Page 118 of Lovers' Dance

She nodded, holding her purse up. Matt was furious. When next he saw Louisa Gilliford he would…smack the bitch. Madi’s voice echoed in his head. He wouldn’t do that, but he would remind her exactly who she was dealing with.

“Adam.” Matt turned to his brother. “Sorry to have to leave you holding down the fort but I need to go. See you at the office tomorrow. I’ll be coming in late.”

Adam gave him a brotherly half-hug, muttering in his ear, “I’ll deal with Louisa, just make sure Madi is okay.”

Matt gave him a small smile as Adam stepped back. “Leave it, Adam. I’ll sort it out myself. I need to go.”

They said their goodbyes and within fifteen minutes, Matt, Nathan and Bella were in the back of the limousine.

“Oh, I just remembered, Matt. She doesn’t have her mobile on her,” Bella said as Matt called Madi for the second time.

Matt sighed in frustration as he hung up and slipped his phone in his pocket. She really was absentminded sometimes. His sweet poppet. God. Her beautiful dress, ruined by his jealous ex. Bloody Louisa Gilliford. Why couldn’t she understand it was over between them?

“The driver is dropping me off first,” Matt warned. “Madi’s probably arrived home by now.”

“I’m sure your grandfather will wait. Why don’t you try calling him just in case?” Nathan asked.

Matt, praying that for once Grumps had turned on his mobile, dialled the number. It went straight to voicemail.

Another frustrated sigh left his lips as Nathan and Bella peered at him.

“I never liked her,” Bella said suddenly. Nathan hushed her, glancing nervously at Matt’s stormy face. Bella didn’t stop. “Honestly, Matt. What did you ever see in Louisa? She’s a horrible person.”

Matt didn’t answer. He had no answer. The glaring differences between his relationship with Madi and the one with Louisa made him uncomfortable. He had grown used to the thought of Louisa, had accepted over the years that he would eventually end up with her, or someone exactly like her. Then Madi had entered his life, turning everything upside down, making him realize how truly empty his prior existence was. She completed him. As ridiculous as it sounded in his head, it was the truth. He hadn’t known what he was lacking until he met her. Seated in the backseat of the limo, an image of his poppet coming down those stairs floated before his eyes. White suited her. Matt could imagine her making some funny comment about their different races if he’d said that. He could picture her in another white dress, one that symbolized a lot more: a lifetime commitment, a lifetime of love.

He could also see himself waiting eagerly for her to take those steps which would—

He looked up at Nathan and spoke quietly. “I’m going to marry her.”

“What?” Bella cried out unhappily. “Matt, no. Louisa isn’t right for you. Tell him, Nathan.”

Nathan shushed Bella, eyes fixed on his best friend. “You’ve made your mind up?”

Matt nodded slowly. He had made his mind up. It scared the life out of him, but he felt as if the decision was out of his hands, as if he had no choice in the matter. And Matt felt fucking fantastic.

Nathan scanned Matt’s face intently, trying his hardest to maintain a relaxed demeanour. “Your parents will be pleased.”

“I doubt that,” Matt drawled, a slow smile stretching his mouth wide. Bloody hell. This was the most reckless decision he’d ever made, and the easiest.

Nathan looked at him, perplexed at Matt’s statement. His eyes widened and the colour drained from his face as he asked, “Wait, who exactly are we talking about here?”

Bella was fretting. “This is a mistake. I know I shouldn’t say anything but, Matt, Louisa isn’t—”

“I’m not going to marry that cold-hearted witch,” Matt interrupted, joyous determination etched on his face.

Bella’s mouth fell open. She grabbed Nathan’s arm, as if suddenly unbalanced although she was sitting down.

Nathan leaned forward. “Matthew, you can’t mean—are you telling me—who the fuck else is there? You can’t seriously be thinking about Madison? Tell me you’re not.”

Matt couldn’t wipe the smile off his lips. He kept smiling as Nathan completely lost his rag.

“You are out of your fucking mind, mate. You barely know the girl. I barely know her.”

Bella broke out of her shock, leaning forward also. “Matt, I don’t think you should marry Louisa, but you can’t be serious about Madi. You’re joking, right?”

“He’s fucking mental,” Nathan yelled. “And delusional if he thinks I’m going to stand by and let him marry someone he doesn’t truly know.”

Matt understood their astonished reactions. Hell, he was shocked, too. But underneath it all, an ever-increasing calm filled his body. She completed him and he didn’t want to feel empty ever again.

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