Doctors in the Wedding

“We were rather rudely interrupted.”

“So we were. You seem to have dried off nicely.” He couldn’t help glancing downward to the front of her white peasant blouse. And since he happened to be looking that way, he might as well linger just a moment to admire the expanse of creamy, glistening skin revealed above the deep neckline, the deep shadow of cleavage, the tiny mole just above her …

She cleared her throat. “Um, Jones?”

With an unapologetic grin, he lifted his eyes. “Yes?”

“You’re being very bold, sir.”

Her tone was teasing, not offended, so his grin only deepened when he murmured, “You know how it is with us epic adventurers.”

“Sadly, yes.” She injected just the right amount of world-weary resignation into her tone to make him laugh.

Damn, but it was fun to be with her. The only real fun he’d had tonight.

Dear Reader,

Weddings are always ripe settings for fiction. Weddings so often involve drama and humour, joy and stress, smiles and tears. The most minor crises are magnified, and the pressure for everything to be “perfect” can lead to tension for everyone involved. So it seemed only natural that Dr Madison Baker wonders if the immediate attraction she feels for fellow wedding party member Dr Jason D’Alessandro is unduly influenced by their surroundings, or if their chance encounter could lead to a lifetime partnership.

Before I became a full-time writer, I made my living in advertising and photography. Serving as the official photographer at three weddings quickly convinced me that I’d rather write about weddings than participate! I was all too easily caught up in that futile quest for perfection and the stress was overwhelming for me, but those experiences have fueled my imagination ever since when it came to writing wedding stories. I remembered those three weddings and many others I’ve attended since while dreaming up challenges for Madison and Jason to encounter during their initial weekend together.

Spending time with the Baker family was so much fun for me. I loved getting to know the three physician siblings, Meagan, Mitch and Madison, and bringing them together with their own special “someones.” I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting them, too, and that you’ll be entertained by Madison’s adventures falling in love among the chaos of her best friend’s extravagant wedding weekend.

Gina Wilkins

About the Author

GINA WILKINS is a bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than seventy novels. She credits her successful career in romance to her long, happy marriage and her three “extraordinary” children.

A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, Ms Wilkins sold her first book in 1987 and has been writing full-time since. She has appeared on the Waldenbooks, B. Dalton and USA TODAY bestseller lists. She is a three-time recipient of a Maggie Award for Excellence, sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of RT Book Reviews.

Doctors in the Wedding

Gina Wilkins

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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As always, for my family, who are always there

for me and for each other. I’ve been so blessed.

Chapter One

A mysterious, smoky-eyed gypsy fortune-teller gazed back in surprise from the mirror’s shiny surface. Madison Baker blinked and looked again, just to make sure the reflection was her own. “I don’t know, BiBi. Maybe this costume is a little too much?”

“Too much what?” Bianca “BiBi” Lovato demanded, studying her longtime friend with a satisfied smile. “Too much cleavage? Too much leg? Too much sexy?”

“All of the above.” Twisting slowly, Madison eyed her reflection, wondering how the snug-fitting white peasant blouse BiBi had provided added the illusion of several inches to her average-size bustline. The very low, square-cut neckline with off-the-shoulder, short puff sleeves revealed more skin than Madison was accustomed to showing.

Her blond-highlighted hair tumbled from beneath a glittering purple head scarf to brush her bare shoulders. A burgundy corset accented with gold ribbons and threads laced tightly from just below her breasts to the top of her hips, making her waist look startlingly small above a cleverly draped purple sash. The flirty, ruffled skirt in burgundy, purple, gold and black was bunched high on her right thigh, baring her right leg almost to dangerous territory. Large hoop earrings swung from her lobes and bangle bracelets clinked with the movements of her arms. Ridiculously high heels on a pair of BiBi’s barely-there gold sandals added a good five inches to Madison’s already long legs. She was glad she’d made time in her hectic schedule for a mani-pedi earlier that week.

She lifted her arms a little higher, just to make sure everything that was supposed to be covered remained that way. The bracelets clanged gaily with the movement. “I like it,” she decided aloud. “It’s fun.”

BiBi clapped her hands. “I knew this costume would be fantastic on you. I’m so glad you let me pick one out.”

“I really appreciated your offer. I’ve worked like a crazy person the past couple of weeks—including two nights on call at the hospital—just to clear time off for your wedding festivities. There was no way I would’ve had time to find a costume. Nor did I have room in my luggage to bring it if I’d found anything.”

Corinna Lovato, BiBi’s younger sister and the maid of honor for BiBi’s upcoming nuptials, pushed lightly past Madison to claim the full-length mirror. “BiBi and I chose the outfits from our cousin’s costume shop. I love mine.”

Corinna did look fabulous in her alien princess garb, Madison had to admit. Sparkly gray shadow and charcoal liner made her almond-shaped dark eyes look big and mysterious against her flawless skin. False green lashes sprinkled with glitter swept her cheeks when she fluttered them. More glitter had been brushed over her cheekbones, throat and cleavage. Her dove-gray gown was floor-length, skintight and cut daringly low, cinched at the waist with an intricately detailed gold metal belt that matched the elaborate headpiece securing her dark hair. Long sleeves ended in flowing points around her hands, revealing nails polished in a gleaming jade.

“You look beautiful, Corinna.”

Corinna beamed over her shoulder. “Thanks, Maddie. So do you.”

“We all look gorgeous.” BiBi smugly included herself and Hannah Thatcher in the comment. BiBi wore a pink-and-red genie costume that bared her midriff and most of her cleavage, and displayed her legs through pinkchiffon harem pants. Her ebony hair was caught up in a saucy ponytail secured by a felt-and-chiffon genie’s cap. Hannah, who like Madison was in Dallas to serve as a bridesmaid in BiBi’s wedding, had been outfitted as a pirate wench in another low-cut peasant blouse, a short, tattered-hemmed skirt, wide leather belt and a snug faux leather weskit jingling with fake gold doubloons.

The costumes were hardly original, but no one could say they were bland, Madison thought with another glance at the mirror. She’d known when she’d given BiBi authorization to rent her a costume from BiBi’s cousin’s shop that the results would be … interesting.

Madison and BiBi had known each other since college, having met freshman year when they had been randomly assigned as roommates their first semester. By the second week of school, they’d been very good friends. Their complex, sometimes drama-filled but ultimately worthwhile relationship had survived four years of college in Louisiana, then they’d gone on separate paths afterward for the past seven years. Madison had attended medical school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was now in the fourth year of her psychiatry residency program. BiBi had settled here in Dallas, Texas, to work as a physical therapist. They’d stayed in contact through phone calls, email and social-networking sites, and though they had seen each other rarely during these past busy years, their friendship continued.

Local friends of the engaged couple were hosting tonight’s festivities in a hotel ballroom on this Thursday evening before the planned Sunday afternoon ceremony. Mostly friends of Carl’s, BiBi had confided. A member of a wealthy Dallas family with long-standing ties to local civic and charitable organizations, Carl Burleson was an aspiring politician who cultivated contacts almost obsessively. He remained in touch with all his fraternity buddies from college and classmates from law school. He even knew where most of his graduating class from high school had settled, BiBi had added with a rueful laugh. The ones who could prove useful in the future, at least. Carl was a nice guy, and people were naturally drawn to his extroverted personality, but he made no secret of his ambitions.

The costume party tonight was the kickoff to a long weekend of planned events. Even though it was only the middle of October, BiBi’s wedding was as good an excuse as any to have an early Halloween celebration, their friends had insisted. BiBi had been thrilled. She never missed an opportunity to be the guest of honor at a party, no matter what the occasion.

Corinna adjusted the top of her dress, displaying just a bit more cleavage. She looked toward her sister as she asked wistfully, “Do you think he’ll even notice me tonight?”

BiBi answered immediately. “You bet he will. He’s probably going to take one look at you in this sexy costume and his jaw will drop to the floor. Isn’t that right, girls? How could any man not notice how gorgeous Corinna looks tonight?”

Though she had no idea who the sisters were talking about, Madison joined Hannah in assuring them that Corinna was definitely irresistible. Having an overprotective sister of her own, Madison recognized the fierce loyalty in BiBi’s expression. Whoever the object of Corinna’s desire happened to be, he’d better be wary of hurting BiBi’s little sister.

The way Corinna sighed suggested it was already too late for that. “Yeah, right. He made it clear enough that he’s not interested in me as anything other than a longtime family friend. I know I’m just wasting my time hoping he’ll change his mind, but still …”

“He’s a jerk,” Hannah suggested.

Corinna shook her head with a slightly sad smile. “That’s the problem. He’s totally not a jerk. He’s so kind and compassionate and thoughtful. I could tell it hurt him almost as much as it hurt me when I finally got up the nerve to ask him out and he had to tell me he wasn’t interested in me that way. I thought maybe he would see me differently after I came back to Dallas from those five years in Austin, but I guess he still just thinks of me as BiBi’s little sister. There’s never going to be anything between us.”

“Don’t give up,” BiBi said. “He’s not seeing anyone else right now, as far as I know—and trust me, I’ve asked around. Maybe he’s still stinging a little from the breakup with Samantha, but that was months ago. And he’s been really busy with work lately. Maybe seeing you around this weekend, looking so gorgeous and grown-up, will make him realize what he’s been missing out on.”

Losing interest in the conversation, Madison leaned toward the mirror to touch up her lip gloss. She had to admit she was a little tired. She felt as though she’d been running full speed ever since she’d landed at the Dallas airport a few hours earlier, and that after a very difficult month crammed full of work and fellowship interviews. As a medical resident, she was used to long, busy days, but she could feel her energy flagging. An evening of lying in bed watching TV actually sounded more tempting than a sure-to-be-rowdy costume party.

That thought took her aback—TV in bed rather than a lively costume party? She was only twenty-eight, for crying out loud.

What had happened to her? Of the three overachieving Baker siblings, she was the most relaxed, the most determined to have a life outside of work, the one who’d always enjoyed fashion and parties and music and fun. Yet as hard as she’d worked lately, she could barely remember the last time she’d just cut loose and had a blast.

Tossing her hair, she glanced toward the door of BiBi’s suite, where they had gathered to change into their costumes. BiBi’s other three bridesmaids all lived in the area and planned to meet them at the party, but BiBi had thought it would be fun for those staying in the hotel to primp together. And no one was arguing with BiBi this weekend, Madison thought with a stifled smile. The bride was in full diva mode, and no one had the heart—or the courage—to thwart her wishes.

Somewhat high-strung at the best of times, BiBi was a bundle of nerves and determination as the wedding she’d been planning for more than a year drew closer. Madison had already heard of a few tense moments between the bride and her wedding planner, the caterer, a couple of hotel employees and even BiBi’s long-suffering parents. As fond as Madison was of her friend, she was well aware that it would be a good idea to walk on eggshells that weekend, just to keep everything calm and comfortable.

“Well?” she asked, tucking her lip gloss into a hidden zippered pocket on her wide purple-waist sash, along with the key card to her room. “Ready to go show off how good we look?”

Corinna giggled and whirled away from the mirror, her chin lifted in determination. “Definitely.”

BiBi led the charge out of the suite, leaving Madison to close the door behind them.

The minute the friends stepped into the noisy, unconventionally decorated hotel ballroom, they were swept into a welcoming crowd of costumed revelers. BiBi hadn’t exaggerated about how many guests would be in attendance tonight. The room was packed, leaving only a smallish opening for a dance floor at one end near the DJ’s setup. BiBi and her bridesmaids were only a few minutes late arriving, but the festivities were already well under way. The music was loud, the booze free-flowing, the food plentiful and everyone seemed in the mood to have a great time. BiBi and Corinna were immediately absorbed into the crowd of their friends.

Someone pressed a mixed drink into Madison’s hand and she sipped it while surveying the creative mix of costumes in the room—at least, the ones she could see clearly. Some genius had decided that very dim lighting equaled Halloween atmosphere. Colored lights flickered around the dance area, which was still almost empty this early in the evening. The booming music required close proximity for individual conversations, blending into a cacophony of chatter and laughter.

Science fiction seemed to be the predominant theme of the evening. Na’vi, Vulcans, Jedi and assorted other recognizable sci-fi icons mingled among the more generic witches, vampires and pirates in the shadowy room. A very pregnant warrior princess waddled past, nodding to her with a smile. Hannah saw a group of friends and rushed off to speak to them, leaving Madison to fend for herself. Eyeing a nearby Borg flirting with a very busty Klingon woman, Madison chuckled as she lowered her glass after taking another swallow of the deceptively innocent-tasting brew.

“My parents would be right at home here,” she remarked to no one in particular.

“Seriously? Your parents would like this party?”

Surprised that anyone had even heard her amid the commotion, she turned in response to the male voice. A tall, lean man in a leather jacket, boots, khaki shirt and pants stood just behind her. A coiled whip dangled from his leather belt. His face was shadowed by a battered fedora, but she certainly recognized the costume. “Indiana Jones, I presume?”

Reaching up to nudge his hat with his thumb, he drawled, “At your service, ma’am.”

Oh, my. Turned out there was a very nice face hidden beneath the brim of that dashing fedora. Dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin, white teeth, just a hint of a dint in a strong, square jaw. Yum.

Remembering that he had asked her a question, she silently cleared her throat before explaining, “My parents met at a sci-fi convention in the ‘70s. My late father was an avid Trekkie, and mom still likes science fiction.”

He chuckled, and she took another quick sip of her drink. He was even more attractive when he smiled. She couldn’t help noticing that the right side of his mouth tilted into a hint of a dimple just at the corner of his lips.

“And what about your costume?” He lowered his dark gaze from her face to study her revealing outfit. “Are you portraying a particular character?”

She felt a funny little quiver follow the path of his survey all the way down to her exposed leg. Taking another sip of her drink, she shook her head. “Just a generic gypsy fortune-teller.”

“You’re much too stunning to be described as generic,” he commented, his deep tone intensifying her quiver to a full-blown tingle.

“Thank you. You look quite dashing, yourself.” She took another long swallow of the drink, looking up at him through her heavily darkened lashes.

“That drink looks good.”

She lowered the now-empty glass. “It was. Very good.”

“There are some tempting snacks on those tables across the room. Would you like to join me on a food raid, Esmeralda?”

Amused by his wording, she lifted an eyebrow. “Esmeralda?”

With a chuckle, he shrugged. “Sounds like a gypsy fortune-teller name to me.”

She hesitated only a moment before setting her glass on a tray and tucked a hand beneath the arm he offered with a flourish. “I’d be delighted to accompany you on a food raid, Dr. Jones.”

“Maybe after we eat, you can read my fortune in the champagne glass.”

A little giggle escaped her. “That’s tea leaves. I don’t think they’re serving tea tonight.”

“Then you can read my palm.”

She rather liked the image of cradling his hand in hers. “Maybe I will.”

His arm flexed a little beneath her fingers, and she felt the strength there. Obviously this man stayed in very good physical condition. He carried himself with an athlete’s grace befitting his choice of costume.

She supposed they should get around to introducing themselves eventually. But at the moment, it was so much fun pretending he was a globe-trotting archeologist and she a mysterious gypsy. Threading their way through the milling partygoers, they approached the tables. He nodded familiarly to several of the people they passed, a few of whom did visible double takes upon recognizing him. Either they hadn’t expected to see him there, or this was not the costume they would have predicted from him.

“Dude. Looking sharp,” someone said, tipping her off that the latter guess was likely correct.

“So, Jones—see anything that looks good?” she asked, studying the almost-dizzying array of sweets and treats on the snacks tables.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He wasn’t looking at the food.

She savored the little ripple of sensual awareness that coursed down her spine in response to his tilted smile. It had definitely been too long since she’d spent an evening flirting with a charming stranger.

A colorful selection of more mixed drinks was displayed nearby. She plucked a tall, thin glass from the table and tasted the clear liquid appreciatively. “Mmm. Good. You should try this.”

He reached out to take the drink from her, holding her gaze with his when he lifted the glass to sip from exactly where her lips had just touched. “You’re right. That is good.”

The ripple of awareness turned into a tsunami. She snatched the glass back from him. He reached for a drink of his own. Their backs to the rest of the party, they stood close together while they filled their snack plates. It was necessary to stand that close, just so they could hear each other over the music.

Right.

She laughed when he slipped a pecan tart onto her already-full plate. “No more,” she insisted. “I can’t eat all of this.”

He eyed his own equally full plate with satisfaction. “I’m going to make a valiant effort.”

Turning away from the table, which was becoming crowded as other guests followed their example in helping themselves to the food, he peered into shadowy corners where seating had been arranged. “Where shall we take these?”

He was making the assumption that she would be eating with him. Fair enough. “Wherever we can find an empty space, I suppose. Not too close to the speakers, though. That music is really loud.”

“Werewolves of London” was the current selection, and every wailed “aaahoo” made her eardrums vibrate. She wished someone would turn down the volume a bit. And then she winced, deciding she was sounding old and stodgy again. She renewed her earlier vow to abandon herself to the party tonight. Starting with sharing decadent snacks with a handsome adventurer.

If he found her comment off-putting, he didn’t let it show, to her relief. “I have an idea. Follow me.”

Happily, she thought, staying close behind him as he wound his way through the costumed revelers. She didn’t even hesitate when he slipped through a set of French doors that led out to a cobblestoned courtyard.

Beautifully landscaped and discreetly lighted, the courtyard was small and quiet, fenced with wrought-iron. There were no tables, but several iron benches lined the sides. A pretty little fountain in the center of the circular garden added the soothing sound of splashing water to the tableau.

Madison was a little surprised that they were the only ones outside on this nice autumn evening. October had been accompanied by very warm temperatures in Dallas this year, and while the air had cooled with sunset, she was comfortable even in her off-the-shoulder blouse. She supposed it was still early enough in the party that the others weren’t yet ready to escape; or maybe no one had yet spotted the doors hidden among the over-the-top decorations.

Her companion nodded in satisfaction. “We can eat in peace here, if you don’t mind balancing your plate on your knees.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Maybe you can tell my fortune while we eat?”

So they were still in character. Fun. She glanced at his coiled whip. “Only if you promise to protect me if any evildoers try to attack.”

“It’s a deal.”

She chuckled and sank onto one of the benches, setting her drink on the wide arm. He sat beside her, leaving sufficient room between them that she didn’t feel uncomfortable but close enough to be companionable. She popped a shrimp puff into her mouth and sighed in satisfaction.

He dabbed at his mouth with a black paper napkin. “Good food. I had a sandwich for lunch—I think. It was so long ago, I hardly remember.”

She smiled. “Digging up mysterious artifacts keeps you that busy?”

“You have no idea.”

She wasn’t in any hurry to discuss work, neither her own nor whatever his job might be. That would only lead to talk about other everyday topics that would bring an end to this diverting charade. Of course she was curious about this man’s real name, what he did, how he knew BiBi and Carl—but she was content to savor the passing moments until they got around to that point.