Read Save the Date for Free Online Page A

Gillespie turned to Madison and chuckled. “The real question here is, ‘How do we feel about them dating?’”
    Madison giggled. Phin was chasing Blossom around so much, their leashes got tangled together. Mrs. Gillespie leaned over to give Madison a hug, and Madison couldn’t help but squeeze back—hard.
    When they arrived back at the Gillespie house, Aimee was inside. They hung out together in Aimee’s room so Phin could have some extra playtime with Blossom. Aimee showed Madison the picture she’d finally selected for the ballet programs.
    Around five o’clock, Mom called the Gillespies’ and asked Madison to hurry home. Dad was back from Boston. He was coming by to pick Madison up for dinner.
    On the way out, Madison waved to Aimee’s brother Roger, who was standing in the driveway to fix something under his car’s hood. Roger was the nicest guy on the planet. If she were just a little bit older, Madison thought, maybe she could go out on a date with him.
    Whereas Aimee thought Roger was perpetually annoying, Madison thought he was smart, cute, and funny—not the traits of most boys at Far Hills Junior High these days. Especially not Hart Jones.
    Madison paced by the front door, watching as the sun began its slow drop down in the sky. Dad and Stephanie were on their way over to pick Madison up for dinner.
    “He’s late again?” Mom called out from the kitchen.
    It was now six-twenty.
    Madison strolled into the kitchen. “Quit picking on him, Mom. He isn’t always late,” Madison rushed to Dad’s defense. “He’s just superbusy.”
    “Aren’t we all?” Mom laughed.
    Madison shrugged. “Can we just change the subject, please?”
    She collapsed onto a kitchen chair and rested her head on the table.
    “Honey bear, did you use my computer last night?” Mom asked.
    “Huh?” Madison nodded, lifting her head. “Yeah. Why?”
    Was Mom able to see that Madison had surfed to Date-O-Magic?
    “Well, you left the printer on,” Mom said. “Next time be careful, okay?”
    Madison wanted to blurt, “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with Date-O-Magic, huh?” But she didn’t. She wasn’t ready to bring up that subject with her mom yet.
    The reality of Dad and Mom both seeing other people made Madison a little dizzy. Somewhere in her heart, she still harbored the teeniest of hopes that maybe (just maybe) her parents would reunite.
    Dad showed up when Madison and Mom were still talking. He punched the doorbell three times in a row. Madison kissed her mom good-bye.
    On the way to the car. Dad gave Madison a giant squeeze. Stephanie was waiting for them in the front seat.
    “Hiya, Maddie,” she said as Madison climbed into the backseat. “What’s going on?”
    Madison had grown to like Dad’s girlfriend a lot, except at certain times like now, when she had to ride in the backseat. Madison felt like a third wheel. She watched the scenery flash by and only answered with one-or two-syllable responses.
    “Yuh.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Yep.”
    They didn’t go to Dad’s loft for dinner, which was a huge disappointment for Madison. Dad used to cook all the time, but since he’d been dating Stephanie, he had all but stopped cooking for Madison’s visits. And even on the rare occasions when he did cook, Dad’s most special recipes (namely, the ones Madison adored) weren’t on the main menu.
    They went to an Italian bistro, a new restaurant on the border of Far Hills and another town along the river called Burkeville. Dad stopped to let a valet park the car as everyone hopped out. It was a super-fancy place. Their table had a view of the waterfront.
    Madison gazed at the reflection of different-colored lights, with a rainbow of blues, yellows, whites, and pinks glimmering off the water and the sides of boats. She was in a faraway fog.
    “How’s school?” Dad asked Madison in the middle of salad, trying to pull her back into the table’s conversation.
    “School’s cool,” Madison said with a