Listen to Your Heart - Fern Michaels [61]
“I don’t have a dress.”
“Oh.”
“A dress is important. It has to be just right. It has to say Josie Dupré is getting married in this one-of-a-kind dress. I would like my friends at my wedding. I’ll have to track down a lot of them, as they move about. That takes time. Unless we have the wedding at your house or my house, we have to rent a hall. Usually they’re reserved in advance. We’ll need a caterer since I have no intention of catering my own wedding. August would be the earliest. Maybe July. No sooner. I don’t want to get married on the fly and regret it later. I want it to be like my mother’s wedding. If we start out right, then everything should fall into place for us. That’s what my mother said, and I believed her then and still do. I’m no prude, but I can’t move in with you either. I just can’t do that. Do you understand?”
“Of course I do. I don’t want you getting away from me.”
“Look at me, Paul. Do you think for one minute I’m going to get away from you? No way. I found you, and I’m hanging on to you. We have two dogs to think about. Sleepovers are good.”
Paul grinned. “Yes, they are. What’s on your agenda for today?”
“Work. Kitty will be back. We have a cocktail party scheduled for late this afternoon. When that’s over, we have to get ready for a champagne breakfast at the Rotary Club tomorrow morning. I won’t be able to see you tonight.”
“Then it works out. I have a meeting scheduled for six tonight that’s going to run a couple of hours. How about dinner and a movie tomorrow night?”
“Not good. We have to spend more time with the dogs. How about if I rent some videos and I get Kitty to whip us up something at my house. Then the dogs and I will walk you home and we can start out early for Lafayette. Did you come up with anything in regard to your niece?”
“No. I’m just going to tell it to her the way I see it. I have a really positive feeling about it. I don’t want to make any mistakes. I hope I’m doing the right thing by not telling my mother until I’m sure.”
“If she doesn’t want to come back with us, what will you do, Paul?”
“Then I’ll tell my mother and explain her reasoning, whatever it may be. My mother can give her and her son a really good life. I hope she’s mature enough to recognize and understand how important family is. I’m anxious about the meeting. I think seeing you with me will help a lot. By the way, my new client—my only client—doesn’t like my ponytail.”
“Oh pooh on him. I love it. You can tell him that, too. What is he, one of those ex-military guys with a buzz cut?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a wild guess. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry. I’ll lock up here and take the dogs to my house. I think they’re getting the hang of it. They do love us, you know.”
“How do you think they’ll be with kids?”
Josie’s heart fluttered. “I think they’ll both be wonderful with kids.”
“Then on that note, I’m leaving. I’m not kissing you good-bye today either.”
Josie laughed. “’Fraidy cat.”
“That’s me.”
“Go on before I make a lunge for you. I want your body! Go!”
Josie could hear him laughing all the way to his car. God, I’m happy.
“If this map the detective gave you is right, the apartment complex should be about a mile ahead. This rain is terrible. The weatherman said sunny and warm,” Josie grumbled as she tried to peer through the driving rain.
“They never get it right. Maybe it’s a good thing. You don’t usually take a child out in rain like this.”
“Do you know what you’re going to do if your brother-in-law is home?”
“The detective said he works Saturday. That was another reason I wanted to wait until today. I called my mother yesterday from work, but she wasn’t home. I just wanted her to know I was back in New Orleans although I’m sure André told her by now. I left a message, but she didn’t return my call. Why is that, Josie?”
“She thinks you only call her when you have nothing else to do or, as she