As George coughed awkwardly, understanding dawned on Madison. Remembering what he’d told her about his family drama, she stepped in front of George. “I’m so sorry to interrupt,” she interjected, smiling sweetly at the woman. “But, George, I’ve been dying to check out the exhibit at the front. Will you head over there with me?”
“Yes, of course,” George answered, shooting her a grateful look. “Maggie and Mark, it was so nice to see y’all again.”
As they walked to the front, George put his arm around her shoulder. “Thanks for that. Maggie and Mark were close to my parents, but they were always a little too . . . inquisitive for my taste.”
“You mean nosey?” she said bluntly. “Yeah, I got that. So do you actually want to see the exhibit or should we call it?”
“I think I’ve officially had my fill,” George said. “What do you say to one more adventure before we head home, though?” His eyes sparkled.
“I’m in.” She nodded, and he took the club soda drink out of her hand, putting it on an empty table. They walked outside to a line of town cars. Madison hoped one of those was George’s—her feet were killing her, thanks to Laura’s sparkly gold heels.
He grabbed her hand and led her to the third one in line. Madison breathed a sigh of relief and crawled into the backseat. “So, where’s this other place you want to take me?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” he said, his green eyes flashing with excitement.
The car drove through avenues and narrow streets, along the water, and finally pulled up next to a large café with a striped green awning and a large sign that read CAFé DU MONDE. George held up one last picture of her dad, where his nose was covered with powdered sugar at the famous beignet stand. Madison smiled at George’s thoughtfulness. She’d never met anyone quite like him before.
They re-created her father’s picture and sat for the next hour, eating beignets and drinking chicory coffee, laughing about how one of the debutantes had tripped on the way to the stage and the krewe king had gotten so drunk he threw up into an antique vase.
Before they knew it, it was almost midnight. They hopped in the town car and headed back to the hotel. As they approached the front doors, Madison paused.
“Thank you,” she said genuinely. “Really. Today was so great.” There was something about standing there in an elegant dress with a man in a suit, full of beignets and coffee, and surrounded by the sounds of the big city. She felt more sophisticated somehow. More interesting. More . . . happy.
“I had a really good time with you, too.”
He walked her back to her room. Before she went inside, Madison leaned in to give George a hug. His arms wrapped around her and held her tight, almost for a beat too long. When he pulled away, he looked at her longingly, like he was about to kiss her.
“Well, good night, then,” she said, stepping out of his embrace before he got the chance.
George looked down at his feet, a slight flush rising to his cheeks. “Good night, Madison,” he said. He stood there for another minute, like he wasn’t sure what to do next. Then with one last embarrassed smile, he went on his way.
Madison shut the door behind her and flopped onto the bed with a groan. She could just hear Claire asking her what the heck she was doing to that poor lonely man. She liked George. She did. She had more fun today than she’d had in a long time, but she’d been clear that it was just a friendship for her. Hadn’t she? But the way he’d looked at her, then hung his head as he shuffled back to his room . . .
She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes, trying to push all the guilt aside. Other than that last awkward moment, the whole day had been an amazing dream. Mardi Gras . . . Jackson Square . . . Café Du Monde . . . A ball . . .
She grinned, running her fingers over the gorgeous pearl necklace around her neck. This was the kind of life she could get used to.
20
laura
“I JUST FEEL like things are finally starting to get better,” Laura said into the phone. She hadn’t talked to her mom in over two weeks. Her parents had been on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate their twentieth anniversary.
“It sure does sound like it,” her mom said. “I knew that boy was gonna turn things around. Sometimes they just need a lil’ tough love is all. I still have to shake your daddy up every so often. They’ll never be perfect, but you’ve just gotta accept that, as long as they’re trying.”
“Oh, he’s definitely trying,” Laura said as she lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Brian was playing Grand Theft Auto with Rob in the living room. As much as she loathed video games, she welcomed the excuse to have time to herself. “There’s just a new side to him,” she said.
“What’s going on with the surgery? Any word from the insurance company?” her mom asked.
“Way to bring me back down, Mama. I’m still working on the appeal forms,” she said, pouting her lip. The forms were unexpectedly complicated—they needed Brian’s entire medical history and letters from the doctors and LSU’s training staff. Between the sheer amount of paperwork and her work and school schedules, it felt like it was never going to get done. “But we’re determined to do it, no matter what. I’ve saved about twenty-five hundred dollars from my work, and Brian’s made a couple a thousand, too. We’re just puttin’ it all into savings right now.”
“How much more do you need?” her mom asked with a concerned voice.
Laura sighed heavily into the phone. “Like thirty thousand more.”
Her mom let out a laugh and then quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, hon. That’s just an obscene amount of money. You sure it’s worth it? Why don’t you just convince him to just do the surgery the insurance will pay for? They have to believe it’ll work if they’re gonna cover the cost.”
“No, that one will just fix his knee, but he most likely wouldn’t be able to play again. He’s determined to be back on the field next year, and I truly believe this surgery is the answer. I would pay a hundred thousand if I had to.” Laura closed her eyes, picturing Brian back on the field in a Tigers uniform, sweeping to the right in a designed run play, the whole stadium roaring.
“I definitely support you, you know that,” her mom said in a placating voice. “I’m prayin’ for y’all and hope you can make it happen this year.”
“Thanks, Mama.” Laura opened her eyes. “It’ll be so nice to just get on with our lives again. I’m so tired of this place.”
“How’s school going?”
“I’m still a little overwhelmed, not gonna lie. There was a lot of catching up to do to make up for missing that first month, and I think it’s still hurting me.” Just talking about school made her anxious. From the girls who talked about her behind her back to the stress of classes, she was ready for it to be over.
“What are your grades like?” her mom asked.
“Fine. As and Bs as usual.” She shrugged. “I’m struggling in math a little, which is weird, because that’s always been my best subject. We’re just in a section that goes over my head a little.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Her mom paused. “I don’t think I say this enough, but I want you to know how proud I am of you.”