Page 53 of Vacation Friends

But what sense would that make?

Maddie didn’t know. But she didn’t like the unsettled feeling in her gut, a feeling that indicated a vast abundance of secrets cowered in corners here at this retreat.

And if there was one thing she knew about secrets, it was that they could get people killed.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

Just as Maddie had anticipated, Josh was hardly present to sit beside her.

She was a work widow. Though they weren’t married, the concept was still the same.

Actually, maybe vacation widow would be a better term.

At events like this one, there was no time to hang out together. She’d mostly gotten used to being alone and finding people to chat with. But she was glad to have found Adrienne, Brody, Bree, and Fowler.

Maddie’s group had already been through the buffet line. They’d tried some of the world-famous poi Hawaii was known for. She discovered she wasn’t a fan of purplish pudding.

She did, however, go back for seconds on the pork barbecue and macaroni salad.

As she waited for the rest of the group to return to the table, she took a bite of creamy pasta. She scanned the area again. Again, her gaze stopped on Josh.

This time, he was talking to Logan, who wore a body-hugging white dress.

Maddie’s shoulders tightened.

“You’re not worried about him, are you?”

She snapped her attention to Adrienne, who’d come back to the table and had clearly seen her watching Josh.

Maddie tried to neutralize her expression. “No, the only thing Josh wants is to be named CEO. That’s his primary goal in life right now.”

Adrienne frowned. “I guess you haven’t done too much wedding planning then?”

Maddie glanced at the two-carat engagement ring on her finger. She hadn’t wanted something this large, but for Josh, it was another trophy to add to his collection. That was how she’d always seen it, at least.

“No, I guess I haven’t,” Maddie answered. “No rush, right?”

Brody quietly joined them again, giving them space to finish their conversation.

“It was a shame what happened to his dad.” Adrienne stabbed a piece of her Lomi Lomi salmon.

“It really was. Everyone thought he was as healthy as a horse.” Two months ago, he’d dropped dead while working late in the office. He’d had a massive heart attack, one that had left Josh and his brother, Sam, fatherless, and Lynn, Josh’s mother, a widow.

“Josh seems like a no-brainer for the position,” Adrienne continued.

“That’s what everyone says.”

A member of the event team waved to Adrienne from a few tables over.

“Excuse me a minute,” Adrienne muttered.

She scurried to her coworker, leaving Maddie and Brody sitting at the table.

She glanced at Brody and shoved down another rush of attraction.

Inappropriate, Maddie. Do better.

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