“I don’t think you’re on BiBi’s list of favorite people at the moment,” Madison agreed.
“I know the timing was bad, but I had to take the call. One of my patients needed to consult with me, and I had to make another related call after I talked to her.”
“Your patients have your personal cell number? Don’t your partners handle your calls for you when you’re not in the office?”
“This patient is a longtime friend of the family. Mom gave her my number. It’s a long story.”
“And one that’s not at all my business,” she said breezily, stepping down onto the sidewalk.
Justin met them there. Tall and dark, he looked so much like a younger version of Jason that Madison couldn’t help simply admiring the attractive pair for a moment. Justin wore his near-black hair longer and more casually than Jason’s, and his face hadn’t quite lost the softness of youth to mature into Jason’s more chiseled features, but the resemblance really was striking.
“My car’s in the side parking lot,” Justin informed his brother. “Want a ride back to the hotel? I want you to hear my new speakers.”
“Sure. As long as you don’t blow out my eardrums.”
Justin grinned. “Well, darn. Take all the fun out of it, why don’t you?”
Jason turned to Madison, speaking casually as he introduced his younger brother. “Would you like a ride back? I’m relatively sure the kid can get us there in one piece.”
She smiled, but shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll walk. It’s such a nice day, and this is my only chance to get any sunshine before the dinner and dance this evening.”
Jason groaned. “I’ve got to say, I’m getting a little partied out.”
“Why do I have the feeling tonight’s going to be really dull?” Justin asked in a low voice.
“Because it will be,” Jason answered bluntly. “Anytime the invitation says ‘semiformal,’ you can bet the party will be a snoozer.”
Justin groaned. “Like Mom’s fundraisers we’re always trying to find excuses to miss?”
“You got it.”
“Maybe the ushers aren’t really expected to attend,” Justin said hopefully. “I mean, BiBi said she’d see me at the rehearsal dinner, but maybe she wouldn’t even notice if I…”
Jason shook his head. “Forget it, bro. I’m already in the doghouse with BiBi. Don’t you get the whole family on her bad side. She considers herself doing you the honor of allowing you to be an usher and attend this dinner thing. You’d better show up.”
While Justin sighed in surrender, Madison glanced toward the church entrance. Speaking of BiBi…
“I’d better go,” she said, addressing both brothers. “I need to change before dinner. Wouldn’t want to be late.”
Following her glance, Jason must have seen BiBi watching them. His eyes narrowed a bit and his voice was just a little clipped when he said, “I could walk with you.”
Already moving away, she shook her head. “Justin wants you to hear his speakers. See you guys later.”
With an airy wave toward both of them, she turned and strode rapidly away, catching up with Hannah and Lucy, who were also strolling toward the hotel. Surely BiBi wouldn’t fault her for chatting with the D’Alessandro brothers on the way out of the church. If so, she was going to have a find time for a long talk with her. As it was, she hoped to find time to chat with BiBi in private that evening. She’d like to know what was bothering her friend, and if there was anything she could do to help.
Whether she would have a chance to talk with Jason in private again—well, that remained to be seen.
Justin didn’t drive straight to the hotel. The brothers had decided there was time for a quick cup of coffee before they had to prepare for the evening, so they stopped at a nearby coffee shop, where Jason ordered espresso and Justin chose a cappuccino and a monster-size chocolate chip cookie.
“She’s pretty,” Justin commented around a mouthful of cookie.
Drawn from his thoughts, Jason looked up from his cup. “What? Who?”
“Madison Baker. The bridesmaid you couldn’t stop staring at. She’s pretty.”
“I wasn’t staring at her.” He hadn’t been, had he? Was that part of the reason BiBi had been giving him the evil eye for missing a portion of the rehearsal?
“Okay, maybe you weren’t staring, but I could tell you like her.”