Doctors in the Wedding

There was just enough wistfulness in Carl’s voice to make BiBi’s eyebrows rise. “Would you rather go eat with the single guys?”

“No, of course not, honey,” Carl answered quickly. “I’d much rather be talking about wedding dresses and diapers here than swapping dirty jokes with that bunch of miscreants over there.”

BiBi laughed, as did the others, and shook her head indulgently. “You are so full of it, Carl Burleson.”

He pressed a hand to his black denim shirt, just over his heart. “Full of love for you, soon-to-be BiBi Burleson.”

While Tommy groaned and Lila and Madison laughed again, BiBi was distracted by the name. “Maybe I should rethink keeping my maiden name. I’ve always thought I’d take my husband’s name but BiBi Burleson just sounds so…so alliterative.”

“I think it’s a pretty name,” Lila said. “I took Tommy’s name, you know. It just seemed more efficient somehow for me and Tommy and our kids to all have the same last name.”

Madison listened quietly while the others discussed the pros and cons of changing names, all agreeing that either choice was quite acceptable these days. Still, the guys seemed to approve their mates’ decisions to swap. Madison thought of her own siblings, both of whom had married in the past couple of years. Her older sister, Meagan, who had already established a career as a general surgeon in Little Rock when she’d married Seth Llewellyn, had kept her maiden name. Jacqui Handy, the woman who’d married Madison’s brother, Mitch, had chosen to take the name Baker. Both had their reasons for their choices and no one in the family had given those decisions a second thought.

Madison had never really considered what she’d do in that situation. Though she had dated during college and medical school, having a couple of relationships that were somewhat serious for a time, she’d never even come close to marriage. She’d told herself there was plenty of time for that sort of thing after she finished her training and was established in her practice.

Another burst of laughter came from the group behind her, and it was easy for her to pick out Jason’s voice from the others, even though his was certainly not the loudest. That odd radar again—sensing him even when she wasn’t looking his way. Why on earth was she so focused on him? It wasn’t as if he were the only good-looking single guy there. It wasn’t as if she were looking for a single guy at all. That wasn’t why she was here this weekend.

Carl directed their attention in a different direction. “Looks like your little sister has made another conquest,” he observed to BiBi. “Brandon McCafferty can’t seem to take his eyes off her.”

Madison glanced toward the younger couple, who had already eaten and were standing by their tethered horses, chatting animatedly. Madison didn’t know Brandon, but she believed he would be serving as an usher for Sunday’s ceremony. A friend of Carl’s family, she thought someone had said. She didn’t think Carl was exaggerating Brandon’s fascination with Corinna. Nor did she blame the young man; Corinna looked great today, her glossy black hair tumbling down her back, her body slim and lithe in her jeans and boots, her pretty face painstakingly enhanced with cosmetics. It was obvious, as well, that Corinna was enjoying the attention. Madison suspected Corinna’s bruised ego needed those strokes.

Rather than looking pleased that her younger sister was having a good time, BiBi frowned. “I hope she’s not going to let herself get into a rebound thing,” she said in a low voice meant solely for Madison. “It’s so obvious that she and Jason are avoiding each other. I wouldn’t want her to throw herself into another relationship just to prove something to Jason.”

“Your sister is an adult, Beebs,” Madison replied in that same quiet tone, their heads close together to keep their conversation private while Carl and the Polanskis talked about something else. “I think she can decide for herself who she wants to spend time with this weekend.”

“She wants to spend time with Jason,” BiBi countered. “But she’s going out of her way not to make a pest of herself with him. At least he didn’t bring a date to the wedding or anything like that. He’s staying clear of Corinna, but he’s not pushing some other woman into her face.”

“Surely you gave him the option to bring a date.”

“Of course I did,” BiBi answered almost indignantly. “But he isn’t seeing anyone right now, and I guess he decided not to bother with finding someone. Or maybe he just thought it would be kinder to Corinna not to, after their talk a couple of weeks ago. He’s that kind of guy, you know, always looking out for other people’s feelings. His

sister Carly has always called him Saint Jason behind his back—or to his face when she’s in the mood to annoy him.”

“You and Corinna make him sound like a virtual paragon,” Madison quipped. She couldn’t help thinking how different the man BiBi described sounded from the charming rogue who had so smoothly stolen a kiss in the courtyard last night.

“Well, he’s not perfect. That overactive sense of responsibility makes him sort of bossy at times. A little too certain he knows what’s best, you know? And his commitment to his family and his patients makes it tough to have a relationship with him. His ex, Samantha, once said she sometimes felt like she was dating the whole D’Alessandro/Walker clans as often as his phone rang or their plans were interrupted by urgent summons for him or their weekends involved some family gathering or another.”

“And Corinna is still interested?” Madison asked lightly.

BiBi shrugged. “Corinna understands close family connections and work obligations. It doesn’t faze her. Much.”

“Hmm.”

BiBi had no trouble interpreting Madison’s noncommittal murmur. “I know. Whatever she thinks about his schedule, he’s still not interested in her.”

It seemed like a good time to redirect the conversation. “Lunch was really good, BiBi. I think I’ll have one of those oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert. Want me to get one for you?”

“Umm, Maddie?”

Something about her friend’s tone made Madison’s eyebrows rise. “Yes?”

“I’ve seen you talking to Jason a couple of times. And when he was helping you with your stirrups, you seemed pretty chatty. Corinna thought Jason was smiling a lot with you, too. He didn’t, uh—I mean, you wouldn’t—”

Madison sighed gustily. “Jason’s a great-looking guy, but I’m not looking to hook up this weekend, remember? And even if he were, I’d consider him off-limits just because of the awkwardness.”

BiBi looked relieved. “Thanks. I mean, I’d hate for us to get into another uncomfortable situation like that one with Steve Gleason.”

Madison couldn’t believe her friend had actually brought up that old falling-out. Honestly, it had been almost ten years since a college boy BiBi had a serious crush on had fallen for Madison instead. Madison hadn’t thought she’d done anything to encourage him, but BiBi had insisted that Madison’s warm, friendly manner toward Steve had been flirting. BiBi had refused to accept Madison’s argument that she treated everyone pretty much the same way; and even if she did, BiBi had added, she shouldn’t have been so nice to Steve, who’d taken her outgoingness as encouragement.