Rush to the Altar

by Jamie Carie

  “Infamous, you mean?”

  “No, Maddie girl. This is a good thing in the music industry. I’ve had three calls since the afternoon news, one from a talent scout.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No. Tony Baron from Distilled Rock Records. You gotta sing next weekend!”

  “There is no possible way I can sing next weekend. My life is falling apart and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. You don’t know the half of it.”

  He chuckled into the phone. “Maybe I do. Maybe I’ve got connections everywhere. Listen, Maddie. In this business, entertainment I mean, getting your name out there is everything. Everything. Now come on, hon, sing us a short set on Saturday, let this guy come and take a listen and I’ll do the rest. All you got to do is sing.”

  Maddie took a sip of her soda, deep in thought. Why not? How could anything possibly get worse that it already was? “Okay, just three songs.”

  “Great. I’ll see you at eight on Saturday for rehearsal. Oh, and I found a band. I think you’re going to really like them. This piano player is really something.”

  “You’re so crazy.” She grinned into the phone. “But I’m going to trust you.”

  “There you go. Go with your gut. It won’t let you down and neither will I.”

  “See ya.”

  “Yeah. See ya Saturday.”

  She hung up and looked at Sasha, slack-jawed. “I give up. I’m not in control of my life and at this point, I really don’t think I ever was.”

  Sasha shook her head. “What did he say?”

  Maddie laughed. “A talent scout wants to see me. From a record company. They want to hear me sing.”

  “Maddie!” Sasha’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “This could be your big break!”

  “Big break? I don’t deserve a big break! I’ve only been singing for a few weeks.”

  Sasha made a noise in her throat. “What about all of the years in high school choir and the musicals. They were always begging you to do the solos and you always chickened out and took the supporting roles.” Sasha pointed her finger into Maddie’s face. “And what about all those years at church? Weren’t you in the church choir since, like, age five? And the Christmas and Easter pageants you begged me to come to? Just because you haven’t been trying to make it in the music business doesn’t mean you haven’t been preparing for this moment your whole life.”

  Maddie clamped her lips together and stared at her best friend. “I guess you’re right.” She let out a little laugh and looked down at her plate, trying to still the excitement within her. Then she looked back up at Sasha. “What would I ever do without you?”

  Sasha shuddered and shook her head, her dark, straight hair waving back and forth. “It doesn’t even bear thinking of.”

  “Okay, enough about me. What’s going on with you? How was the trip to Rob’s parents’?”

  Sasha frowned, looking down at her plate. “I broke it off. After two days at their house, I could just tell.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “It’s never going to work with us. His parents hate me, and he…he did try harder, but it just wasn’t enough. I want someone…crazy about me. Not someone who makes me feel like a second-class citizen. It was pretty awful.”

  “So you flew home early? Just left?”

  “Yep. And I feel really good about it.” She nodded, her lips pressed into a smile. “Free, in fact.”

  “Wow. I thought it would be harder than this. You two have been dating since college.”

  “I know. So did I. I think that was part of the problem. I didn’t realize how stifled the whole thing had gotten to be. It was just familiar, so we both kept it going, not realizing there are lots of better options out there. I’m really excited about dating. There are so many hot men in the world, you know?”

  Maddie laughed. “What about Marcus? Is he one of those hot men?”

  Sasha turned her head slightly and looked sideways at Maddie, a sly grin on her face. “Absolutely. And he called. While I was on the plane flying home.”

  “No way.”

  “Yes way.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said he wanted to see me again. We have a date this weekend.” She paused, stretched out her hand across the table. “But listen, Maddie, if you need me this weekend, I’ll postpone it.”

  “Are you crazy? With the schedule these players have during the season, you have to take the dates when you can get them, believe me, I know. Go. Have a great time.” Maddie let out a big breath. “Isn’t life bizarre? How did we end up dating NBA players? And I married one! Remember when we went to the game and joked about getting Jake’s phone number? And now? I still can’t believe it.”

  “Yeah. I still can’t believe you stole my man,” Sasha teased, grinning.

  “I couldn’t help it. He pursued me!”

  “Whatever. Miss Beautiful shows up dressed to the nines to work everyday, damsel in distress…” Sasha put the back of her hand against her forehead and looked up with a Southern belle imitation. “Why, I just cain’t find my interview, mister big, strong basketball player.”

  They both laughed. “Gosh, I hope I wasn’t that stupid.” Maddie rolled her eyes.

  “Too bad I’m just not the damsel-in-distress type.” Sasha crinkled her nose.

  Maddie looked lovingly at her friend. “No. You’re the sweep-him-off-his-feet-and-make-him-wonder-what-hit-him type. I think you’ve forgotten that about yourself.”

  Sasha let out a short laugh. “Maybe so. Thanks, Maddie.”

  Maddie wiped the BBQ sauce off her fingers and reached for her purse. “I’m so glad I have you, Sasha. Look at me, laughing and joking and having a good time, and I thought I might be going to jail this week. You are my best friend.”

  “You’re not going to jail, so stop talking like that.” Sasha took a deep breath. “You’re my best friend, too. Don’t forget that after you’re married this time.”

  Maddie shook her head. “I won’t. I promise.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  They had decided to go on a double date. Marcus had spoken to Jake at practice during the week and mentioned taking the girls out to a local seafood restaurant after the home game. Jake had agreed, thinking at the time to take Maddie’s mind off the trial that was a few weeks away, though now he was wondering if it was such a good idea. They were still being hounded by the press, making his coach increasingly short-tempered and the whole team on edge. They’d lost again tonight, even though Jake had played better than he had in weeks, but still, everyone was feeling the pressure.

  He walked over to Maddie after the game and gave her a quick kiss. “How’s it going?”

  Maddie looked up at him, people filing out of the stadium all around them, many looking their way. “Everyone keeps staring at us. More than usual. It’s disconcerting.”

  “Just act normal. As soon as this trial is over, they’ll move on to something else.”

  “We can only hope.”

  Sasha came up to them. “Where’s Marcus? I’m starving.”

  “He was still showering when I left, but he should be here any second,” Jake told her.

  “Oh, there he is.” Sasha pointed, then walked over to him, a provocative smile on her lips. Jake and Maddie watched as Marcus leaned down, whispered something into her ear, smiling broadly and making Sasha laugh, and then kissed her in front of everyone.

  Maddie giggled. “What are they doing?”

  Jake half-smiled. “Probably trying to take some of the heat off of us, if I know Marcus. He’s a master at tactics like that in the game.”

  “Defense?”

  “Yeah. Something like that.” Jake took her hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

  The four left the stadium, glad to see that there weren’t any paparazzi lingering around. On the way to the cars, Marcus asked Maddie, “Have they decided whether or not to drop the case? I heard they can still go after you.”

  “Marcus. Don’t ask
her like that, she’ll start crying.” Sasha glared at him.

  “Oh. Sorry.” He grinned big. “You can take ’em, Maddie. You’d have that jury eating out of your sweet little hand.”

  Maddie shook her head. “Thanks, but I hope it won’t come to that. From what my attorney says, unless some new evidence that comes out in this trial with Sabrina, he doesn’t think they will go after me. I just have to get through testifying at her trial and pray that goes well.”

  “You don’t have to defend the mistress, do you?” Marcus asked.

  “No. Not really. My attorney has been prepping me all week. I basically have to answer questions about her. How we met, what she told me, any signs I might have seen that Brandon was embezzling and had a mistress. At this trial they won’t be questioning me directly about any involvement they might suspect I had. But they still could if the bank isn’t satisfied with the outcome of this trial. I will be so glad when this is over.”

  Jake didn’t mention that he had spoken to the judge to request the court date be moved up as quickly as possible on the calendar. Sometimes it did pay off to know people in high places. He’d done it for Maddie, but now, if this thing didn’t end soon, if Maddie actually had to defend herself, he might be seriously looking at being traded. This was affecting his career more than anyone knew. His coaches, the owners, they were all breathing down his neck, putting constant pressure on him that Maddie was a bad deal all around.

  Worse, he’d spoken to his parents on the phone last night. They were hearing stories in Colorado and demanding explanations. His father was livid. Told him to get his head back where it belonged, on his career and not chasing after a problematic woman. When he told them they were planning to have a wedding on Valentine’s Day his father had gone ballistic and his mother had started crying. Things were beginning so rocky in this marriage and his parents were so against Maddie without even knowing her that Jake had begun to think maybe they should cancel the second wedding, postpone moving in together until this whole mess had cleared up.

  “I don’t know how you’re dealing with the pressure,” Sasha said, opening the car door for herself.

  “It’s not easy.”

  Jake and Maddie walked over to Jake’s SUV. “We’ll see you there,” Maddie said, waving and getting into the car.

  They followed Marcus to the restaurant. Jake was quiet, thinking. He could feel Maddie’s troubled gaze upon him.

  After a couple of minutes she blurted out, “Are you okay?”

  “I should be asking you that.”

  “I’m okay now. When I’m with you.”

  He looked at her and smiled, but it felt strained.

  Maddie turned back toward the car ahead and said in a small voice, “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “You shouldn’t have to be dealing with all of this.”

  “We’ll get through it.”

  Maddie sighed. “I hope so.”

  At the restaurant they ordered, the four of them laughing and small-talking. Jake noticed that Sasha was very comfortable with Marcus and Marcus had an openness about him that Jake hadn’t seen with just anyone. He laughed at Sasha’s humor, he responded to her thoughts on a matter, he looked at her, really looked at her, and once Jake saw something in his eyes, something admiring and he thought, maybe Sasha was the one for him. Maybe they’d both found love through a radio show contest.

  The main course was cleared away and Jake excused himself to go into the men’s room. As he was washing his hands, a young man came up to him, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Are you Jake Hart?”

  Jake nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Wow. This is my lucky night.”

  Thinking the man wanted an autograph, Jake said, “Sorry, man, I don’t have a pen on me.”

  “Oh, I don’t want your autograph. I’m a reporter for Current Stars magazine.” He gave Jake a sly look. “How would you like to get your side of the story into print?”

  Jake shook his head. “No thanks.”

  The man looked suddenly angry. “Come on. I’ll print whatever you want. For instance, did you really get married in Vegas? And then those photos, wow. Those were something.”

  Jake felt the blood rush to head and stared in unbelief at the man. “You’ve seen photos?”

  “They’re online. Listen, they are insinuating that your wife is an embezzler and a gold digger and that she has you duped. If you want a rebuttal…well, this is your chance.”

  Jake took a long breath. He shook the water off his hands, grabbed the paper towel and wiped his hands, trying to control to urge to slug the man’s overeager, smug face. He didn’t know how to reply—no glib, funny comeback, he only heard himself state, “Madeline Goode is none of those things.” He turned and strode from the room, the man’s voice following him down the hall. “Are you saying she isn’t your wife? Are you getting the marriage annulled or something?”

  Jake made his way to the table, breaking into a sweat, wondering what had just happened. She was Madeline Hart now, legally, and he hadn’t meant to insinuate anything different. “Did you pay, Marcus? Let’s get out of here.”

  Maddie looked up at him in concern and he felt his gut twist. What had he just done?

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Reporter hounding me in the bathroom. We need to get out of here.”

  Marcus took some hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and tossed them on the table while motioning to the waiter that they were leaving.

  “I’ll get it next time,” Jake commented as they walked out.

  “Whatever, man,” Marcus replied with a huff. “You can’t even go to the men’s room. This is getting ridiculous. Let’s go to my place.”

  “Good idea.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  It was Friday. The Friday of the trial. Christmas had come and gone in a short-lived bright spot within the stretch before the trial began. Max had been so cute this year, old enough to really tear into his gifts and shout with glee over a new truck or talking Muppet. His little face was the only thing helping her keep her sanity. Him and Jake’s daily call.

  Maddie drove to the courthouse and concentrated on thinking about Christmas. Christmas had always been a magical time in her childhood. Her dad had decorated the outside of the house with a plethora of lights—from Santa and his reindeer on the glittering, light-edged roof to yard decorations that had changed throughout the years with the comings and goings of fads. Blow-up Frosty, make-believe igloos with gleeful penguins, dancing ice-skaters on a fake pond, robotic deer that Simon had placed under their apple tree just like the occasional real deer they saw and Maddie’s favorite, a life-sized nativity, all in lights, Mary with her blue gown, the shepherds and animals with their heads bowed, the elegant wise men bearing their gifts and Joseph. For some reason she had always loved Joseph best, his lighted face staring down at the Christ child in seeming awe. Had he been frightened of the call on his life? Had he wondered how in the world he had ended up the adoptive father of God’s only son?

  The courthouse was crowded. She wished Jake could have been there, but the team was keeping him very busy this week in an effort to keep them apart. It seemed every eye turned on her as she walked in. She was wearing an ivory suit with tiny black pin stripes, black pumps and a simple black clutch beneath her right arm. Her hair was long and loose, her head held high.

  She had nothing to hide.

  She found a seat behind the prosecutor. She really didn’t care which side she was assigned to or which side thought she could help their case. She was there for one reason. To tell the truth. The truth as she knew it when she was married and the truth as she knew it today.

  The trial dragged on. Maddie waited in the hall outside the courtroom for them to call her, trying not to think about how it would go, trying to keep her heart from pounding so hard. Her head snapped up when her attorney came out and motioned her toward him. It was time to take the witness stand.


  Maddie placed her hand on the Bible. She looked into the man’s eyes and pledged to tell the truth, the whole truth. Yes, it was time for the truth.

  “Mrs. Goode,” began the prosecuting attorney. “Have you ever seen that woman sitting there?” He pointed at Sabrina.

  “Yes, she called me a few weeks ago and asked that I meet with her.”

  “And what did she want with you, Mrs. Goode?”

  Maddie took a breath. “She told me that she had been having an affair with my husband. She also told me about the embezzlement and that the bank suspected Brandon had stolen over a half a million dollars.”

  “What was your reaction to this?”

  “I was shocked. I didn’t believe her at first. I thought she must be crazy, but I couldn’t understand why she would tell me such a thing if it weren’t true.”

  “Mrs. Goode, do you now believe her?”

  Maddie nodded, looking at the jury. “Imagine learning your significant other had another life that you knew nothing about. At first I flatly denied it. Then, as the evidence came out, as I learned more details from other sources, I was forced to believe that Brandon had, indeed, led this other life. I can’t fathom it. I can’t reconcile it to the man I knew as my husband. He seemed so normal, a good husband and partner with me working toward the goals that we had, a father that loved his child, that…pretended, I guess now, to miss me when he had to be away on business. But everyone is telling me that they have this evidence. That it’s true. So,” she shrugged sadly, “what am I left to think? What am I left to tell his son?”

  “So your husband gave you no cause to believe he had another, secret life?”

  “I had no idea,” Maddie said simply. She looked at Sabrina and repeated. “I had no idea until she told me.”

  “That will be all.”

  She stepped down from the stand.

  “Congratulations, Maddie. It’s definitive. It’s over.”

  “It is?” She looked up at her attorney standing in the hall outside the courtroom.

  He nodded, pale blue eyes pleased. “The bank was still considering prosecuting you, depending on this trial, but you were believable and they have no evidence they can pin on you. Now that Miss Bridgestone has been found guilty and they have someone to blame this on, they are satisfied. It helped that you were so credible on the witness stand. Excellent job today.”