I couldn’t breathe for a moment, much less talk.
“Madison?” Bryce asked, confused. “Honestly, Mom, she’s not that much of a celebrity.”
Mom shrugged. “She’s a model. People in the fashion world know her. And she’s looking to break into acting. This might be just the thing she needs.” She leaned in and whispered, “Andyou know how she was affected by that awful scandal with her parents a few years ago.”
That ‘awful scandal’ was just her parents losing their money due to overspending and poor management. They’d had to sell everything and move out of Atlanta. I didn’t know where they’d ended up, and I didn’t care. They were never great with Madison, and I’d never thought they were particularly nice people.
“What do you think, boys?” Mom asked, staring at me with a smug smile on her face.
I still couldn’t form words, so even though Bryce was making a face at me, I just sat there like an idiot.
It forced him to take over. “I don’t know that we’re looking to help Madison during this campaign. We’re trying to change the perception of Caldwell Financial.”
“Mads could do that,” Olive said. “She’s young, gorgeous, sort of famous, refined, glamorous. She’s just the type of spokesperson we’re looking for.”
“I don’t… think that’s going to work,” I finally got out.
“Why not?” Mom arched an eyebrow at me. “Still have too many leftover feelings to work closely with her?”
“Of course not,” I scoffed, but she’d hit the nail on the head. Just the thought of seeing Madison again was overwhelming. I couldn’t imagine having to work with her.
Olive gave me a mean little grin. “I thought you weresosecure in your marriage. Was that not the truth?”
I stared at her coldly. “I’m completely secure in my marriage. I have no problems working with her. I just don’t think she’s the type of spokesperson we’re looking for.”
“Well, like I said, it’s too late. I hired her,” Mom stood up and gave me a knowing smile. “She signed a contract. She’ll be at work in the morning.”
She left, and Olive followed her out while Bryce and I stared after them.
We sat there in silence for a long moment. Finally, Bryce asked, “Isthis going to be a problem?”
I held my head in my hands. “Maybe.”
***
“Thatcher?” Lisa’s voice came through our phone intercom system.
My executive assistant was old enough to be my grandmother and had literally known me since I was in diapers. She was like a part of the family. She’d tried to call me Mr. Caldwell after my dad died and she became my assistant. It felt wrong. I’d told her to just call me Thatcher, and she’d only agreed if I called her Lisa. That felt strange and slightly disrespectful, but I was forcing myself to get used to it.
“Yes, Lisa?”
“Everyone is waiting on you in the grand ballroom.”
I pressed the button to respond. “Okay, thank you.” I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. Today was the day all the people working on the ad campaign were coming in for us to discuss logistics.
Including Madison Welles.
I would be fine. I had to be. I was a grown man with a wife I loved. Seeing Madison wouldn’t be a big deal.
Would it?
I leaned back in my chair and thought of the last time I’d seen her. I closed my eyes trying to shut out the painful memories. She had come home to our apartment, we’d made love, and afterwards she’d told me she was leaving me. It was horrible. I’d felt like my heart was literally being torn in two. I didn’t even believe her at first. But slowly, as she explained the details of why she was leaving, I’d begun to realize she’d meant what she said.
I knew that she’d been offered a modeling contract by a company that wanted her to go to Paris for several months. We’d talked about it briefly, but I’d thought it wasn’t a big deal. I’d wanted her to keep trying to get signed by someone else, namely a company that didn’t require her to live in a foreign country for months on end.
But then she’d left me. It was humiliating. Her bags had already been packed. She’d already had a ticket and even had an apartment ready and waiting for her. I’d begged her not to go. I’d pleaded with her not to end our engagement, telling her I’d wait forever. I wasn’t even mad about having to reschedule the wedding even though it was a mere three weeks away. We’d paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to book the best venue, best caterer, best wedding planner… everything she’d wanted. And it had all been for nothing.
She’d taken off her ring, placed it in my hand, and walked out the door without looking back. And she’d never contacted me again. Not once.
