Kristen chuckled. “So you did the deed?”
Madison nodded, although she’d never, ever call what happened between her and Luc ‘doing the deed.’
That implied a casual hookup. What happened last night was…
Anything but casual.
At least for her.
“We were together…yes,” she confessed.
Kristen leaned forward. “And how was it?”
“Mind-blowing.”
Kristen flashed a teasing smile. “Good for you, girlfriend.”
“No,” Madison growled, shoving away the coffee as her stomach twisted with a sick sense of inevitability. “Not good for me.”
Kristen’s smile faltered. “You wanted it to be a failure?”
“I wanted…” She made a sound of disgust at the memory of her smug confidence when she’d planned her trip to Vegas. She’d been so certain she wanted nothing more than revenge. It’d never occurred to her that she was using any excuse, no matter how pathetic, just to be with Luc Angeli. “Shit.” She rubbed her temples, the headache better, but still a dull throb behind her eyes. “I’m losing my mind.”
“I’m sorry, Maddy.” Kristen grimaced with regret. “If you don’t want to talk about this—”
“He claimed that I’m still in love with him,” Madison broke into her friend’s apology, abruptly revealing the truth.
Why not?
Kristen would worm it out of her one way or another.
Kristen abruptly frowned, her eyes searching Madison’s pale face. “You told me—”
“I know what I said.” Madison heaved a resigned sigh. “But I think I must have been in denial.”
Silence.
At last, Kristen cleared her throat. “Denial?”
“I wanted to believe I hated him.” Madison gave a helpless lift of her hands. “It was certainly better than accepting I couldn’t grow past my childish, schoolgirl crush.”
“What are you going to do?”
It was the first question that Madison had no trouble answering. She’d made her decision during the long hours of staring at the ceiling.
“I’m going to my appointment then I’m returning to New York as I planned.”
Kristen looked like she’d just been slapped. “Going back to New York?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t.”
Madison blinked in surprise. She’d expected sympathy from her friend, not an adamant rejection of her plan.
“Why not?”
“Because you have to talk to Luc,” Kristen said.