by Amber Scott
She and AJ trailed the couple at a safe distance, being sure to keep to the casino floor. Millie took a deep breath, rubbing her hands down her tailored pants before adjusting her fitted jacket. Chanel. A congratulatory gift from AJ.
Bringing her here today was a gift, too. Even though it stung. AJ likely had ulterior motives, as well. Things weren’t going well with her current match. What a shocker. This was his way of reminding her that she could succeed, even in the wake of some hugely embarrassing mistakes.
Brooke and Elliott paused in the corridor. Millie watched Elliott kiss Brooke and the hurt ebbed away. They were happy. How could a year have already past? Driving home from the hospital that night, leaving Brooke behind had killed Millie inside. She could still remember the cold night air blasting her face from the open window as the reality of it all had broken through her.
She had had to walk away from her dearest friend. Her match was over. AJ saw her through the worst of it in the first following weeks, giving her time, space and considerate gestures.
No goodbyes, no chance to explain. Brooke might hate her for a while. And then, who knew? It didn’t really matter. Brooke had Elliott now, things were as they should be.
Seeing Brooke step through the elevator doors, Elliott close behind, Millie faced AJ.
“How long before we have to go back?” she asked. He’d made all the flight arrangements and knew a schedule better than she ever did.
“I got us on a red eye. I’d say we have time enough to catch a show, have dinner if you’d like,” he said.
Millie half laughed. Vegas would never be AJ’s style. He’d stay for her, though. She’d kiss him if she thought she could stop at a simple peck on the cheek. Her ever present attraction to him wasn’t worth toying with. She’d come too close to indulging it before and thankfully hadn’t since. Millie drew another ragged sigh out and returned her attention to the newlywed groom holding open the elevator doors. Silently, she wished Brooke and Elliott the very best of things to come, the brightest of futures.
“A show sounds fun,” Millie said at last, looping her arm through AJ’s. “As long as it’s topless.”
“You?” AJ asked, a seductive lilt in his words. “Or the showgirls?”
Millie’s laughter peeled out from deep within her chest. As Elliott moved his arm and the elevator doors began to close, Brooke’s head turned Millie’s way. For the briefest of moments, their eyes met before the elevator doors closed.
Brooke’s heart hitched as the doors closed and she was left staring at her own reflection in gold. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear she just saw Millie. But that couldn’t be. What would Millie be doing here in Vegas, today of all days? The elevator dinged as it arrived at their floor. Elliott nuzzled her neck before drawing her out by the hand.
“Hey,” he said, as they strode down the hallway to their suite. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”
She nodded quickly. “I’m fine. I’m wonderful. A little tired, I guess.” She kissed his hand to assure him. “I thought you said eloping was going to be the easy way out of wedding exhaustion.”
Elliott chuckled as they stopped at their door. He slid the key card into the slot. “I know what you mean. I’m beat. Elated but exhausted, too. How does a nice hot bath and a night under the covers sound?”
“Mmmm. Decadent.”
Apparently Elliott needed little more encouragement because he got her into the bathroom and out of her dress in record time. He filled two glasses with bubbling champagne while Brooke slipped into the foamy hot water.
“I’m so glad your dad made it after all that mess with his flight. He really seemed to be having fun. Everyone seemed to have fun,” Brooke said, trying to focus her mind away from that laugh, away from the past.
“Still are.” Elliott joined her, handing her a glass and a strawberry. “My brothers and your sister looked ready to take the whole town on.”
“I don’t know,” Brooke laughed. “Gordon and Armon might beat them to it.”
Elliott pulled her into his lap, cradling her. “You might be right. Although, for only being together a couple months they act a bit like an old married couple already. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were in bed before nine.”
“I’m so tired, I’ll probably pass out by eight,” Brooke said, leaning her back against his chest.
“Oh, you’ll be in bed long before that,” he teased, kissing her neck. “What time I’ll let you get to sleep is a whole other story.”
She giggled, enjoying the tickle of his stubble down her shoulder. “I love you, Elliott.”
“Mmmmm.” He kissed her neck, his hands traveling up her belly. “I love you too, Mrs. Jovovich.”
A thrill passed over her. Mrs. Jovovich. The name sounded so sweet to her ears, so right. She still hardly believed this fairytale come true was actually her story. If not for Millie, heartbreaking or not, Brooke wondered sometimes….
“You know, I thought I heard Millie’s laugh downstairs,” she said in a rush. “Is that crazy or what?”
Elliott tensed behind her. She should know better bringing up such a sore subject today of all days. Too late now.
“No,” he said after another kiss. “Not crazy. She was a big part of how we fell in love. It makes sense that you would think of her today.”
“I suppose. If she hadn’t stood me up that day in the bookstore,” she said, knowing he would finish the thought, as he always did, telling her what she needed to hear.
“Then I still would have approached you. Maybe not exactly the same way or the same day, but I would have. I was already far too intrigued not to.”
She loved hearing him say it every time. “I can’t help wondering what happened to her, though. Where she is.”
“Hmmmm,” was all he said.
Brooke sighed. She had known better and still had pressed. The last thing she wanted was to ruin today. “I’m sorry. I can’t help but miss the friend she was to me before that night. She helped me figure out who I was and what I wanted. And that included you.”
Elliott gently flipped her around. Water sloshed between them, over the edge of the deep tub. “We both know that without her, I might not have you here with me now, but it is what it is. Just imagine that wherever Millie is, she wants you to be happy. And you are, aren’t you?”
Brooke kissed the tip of his nose. “Beyond happy.”
“I am too, Brooke.” He hugged her close, nestling her head into the crook of his neck. “Now, what do you say we get out of this bath and into some dry sheets? We have some baby making to practice for.”
Brooke nodded, laughing, and all the tension from her memories evaporated.
She watched him step out of the steamy water, a dripping wet Adonis and sighed. Who knew happily ever after would be so hot?
###
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to enjoy Millicent Match’s first adventure in matchmaking. A rough draft of the sequel is available for free download with Smashwords.com. I love hearing what readers think. Please stop by and let me know about your experience with this novel and see what others have to say as well. I hope you will let the book lovers in your life know about Millie and about the other great books and authors Smashwords has to offer.
Sincerely,
Amber Scott
Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AmberScott
Website/Blog: http://AmberScottProject.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/authorAmberScott
Twitter handle: AmberScottBooks
MySpace: http://myspace.com/authoramberscott
grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share