akimbo, face fierce. “So, you refuse to finish the quilt.”
“I’m saying I won’t work with her.” Madison threw a stony stare in Shelley’s direction. “If you want to finish the quilt, I’ll be happy to do it with you, but only you.”
“Reconsider, please,” Gia begged.
“I can’t even . . .” Madison stood up, stalked off down the steps, and headed toward the beach.
Shelley had had enough. She leaped to her feet, chased after her. Got in front of Madison and stopped her in her tracks. “I’m sorry, okay? I don’t know what else I can do. I’m sorry. I’m prepared to make amends. I’ll do whatever it takes, but you’ve got to forgive me.”
Pain haunted Madison’s eyes. “I don’t . . . I can’t.”
“You’re the one hanging on to the grudge. It was five damn years ago. Raoul is long gone. And from what Gia told me, you have a great life in New York because you didn’t marry him. So really, you should thank me. Besides, I’m a different person now.”
Madison’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Are you really, Shelley? Who showed up here broke ass and expecting me to pay her two-hundred-dollar taxi bill?”
“There were extenuating circumstances you know nothing about and I will pay you back.”
“With you, there are always extenuating circumstances.”
“Nothing is always, Maddie. That’s an exaggeration and you’re using it to get a rise out of me.” Shelley’s nostrils flared.
They toed off, hands on their hips, eyes locked on each other.
Shelley heard Gia storm off. The screen door slammed. Guilt played up her spine, but embroiled, she couldn’t reel in her anger.
Breathe.
Shelley forced a long inhale, drawing air down into the base of her lungs to the count of four the way Guru Meyer had coached her. Held her breath for seven seconds. Exhaled to the mental count of eight.
Madison’s face was a mask, her mouth set in a harsh line.
“What’s it gonna take?” Shelley asked. “How do I earn your forgiveness?”
“You really want to know?” Madison snorted.
“I do.”
“Go back to Costa Rica. It’s where you belong.”
The screen door slammed again. Gia stalked from the house, the offending quilt tucked underneath her arm. The weight of the queen-size quilt threw her off balance, causing her to list to the right as she thundered across the lawn toward them.
Nostrils flaring and sweat pearling along the neck of her cover-up, Gia reached the middle of the yard where Shelley and Madison stood arguing. Baring her teeth like a mad little puppy, she unfurled the quilt with a quick, hard snap of her wrists and spread it out on the grass.
“Listen here, you two.” Gia growled. “We will finish this quilt. All three of us. Together.”
“I’m happy to do it,” Shelley said. “But Madison is so unforgiving. Like she’s Miss Perfect.”
“Shelley can say she’s sorry all she wants, but actions speak louder than words. Until I see it, I don’t believe her.” Madison snorted.
“What will get you both on board?” Gia asked.
“Face it. You’re not magical. You can’t fix everything.” Madison shook her head. “No matter what Grammy says in that letter. Some things are beyond your control.”
“Look at this quilt.” Gia crouched to run a finger along the border of the material. “We were so close to having it finished—”
“And then Shelley made out with my fiancé in the butler’s pantry,” Madison snarled. “On my wedding day!”
“Only because you wouldn’t listen when I told you Raoul was a sleazebag.” Shelley raised her palms.
“If I wanted to marry a cheater, that was my business.”
“If you wanted to marry a cheater, why didn’t you go right ahead and marry him?” Shelley shouted.
“Why didn’t you bang his brains out while you had the chance?”
“I didn’t want him, Maddie.”
“No, that’s right, you just wanted to humiliate me. You were always taking what didn’t belong to you,” Madison accused. “You took my clothes, my shoes, and my fiancé. All you ever cared about was yourself.”
“Me?” Shelley splayed a hand to her chest. “Who—”
“Stop it!” Gia yelled, jumping between them. “Stop it right now!”
Simultaneously, they stared at her.
“Look at this quilt.” Gia’s voice quivered. “And remember when we worked on it together. How happy we were. Back when we were the Moonglow sisters.”
“Before Shelley ruined everything.” Madison tossed her head.
“Maddie,” Gia pleaded. “You’ve got to forgive her.”
“I do not.” The wind whipped Madison’s cool blond hair over her shoulder, making her look like Helen of Troy launching ships.
Madison was easily the prettiest of them with her elegant beauty. A throwback to sleek, chic Grace