Maddie hadn’t thought she’d ever be having lunch with either one of them, let alone be asked to serve as a bridesmaid in Charlotte’s wedding.
“Nate can’t choose between his brothers for the best-man honor,” Charlotte added with a sigh. “So he has three best men. Which means I need three bridesmaids up there with me. My assistant Georgia is one, Lexie is the other, and I need a third.” The redhead offered Maddie a genuine smile. “Owen was over for dinner last night and he mentioned how cool you were, so I figured I’d ask.”
Owen had told someone she was cool? Uh, since when did he think that? Only two days ago he’d assumed one of her brothers would escort her to the wedding—because she couldn’t possibly get a real date.
“I know we hardly know each other,” Charlotte said as she reached for her coffee cup. “But I’m in a jam and it would really help me out. And I really do want to get to know some of the other women in town. Lexie here can be really high maintenance, and I totally need to spend time with women who are more down to earth.”
Lexie balked. “I am not high maintenance.” Her blue eyes focused on Maddie. “Seriously, I can be very laid-back.”
Maddie didn’t quite buy that. The blonde was wearing a hunter-green blazer, a brown suede skirt, three-inch heels and a pale-green silk scarf around her neck. For lunch at Betty’s diner.
“You type up an itinerary when we go for dinner and a movie,” Charlotte retorted, her green eyes twinkling in amusement. “You are not laid-back.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a planner.”
“There’s something wrong when you plan bathroom breaks.”
As entertaining and bewildering as the exchange was, Maddie had to interrupt. Clearing her throat, she said, “I’m flattered that you asked me, Charlotte, but I’m not really the fancy-dress-wearing type. And I’m too damn tall. I’ll tower over you up there on the altar.”
“Please?” Charlotte said, giving her an imploring look. “I don’t know who else to ask.”
She stifled a sigh, wondering if it was a crime to say no to someone as famous as Charlotte. But really, why would she want Maddie to be part of her bridal party? There were so many other better candidates. Ones who knew how to walk in heels, for example.
“It’ll be fun,” Lexie added, taking a sip of her herbal tea. “Tomorrow we’re driving to Denver for the dress fittings, and Friday is the bachelorette. We’re doing a drunken karaoke night.”
Dress fitting aside, the drunken karaoke thing did sound pretty fun…
“Please?” Charlotte echoed. “I’d love to have you standing up there with me. Any friend of Owen’s is a friend of mine.”
“I’m no friend of Owen’s,” Maddie mumbled under her breath.
But both women heard the remark, and two pairs of eyes narrowed on her.
“You’re not?” Charlotte sounded confused. “But he said—”
“Oh, I’m sure he said a lot,” she answered through gritted teeth. “We’re best buds, Owen and me.”
A short silence fell, broken by the sound of Lexie’s husky laughter.
“Oh my God, you like him,” the blonde accused.
Maddie flinched. “What? No.”
“You do,” Lexie said in a delighted voice. “You totally have a thing for Owen Bishop.”
“Does he know?” Charlotte asked curiously.
“Have you slept with him?” Lexie demanded.
She could feel her cheeks getting hot. Great. She was being interrogated by two women she hardly knew.
“No, I haven’t slept with him.” She couldn’t stop her next words from popping out. “And I never will.”
Charlotte eyed her in fascination. “Why not?”
After three years of keeping her feelings for Owen to herself, Charlotte’s measly question released some kind of floodgate. Before Maddie could stop herself, she opened her mouth and everything came out like a gush of water.
“Because he treats me like a pesky little sister,” she confessed. “Because I’m his best friend. Because he’s too busy screwing every airhead with big boobs. Because he thinks I’m so undateable that I need one of my brothers to escort me to a wedding. Take your pick.”
Lexie let out a soft whistle, while Charlotte’s green eyes widened. “Wow,” the singer said. “Sounds like you have some pent-up anger issues.”
Maddie had to laugh. “More like frustration issues.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, though. Owen sees me as some faceless, sexless blob.”
“You are not a blob,” Lexie said in a surprisingly fierce voice.
She laughed again. “Thanks, but let’s be honest here. I’m no supermodel.”
“You’re tall enough,” Charlotte replied with a grin. She pushed away her coffee cup and clasped her dainty hands together. “And you’re really pretty.”
“You are,” Lexie agreed, sweeping her blue-eyed gaze over Maddie. “You’ve got great skin—”
“With freckles,” she cut in.
“Pouty lips,” Lexie went on.
“Fish lips,” she corrected.