Madison slid off her stool, her brows furrowed as she glared at her companion. “Have you gone insane? He’s the last person I want to see.”
“But…” Kristen looked as if she wanted to give Madison a good kick in the ass. “If you still love him then you have to see if this could work.”
Madison was shaking her head before Kristen finished speaking.
A part of her desperately wanted to stay. Just to be near Luc.
Then she realized just how sad and pathetic that would be.
Spending her days hoping to catch some glimpse of Luc, while he was constantly chasing another woman.
She shuddered.
“I can’t.”
“How do you know?” Kristen pressed.
“Because he’s Luc Angeli.”
“And?”
Madison wondered if her friend was being deliberately obtuse. She knew as well as Madison that staying in Vegas would offer her nothing more than heartache.
“And he’s not forever-after material,” she muttered in exasperation.
Kristen shrugged. “Who says?”
“I do.”
The indigo eyes narrowed. “Only because you’re a coward.”
Madison flinched at the accusation. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Kristen moved to stand directly in front of Madison, her expression unrepentant.
“You love Luc, but you’re too afraid of another rejection to give him a chance.”
Madison reached for her purse.
This had nothing to do with courage, she silently reassured herself.
Hadn’t she proved she could face whatever life could throw at her? That she could overcome any challenge and come out on top?
She was just smart enough to avoid repeating her mistakes.
“I’m late,” she muttered, turning to head for the door.
“Maddy,” Kristen called from behind her. “Dammit, I’m not going to let you throw away a chance at happiness.”
***
Luc had broken all speed limits to get to the remote parking lot near Red Rocks. There was a shop on the other side of the lot, but he’d deliberately tucked his Jag behind a large rock formation at the back.
He didn’t know why he was there.
No, that wasn’t true.
He’d already been headed to Kristen’s condo when she’d texted him with the info that Madison was going to be at this location and that he needed to be here to meet her.