Page 44 of Second Chance Ex
“Hey, you okay?”
At the sound of Madison’s voice, I turn. Dressed in her coat, she hurries out and quickly drapes a thick puffer jacket over my shoulders before wrapping me up in a big hug. I let her hold me, but the longer she does, the more the emotion inside of me bubbles to the point of boiling, and suddenly I’m a crying mess. And I hate that even now, after the time that’s passed, Joey Tanner is still the reason for my tears.
“Shhh.” Madison rubs a hand over my back.
I sniffle, pulling out of the embrace, and then I walk over to the stone ledge and sit, wiping my eyes.
“I’m sorry, P.”
At Madison’s unexpected apology, I look up. “Why? It’s not your fault Joey Tanner’s a dick.”
With a forlorn sigh she sits beside me, looking out over the lake. “I’m sorry that I’ve been so distracted by this wedding, so busy with everything. I feel like I’ve neglected you,us. I haven’t been a very good friend.”
I shake my head, dismissing her apology. “Maddy, you’re getting married. You’re hardly neglecting me.”
“I just feel like I should have checked in with you more, about—” she waves her hand in the direction of the door, “—this whole messed up situation. Being forced to spend so much time with Joey, it can’t be easy on you.” She reaches out and touches my hand. “You are okay with this, right?”
“It’s your wedding, Maddy. I’m fine.” I offer a light, humorless laugh, despite my tears. “Joey and I were always bound to be forced together again at some pointin time on account of you and Ryan. It just happened a little sooner than I was expecting.”
“I just don’t want this to be any harder on you than it has to be.” Madison implores me with her eyes. “If you ever don’t want to be involved with all the pre-wedding stuff, then just let me know, okay? I get how difficult this must be on you. He cheated, and I remember how broken you were after that. And now he’s being a drunk jerk-face. You don’t deserve this.”
I look down, biting my lips between my teeth. There is so much Maddy doesn’t know. So much no one knows. I wish it were as simple as cheating because then Joey would just be a cheater and I could hate him and go on living my life. But the thing is, I don’t hate Joey. I’ve never hated him. And I don’t think I ever could hate him. My hurt and the pain that’s lingered all this time is about so much more than just cheating.
Madison squeezes my hand. “I don’t want to get married without my best friend by my side, Prue.”
I look up and meet her eyes, surprised to see the hint of tears reflecting the porch light.
“But if it’s too much, then… I’ll understand.” She presses her lips together with a flat smile.
I quickly shake my head. “I’m your Maid of Honor, Maddy. There is no way I’m going to miss out on that. We’ve been talking about your wedding ever since we were kids. Long before Ryan Conrad even came into the picture.” I offer her a wry smile.“Back when you were going to marry Harry Styles.”
She laughs out loud. “When you made me promise I wouldn’t get angry at you if you and him had an affair.”
I grin.
Madison swipes at the tears in her eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
We hug again, and the weight I’d felt earlier seems somewhat lifted. But then Maddy pulls back and there’s a dubious look in her eye as she studies me.
“What?” I ask warily.
She quirks a brow. “Adam Hopper, P? Seriously?”
Oh god, I don’t even know where to look. Madison has always had this eerie way of seeing straight through me. I glance out over the lake again.
“Is he at least a nice guy?”
I look at her then, because I don’t actually need to lie about that. “Yeah. He is.”
Her eyes bounce between mine and a small smile plays on her lips. “Well, if you’re happy then I’m happy.”
I nod, swallowing the lump of guilt that dwells at the back of my throat. I’m so far from happy thathappyalmost seems like a foreign land in some faraway, make-believe world. But I still smile.
“He’s really hot, P,” Madison says suddenly, surprising me.
I bark out a laugh at her unexpected words, but our moment together is interrupted by the front door opening and my stomach drops at the sight of Joey stepping out onto the porch, his hands clasped nervously together as he looks from me to Madison and back again, one of his brows arching higher.
