Valentine's Day

Chapter 8

Maddie recognized Abbi Peltier the minute she laid eyes on her. The small voluptuous blond still had the friendly smile and warm eyes she had in high school. She was reasonably cooler than Maddie had been but that didn't stop them from being friends.

Maddie had barely made it to the VIP area Liza had directed her too before she heard the squeal.

"Mad-witch!" Abbi cried before pulling Maddie in for a hug "I can't believe it's you."

Maddie returned the embrace "It's good to see you too, Abbi Peltier!"

Abbi grinned and put her left hand out. "It's Abbi Cooperman now."

Maddie returned the grin genuinely and looked down at the large diamond on Abbi's delicate hand. "I heard. Congratulations!"

Abbi took Maddie's hand and pulled her toward the group of people before her. "When Liza told me you were coming, I was so happy. I didn't know you were back in Cali. I just saw your mom a few weeks ago and she didn't mention it."

"I just got back," Maddie confessed "I'm still settling in."

"Well I'm glad your here," Abbi gave her hand a squeeze. "Let me introduce you to my husband, Tal.. Tal..I want you to meet someone." An attractive dark haired man turned and smiled. "This is Maddie...she went to school with me and Liza back in the day."

"It's so nice to meet you...congratulations on getting married,"Maddie extended her hand for a handshake but he gave her a hug instead.

"It's nice to meet you too," he replied "Any friend of Abbi's is a friend of mine. Let me introduce you to the gang."

"We know Maddie," Matt Sanders deep baritone replied "she's Larry's daughter."

Tal nodded in understanding. "So you know these creeps then."

"Guilty" Maddie laughed "But I don't know their wives."

"Oh well, let's fix that," Tal said ushering her toward a dark haired woman near Johnny. "This is Lacey. She puts up with Johnny on a daily basis because we pay her."

"Fuck you, Tally," Johnny said as Lacey laughed and shook Maddie's hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"And this," Tal continued pointing to the cute blond with bangs and bright red lips, "is Meaghan, Zacky's wife." Meaghan gave a wave and a wide smile. "Over here are our newbies, Brooks and Kelly." Both blondes who looked like they could be related with their matching sun kissed tans and light hair waved. "And you know Liza and Jason right. They come out with us when Liza can get Jason's lazy ass off of the couch."

Liza patted Jason's hand and he yelled "Hey now!"

"And this is Val, Matt's wife and her friend Annalise," he continued and he pointed at the icy white blond that was leaning into Avenged Sevenfold's handsome lead singer. A smaller more nervous looking version of her stood next to her looking over at....

It was then that she noticed Brian in all his handsome glory. Not that she didn't notice all the other beautiful people around her...or the sound of Liza calling her name...but for some reason that lazy, sexy smile outshined everyone else.

He looked handsome in his dark slacks and black button up with the sleeves rolled up to expose his colorful ink. His dark hair was combed back but a stray lock hung over his eye. Just his appearance made Maddie feel underdressed in her green and black lace dress and her favorite Vince  Camuto strappy wedges. She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks as he walked toward her a grin on his face.

"Babe," he said, "You made it. I'm so glad you finally got here."

Babe? Maddie frowned. Either he was really, really drunk, or he was talking to someone else. Maddie couldn't resist looking over her shoulder. Before she knew what was happening, he wrapped her in a big hug that lifted the heels of her shoes off of the floor.

The scent of his soap filled her lungs and her stomach got a little light, like she'd swallowed some air.

"Pretend to be my date," he said next to her ear.

Maddie glanced behind him as Valary Sanders and the other blonde stared surprised. Maddie knew it wouldn't be wise to piss of the matriarch of the Avenged Sevenfold wives.

"What's it worth to you?" she asked lowly as he set her down but kept his arms linked around her waist."is it worth forgetting about Vegas?

"You wish," he said with a lift of his eyebrow. "But I will forget you told everyone that I was gay."

Damn him. She narrowed her eyes slightly before smiling up. She smiled and looked into those chocolate brown eyes of his, surrounded by his dark lashes. She placed her free hand on the side of his smooth face and planted a loud kiss on his mouth and it caught him off guard. 

"I told you I'd be late," she said and then she looked over at Val and her friend. "Just goes to show, he never listens to me." She extended her hand to Val who lifted an eyebrow but shook it. "I'm Maddie. Wow, Valary Sanders...I've heard so much about you from Brian."

"Oh really?" Val challenged "I haven't heard a word about you."

Matt shook his head and put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Chill Val..Maddie's cool." He gave Maddie a full dimpled smile

"This is Annalise," Brian said sliding one of his hands slid down Maddie's spine and rested it on the curve of her behind. She gave him a hard look, and he gave her a heart-stopping grin in return.  "She and Val are good friends," he added and turned to face the other woman. He did not, however, remove his hand.

"Hi there," Maddie said happily.

The woman looked her over and shrugged, as if she didn't see the attraction. "I'm going to the bar...let me know if you change your mind, Brian."

Maddie frowned as Brian took her by the hand and walked her over to a safe spot near Johnny and Lacey.  "Change your mind about what?"

He managed to look embarrassed. "You don't want to know."

"And let me guess...you're not interested?" she asked.

 "No. She's . . . she has cling potential...not exactly what I need right now." 

"And she has those scary fake boobs."  Maddie added.

"That too," he agreed with a smirk and she couldn't help but be light headed at the sight. "Looks like you're my date for the night.."

"Two months ago you couldn't get away from me fast enough," she joked "And now your using me to keep adoring females at bay. As long as it includes you paying my bar tab, I'm game."

He nodded happily. "Then let's get you a drink."