Slow Hands

that,” Jenny said, whether out of loyalty to Maddy because she was with Jake, or because she liked her—or her car—or simply out of a go-girl-all-men-suck attitude.
    Maybe all of the above.
    “I think it was a combination of immaturity, selfishness and greed,” Maddy admitted, her voice low, almost as if she was speaking to herself. “I am sure he liked my connections and my family money more than me.”
    “She’s rich?” Jenny piped in.
    “Shut up, Jen.”
    His sister shut up.
    “But he was a spoiled rich kid who took what he wanted when he wanted it. While he very briefly thought he wanted me, he obviously changed his mind and moved on…without clueing me in.”
    “How’d you find out?”
    Jake hadn’t asked, Jenny had. Again he did not tell her to shut up, because he wanted to know the answer. He couldn’t possibly have asked—he was too busy keeping his jaw clamped shut and his body tightly pressed against the passenger seat, so damned furious at the lousy prick who’d hurt Maddy he couldn’t even speak.
    Maddy glanced into the rearview mirror, seeming to meet his sister’s eyes. “He went on a ski trip and I decided to ‘surprise’ him by coming up to join him. He was surprised all right.”
    “Eww! Did you walk in when they were…”
    “Jenny,” Jake snapped, “that’s a little too personal.”
    “Sorry. Man, I’m ready to run out of hope altogether. If it can happen to you, it can totally happen to anyone.”
    The Maddy he’d met a few weeks ago—the hard, brittle one—probably would have nodded in agreement. The cool woman he’d walked with to the park, who’d slammed the very idea of lasting love as being a fantasy might have warned his baby sister about being cautious, staying slightly separate from anyone to avoid getting hurt.
    Instead, she surprised him. “You know, looking back, it was just as well. He definitely wasn’t the man for me.”
    Ah, progress. At least she was conceding there might exist such a creature—a man for her.
    “And I know it wasn’t my fault and that not every man would behave that way. It was his own weakness of character.”
    “Well, duh!”
    “So I’ve finally come to the point where I can let it go and forget about him.” Then, grunting she added, “Which is fine, except for the fact that he is still in my social circle, and I do see him once in a while.”
    “Is he going to be at the wedding?” Jake asked, already relishing the prospect.
    “God, I should hope not. My father would lose his mind. I think he was more furious about what Oliver did than I was. And if Dad didn’t clean the floor with him, Tabitha would eviscerate him with a salad fork.” Glancing again at Jenny in the mirror, she explained, “My older sister is getting married on Saturday and Jake is escorting me.”
    “You an escort to a rich wedding, huh?” Jenny snorted, opening her mouth to say something else.
    Fearing it might be something along the lines of, “What are you going to wear, your paramedic uniform?” he quickly interrupted. “Maybe Maddy will return the favor and come with me to Blair’s.”
    “Ugh. Don’t remind me. Have you seen the bridesmaid dresses she finally decided on?” Sticking her index finger into her mouth and making retching noises, the twenty-year-old made her opinion of them clear. Then she asked Maddy, “Are you a bridesmaid?”
    “Yes.”
    “Did your sister pick out the monkey-butt-ugliest dresses in the store? Talk about hideous—ruffled and frilly baby’s-ass-peach things. They look more like something I would have worn to my third birthday party.”
    Soft, lyrical laughter spilled from Maddy’s mouth. “No, actually the dress I’m wearing is beautiful…for someone built like Tabby.”
    “Meaning?”
    “Meaning I’m going to have to duct tape myself to fit into it and to hold it up. I haven’t worn a strapless, backless dress since I reached puberty.”
    “That sister of yours…” Jake muttered.
    “Hey, it’s her wedding,” Maddy said with a shrug. “I honestly don’t care, and it is a very pretty dress. I’ll just try not to breathe. And I definitely won’t be bending over. It’s far too revealing for someone with my, um, figure.”
    Hmm…he could hardly wait to see it. What might be demure on one of those stick-thin, leggy blondes her ex had so desired would be downright sinful on a woman like Maddy. How any man could have preferred anyone else when he’d had this woman in his life, he