Page 56 of A Dangerous Proposal

“I know. But I don’t know what I can do to stop it other than what I’m doing. I have a new lawyer, and she’s madesome headway, but she can’t get the judge to just reverse all his previous rulings.” She made a face. “I guess I got what I paid for with the old lawyer—He was a complete disaster.”

“Do you want James to look into it? Surely he or Luke must know someone?—”

She stopped when Madison reached over to hug her. “I appreciate it, I do. But I honestly don’t think there is anything they can do. I have faith in this new attorney.”

Cami huffed a frustrated breath. “How much longer do we have until the asshole gets here?”

Madison checked her phone. “Fifteen minutes.”

“Perfect. Time to gossip,” Cami said, stretching her legs out and changing the subject. “Tell me something scandalous. Seen any sexy Russians lately?”

“Actually—” But before she could tell her friend about Alex coming to the park last week, a young woman stopped in front of them.

“Madison Amherst? You’re Madison, right? Opal’s sister?”

Madison’s stomach clenched. “Yes.”

“I’m Brynn,” the woman said with a wide smile. “We’ve never met, but I recognized you… You look so much like her… And I’ve seen your picture.”

She waved her hands. “Sorry, I’m babbling. I do that when I’m nervous. I just saw you over here… That’s my daughter.” She pointed to where Jax sat in the sandbox with a little girl his age. “Abbie.”

Brynn laughed nervously. “I’m making a mess of this. I only wanted to say hello and tell you how sorry I was to hear about Opal.”

Madison swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. “Thank you.”

“Opal and I were friends in high school.”

Madison nodded, unsure of what she was supposed to say.

“Is that your son?” Brynn asked, looking at Jax.

A heavy weight pressed down on her lungs. Madison hated these moments. She wanted to say, “Yes! He’s my son.” But when it was someone who had known Opal, it almost felt like Madison was trying to replace her.

“He’s Opal’s.”

Brynn’s mouth formed a little O. “I’m sorry, I’d forgotten. I heard she’d been pregnant. She was a nice girl, but way too trusting. Felix is his father?”

“More like sperm donor,” Cami added.

Brynn nodded. “Never understood what she saw in him. I mean, I get the whole bad boy thing… He was just…” She stuck her tongue out and grimaced. “Felix… I don’t get the appeal. I couldn’t believe when I saw on social media that Mary Armstrong had married him.” She shook her head.

“Why?” Cami asked.

The woman’s eyes brightened. “Because Felix couldn’t stand her in high school. He and Opal used to make fun of Mary because she was so cringy. Always staring at him like a creeper.” She blanched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean Opal was mean just…”

“It’s fine,” Madison managed.

She was well aware of what her sister was capable of. Particularly after she got involved with Felix.

“I didn’t realize Opal and Mary knew each other.” Because neither Felix nor Mary had ever mentioned it. That seemed strange.

“Oh, yeah.” Brynn nodded, clearly relieved she hadn’t offended Madison. “They weren’t like… ya know… friends. But you know how it is at that school…”

Madison shook her head. “No, my parents moved here after I went to college.” Guilt churned in her stomach.

Sensing the shift in Madison, Cami asked. “Did you and Opal stay in touch?”

“Not really. I went away to college, and she stayed here…”

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