Willow Smoke (98 page)

“I’m
not
sure
I
want
to
be
eye-catching.
And
do
you
think
I
should
be
wearing
white?
Good
grief,
Nick
and
I
are
living
together.”

“So?”
Angie
burst
out
laughing.
“You
mean
that
virgin
thing?”

Daisy
nodded.

“There
wouldn’t
be
much
of
a
market
for
white
wedding
gowns
if
women
conformed
to
that
tradition.
Anyway,
you’ve
only
been
with
one
man.
And
this
is
your
first
wedding.
Right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s
virginal
in
my
book.
White
it
is.
Eye-catching
you’ll
be,
whether
you
want
to
be or not. We better head back, I’ve got to be at the theater in an
hour. I’ll hop in the shower at your place, if you don’t mind.”

“Of
course
not.
And
thanks
for
being
willing
to
help.”

“It’s
great
to
have
you
in
the
family,
Daisy.”
Angie
gave
Daisy
a
bear
hug.
“Just
don’t
worry
about
fitting
in.
You
already
do.”

“What
do
you
think
about
eloping?”
It
was
a
futile
question,
but
she
wanted
to
give
it
a
try.
They
had
just
made
love
and
were
nearly
asleep.
She
had
her
arms
around
Nick,
her
breasts
crushed
against
his
back.

He
pushed
his
buttocks
tighter
against
her
groin
and
chuckled.
“I’ve
been
wondering
when
you
would
think
of
that.
Sounds
like
your
chat
with
Angie
about
weddings
got
you
up
on
your
toes.
Elope?
No
way.
I
wouldn’t
want
anyone
to
misunderstand. I want to show off my bride
to the entire world.”

He
rolled
over
and
looked
in
her
eyes.
“I’m
so
pleased
and
honored
that
you
chose
me.
I’m
not
going
to
run
away
and
hide.
We’ll
be
married
here
in
Chicago.
You
can
choose
the
date.
I’ll
be
there.
You
can
choose
the
church,
if
you’d
like.
I’ll
work
on
the
hotel
and
the
honeymoon.”

Daisy
shook
her
head.

“Now
what’s
wrong?”

“We’ll
both
work
on
the
honeymoon.
Who
ever said that’s the groom’s
prerogative?”

“Hmm.
You
may
be
right.
We’ll
work
on
the
honeymoon
together.
Where
would
you
like
to
go?”

Daisy
frowned.
“I
hadn’t
actually
thought
about
it.
Don’t
people
go
to
Niagara
Falls
or
something
like
that?”

Nick’s
laugh
erupted
from
his
belly.
“Daisy,
as
Mrs.
Underwood,
you’ll
have
to
dream
a
little
bigger
than
that.”

“Oh.”

“We
could
do
Paris,
or
London.
The
Caribbean
would
be
nice
this
time
of
year.
Or
maybe
Australia
or
Tahiti.”

“Australia,”
Daisy
squeaked.
“I’ve
dreamed
of
going
there
someday.
Australia
and
New
Zealand.
Is
that
really
possible?”

“Of course it is.” He
ran a finger down
her
nose.
“You
can
count
on
it,
darling.
I’ll
get
my
secretary
to
begin
working
on
it
tomorrow.
So
how
soon
can
we
do
this
wedding?”

“Don’t
know.
But
not
soon
enough;
life
has
got
to
be
simpler
after
we’re
married.
I’ll
have
a
better
idea
once
Angie
and
I
see
about
a
dress.
Won’t
you
need
a
lot
of
lead
time
for
a
reception
facility?”

“That’s
not
going
to
hold
us
up.
If
we
can’t
get
a
hotel,
then
we’ll
clear
out
a
couple
rooms at the factory
and
hold
it
there.”

“That
would
be
fantastic!”
Daisy
squealed.
“Paddle
Dreams
Unlimited
would
be
on
all
the
invitations.
I
like
that
a
lot.”

“Would you prefer that
to
the
Pump
Room
or
the
Drake?”

“Absolutely!”

“Then
that’s
what
we’ll
do.
It’ll
be
the
talk
of
the
town.
It
will
be
outstanding.”

“You
already
are
the
most
outstanding
thing
in
my
life,”
Daisy
murmured.
She
leaned
over
and
kissed
the
tip
of
his
nose.
He
reciprocated.
She
kissed
his
eyelids.
And
he
did
the
same.
She
ran
her
lips
up
and
down
his
neck
and
knew
for
the
second
time
that
evening
they’d
make
the kind of gentle love that
turned her
insides to warm butter.

Would
there
ever
be
enough
time
or
enough
energy
to
get
her
fill
of
him?
Probably
not, but she’d try. She was determined to do her very best at trying.

Daisy
scurried
from
her
pickup
to
the
entrance
to
her
old
apartment.
She
glanced
quickly
up
and
down
the
street
before
unlocking
the
door.
As
she
entered
the
dining room, a
wave of emotions swept over her.

Was
it
simply
nostalgia?
This
had
been
her
place
for
nearly
two
years.
The
living
room
love-seat
showed
signs
of
wear.
The
bookcases
were
boards
and
brick.
The
computer
should
be
gathering
dust
in
a
secondhand
store.
But
these
were
her
things.

Daisy
walked
down
the
hallway
to
the
kitchen.
There
was
nothing
there
she
needed to take. This was stuff for the homeless shelter or the home for
abused
women.
She
stepped
into
the
bedroom
and
smiled.
She’d
miss
the
simplicity
of
the
futon
and
the
intimacy
of
the
mirrors.
Damn,
those
mirrors
had
witnessed
a
lot.
A
lot of tears.
A lot of joy. And some great lovemaking.

Space
would
be
found
in
the
big
house
for
the
futon.
Maybe
they
should
have
it
bronzed
and
set
up
as
a
shrine
to
sexual
exploration.
Daisy
knelt
on
the
bed
and
chuckled. She’d better not suggest that or
Nick
would
see
that
it
was
done,
and
then
she’d
have
to
explain
to
every
visitor
why
they
had
a
bronzed
bed.

Daisy
moved
to
the
closet
and
pulled
out
an
old
brown
suitcase
that
had
so
many
scuff
marks
it
could
have
been
used
by
skateboarders
for
practice.
She
might
as
well
get
to
work;
she’d
come
for
her
clothes
and
necessities.
The
furniture
could
wait.

She
wanted
to
be
quick.
Nick
would
have
a
fit
if
he
knew
she’d
come
to
the
apartment
without
him.
Daisy
scowled.
But
she
probably
wasn’t
alone.
Clint’s
man
was
likely
out
there
somewhere
watching.
The
man
must
be
good;
she’d
never
spied
him,
and
she’d
tried
on
many
occasions.
She
shuddered.
Maybe
Nick
had
called
him
off
in
deference
to
her
feelings.
She
wasn’t
certain
she
felt
safer
knowing
she
was
being
followed
or
not.

It
didn’t
take
long
to
pack
the
clothes
she
wanted.
She
glanced
at
the
bed
and
smiled.
Her
favorite
pillow
would
come along.
“And
yes,
you
too,
Bear,”
she
whispered.
“You
didn’t
think
I’d
leave
you
behind,
did
you?

“You’re
going
to
be
shocked
by
your
new
surroundings.
You’re
moving
up
in
the
world,
Bear.
Clean
sheets,
weekly.
Mrs.
B.
freshens
the
air
daily.
You’ll
like
her.
She’ll
be
someone
else
you
can
talk
with.
Now,
Nick.
You
already
know
him.
He’ll
be kind, but for
the most part he’ll sort of
ignore
that
you
exist.
Don’t
expect
him
to
talk
to
you.
He
doesn’t
even
talk
to
the
horses.”
Daisy
shrugged.
“Maybe
some
day
he’ll
come
around.
We
can
hope.”

Daisy
stood
and
clutched
Bear
in
one
hand
and
reached
for
the
suitcase.
“Guess
we
better
be
going
before
I
get
too
mushy
about
leaving.
We’ve
had
some
good
times
here,
Bear.
But
we’ll
have
even
better
times
where
we’re
going.”

Taking
a
last
look
around,
Daisy
fought
back
tears
again.
But
she
had
to
get
back.
She
stepped
into
the
entryway
and
opened
the
door.
Her
jaw
dropped
and
her
heart beat rapidly.

“Hi
baby,”
Maxine
cooed.
“You
are
here.
We were just going to ring the buzzer.
Were
you
going
somewhere?”

Daisy
set
down
her
suitcase
and
Bear.
She
nodded.
She
couldn’t
help
but
gawk
at
Reggie
standing
by
her
sister
dressed
in
a dark suit, gray shirt, and gray
tie.

Moving
up
in
the
world?
He
dressed
like
he’d
already
arrived.

Both
Maxine
and
Reggie
crossed
the
threshold
and
Daisy
led
them
into
the
living
room.
Her
mind
raced.
Where
the
hell
were
the
guys
who
were
supposed
to
be
following
Reggie
and
her?
Of
course,
Reggie
hadn’t
done
anything
wrong.
And
she’d
refused
to
get
a
restraining
order
on
him.
Now
what?
She’d
bluff
her
way.

“You
just
caught
me
in,
actually.
I’m
going
to
be
away
for
a
few
days—at
a
horse
auction,
in
New
York.”

Maxine
took
a
seat
on
the
couch.
Reggie
remained
standing.
Daisy
stood
her
ground
and
wet
her
lips.

“Come
on,
baby,”
Maxine
said.
“You
never
could
lie
to
your
sister.
What’s
up?
There’s
more
to
the
suitcase
than
that.
Are
you
moving
in
with
him?”

Maxine’s
hand
flew
to
her
mouth.
“Look
at that rock on your hand. Good God,
Daisy!
He
asked
you
to
marry
him?”