Chapter 38
MADDY
“Madness?”
“I’m in here!” I’m leaning over the bathroom counter applying mascara.
I watched a tutorial on how to achieve a smokey eye look and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out.
After all the ups and downs that brought us here, the day of the Gala is finally here.
I thought I’d be a nervous wreck, but from the moment I woke up in Ben’s arms this morning, I’ve felt calm. Ready.
Now, with my makeup almost done and my hair carefully pinned in a simple but elegant updo, all I have to do is slip into my dress and I’m ready to go.
“I picked up my tux.” Ben’s voice is getting closer as he walks down the hall. “I just need a quick shower and then I’ll be good to—sweet Christ, baby.” He stops short when he sees me in nothing but my bra and panties, bending over the counter.
“Do not get any ideas, Michaels,” I warn as he steps closer, his eyes greedily taking me in.
“Too late.”
“I mean it.” I straighten, putting the mascara wand back in its bottle and screwing it shut.
“I spent an embarrassing amount of time on my face and hair. I have stabbed myself with bobby pins until I bled and got so much makeup in my eyes, it’s a miracle I haven’t gone blind. You are not going to mess it up.”
Warm hands find my bare hips and his lips hover just above my ear. “What if I’m very careful.”
“No. We have to leave in a few minutes.”
“I work very well under pressure. Time me.”
“Get in the shower.”
“Come with me.”
“Ben!”
“Fine,” he sighs, planting a kiss at the base of my neck before reluctantly stepping away.
I hear him turn on the shower behind me and decide to make my escape in case he decides it would be a good idea to drag me in the shower with him.
Walking into our bedroom, I see a garment bag resting on the bed.
I scoop it up before Cheshire takes a nap on it, but when I go to hang it in the closet, I find another garment bag hanging on the rod.
This one is longer, going all the way to the floor.
Confused, I hang the first bag beside it before curiosity gets the better of me and I peek inside.
What I see causes me to let out a high-pitched shriek.
Ben appears in an instant. He’s naked, towel in hand. Water is dripping off of him from the shower faster than he can wipe it away. “What’s wrong?”
“You took Annika’s dress!” I stare at the green fabric peeking out of the garment bag and my mind races. “They must have thought that you were getting both of them…okay…this is fine…”
“Madness–”
“We’ll just take the dress with us to the venue.”
“Madness–”
“I’ll message Annika and let her know what’s happening.”
“It’s not her dress.”
I look between the garment bag and Ben, confused. “What do you mean? Of course it is. This is the one Chanda and I picked out for her.”
He shakes his head, wrapping the towel around his hips. “It was. But…don’t be mad.”
My eyes narrow.
Ben runs a hand roughly over his face. “I ran into Chanda the last time I came to visit you at the office. She was on her way to tell you that Annika had requested to wear something different tonight.”
“What?” It comes out as a shout.
“Yeah. Something about it being too close to what she wore at the Olympics.” He takes another step closer, running a hand through his hair. “I may have told Chanda that it was probably for the best since no one could possibly look more beautiful in that dress than you.”
“Ben…”
“I asked her not to tell you. Then I reached out to the boutique and asked if I could pick it up with my suit.”
“But…it was too snug on me.”
“I asked them to alter it a little so you’d feel more comfortable.”
I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry. Or climb him like the mighty oak tree he is, hair and makeup be damned. I can’t believe he went to so much trouble.
“You don’t have to wear it, obviously,” he continues. “You’ll look stunning in whatever you wear. I just wanted you to have the option. Besides, that dress has a lot of sentimental value for me.” He bites his lower lip. “You were wearing it when you agreed to go on a date with me.”
My eyes start to sting and I blink them rapidly, determined not to ruin my makeup.
He continues, “Regardless of what you decide to wear, I will graciously help you take it off later.”
A giggle bubbles out of me. “You’re such a gentleman.”
“I really am. You’re so lucky.”
I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around his shoulders. A few water droplets fall on me, but I don’t care. Looking deep into his eyes, I tell him, “I really am.”
“I am, too.” He gently cups my cheek in his warm hand. “So damn lucky. Just say the word and I will lose the towel.”
I laugh as I pull away striding over to the green gown in the closet. I run my hand over the soft fabric once before making up my mind. Giving Ben a coy smile over my shoulder, I ask, “Can you help me with the zipper?”
The ballroom looks exquisite. Like the scene I’ve been picturing in my head for the last several months, but better.
The entire room is draped in rich reds and deep emerald greens.
Towering evergreen trees, adorned with twinkling fairy lights and gilded ornaments, frame the space, while crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the polished marble floors.
Tables are dressed in velvet tablecloths and adorned with centerpieces of lush garlands of holly, pinecones, and red and white roses.
The guests will be arriving soon.
Ben is whisked away by the stage manager, who’s filling him in on everything he missed during yesterday’s dress rehearsal. He has his notes in hand, so really, all he needs is a quick walkthrough—where to stand, when to speak.
I do a final sweep of the room, mentally ticking through my checklist. Everything seems to be in place. I’m in the middle of counting chairs when I feel someone approach.
I look up and spot Keely. I smile. “Hey! Thank you so much for everything you’ve done. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
Her expression tightens at the compliment, and she doesn’t smile back. “I need to tell you something.”
I step closer. “Are you okay?”
“No. Not really.” Her face is pale, and I instinctively guide her toward the nearest table.
“Sit. I’ll get you some water—”
“I’m the reason so many things have been going wrong.” The words tumble out of her, panicked and fast.
I freeze. “What do you mean?”
“All the mix-ups—the tables, the chairs, the food. That was me. I gave the vendors the wrong information.”
“Keely…why would you do that?”
Tears spill down her cheeks as her voice wobbles. “I didn’t want to. Alyssa told me to. She said if I didn’t…she’d report me to HR for lying about a sick day.”
I crouch beside her, voice low and calm. “Okay. Slow down. Just tell me what happened. Start from the beginning.”
“Last summer I asked for vacation to spend the day with my boyfriend, but too many people were out, so my request was denied. I called in sick instead.” Her voice cracks.
“I know it was wrong, but I didn’t think anyone would find out.
Except Alyssa saw us at a restaurant. She took pictures.
When I came back, she showed them to me.
I expected her to report me, but she promised not to.
She said someday she’d ask me for a favour. ”
I nod, staying quiet so she can keep going.
“She called me into her office a few months ago and told me to shut the door. Then she asked me to make a phone call—just a simple vendor update about the flowers. I didn’t think much of it until I heard about the mix-up later.
When I asked her why she gave the wrong info, she told me not to worry about it.
Since then, she’s made me sabotage all sorts of things. ”
“Why would she do that?”
“She wants your job.” The words come out like venom. “She applied for it and wasn’t happy when you were hired.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because she’s planning to sabotage the Gala.
When you told everyone that all changes need your sign-off, she started to panic.
Today she told me to steal AV cords so the mics and screens wouldn’t work.
That’s when I decided I couldn’t do it. I won’t ruin the biggest fundraiser of the year.
I like working for you. Even if it costs me my job. ”
“No one’s getting fired,” I say gently. “At least not at this table.” I narrow my eyes slightly. “Did you take the cords?”
She shakes her head, fast and adamant. “No. I couldn’t.”
“Good.” I grab my phone and shoot a quick text to Ivan:
Maddy: Urgent: Final check on all AV. Possible tampering. Let me know immediately.
“What are you going to do about Alyssa?” Keely asks, voice shaky.
I blow out a breath, my mind still reeling from this new information. “I’m going to talk to Chanda. Without proof, I don’t know what I can do yet.”
Keely swallows, then says, “I think I can help with that.”
Alyssa stomps into the backstage dressing room like her broom stick is stuck up her ass.
“Thank you for coming, Alyssa.”
“Could this not have waited? Some of us have work to do.” Just then, she spots Chanda sitting in the corner with a cup of chai. “Chaaaannnda. You look ethereal. I apologize if I came in a little hot there. I’ve just been so busy with last-minute arrangements.”
“Like blackmailing your coworkers to sabotage equipment?” Chanda responds cooly.
The colour drains from Alyssa’s face like it’s been chased away. “What? I have no idea what Madelyn’s told you, but I assure you—”
“I will cause a distraction that will draw everyone backstage.” Alyssa’s own voice coming from my phone cuts her off. “That’s when you pull the cords from the mics and projectors.”
“Alyssa, I’m not going to do that.”
“You’re going to do it or I’m going to have you fired. Not just for faking sick, but for all the other shit you’ve pulled the last few months.”
“You made me do those things.”
“And who’s going to believe you? Huh?”
I stop the recording. We’ve heard everything we need to hear.
“I can explain,” Alyssa says, her voice desperate.
“Please do,” I answer coolly.
She opens her mouth but closes it again. She knows she doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Chanda looks at me and I know she’s waiting for me to take the lead.
“Human Resources will be in touch on Monday morning, but consider your employment with the Love and Light Foundation terminated immediately.” My voice is steady, calm. “You are not to set foot in our office ever again, and a security guard is waiting to escort you off the premises.”
Alyssa rises without meeting my eyes. Her shoulders are tight, her face averted, as she sulks to the door and slips out of the room without another word.
Chanda lets out a deep sigh. “You handled that with far more poise than I would have, knowing someone has been undermining you for months.”
I straighten, smoothing my palms over my skirt. “The damage is done. I’d rather devote all my energy to the Gala now.”
Chanda steps closer and beams at me with pride. “I always knew you were the right person for this job. You’ve exceeded every expectation—and my bar was already high.”
Her praise makes my chest swell. “Thank you, Chanda. Truly.”
She cups my elbow and steadies me. “No, thank you. Now tell me—what’s next?”
I feel my face break into a confident grin. “We give this town a party.”