BiBi linked her arm with Madison’s as they left the restroom. “Funny. I was sure you and Allen would hit it off. You have so much in common.”
Madison couldn’t imagine what common ground BiBi imagined between her and Allen, but she merely shrugged. “Guess I’m just not in the right place for anything serious right now.”
“Well, if you e
ver are in that place, give me a call. Maybe I’ll have someone else picked out for you by then,” BiBi said with a short laugh. “And in the meantime, I’m still going to try to talk you into coming to Dallas for your fellowship. I would so love living that close to you again.”
Madison forced a noncommittal smile. Something told her that no matter how long it would be until she made that unlikely call, she knew who BiBi would not choose for her.
As for whether she would choose to move to Dallas for her fellowship…well, for some reason that choice suddenly seemed much more complicated.
Chapter Eight
The guests who attended the dance after dinner Saturday evening were considerably more dignified than the ones who’d partied so avidly at the Thursday night masquerade. For one thing, the average age of these guests, all invited by the groom’s parents, was older than the contemporaries of the engaged couple who’d thrown the costume party. The alcohol consumption was less conspicuous and the music much more sedate. Even the clothing had much to do with the difference in tone. Masks and costumes had encouraged people to shed some of their usual inhibitions and social decorum, whereas tonight they were on their best behavior in their party dresses and tailored suits.
Madison found herself talking shop quite a bit during the event, as several other physicians were in attendance. She never introduced herself as Dr. Baker, but the mothers of the bride and groom insisted on adding the title whenever they presented her to another guest. That inevitably led to talk of work and her plans for the future.
She’d found that people not in the medical field had either little or incorrect knowledge of psychiatry and mental illness. Some had a little trouble understanding that yes, a psychiatrist was a medical doctor, a fully trained physician. Many didn’t know the difference between psychiatry and psychology, having been misled by unrealistic portrayals in books, on TV and in movies. Those same media often grossly misrepresented people suffering from mental illnesses, the majority of whom would never be a danger to others. She was also accustomed to people sometimes withdrawing from her when they found out she was a “shrink,” as if in concern that she might analyze them and find them lacking in some way. Not to mention those who had to tell her all about their crazy relatives or acquaintances.
From the few snatches of Jason’s conversations she caught by accident during the evening, she knew he, too, spent at least part of the evening talking about work. As a family physician, he was hit up frequently for free medical advice. She didn’t get that quite as much as he did. More people were willing to discuss their physical ailments than any possible psychological issues, at least where they, themselves, were concerned. While she was sure Jason knew how to gracefully deflect those inquiries, he seemed to spend more time with them than she would be inclined to do.
The dance floor wasn’t nearly as crowded for this dance as it had been at the costume party. Still, a few men asked Madison to dance, and she accepted. Carl, his brother, BiBi’s dad, a podiatrist introduced to her by BiBi’s mom, a couple of others. Allen notably did not ask, spending most of his time near Hannah. So much for BiBi’s matchmaking scheme that weekend.
She was helping herself to a glass of champagne punch when Jason finally approached her. He did so very casually, plucking a chocolate-dipped strawberry off the snack table near where she stood as if that had been his primary intention. “Having a good time?”
“Yes, lovely, thanks. And you?”
“It’s a nice party.”
So courteous and impersonal. She doubted anyone overhearing would suspect that she knew exactly what lay beneath Jason’s beautifully tailored dark suit, exactly how it felt to run her hands over the sleek chest hidden beneath his snowy-white shirt and deep red tie.
“So, how about it? Want to take a spin around the dance floor?”
She had hoped he wouldn’t ask. Maybe he thought it would look odder if he didn’t. She kept her smile friendly, suitably vague. “Thank you, but I believe I’ll take a break with this drink. It feels as though I’ve been on my feet all day. I’ll see you later, Jason.”
His eyes narrowed, but she turned away before he could respond. As she crossed the room, she remembered his expression. He had not liked her rejection, as polite as she’d tried to be about it. She wasn’t sure if she’d hurt his ego or his feelings, but either way, she still thought she’d made the right call.
Probably no one would lift an eyebrow at the sight of her dancing with Jason, no more than they had when she’d danced with Carl or Curtis or the others she’d danced with so casually during the past couple of hours. No one, that is, except the Lovato sisters. Corinna, of course, probably noticed whenever Jason danced with anyone else, even though she’d missed few opportunities to take to the dance floor, herself. She had partnered with several of the male guests, and Brandon had hovered near her all evening to fill in the gaps.
As for BiBi, she had already homed in on the undercurrents between Madison and Jason. Even if she didn’t know exactly what was going on, she knew Madison well enough to sense something…enough that it had brought back those uncomfortable memories from college. Madison wasn’t sure she could dance with Jason, no matter how circumspectly, without once again triggering BiBi’s intuition where her longtime friend was concerned.
Maybe she would have a chance to explain that to Jason later. Not that she owed him explanations, of course. She was under no obligation to dance with him this evening, no matter what had happened between them last night. After tomorrow, there was a good chance she would never even see him again.
She tried to fill the faint hollowness left by that thought with several long swallows of her punch.
She really wasn’t expecting Jason to follow when she slipped out into the garden a short while later. The last time she had seen him, he’d appeared to be making his way toward the exit, stopping to chat with acquaintances along the way. It was getting late, and he wouldn’t be the first guest to leave. She didn’t plan to stay much longer, herself. After getting a quick breath of fresh air, she would find BiBi and say good-night. Tomorrow was the big day, and they both needed rest.
Sitting on one of the little benches, she closed her eyes for a moment. The autumn air was cool against her cheeks and bare arms, hinting at colder weather ahead. The sound of the fountain in the center of the small courtyard was so soothing that she fancied she could drift off to sleep if she sat there much longer. With a faint sigh, she opened her eyes.
Jason stood in front of her, his arms crossed over his chest, a look of exaggerated patience on his face as he waited for her to notice him. To give her credit, she didn’t jump, though she did blink a few times in her surprise at seeing him. “I thought you’d left already.”
“I was on my way to the exit when I saw you slip out here.”
She glanced automatically toward the doorway.
His mouth twisted. “Don’t worry, I made sure to be discreet when I came out. I doubt anyone knows we’re out here together, actually exchanging words with each other.”
He was definitely aggravated with her. Seemed like whatever she did that weekend, someone ended up irritated.