's all. Two days ago, I didn't even know I'd be here, yet here I am, taking center stage. It's a little weird, especially after standing out like a sore thumb yesterday. I felt like a zoo animal with the way people were staring at the rehearsal."
The way Calhoun Kennedy was staring.
"I did tell you to wear a dress."
"And I wore one!"
"Of course you did, and it was sexy, but leather will make you stand out in a formal gathering," Sabrina points out in amusement. "Although, your standing out yesterday wasn't all down to the dress."
I wait for her to say more.