Page 43 of The One Before

“He’s here?” she asks, as the front door opens.

“Madison?” Coop is calling from the foyer. “Can you help me?”

I excuse myself from the table. By the entrance, Coop’s balancing the bouquet I’d ordered for Anne in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

“Sorry I’m late. Got held up at the office,” he says. “Is she still here?”

“In the dining room.” I grab the flowers, picking at the pieces so they’re just right.

“Where’s Mom?”

“Couldn’t make it. She isn’t feeling well.” I lean forward and kiss his cheek. “We’re just now sitting down to eat.”

“Hopefully there’s still cake.”

“Plenty.” I pull away, holding the flowers in front of me as I walk back to the dining room. I’m hoping Anne will be in a better mood now that Coop has arrived, but when I approach the table, she isn’t there.

“Where is she?” Coop asks, his eyes bouncing around the room.

“Maybe the bathroom.” I place the flowers on the table. Only five minutes ago, Anne and I were giggling about the wedding. Now she’s gone. I can’t shake the feeling something is wrong. The back door clacks against its frame. When I walk into the kitchen, I find the patio screen is open wide.

“Anne?” I call, but she’s not on the porch. She’s gone.

At the front of the house, I hear a car engine start. Coop follows me as I race to the front porch. By the time we’re both outside, I see Anne’s taillights pull onto the main road.

“Did she leave?” he asks. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” I think back to our conversation, to everything that was said and done before Coop arrived. “I have no idea.”

Thirty-Two

Madison

“I don’t understand,” Coop says. He’s sitting on the sofa, his palm against his forehead. The scent of gardenias—the one’s from Anne’s bouquet—fills the room.

“It’s like she ran away once she knew you were here.” I keep looking out the window, thinking she might come back to offer an explanation. I still don’t know why she took off the way she did.

“Why would she leave so abruptly?”

“No clue.” I sit beside him on the couch and pull both legs onto the cushion. “She got emotional out of nowhere before you arrived. I’ve never seen her act that way. Even when she talked about her daughter.”

“Her daughter?”

“She mentioned during one of our previous appointments that her daughter had died. That’s why it’s been so long since she’s planned a wedding.”

Coop looks confused. “This was Anne Richards. Her company is based out of Knoxville, right?”

“Yes. Have you met her before?”

“Ages ago. I’m not sure I’d remember her face, but I used to play baseball with her son. He was one of three boys. He didn’t have a sister.” He sits up, resting both elbows on his knees. “You’re sure the woman’s name is Anne Richards?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Your mother gave me her information.”

“Has Mom met with her?”

“She was supposed to join us today before she fell ill.”

“Did you look into this woman before you hired her?” He stands, pacing between the sofa and fireplace. “Do any research?”

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