Simply Mad (Girls of Wonder Lane Book 1)

by Christina Coryell

  “Good evening, this is Harley Laine reporting from Southbend Pet Resort, a new not-for-profit boarding facility that also serves as a pet rescue center. The resort’s director is Audrey Cooper, and there is quite a party going on behind us for the big opening. Audrey, can you tell the people watching at home what they’re witnessing here?”

  Audrey glances nervously at me, and I attempt to smile reassuringly, but she continues to stand motionless in front of the camera, frozen like a Christmas Eve snowman. Harley sends me a visual plea for help, and I step up to Audrey’s side.

  “Harley, what I think you’re witnessing is the culmination of a lifelong dream to rescue animals, assisted by this dedicated group of people who are donating to the cause for the betterment of our city. Audrey Cooper is uniquely gifted with a passion for this work, and is therefore donating her time to provide this asset to our community.”

  “And what should people do if they want to help?” Harley asks me, pointing the microphone at my face.

  “There will be an open house all day Monday, so people can stop by and view the facility for themselves, look at the boarding options, maybe even adopt a pet. And, of course, there will be door prizes and refreshments, donated by Cooper Corporate Financial.”

  “Cooper Corporate Financial has been doing a lot of outreach in the community lately,” Harley continues, looking at me pensively. “Is this a trend that we’ll see continuing in the future?”

  Smiling at that newswoman, I place my arm around Audrey. “I can’t predict the future, or even tell you what tomorrow will bring, but I do know one thing: In life, you can remain stagnant and predictable, or you can learn and grow and become more than you thought possible. That means being less self-absorbed and learning to be a better friend. If a company can adopt that same mindset, imagine what Cooper Corporate Financial and other companies like them could be, when they choose to be good neighbors and friends to their fellow citizens.”

  “I can only imagine…” Harley states, turning to the camera. “There you have it—a veritable who’s who from the local community turning out in force to support this new venture. Audrey, Maddie, thank you for your time.”

  “Thank you, Harley,” I say as she drops the microphone and the cameraman tilts the camera toward the ground.

  “Sure,” she adds with a smile. “Maybe I’ll see you jogging soon.”

  I allow myself to nod, even though I am perfectly aware that she will not be seeing me jog, since I am miles away from Wonder Lane.

  “Your dad looks like he’s waiting for you,” I tell Audrey. “He’s really proud of you.”

  “Maybe he will be, someday,” she agrees. “Thank you, Maddie.”

  It’s impossible not to smile as she walks away and Katie finds me once more.

  “Got yourself on television again?” she teases.

  “What’s a girl to do?” I ask. “The camera loves me.”

  After Katie and I eat our share of steak and vegetable skewers, we stand to the side of the crowd and watch the festivities.

  “Is Cooper always like that?” she wonders. I glance over to see Cooper and his wife next to the mayor. He is gesturing animatedly, and she is staring off into space as though this is the most boring party she’s ever attended. It’s amazing to me that they get along so well, since they seem to be such opposites.

  “Yeah, he has basically one speed,” I surmise.

  “He’s almost orange,” she states calmly, causing me to laugh out loud. It’s true—Cooper looks strangely orange tonight. Most likely he tried his hand at spray tanning this morning and had a disastrous failure. Maybe that’s why Mrs. Cooper is remaining a couple of feet behind him tonight…she’s embarrassed at having to be seen with him.

  “If you cross Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street, that would be Cooper,” Katie whispers.

  “Maybe we should call him Bernie,” I offer with a giggle.

  Katie coughs a couple times and puts her fist in front of her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Don’t look now, but Bernie’s coming this way.”

  She’s correct—Cooper’s heading in our direction and moving very quickly. For a moment I consider finding a place to hide, but I fear it’s too late. He already has his eyes set on me, and scampering away doesn’t appear to be an option. From behind me, Katie begins chanting: Bernie, Bernie, Bernie.

  “Well, Maddie, who is your friend?” Cooper states, thrusting his hand out at Katie.

  “Katie Green,” she says, straightening up immediately. “Human Resources, sir.”

  “That Katie Green?” he wonders, looking at me with a smirk. “Kent Cooper. I hope you won’t mind if I borrow Maddie for a moment. There are some people I would like to introduce to her.”

  “Absolutely,” Katie replies, poking me in the back.

  How I wish I could turn around and smack her, but Cooper is staring at me. Instead, I calmly smile and walk away, following Cooper into the crowd. It’s difficult to keep sight of him as he weaves in and out through the throng of people, finally coming to a halt as he motions me forward.

  “This is my brother, Brent,” Cooper states, and I dutifully stick out my hand. Brent looks a little like Cooper (although he’s not orange), but he does seem to be a little more on the physically fit side. If I were to guess, he could easily take Cooper in a tennis match.

  “And this is his assistant, Kelli,” Cooper continues, pointing at the young woman next to Brent. She’s quite attractive, with hair the color of milk chocolate and light brown eyes, very thin and agile-looking. She has an air about her, however, that makes me believe that we would not be the best of friends.

  “Mrs. Kelli Cooper,” she says, holding her hand out limply in front of her. “I’m Brent’s wife.” Shaking her hand is like wrapping my palm around a dead fish in Cooper’s seafood museum.

  “Assistant, wife, it’s such a long and confusing story,” Cooper states, dismissing Kelli as though she’s nothing. “This is my assistant, Madeline Heard.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Madeline,” Brent says solemnly. “You deserve a medal of honor for putting up with my brother.”

  “My salary is fine, I suppose,” I reply with a smile, “although I would accept a medal if it was offered.” Brent chuckles at my remark, but Kelli rolls her eyes.

  “I recognize you,” she states. “You’re the one I keep seeing in the paper doing those charity things.”

  “Yes, that’s me,” I agree. She lifts her chin a bit so she can look down her nose at me.

  “Well, you look different in person.”

  It’s impossible to tell whether that’s good or bad, so I simply let it slide.

  “Madeline is an avid tennis player,” Cooper says, glancing over at me. “She’s at the club every single week.”

  “Is that right?” Brent asks. “I wish I was that motivated. I’m lucky if I make it over a couple times a month. Kelli probably goes more than I do, but she enjoys it so much, and it’s good exercise.”

  “That it is,” I reply.

  Cooper clears his throat and pushes a little closer into the middle of our circle. “I just had an idea,” he states, pointing at Brent. “We should have a little match, the four of us. The two brothers and their assistants in a little friendly competition. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?!”

  You just had an idea? Really? Hmmm…

  “I’m his wife, you halfwit,” Kelli blurts. Brent immediately grabs her arm in a motion to quiet her.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Kent?” Brent asks as he continues to restrain Kelli with his left hand. “The doctor said you shouldn’t participate in strenuous activity, with your heart the way it is.”

  “Exercise is good for the heart, Brent, haven’t you heard that? You’re not concerned about my health, though. Surely you’re not afraid that we would beat you?”

  Brent laughs quietly, releasing his hold on Kelli, who huffs a bit before she stares at the wall.

  “I’m sure you’re a terrific tennis player, Madeline
, and you seem like a delightful young woman. I just don’t feel that having a match would be appropriate right now.”

  “Admit it, Brent, you’re afraid of a little friendly competition. You think we might have a chance of beating you, and you don’t want to be humiliated. That’s it, isn’t it?” Cooper’s face has turned into a new shade—sort of a burnt sienna. I’ve never seen him like this, so I don’t know whether he’s flushed or really angry.

  “I’m not afraid, Kent, so drop it.” Brent looks at me for a moment and gives a tight smile as though he’s apologizing for his brother’s behavior, and I widen my eyes briefly before staring at the floor.

  “Then what is it? Why won’t you give me the satisfaction of having one little tennis match against you and your assistant? What harm would it do?”

  I look up just in time to see Kelli return her face to our group, inch toward Cooper, and look defiantly in his eyes. “I’m expecting, you tyrant,” she informs him. “Brent and I are going to have a baby.”

  I absolutely did not see that coming.

  Cooper stands back and drops his arms, looking at Brent with his mouth gaping open a tad. Instinctively I back up a few inches, although I’m not sure what I expect to happen. If this were a movie, it would be the scene where Cooper’s head explodes and his body is left standing there, just a tuxedo with hands and shoes.

  “You’re…going to have a baby?” Cooper mutters, definitely quieter than I have ever heard him.

  Brent nods and puts his arm around his little spitfire, drawing her closer. “That’s right. We’re going to have a child,” Brent confirms.

  I can’t force myself to look at Cooper—no doubt this has completely deflated him. All these months of training me for the match, and now…

  Well, it really is funny, isn’t it? Here I was worrying about how I was going to get out of playing this dreadful match with Cooper, and it would have never happened anyway. Kelli is pregnant.

  Ha! Kelli is pregnant!

  I stifle the urge to laugh, biting my lower lip as I stand there silently looking at Brent and Kelli. They certainly do make an odd couple, but they have just made my day. My body wants to jump up and down and scream for joy, or perform a victory lap around the building, heels and all.

  Cooper turns and stalks away, and I’m left alone in front of the strange couple.

  “It was nice to meet you,” I mumble, taking my leave. Cooper stops about halfway through the crowd and manages to find a barstool, where he slumps down and gazes out into the street through the glass front of the building. Remaining behind him a moment, I’m not sure if I should walk away.

  “Monday morning,” Cooper suddenly states, “I want you to go over to that electronics store across the street and get one of those new high-tech cellphones they’ve been advertising.”

  Cellphone—check.

  “And then I want you to go to one of the department stores and find a white shirt with salmon stripes. Salmon…not pink. It’s for my meeting on Thursday, so make sure they can have it tailored by then.”

  Salmon stripes—check.

  “You might as well pick up one of those cinnamon buns on your way back, too.”

  Cinnamon… What am I doing?

  “I’m sorry, sir, but isn’t this getting old?” I manage to state, not even thinking about the consequences.

  “Come again?” He glances up at me, allowing a wrinkle to form between his eyebrows.

  Fighting to build courage, I press on. “You don’t need an assistant, you have Dina. And there’s no need for me to take tennis lessons anymore. Coming up with charity projects isn’t a full-time job.”

  He grows pensive for a minute, and I’m fairly certain I’ve just managed to get myself fired.

  “Well, I’m going to want you taking a lead on helping Audrey over here, naturally. And I’m not convinced that giving up the charity projects is worthwhile. I want you to keep heading those up. But the truth is, you’re really not a great assistant.”

  Not a great assistant?! How can he say such a thing? I have been an incredible assistant.

  “Not a great assistant?” I repeat doubtfully.

  He wrinkles his nose a bit and shakes his head. “No. Come to think of it, you’re definitely more of a Marketing Account Leader.”

  “I accept, sir!” I blurt, which causes him to laugh boisterously.

  “Okay, Monday morning, I’ll have Davies returned to his previous duties, and you can pack up your office, on one condition.”

  Half my salary? Return the tree frogs? Ugh, give back the Tahoe?

  “What’s the condition?” I wonder hesitantly.

  He gives me a slight smile. “Once and for all, stop calling me sir.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Thank goodness I didn’t have the band canceled for Audrey’s wedding, because I feel like dancing. Cloud dancing, to be exact. Top of the rainbow dancing. Instead, Katie and I settle for dancing the regular old way, in a group of people, throwing abandon to the wind. I stepped back from the blobs, and tonight I saw the Monet, and it’s pretty awesome.

  And now, I am slow dancing with some guy named Washington who works with Katie in HR. Is his first name Washington, or his last name? Who cares, really? I’m so in the zone, I don’t even care that he smells slightly like Cooper’s seafood museum. In fact, I’m mentally laughing at my own little joke when I feel a tap on my shoulder, and Washington releases my hand so I can turn.

  It’s really easy to be angry with someone from a distance, when there’s just an abstract idea there and hurt feelings in the way. But when he taps you on the shoulder, and you turn around to find him standing there, muscles perfectly filled out beneath his black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a couple inches taller than you in your heels, his gray-green eyes focused completely on you and you alone, the wall is melted really quickly.

  “Josh,” I breathe, nearly in disbelief. Saying more isn’t necessary, because in this instant I’m simply happy that he’s not half a world away. We’re not separated by hours, or oceans, or phone lines. He’s in front of me, in the flesh. Moving forward, I step into his embrace, and then I’m afraid to move…afraid that I’m imagining him here, and when I release him I will find that my arms are still being occupied by Washington from HR.

  “I’m home,” he says, his voice reverberating through his chest with a subtle vibration against my own. “Come with me? I need to talk to you.”

  Nodding, I stop to grab my coat as we head out the door. Katie isn’t in my line of sight so I can tell her goodbye, but maybe she’ll text me later and I can explain. I’m certain she would do the same thing, if the situations were reversed.

  Josh opens the door to his black truck, which has been sitting at his parents’ house for the past year, and I step up into the cab, noting the woodsy scent of his cologne. The minute he starts the truck, I force a deep breath and attempt to appear unaffected.

  “When did you get home?” I ask cautiously.

  “This morning.”

  I’m trying not to look at him, but it’s extremely difficult.

  “I had no idea,” I admit, forcing my eyes to stay away from that face.

  “Well, surprise,” he states with little emotion. “I asked my parents not to say anything.”

  “So this is why you kicked me out?” I surmise, daring to turn my gaze to him again. He glances at me, lips lifting in a bit of a smirk.

  “I like your dress.” It’s a blatant attempt to change the subject, but I suppose it works.

  “It’s my mother’s,” I tell him. “She wore it to her wedding rehearsal.”

  “You and your mom are back on speaking terms, then?” he wonders. Suddenly I’m hit with the fact that I haven’t conversed with Josh in a week, and I feel extremely guilty for jumping to conclusions.

  “Yeah, I’m sort of in her house right now, so some talking is required.”

  He looks at me pensively and sighs. “I’m really sorry. I had no idea
you were staying with your parents until I had to call your dad to find you tonight. Move back into the house, okay? I’ll stay with Mom and Dad. I would have never asked you to move in the first place, but I can’t live in the same house with you. You know that, right?”

  “I know,” I tell him quickly. “You just came back from serving our country—I’m not kicking you out of your house. Besides, I have an apartment in the city that will be ready next week.”

  “So far away?”

  I’m not sure how to respond, because a fifteen minute drive never seemed far before, but now the thought of being that distance from Wonder Lane is filling me with dread.

  “You’re not wearing your glasses,” I casually insert, wanting to change the subject.

  “No,” he agrees, laughing quietly and glancing at the dash. “I was trying to look—”

  “Like a different person,” I offer, pulling his glasses off their resting spot on the dashboard. “Can you even see without them? Is that your plan, attempted vehicular murder by blurred vision?”

  “I can see well enough,” he insists, but he takes his glasses from my hand and pushes them onto his face. “Better?”

  “Now you look like Josh,” I tell him with a smile.

  “And you look incredible. Sorry I didn’t tell you that before.”

  We continue on, alternating between awkward small talk and even more uncomfortable silence, but I don’t bother to ask him where we’re going. The truth is, I’m not even paying attention. My mind is so focused on looking at him while not looking at him that I can’t concentrate on anything.

  When the tires begin crunching against gravel and I glance out the window, all I see is darkness, but I don’t have time to think about it because Josh is already out of the truck. It’s chilly in the night air as I step out and glance around, finally looking up.

  “You brought me to the old water tower?” It’s not really a question, but more of a statement, because I can see it rising above me.

  “There comes a point where you can’t keep seeing a wrong over and over without trying to fix it,” he says cryptically, stepping away from the truck. I take a couple faltering steps in the gravel with my heels, standing in front of the passenger front tire.