‘I’m the one who’s supposed to be glowing,’ Madison remarked, adding far too much pepper to her mushroom and avocado pizza.
‘You are glowing.’ Then Katrina realised what her cousin meant. ‘If you’re asking if I’m pregnant, don’t be daft. Of course I’m not. Clearly these cravings for disgusting pizza toppings are addling your brain.’
Madison rolled her eyes. ‘There’s nothing disgusting about avocado on pizza. And I wasn’t saying that you were pregnant. Just glowing. As in the glow that means you’re having absolutely loads of fantastic sex.’
‘Maddie!’
Her cousin grinned, totally unrepentant. ‘Well, you are, aren’t you?’
Katrina felt herself blushing to the roots of her hair. ‘Yes.’
‘Excellent. It’s good to see you happy, Kat. He’s the one, isn’t he?’
Katrina had quietly confided to her cousin that she was seeing Rhys. ‘We’re taking it day by day.’
‘But you’re in love with him, aren’t you?’
‘I’m not saying the words.’
Madison raised an eyebrow. ‘Take the risk. It’s worth it, I promise you.’
‘Not yet.’ There was still something holding Katrina back. She wasn’t sure what, but she couldn’t say it just yet. It was too new. And she’d only recently realised herself just how deeply her feelings went for Rhys. It was as if a missing piece of her life had slotted quietly into place.
‘Well, I’m pleased for you anyway.’
‘You haven’t said anything to anyone, have you?’ Katrina asked, suddenly worried. Now her cousin was ecstatically happy with Theo, she was trying to make sure that everyone else was, too.
‘Of course not. You told me in confidence.’ Madison sighed. ‘When your mum rang me the other day to find out if there was a special reason why you sounded so happy nowadays, I said it was because you loved your job and you’re doing well in your exams and you’re probably going to make registrar quicker than I did.’
‘Thank you.’ Katrina toyed with her own pizza. Though she wasn’t surprised that her mother had called Madison for a quiet word. Madison’s mother always called Katrina when she was concerned about Maddie, knowing they were close and always looked out for each other.
Madison reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘Hey. Remember what you said to me about Theo when I was scared? You told me to hang in there because when he’d sorted out whatever the problem was in his head, he’d be worth the wait. And you were right. He was.’
‘This is different.’
‘It isn’t different at all. It’s merely that Rhys hasn’t got around to telling you what’s in his head yet. And have you told him about Pete the Toad?’
‘Yes. And he says my hearing’s part of who I am—he doesn’t have a problem with it.’
‘Good. Otherwise I’d break every bone in his body. Twice,’ Madison said, very coolly and very seriously.
‘Maddie!’ Katrina said, shocked.
‘Well, I love you,’ her cousin said, looking completely unrepentant. ‘And anyone who hurts you has me to deal with.’
‘He’s not going to hurt me, Maddie.’ She bit her lip. ‘At least, not intentionally. But I don’t want to be the first one to say how I feel,’ she admitted, knowing that her confidence to her cousin would go no further. ‘In case I’ve got it wrong.’
‘For the record,’ Madison said, ‘I don’t think you’ve got it wrong. He’s quiet and deep, but you’re the quiet one of the family so he suits you perfectly.’ She smiled. ‘And I’m expecting to be a bridesmaid, you know. Or matron of honour, whatever you want to call it.’
‘You,’ Katrina said, ‘aren’t just counting your chickens, you’re giving them all names! But if—and I mean if—I ever get married, of course you’re walking down the aisle behind me. Except your dress won’t be pink.’
‘The colour’s negotiable. But I want high heels,’ Madison said with an irrepressible smile.
‘Anyway, we should be planning your wedding, not mine.’
‘It isn’t going to be until late spring—probably the first week of May—and we have loads of time to plan.’ Madison spread her hands. ‘It’s the same deal. Well, almost. I can’t marry Theo in a church, so you won’t be walking down the aisle behind me…But you’ll be there, in a dress—and very, very flat shoes.’
‘How about a trouser suit?’ Katrina suggested hopefully.
‘Dress,’ Madison said firmly. ‘As a bridesmaid or a bride. But I might let you off with a trouser suit at the christening.’ She paused. ‘Christening. That reminds me. Christmas. We’re having it at ours this year. Mum and Dad are coming down, Theo’s parents are flying over from Greece, and I want you to meet them.’