by Leah Atwood
Archer handed her a diet cola and had a regular cola for himself. Just as the men sat down, a member of the catering staff asked if she could get them anything to drink.
“We’re all set for now, but thank you,” Archer told her.
Paul laughed when she left. “What timing.”
Madison kept an eye out for Sean. She hadn’t seen him during the ceremony, but they’d been seated near the front so they had missed the arrival of most guests. Had he moved to New York yet? A small part of her hoped not. As upset as she was with him, she hated the idea of him leaving Maryville without resolving things between them,
Their relationship would have changed regardless because she was married now, but they had too much of a history as friends to throw it away. Archer came first, she had no qualms about that, and even if she and Sean never came back to a friendship, she didn’t want any lingering animosity between them.
“Have you seen Sean?” she whispered to Archer.
“No, but there are a lot of people here. It wouldn’t be hard to miss him in the crowd.”
Her thoughts shifted, putting Sean out of her mind.
The bride and groom made their entrance, introduced as Mr. and Mrs. William Trent. There were toasts to the newlyweds, followed by a meal of Chilean sea bass and pecan crusted chicken as the choice of entrees, and then more toasts.
As night fell, the couple had their first dance before the floor was opened to the guests.
Mom and Dad left the table first, followed by Paul and Anna.
Archer rose to his feet, extending a hand. “May I have this dance?”
“Always.” She stood and walked with him to the dance floor, hand in hand.
His arms wrapped around her waist, and she draped her arms over his shoulders, clasping her hands behind his neck. They swayed to the music, caught up in love.
The words to “At Last” drifted their way, from where a woman sang with the band.
“Do you remember that night at Centennial Park?” Archer pulled her closer.
“Yes. This song played then, and I regretted that our date was only pretend.” She gazed up at him, lost in the depths of his eyes.
“Not anymore,” he whispered, his voice low and husky.
They danced until the band took a break. Recorded music played, but she and Archer used that opportunity to rest. Returning to the table, they saw that it was empty. They sat down and promptly had their drinks refilled.
A shadowed darkened their table, and Sean appeared.
“Hi,” he greeted them with an uncertain smile.
“Hi.”
Archer slid an arm around her shoulder, nodded an acknowledgment to him.
“Nice wedding, isn’t it?” The lack of confidence in his voice was unlike him.
“Yes.” Madison scanned the area to see if he was alone. “Is Laurena here?”
“No. She, um, couldn’t make it.”
“Sorry to hear.”
“Could I talk to you for a few minutes?” He addressed her then turned to Archer. “If you don’t mind me borrowing her for a bit?”
Madison looked to Archer. She wanted the issues between her and Sean resolved, but not at the expense of her husband. If he didn’t want her to go, she’d respect his wishes.
He gave a barely perceptible nod and mouthed, “Go.”
She loved him more for his understanding. Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
Sean held a hand out to her, but she ignored it and walked with a space between them. They found a bench to sit on along the outside perimeter of the garden.
He started the conversation with small talk. “How’ve you been?”
“Great,” she answered honestly. “You?”
“Been better.” He drew his bottom lip between his teeth.
“What’s going on?”
“I hate this strain between us.” Sean reached for her hand, but again, she refused contact. “We’ve been friends too long to let anyone come between us.”
“That was your choice.” The memory of his insults burned anew. “Archer’s a great person.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I had no call to say the things I did about him.”
“No, you didn’t.” Show him grace. “But that’s in the past. Can I ask why though?”
Sean inhaled a deep breath. Exhaled slowly. “Jealousy.”
“Why?”
“When I first met Laurena, she was great, but as the weeks passed, I realized how self-absorbed she was, and, regretfully, I saw a reflection of myself in her.”
She folded her hands in her lap. “Are you still with her?”
“No. I broke up with her the week after that night at Victorio’s.” His gaze wandered off before returning. “I realized that night she’d never compare to you.”
Warning bells rang loud. She put a hand out. “Don’t say anything more. Please.”
“I have to. If I don’t take a chance, I’ll regret it the rest of my life.”
Uncomfortable, she stood to leave. “There’s something you should know—”
Sean sprang to his feet and interrupted her. “I love you. I’m sure Archer is a great man, otherwise you wouldn’t be with him, but we have a history. Tell me you don’t feel anything for me?”
Before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her. She shot her hands up and pushed him away.
“Get off my wife.” Archer came up behind her.
Sean’s eyes widened, and he backed away a solid ten feet. “Your wife?”
“You heard me.” Archer’s growl barely maintained civility.
Madison wrapped an arm around his waist, needing his support. The encounter had left her shaken. “That’s what I was trying to tell you.”
Heartbreak and dismay drooped Sean’s face. He looked so pitiful, she could only feel sorry for him. Without another word, he walked off.
Turning to face Archer, Madison took a calming breath. “I’m so glad you showed up.”
“A small voice told me to find you.” He brushed a hair from her face. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. You were right about him, how he felt about me.”
There was no I told you so. Archer simply squeezed her hand. “Let’s go back to the reception.”
When they returned to their table, it was full.
Her heart wasn’t into dancing anymore. Sean’s declaration had upset her, even more than she’d initially realized. It was the final nail to end their friendship—she knew now they’d never be able to regain what they’d once had.
The desire to get far away was overwhelming, and the reception was coming to an end, anyway. She tapped Archer’s shoulder. “Do you mind if we leave now?”
“No.”
Before they could announce their departure, Sean appeared. Hadn’t he done enough damage tonight?
Beside her, Archer tensed. His jaw clenched and every muscle on his face was strained.
Madison noticed the curious stares between her parents and sister, even Paul. The tension was that palpable.
“I won’t keep you long.” Sean’s gaze bounced among the six people staring at him before settling on Archer and Madison. “I just wanted to apologize for what I did. It never would have happened if I’d have known you were married. Congratulations.” He struck out a hand.
Archer hesitated before shaking. “Apology accepted.”
“I hope the two of you have a happy life together. Take good care of her.” With that, Sean turned and walked away.
She still tried to process everything that had happened when she realized three sets of eyes bore holes into her.
Anna, sitting beside her, leaned over and whispered, “What happened?”
“I’ll tell you later.” First, she had to deal with her parents who had just found out she was married.
They didn’t say anything, but stared at her, then Archer, with suspicion.
“I can explain,” Archer spoke up, taking the lead.
She gripped his hand
until her knuckles turned white. As Archer told her parents the story from the beginning, she interjected when necessary. She wasn’t sure she breathed during the entire retelling of events.
When he finished, she waited for her parents’ response.
Mom turned first to Anna. “You knew about this?”
Anna offered a sheepish nod. “It wasn’t my place to tell.”
Hurt accented the crow’s-feet on her mom’s eyes. “I see.”
Dad projected a fierce scowl Archer’s way. “You robbed my daughter of a wedding and demonstrated a lack of respect for her and marriage.”
She had to say a quick prayer not to tell him all the ways he’d disrespected Mom and their marriage. “This isn’t all Archer’s fault, Dad. I’m just as guilty. And at no time, did Archer ever dishonor me. We’ve already addressed the other part with God.”
“I love your daughter, Mr. Nichols.” Archer cast a gaze full of ever-after love her way. “Although we began our marriage with misguided good intentions, we are committed to it for all the right reasons.”
Her dad’s face softened. “Do you love him, Madison?”
“I do.”
“And he treats you well?”
“Absolutely.”
“And you’re happy with him?”
“Very much so.”
“Then I have all I need to know.” Rising from the chair, he stretched an arm over the table toward Archer. “Welcome to the family.”
Chapter Sixteen
Archer looked at everyone in the waiting room. Tanya sat in a lone chair, flipping through the pages of a magazine, too fast to be reading anything. Occasionally, she’d glance up to glare at their parents. Landon scrolled through his phone, his eyes constantly lifting to the door where the surgeon would come out once the surgery was over.
His parents huddled together in the far corner, likely because they sensed the animosity from two of their three children. Tanya had given them a mouthful when they’d arrived last night, with a vehemence he’d never seen from her, not even toward Lacy’s father.
Landon treated them coldly, refusing to acknowledge their presence. Last night, he’d said he had no parents as far as he was concerned. Archer said a prayer for him to release the bitterness. He knew the struggle, still fought against it, but knew it couldn’t lead to any good.
For Gran’s sake, he also prayed that Landon and Tanya would leave the strife out here and not take it into Gran’s room.
Madison sat beside him, reading a book. She must have felt his eyes on her because she set her book aside and smiled at him. “We should hear something soon.”
Didn’t he know? He’d been checking his watch nonstop. “It’s been five hours. They said three to four. What if something went wrong?”
“The operation itself is three to four, but there is the prep time before and getting her to a room after.” She rested a hand on his arm. “She has a lot of people praying for her.”
He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I hate the waiting.”
“I know, but no one wants the surgeons to rush.”
Her soothing voice and reason calmed him, but didn’t keep him from watching the door.
Finally the surgeon walked through.
Archer sprang to his feet and approached him. Madison and his family promptly followed.
“How is she?” he asked, not giving the surgeon a chance to speak first.
“Edna is doing great.” The surgeon cracked a smile. “Everything went as expected, and she’s recovering in ICU now. If all stays well, you can start visiting her, one at a time or pairs, in the next hour.”
A collective sigh of relief circled his family. “Thank you.”
“A nurse will let you know when it’s time to see her. Keep in mind, she just had major surgery and may not be able to speak.” The surgeon shifted his gaze between them, addressing each of them. “Also, expect her to look swollen and puffy. This is completely normal, but shocks many family members.”
“We appreciate the heads-up.” Landon stepped forward. “Thank you for what you’ve done for Gran.”
The surgeon nodded. “I’ll be back as often as I can, but the nurses will help you with anything in the meantime.”
After he left, the family moved back to the chairs.
Archer closed his eyes. “Thank you, Lord, for seeing her through the operation.” When he opened them, he saw tears on his father’s cheek. Maybe there was hope after all.
***
Five days after Gran’s surgery, Archer and Madison went to visit her.
Gran sat up in bed, a small smile showing when they walked into the room. She’d been moved to a regular room on Thursday morning, and by now, all the swelling had gone down.
“Looking good, Gran.” Madison set a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand and kissed her cheek.
“Better than before, that’s for sure.” Gran let out a weak chuckle. “I’m feeling much better, too.”
“I heard they’re letting you leave tomorrow.” Archer kissed her forehead.
“Isn’t God good? I expected to live out my days here, but He had other plans.” Gran reached for both their hands. “And he used both of you to bring me out of here. I can’t tell you how much it helped me to see my oldest grandson happily married to a wonderful woman.”
He exchanged a glance with Madison, who looked just as guilty as he imagined he did. “Gran, there’s something we want to tell you.”
“I already know.” A gentle smile appeared. “Not all the details are clear, but I’ve put enough pieces together to know the marriage wasn’t all it seemed.”
Archer jerked his head. “How did you know?”
“For starters, you described your fiancée as having blonde hair and always referred to her as Maddie.” Gran touched Madison’s hair. “You have beautiful red hair, dear, that’s never been colored. And I’ve never heard my grandson call you Maddie.”
“Oh.” Why hadn’t he thought of those things? He’d forgotten he ever described “Maddie’s” appearance.
“Then there were the visits from church friends. Not a one mentioned your marriage, which I thought peculiar.” She stopped for a second, still weak from the surgery. “Hazel Barnes came one day, so I asked her. She’s one of the few people I trust not to spread rumors. She told me she hadn’t heard anything about your marriage.”
“Only you, Tanya, and Landon knew. We asked them to keep quiet for a while under the guise that we didn’t want rumors starting about why we married so quickly.” Now that he said it, the lengths they’d gone to cover their lies struck him as foolish.
“A tangled web you weaved.” Gran clucked her tongue. “After my talk with Hazel, I thought you’d deceived me with a fake marriage, so I had Hazel investigate and she discovered your marriage license on file with a recorded wedding date.”
Madison changed the position in which she sat. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“And ruin the fun?” Gran winked. “I kept quiet because I know love when I see it. If I’d have called you out on your lies, you might have given up and not discovered the truth.”
“In that case, thank you.” He squeezed Gran’s hand, amazed she’d known the entire time.
“Is there anything I missed, or any details you should fill in for me?”
For the second time in a week, he relayed the entire sequence of events, from the night Madison called him for a tow, to the church service at which they claimed their vows as truth.
When he finished, Gran’s eyes misted. “I should be mad at the both of you for lying, but I can’t. No one has ever gone through such extremes to make me happy.” She released his hand to shake a finger at them. “But no more lying from here out, you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Archer cast his eyes down like a chastised boy, but couldn’t stop the grin on his face.
“And I hope you’ve learned some valuable lessons.” Gran’s smile and twinkle in her eyes didn’t match the censure in her tone.
�
��We have,” he and Madison answered at the same time.
They laughed.
His eyes fell on Madison, and he clasped her hand. He gazed at her as he finished his answer to Gran. “Since my first lie about being engaged, the story spiraled out of control. But since then, we’ve learned the value of truth. And love.”
Gran relaxed her head against the pillow with a serene smile. “Love, true loves that seeks to honor and cherish and support, will see you through any number of events life will throw your way and give you a happy marriage. It’s the love your Granddad and I shared, the love I see between the two of you.”
Epilogue
Madison folded down the sun visor and checked her reflection in the small mirror. Her hair was all in place, but she needed to reapply her lipstick. She took the tube from her purse and smoothed on a layer to darken her lips a shade.
“You’re gorgeous, with or without lipstick.”
She hadn’t realized Archer had been watching her since they had pulled into the driveway. “Thank you, but I don’t want to look like a bum when visiting your friends for the first time.”
He quirked a brow. “You could never look like a bum.”
A brief laugh escaped. “Then I think you’re blind. You’ve seen me first thing in the morning.”
“And you’re beautiful even then.” Leaning over, he kissed her. “Ready?”
“As I can be.”
“Don’t be nervous. I’ve known Shep and Lyndsey for years. They’re good people.”
She sucked in a breath, released it slowly. “I’ve met Lyndsey at church. She seems really nice.”
“She is.”
“I wish they would have invited us before the entire church found out our story.” Nerves caused her to keep running a hand over her pants.
Archer tilted his head, giving her a strange look. “Why?”
“Because now they’ll have heard all the gossip about us.”
“Yet they still invited us.”
“Only because you’re their friend.” She was on the verge of being unreasonable. She didn’t regret her relationship with Archer in the least—she loved him more every day and was thankful for the circumstances that brought them together—but she hated the idea of anyone looking down on her. Maybe she wasn’t so different from her husband in that regard.