by Carr, K
Nathan scowled at him, then plastered a remorseful expression on his face when they were led to the table. “Darling, traffic was murder,” he said, leaning over to take a kiss from her lips.
“Hmm,” she said with irritated eyes, before sending a sweet smile in Matt’s direction. “Matt, I didn’t know you were joining us for lunch.”
Matt gave her a kiss hello and the men took their seats. Nathan was fidgeting, casting glances at his fiancée before sending a thoroughly helpless look at Matt.
“When Nathan told me he was meeting you, I had to invite myself along,” he said smoothly. “You know how much I enjoy both your company.”
Her smile widened and the annoyed glint in her eyes disappeared. “Last night was delightful. It’s been a while since the whole group got together. Such a shame Madi couldn’t make it.”
“That’s what I said,” Nathan agreed, immediately reaching for her hand atop the table. “Have you ordered, sweetheart?”
Matt winced as soon as the words left his friend’s mouth. Bad mistake.
Bella turned her head slightly to stare at Nathan. “No, I have not. You’re thirty minutes late, Nathan. If I had ordered, the food would no doubt be cold by now.”
Duly chastised, Nathan cleared his throat and mouthed “sorry” to her as their waiter came over with the menus. Once again he shot Matt a look, this one clearly saying: save me.
By the time they’d finished their starters, Matt had charmed Bella back to her usual self and the talk had turned to their wedding. Over the main course, Nathan hid his lack of enthusiasm for the finer details of such a momentous occasion well and did what any man in his situation could do: agreed with whatever request the woman he loved made of him.
They shared an amused look as Bella flicked through her leather-bound notebook, pen held firmly as she scribbled whatever brides-to-be scribbled in their wedding bible.
Looking at his friends engrossed in conversation, Matt felt the glimmer of excitement, not just for them, but for himself. A year. That was how long he would wait before it was his turn to graciously agree to anything the woman he loved wanted concerning their own nuptials. He pulled his mobile out, needing to speak to his poppet. It rang four times before she picked up the call.
“’Sup.”
“Pardon?” he asked in surprised.
“What’s. Up,” she drawled.
Matt turned slightly in his chair. Nathan and Bella were busy with their conversation and Madi sounded sloshed. Yet again.
“Happy Birthday, poppet.” he said quietly. There was a lot of noise in the background on her side.
“Thanks, babe. Where you at?”
Matt blinked a couple of times. ’Sup? Where you at? Why was she speaking this way? “At lunch with Nathan and Bella. How’s your day going so far?”
“Good. When you coming over?” she asked, then yelled something incoherently at someone in the background.
Matt blinked. Had she forgotten how to use the word ‘are’? He noticed Nathan and Bella had gone quiet, curiously observing him. Matt twisted in his chair a bit more.
“We agreed I would see you on Friday, poppet,” he said cautiously. “We talked about this Thursday night, remember?”
“We did?” She sounded perplexed, and Matt began to worry about what state she was in at the moment.
“Yes, we did,” he confirmed. “Are you home? Would you like me to come over, poppet? I can be there in half an hour, traffic permitting.”
“It is my birthday, Matt, and you’re my man, so hell, yeah, I want you to come over. Can’t party without my man, now can I? Hey, bring Bella. I want Sol to meet her.”
Matt ran an agitated hand through his hair. Who the hell was Sol? “I’m not certain Bella can come, poppet.”
Bella was nodding vigorously at Matt as she said, “It’s fine, Matt. I’m free this afternoon.”
Matt chewed his lower lip, undecided. “Are you home, Madi?”
“Where else would I be?” she said, then giggled. “Gosh, you funny.”
Matt frowned. Forget the dropping of necessary verbs in her sentences. She sounded utterly inebriated. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Is Dante there?”
“Yes, he’s been here since Thursday night. Why?” she asked, snickering.
“Please put him on the phone, poppet.”
“Can’t. He’s busy.”
Matt’s jaw tightened as he took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “I’ll be there shortly. Go drink some water, then lie down.”
“What? Matt, you know you cray-cray, right?” she said, then burst out laughing.
“Go lie down, poppet. See you soon.” Matt hung up the call and stared at his mobile for a moment.
“Is everything all right?” Nathan asked in concern.
“I have absolutely no idea,” he replied then looked over at them. “I’ve got to go. Bella, your presence has been requested, and seeing as Nathan drove me here—”
“Of course, I’ll drive,” she said, tucking her notebook, pen and mobile into her bag. “Nate, darling, get the bill, and I’ll see you at home tonight.”
Matt stood up, calling his office to notify his secretary he was taking the rest of the day off.
While it rang he heard a put out Nathan say, “I want to come, too. It’s preposterous and, frankly, insulting that my fiancée and best friend are willing to ditch me.”
“Don’t you have to get back to the office?” Matt countered, then turned his attention to the call he was making. “Rachel, cancel my meetings for the rest of the day…Yes, I know I’m supposed to be speaking to the energy minister…Adam can handle it…Rachel, just cancel my meetings.”
He hung up and held an arm out to Bella.
Nathan was on his feet, impatiently gesturing to their waiter. “Why do I have to go back to work when the both of you are taking the afternoon off?” he groused like a petulant child, never mind he was thirty-seven years old. “Why does Madi want to see Bella but not me? That’s rude, Matt. I’m coming, too.”
“Nathan.” Bella folded her arms and gave him an unamused stare. “Pay the bill and go back to work. Didn’t you tell me this morning you had an important staff meeting to attend?”
Nathan pulled his wallet out and glowered at the waiter as he handed him the bill, then pulled the requisite amount out with a generous tip before shooing the man away. “If Matt can cancel a meeting with the energy minister, I can bloody well cancel a staff meeting. Why don’t you want me to accompany you? A man can become suspicious when his best friend and fiancée don’t seem to want him around. Is that what you want, Bella? To make me suspicious?”
Bella gave him an incredulous look, then let out a peal of laughter. “How ridiculous you are sometimes, my darling Nate.” She took Matt’s arm and grinned up at him. “Is he allowed to tag along, Matt?”
Matt didn’t care one way or the other, he simply wanted to get to Greenwich as quickly as possible. “Yes, yes, let’s go.”
The three of them hurried out of the restaurant. Matt’s worry was full-blown. He never should have agreed to stay away from her these past few days. What was he thinking? It was obvious from what she’d said this was an emotional time for her. And he had left her to it. Deserted her. Bloody hell. What sort of man was he?
They decided to leave as they’d arrived, Nathan and Matt together and Bella following in her sleek Bentley.
“Who are you texting?” Nathan asked as they began the battle of traffic through Central London. “Is it Madison? You seem concerned, Matt. Is she all right?”
Matt finished typing the text and raised his head to glance at his friend. “It’s Natalia.”
“Your niece?” Nathan looked confused as they hit lights and he checked his rear view mirror to make sure Bella was behind them. “Why?”
“Madi said I was cray-cray and, for the life of me, I have no idea what it means,” he explained.
Nathan shrugged and offered his take on it. “Maybe it’s something to do wit
h crayfish?”
“Highly unlikely. God. Can’t you drive faster, Nathan? An old age pensioner can walk faster than this snail’s pace we’re going at.”
Nathan didn’t bother replying.
“Crazy,” Matt muttered in a frustrated voice.
“I beg your pardon?” Nathan grumbled, insulted at Matt’s dig.
Matt looked at him. Seeing his friend’s offended demeanour, he explained, “It means crazy. The urban definition of cray-cray means crazy.”
Nathan arched a blonde eyebrow at him and chuckled. “It’s scary that your girlfriend uses slang understood by your seventeen-year-old niece, Matt.”
“Tell me about it,” Matt mumbled, rubbing his temples slowly. “It’s moments like these I realize I’m not as young as I think I am.”
Nathan snorted in agreement before speeding up. The traffic was easing. They should be there soon. At least he hoped so.
Almost an hour later Nathan parked across the street from Madison’s terrace. Matt was simultaneously filled with aching eagerness to see her, yet anxious over the state she would be in. He jumped out the car and strode over the street before Bella had parked behind Nathan.
“Wait up, Matt,” Nathan yelled as he hurried over to get Bella.
Matt let out an irritated grunt, wishing he’d come on his own. When they all finally walked toward her front door, he could feel the beginnings of dread stirring inside his gut. How inebriated was she?
Matt pulled his keys out and opened the door, striding in seconds later.
“The hell?” A bare-chested white man yelled in surprise, jumping to his feet with clenched hands as he stared at Matt, Nathan and Bella.
“Chill out, Bret,” Dante immediately called from his side, peering at Matt as he jerked his head in his direction, a form of hello. “That’s Madi’s boyfriend.”
The Bret fellow glanced from Matt to Dante, still looking suspicious as he said, “Dude waltzes in like he owns the place?”
Dante shrugged and brought a bottle of beer to his lips. “Seems so.”
Matt’s eyes took in the scene before him. It looked like they’d been partying hard, empty beer bottles strewn everywhere. His jaw tightened.
“Where’s Madison?” he asked tersely, gesturing Bella and Nathan forward before shutting the front door harder than necessary.
“MSG,” Bret called. “Your man’s here.”
Matt heard laughter coming from the kitchen and forced himself not to make his way there. He couldn’t leave Bella and Nathan, even if he wanted to. He could see their uneasiness as they stood together.
“MSG,” Bret hollered. “You’ve got guests.” He regarded Matt. “Damn man, you’re bigger than I expected.”
Matt eyed the man closely. Slender framed, with skinny arms and a few tattoos on his arms and upper chest, and brown locks in wild disarray around his narrow face.
“How’s it hanging, man?” Dante drawled, eyes on the TV.
“Fine.” Matt could only assume Dante was asking how he was, and his reply was a polite one. “And yourself?”
“I’m cool. Hey, Bret, sit down man, you’re missing the start of the game.”
Bret slumped on the couch, feet up on the coffee table as he picked up a beer and mumbled while tugging a t-shirt on. “Dude walked right on in. People get popped for shit like that.”
“Yup,” Dante responded dryly, before twisting in the couch and calling in a raised voice, “Sweet cheeks. Come in here for a second.”
Matt was about to head for the kitchen—Nathan and Bella would have to fend for themselves—when he saw Madi and another woman coming down the hallway giggling to themselves.
“Why are you guys yelling? MSG and I are cooking,” the woman groused as she held an arm around Madi’s waist.
His poppet’s head was down and Matt’s gaze slid over her clothing, or lack thereof. Both women sported extremely short shorts and boob tubes. The striped, knee-high socks were a strange addition.
“Poppet,” he called, and her head snapped up.
<><><>
“Matt.” My eyes widened in surprise as I leaned against Marie-Sol in the hallway. They almost popped out their sockets as I noticed Nathan and Bella behind him. “Wha—why—what are you doing here?”
I jerked away from Marie-Sol and hurried towards my living room fuming, or trying to…I was high and drunk.
Matt gave me an incredulous stare before running an agitated hand across his handsome face. Wow. He looked good in a suit.
“You asked me to come, poppet. We spoke on the phone,” he prompted with an expectant look. “About an hour ago. Remember?”
“We didn’t,” I said with surety, then paused. “Did we?”
Matt nodded slowly, eyes darting from me and Marie-Sol to Dante and Bret. “Yes, we did.”
Marie-Sol came up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and saying in a not-so-quiet voice, “MSG, he’s hot.”
“Hey.” Bret’s head snapped around. “I heard that, Sol.”
She laughed and sauntered over to the couch where she ruffled Bret’s hair. “I know you did, sweetie. Just trying to keep you on your toes.”
I squirmed in embarrassment and ran a hand over my wild hair. Oh shit. I looked a fine mess, and Matt was here with Bella and Nathan, who were staring at me as if my body had been inhabited by an alien life form.
“Happy birthday, Madi,” Matt said softly as he closed the distance between us. I flinched, unable to meet his eyes when he stopped in front of me. Oh God. Had I really invited him over? Damned alcohol and happy brownies.
“Thanks,” I muttered, eyes downcast as I eased past him towards the couch and my friends. “Uh, guys, this is Matt.” I gestured in his direction, then pointed at my other unexpected guests. “And they’re his friends, Bella and Nathan. They’re engaged by the way.”
Nathan and Bella smiled a nervous hello at my friends.
I fiddled with the back of the couch. “You guys already know, Dante.”
Bella nodded her head and Dante sent a distracted wave in her direction. She waved back.
“And this is Sol.” I nudged my friend. “Marie-Sol and her boyfriend, Bret. They will be engaged soon.”
“Hey,” Bret piped up. “Stop sweating me, MSG.”
Everyone murmured hello to each other, and I fidgeted next to Marie-Sol. She picked up on my unease immediately and tapped Dante on his shoulder, who, in turn, nudged his knee against Bret’s.
“MSG, how’s the food coming along? A brother be starving out here,” he said. I laughed, knowing full well he was trying to distract me. They’d being doing that all day. Anytime the echo of a frown graced my lips, either Dante, Bret or Sol would say something to make me smile.
“About an hour left, Bret. Can you last until then?”
He snorted, then rose up to yank Sol over the back of the couch and into his lap. She let out a little yelp, and I laughed harder as Bret began to tickle her while chastising her for saying Matt was hot.
I gave not-quite-lucid eyes to the hot man in discussion. “Would you guys like something to drink?”
I could see Matt was about to decline when Nathan said, “Yes, please. Happy birthday, by the way.”
Nathan ushered Bella forward. I think he was unnerved by my friends’ antics and wanted to escape the confines of my living room. Bella came over to wish me happy birthday, while Matt observed me silently, clinical and searching grey eyes fixated on my face. I nervously ran a hand over my curls.
“Follow me,” I mumbled before heading back to the kitchen with the three of them on my heels. I could hear Sol’s shrieks as Dante seemed to join in on the tickle fest. I wished I was out there with them, instead of in my kitchen putting on the kettle to make tea for my guests.
“Why do they call you MSG?” Matt asked in the awkward silence building throughout my kitchen as he leaned against the counter.
I glanced at him before averting my eyes. Could he tell I was high right now?
�
�Because her name is Madison,” Bret supplied. Damn, he was quiet. I hadn’t heard him coming after us. “And she’s square like a garden,” he joked. It was a private joke that the others wouldn’t get.
Matt exchanged a blank look with Nathan, who had pulled out chairs for himself and Bella and was sitting at the table.
“It’s short for Madison Square Gardens, Matt. MSG,” I explained, taking mugs from the cupboards. Should I offer them something stronger than tea? I turned to give them a choice, and yelled at Bella, “Don’t eat that!”
She froze, hand paused mid-air, with a sizeable piece of brownie between her well-manicured fingers. She looked uncertain, as did Matt and Nathan. The plate of chocolate brownies sat innocently in the middle of the table and smelling of a natural high heaven.
Shit. How to explain?
“It’s—um—those brownies are—”
Bret was chuckling as he opened my fridge. I shot him a glare and scuffed my sock-covered toes over the floor. “They’re not fit for consumption.”
“Why not, poppet?” Matt asked in confusion.
Bret shut my fridge, not finding whatever he was looking for, and sauntered over to the table where he plucked up a brownie and popped it into his mouth with an obvious wink in my direction. Oh, man.
Bella still had the brownie between her fingers and, when she’d observed Bret scoffing one down, it resumed its journey to her lips. Oh no.
“They’re pot brownies,” I cried in dismay, then smacked a hand over my mouth in shame as Matt gave me a thunderous look and Nathan snatched the goodie out of Bella’s grip.
Bret popped one more in his mouth and wandered back over to the fridge as I chewed my lower lip under Matt’s observation.
“Damned good ones, too,” Bret said, opening the fridge again.
I turned away from Matt’s stare. Was that disgust on his face? Disappointment? Embarrassment?
Then, thwack. I yelped, jumping out my skin as the leather belt wielded by Bret connected nicely.
“Jesus Christ, Bret!” I spun around, ass pressed against the lower cupboards. The sneaky bastard had hidden the belt in the fridge?
“Twenty-two,” he shouted towards the kitchen door, and a cheer went up in the living room.