I get it. I’m not that fun to be around, and Madeleine is to blame.
Each day, I count down to the mixer. I wake up and I think about the closet back at the farmhouse. Even after a morning run, an extra intense boxing session in the gym, and an exhausting pick-up basketball game, the memories of what she tasted like are right there, clearer than ever.
The night of the mixer, I head straight home from work and shower quickly. I feel like I’m right back in high school, about to take my dream girl out on a date. I rush getting ready, and when I show up at the mixer on time, I assume I’ll be one of the first guests there.
Unfortunately, the brewery parking lot is nearly full—a side effect of free beer.
It’s a cool venue, rustic and old, nothing like I’d find back in Chicago. Instead of building from the ground up, the brewery took over an old granary, complete with rusted silos out back, old red bricks, and industrial beams. Right now, since the weather is still nice by Texas standards, they’ve pushed aside all of the glass-paneled doors so the patio stretches right into the main room, where the Hamilton Real Estate team has decked the place out for the evening. I spot one of the agents, Lori, right by the entrance, and she latches onto me before I even manage to step inside.
“Adam!? I didn’t expect you tonight,” she says, hooking her elbow through mine.
“Madeleine invited me.”
“Did she now? Funny, I didn’t think she’d be able to scrounge together any guests other than Daisy. Me, well, I had a hard time limiting my list—though Helen didn’t mind when I said I was bringing ten potential clients.”
I extricate myself from her grip and nod, feigning interest. “Right, well, that’s great. Listen, have you seen Madeleine?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, she’s over by the bar, trying to chat up Carter just like the old days. They used to date, I think. Honestly though, when is she going to learn that you can’t throw yourself at every man you see? I mean, she’s pretty, but she just reeks of desperation if you ask me.”
I didn’t ask her. In fact, I started wandering away halfway through her rambling reply. Madeleine is by the counter, wearing a royal blue dress and nude high heels. Lori was wearing the same color, and a quick glance around the room shows that all of the agents must have been instructed to dress in the color for the evening. They’re easier to spot that way, though Madeleine needs no extra help in that department.
There’s a line of men winding around the bar trying to get their turn to talk to her. Oh sure, a few of them nurse beers and pretend to check their phones, but I know they’re just biding their time until she kicks the current guy to the curb so they can sidle up and talk to her under the guise of discussing real estate.
The current guy, some macho man in a black t-shirt and jeans, is staring at her with hearts in his eyes. Lori mentioned his name but I already forgot it. Fortunately, Madeleine reminds me just as I walk up.
“Carter, I can’t believe you let Lori talk you into coming tonight.”
He leans closer. “I knew you’d be here and I wanted to check up and see how you were doing.”
I clear my throat and the two of them turn to look at me in tandem.
Madeleine lets loose a heartbreaking smile. Carter’s smile is a bit more forced.
“What’s up, man?” he asks. “Do you need something?”
For that, I lean forward and kiss Madeleine on the cheek.
“You look great,” I say, letting my gaze rove down her body. She really does. Her dress is tight enough to show off her killer figure, and her heels only make it that much harder to pry my attention away from her legs.
She’s flushed from my compliment by the time I glance back up at her face. “Oh, thanks. Um, Carter, this is Adam. Adam, Carter.”
I extend my hand to Carter and he does the classic asshole move of gripping my fingers instead of my whole hand so I’m left looking like a dainty girl. I counter with a hard clap to his shoulders. “Good to meet you, man.”
It’s not good to meet him. Didn’t Lori say he and Madeleine used to date? Clearly the guy isn’t over her. I was wondering when this would happen; Madeleine’s too amazing to go unnoticed for long.
“Madeleine and I were just catching up on old times,” he volunteers, shooting her a wink. “I was telling her the only reason I let Lori talk me into attending tonight was because I knew Madeleine would be here.”
Madeleine smiles and shakes her head. “Oh c’mon, it’s fun to catch up, but I’m sure you know everyone here.”