His cologne is exactly the same as when we dated again, last year, after the long years since junior high.
At the time, I liked that expensive-smelling scent. I liked the "new Joseph" that had materialized after the geeky seventh-grade math-wizard nerd.
Now it just makes my stomach turn.
I push away from him, my skin crawling.
"Why are you hugging me?"
"Just to offer congratulations.”
His eyes scan me from head to toe.
"You’re looking good, Mads. I like what you’ve done with your hair. When I first heard the news, I didn’t know what someone like Rio would see in you."
My jaw clenches as I glare.
"Don’t look at me like that. You must have noticed that in comparison to a lot of other women, you’re a little on the plain side. Not exactly rockstar material.”
He pauses to look me over again.
But today, with your hair all long and flowing like that, I can better imagine what he might possibly see in you."
Plain?
I think of Rio last night. The way his eyes darkened when I dropped my robe. The way he looked at me like I was the only water in the desert.
Rio didn’t see plain. He sawpassion.He saw me.
"Right. Have a good conference," I say, turning and storming away.
Snorty’s Vuitton carrier slams against my hip with every step.
The nerve of that jerk.
Two months after leaving me at the altar, and he thinks he can just hug me and insult me in the same breath?
Well, I’m not going to let Joseph W. King ruin my Las Vegas weekend.
No way in hell.
CHAPTER 23
MADDIE
“Good morning, Miss Smith,” the receptionist says, crisp and glowing in a winter white uniform with a stitched golden paw print.
She does her best to ignore Antoine's photographers behind us. Marco snaps photographs while Ben films video.
"And hello, Mr. Snorty!"
Snorty yips a greeting from my arms. He seems pleased. I bet it's the first time he's been called Mister.
“Thanks for having us,” I say, remembering Antoine’s script. Be polite. Act interested. And make the hotel shine because Las Palmas is picking up the tab for our hotel rooms, meals, and all the related expenses of the upcoming performance.
“My name is Anita. I’m the Canine Concierge here at Paws Las Palmas. May I give you two a tour of our facilities?”
“We’d love it. Last night, Snorty had treatments at the human spa. This one’s even more glamorous,” I say, eyeing the white marble and that central gold poodle statue with its tail held high.
