Page 30 of Sweet Poison

He glances down at his black and gray attire and then his hard eyes come back to me. “Guess I missed the memo on the dress code.”

“A memo from your own resort?” I ask, still smiling.

His dark eyes narrow.

“Y-you look great, though. Very handsome.” I smile awkwardly when his eyes narrow even more.

Before I embarrass myself further I’m saved by Ernesto and two more waiters. They arrive with five beautifully plated dishes, each one a work of art. The aroma of the food makes my mouth water. The waiters place the dishes on the table and they all look more enticing than the last. As Ernesto sets down my plate, I notice there’s a small mix-up. Instead of my vegetarian option, I was brought a plate with a variety of red meat. I look at it in surprise, and I try not to react but I notice the atmosphere around the table briefly stills. I look up from my plate, swallowing hard when I catch Madden’s eyes narrowing, as if he knows something is wrong.

He then surprises everyone at the table when he looks away from me and gives Ernesto all his attention. He doesn’t raise hisvoice, but there’s a clear edge to his tone as he addresses him. “Ernesto, is it?”

Ernesto nods, seeming nervous. “Yes, sir.”

“Did she ask for this?” Madden picks up the plate and lifts it toward Ernesto.

Ernesto, realizing his mistake, looks at me and apologizes.

Feeling bad for him, I nod and sign back. “It’s okay.”

“Can you please take this back and bring her what she ordered?”

Ernesto, still visibly flustered, nods quickly and starts to retrieve the incorrect plate. I try to signal to Madden, waving a hand slightly and mouthing that it’s okay, it was just a mistake. But Madden, still maintaining a tight grip on his composure, gestures for the waiter to hurry.

“Thank you,” Madden says, his voice firm yet not unkind, “and bring her back the rainbow explosion for dessert.”

The waiter hurries away, and Madden takes a deep breath before taking another sip of the drink he brought with him. I catch sight of Maya fanning herself as she stares at Madden and I catch Cleo blushing. Even Bernie looks flustered by Madden’s unexpected chivalry.

The only person at the table unaffected by what just happened is Ethan. He looks at Madden with a look I can’t quite decipher. He seems angry, but why would he be angry at Madden? That can’t be it.

Igniting Ethan’s strange reaction to Madden, I sit back and try to process what just happened. Why would he do that for me? I’m confused. Then the realization that he remembers my aversion to meat makes my heart beat faster.

He remembers… maybe I’m not just a memory in a sea of faces after all. The thought of that makes me feel all warm and funny inside.

Noticing that no one is eating I sign and tell them that is okay and to please eat. They all smile before they dig in clearly starving. I then look at Madden and see him scrolling on his phone avoiding small talk even though both Maya and Bernie try to include him in their conversation.

The man really is a bit grumpy.

A few moments later, Ernesto returns with a fresh plate for me. When the plate is set in front of me, I’m taken aback. The dish is a beautifully arranged vegetable platter, presented in a playful, colorful way meant to make eating vegetables fun and appealing. Alongside it is a traditional colonial dish that’s a unique part of the resort’s menu. Ernesto sets a smaller plate with a piece of cake on it. My eyes widen as I take in the sight. My heart skips many beats as I realize that Madden ordered me a dessert from my past, a memory from my childhood that I didn’t expect to see here.

The rainbow explosion is my favorite cake ever.

Confetti cake.

Sweet, colorful and delicious.

The resemblance to mom’s confetti cake is uncanny. He remembered that detail as well. My heart melts at the sweet gesture. I look up from the cake, my eyes meeting black ones. The world around seems to fade, leaving just the two of us in focus. Madden’s expression remains inscrutable, his eyes still holding that familiar gruffness, but there’s something else there—a fleeting hint of the boy he used to be, the one who once brought me so much joy.

As he holds me hostage with his stare, my heart begins to race as deep emotion floods my senses. Not knowing how else to react, I tap my chest three times, trying to calm my speeding heartbeat, hoping it will help me regain composure. Meanwhile, Madden watches me, his gaze steady and contemplative. Hedoesn’t speak, but the silence between us feels comfortable and familiar.

It feels as if no time has passed at all.

Time stands still. The bustling beach restaurant, the Christmas music, the lively conversations around us—all of it fades into the background. It’s just me and Madden, and no one else.

He doesn’t look away and neither do I.

I think to myself that maybe he’s not what he shows to the world. Maybe behind that broken and gruff exterior there’s the big heart too big for his chest that I got to know when I was just a child.

A moment that feels like a thousand years passes before the spell breaks as Ernesto leaves, and the restaurant's noise slowly returns to the foreground. Madden’s gaze hardens once again and he remains silent, leaving me to wonder what is running through his mind and with a thousand butterflies dancing in my stomach.

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