Chapter 17
MATT FROWNED SLIGHTLY at his loyal secretary as she ran through the list of meetings scheduled for today. Last night had been a late one. The dinner party he’d planned for Madi had still occurred, just without her.
“And you’re expected to speak to the finance department at four thirty, Mr Bradley.”
His frown deepened. “Reschedule that meeting for tomorrow, Rachel. Adam and I need to assess some reports first.”
“Yes, Mr Bradley. Is there anything else?” she asked, tablet in hand and busily tapping on the screen.
“No, Rachel. Thank you.”
He turned his attention to the papers in front of him as she left his office, but didn’t see the words.
Madi. He was worried about her. Each subsequent conversation since Thursday night had increased his concern, so much so that he was actually toying with the idea of stopping by to check on her.
But she’d been quite clear. She didn’t want to see him until Friday. It was her birthday today. How could she expect him to stay away? To not see her on this special day? Bloody hell. The woman was driving him mad. It didn’t help she was practically incoherent every time they spoke.
Matt sighed and tried to focus on the day ahead. He would bide his time. Friday would arrive soon enough, and he would be having stern words with her about her current behaviour. It was simply unacceptable.
By midday he’d managed to push all thoughts of her to the back of his mind. The intense board meeting he’d left played a huge role in that.
“Matt,” Nathan called, making him pause and turn around.
“Yes?”
“I need to run through some contracts with you. The Egypt situation is almost sorted, and I need either yours or Adam’s signature on the dotted line. William has left. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be bothering you,” Nathan replied as he caught up to him.
“Send the contracts to Rachel. I’ll get to it by the end of today,” Matt said as he resumed his journey to his office. Nathan fell into step with him.
“Last night was a riot, mate. I still can’t believe Thomas is having to sell off his latest company. Poor chap. We did warn him last year though that that venture was risky as hell.”
Matt shrugged disinterestedly. Now the meeting was over, his thoughts wandered to his dark beauty. Would she be awake? Should he call to wish her happy birthday? He missed her, desperately missed her.
“Did you hear what I said, Matt?” Nathan groused.
Matt stopped and cast a weary glance at his friend. “What is it, Nathan? I’ve got a busy day, as do you. The meeting with the energy minister is later today, and I need to go over some reports.”
Nathan scowled at him, blonde eyebrows pulled tight. “I said, Bella’s meeting me for lunch and I need you to come along.”
Matt leaned back, an expression of confusion on his face. “What for? Being gooseberry is not a game I like playing.”
Nathan rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Mate, I need you there. She wants to talk about the wedding and I’ve reached my limit. It’s all she’s been talking about the past few weeks. I’m having dreams about floral and seating arrangements. Cold sweats about bridesmaids’ dresses…dresses, Matt, I’m dreaming about dresses. You’re coming with me.”
Matt had to chuckle. “And how is my presence going to stop wedding talk? You know what Bella’s like, Nathan.”
Nathan shook his head, a resigned look on his face. “I know, that’s why you’re coming to lunch. A true friend would give moral support, plus you owe me for keeping that fiasco in Dubai five years ago out of the papers.”
Matt’s mouth hung open for a few seconds. “Bastard. I knew you would call in the marker. Right. You must be desperate to bring that up.”
“I am,” Nathan said with a pitiful expression. “She wants me to invite her father to the bachelor’s party. We haven’t had an engagement party yet, and she’s already organizing my bachelor’s party.”
Matt chuckled again. Nathan did look like a man facing the gallows. “All right then. I’ll join you, but you’re paying for my meal.”
“Agreed,” Nathan said quickly, as if fearing Matt might change his mind. “We leave in half an hour.”
Matt shook his head and walked away. He normally worked through his lunches. This unexpected break in his day would mean leaving later tonight. In the seclusion of his office, he tried to get as much work done before Nathan strode in, waving away Rachel’s tart reprimands about respecting her boss’s privacy.
“Car’s downstairs, Matt. Let’s go,” Nathan said impatiently.
Matt scoffed at his friend as he stood up and pulled on the jacket he’d discarded upon entering his office. “I’d advise you to be a touch more humble, mate. I’m doing you a favour.”
Nathan grinned as he tried to affect a submissive demeanour. “But of course, Mr Bradley. You’re right, Mr Bradley. So sorry, Mr Bradley.”
Matt shook his head and muttered “twat” under his breath. They walked out of his office and, soon enough, were ensconced in Nathan’s car on their way to Galvin at Windows.
“So,” Nathan drawled out, eyeing Matt as he hit midday traffic. “How is the ever lovely Ms DuMont?”
Matt had his mobile in hand, deliberating whether to call her. “Fine.”
“It’s her birthday today, isn’t it?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Matt replied.
“I’m surprised you haven’t taken the day off. Going off your current behaviour, I thought you’d want to spend it with her.”
“Mmm.”
Nathan hid a grimace. “Shame she couldn’t make the party last night.”
“Yes.”
“Matt, if you’ve lost the ability to converse properly, you’re not going to be of any help to me over lunch.”
Matt sent him a distracted smile. “Don’t worry, Nathan. I take my responsibilities as third wheel seriously.”
Nathan snorted something inaudible under his breath and focused on fighting his way through traffic. When they finally arrived at the restaurant, they were both relieved.
“Bollocks,” Nathan muttered after the ma?tre d’ greeted them with familiar recognition. “Bella’s here. I hope she hasn’t been waiting long. She hates waiting, and she wanted to eat at The Dorchester, but they’re closed on Mondays.”
“The view of London up here is stunning, Nathan. I’m sure she hasn’t been waiting long,” Matt assured his friend. He glanced over at the table where Bella sat peering out the large windows to observe the sight of the city below. She wasn’t smiling. “But she does look a tad annoyed, mate. Best of luck with that.”
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 with 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.