The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie [34]
He rolled away from her and got up to get dressed. “That’s your imagination.”
“Right,” she said, and fell back asleep.
She had to be the calmest woman in the world. Either that or she trusted him completely. That was depressing somehow. He went to take a cold shower.
After Linc left, Daisy took a cold shower. Do not think about this man, she told herself as she shuddered under the icy water. Do not think about how good he felt wrapped around you. Do not think about how good all that hardness would have felt moving inside you.
She felt hot in spite of the cold water. Stop it, Daisy, she told herself. He’s not the kind of person you want to get involved with. Just marry him and forget him.
Right.
She plunged into her work, concentrating on unpacking her clothes and answering the phone and planning the house.
Linc called and his voice made her warm again. She listened absently to him telling her that their blood tests were at eleven and that he’d called his mother.
Pansy, she thought guiltily, and then asked, “What did she say?”
“Congratulations.”
“That’s it?”
“She said she’d try to be here for the wedding.”
“Oh.” Meeting Linc’s mother was probably going to go a long way toward explaining his furniture and his car.
“My brothers are coming,” Linc went on. “We’d better make some reservations at the college inn. One for my brothers and one for my mother in case she makes it. Anyone else?”
“Julia. She’s driving over on Wednesday. And my mother. I haven’t called her yet, but she’ll be here.”
“Oh, great.” He sighed. “At least it’ll all be over by Friday.”
Daisy looked at the phone in disbelief. No, it wouldn’t. That’s when it would start. They’d be married. The thought galvanized her into action and she called her mother.
“Mom, this is Daisy.”
“How are you, baby?” Her mother’s voice was vague as usual, and Daisy pictured her staring into space, trying to concentrate.
“I’m getting married, Mom.”
Pansy’s voice sharpened considerably. “What? To who? Since when? I don’t understand.”
Daisy took a deep breath and plunged into her mother’s questions. “He’s a wonderful man, Mom. A college professor. He just swept me off my feet. We’re getting married Thursday here in Prescott, Ohio.”
“Where?” Pansy’s voice rose to a squeak. “What’s going on?”
“I’m marrying Lincoln Blaise in Prescott, Ohio, on Thursday,” Daisy repeated. “Can you come?”
“Can I come? What are you talking about? Of course I can come. Oh, Daisy, are you sure?”
Not at all, she wanted to say, but instead she said, “I’m positive, Mom. Let me give you the address and phone number.” Daisy repeated it twice while Pansy dithered on the other end of the line.
“Oh, dear,” Pansy said finally. “Are you sure? Oh, Daisy. Let me call you back.”
There was a dial tone suddenly, and Daisy blinked at the phone. What could her mother possibly be doing?
Half an hour later, as Daisy was going out the door to meet Linc for the blood tests, the phone rang again.
“I found Prescott on the map,” Pansy said. “It’s near Dayton. I’m flying in this afternoon at one-fifteen, so you come pick me up, and then we can talk.”
“This afternoon.” Daisy closed her eyes. “You bet, Mom. This afternoon.”
Chickie called a minute later, catching her again on her way out the door, to tell her that they had a judge lined up for Thursday, and that they needed to order a cake and a dress.
“Let’s do the dresses this afternoon.” Chickie’s voice came over the phone vivid with excitement. “We’ll drive to Dayton and pick them out and then we can make sure the cake and the napkins coordinate.”
“Dresses? Coordinate?” Daisy sat down on the floor.
“How many bridesmaids are you having?”
“Bridesmaids?”
“Oh, honey …”
“One.” Julia was going to drive in for the wedding anyway. She might as well participate.
“Size?”
“Small,” Daisy said, thinking she’d look like a giantess at her own wedding.
“I’ll pick you up at twelve. We can have lunch first. Is that okay with you, honey?”
“Make it twelve-thirty,” Daisy said.