The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie [68]
“Oh?” Julia said when he was gone.
“There were giant rats in his bedroom.” Daisy pulled the potatoes and gravy out of the refrigerator to hide her own grin. “So he had to sleep with me. Is Evan any less depressed?”
“No.” Julia found the cookies and bit into one. “He thinks I’ll forget him when I go back to Pennsylvania. Do you have any tea? These cookies need tea.”
“Will you forget him?”
“Maybe.”
Daisy stopped shoving food into the microwave and turned around. “You’re kidding.”
Julia stood up and went to the cupboard. “He was very sweet, and I had a very good time, truly, it was lovely, but I don’t think he’s the one either.”
Daisy blinked at her as she began to search the cupboards for tea. “That’s not the way the story is supposed to end. Didn’t Linc tell it right?”
“He told it right.” Julia stopped and grinned as she remembered. “You should have heard it. Rat snacks.” Then her grin faded. “It just wasn’t my story. I don’t think anybody can tell your story but you, you know?” She found the tin marked cocoa and took it down. “Would you hurry up with the gravy so we can nuke the potatoes? I’m starving.” Julia found the cocoa tin and opened it. “Daisy?”
Daisy pulled the potatoes out of the microwave. “What?”
“This cocoa tin is full of cocoa.”
“Amazing.” Daisy put the gravy in the microwave and swung the door shut. “What’ll they think of next?”
“You’ve changed,” Julia said.
Daisy leaned against the counter as the microwave hummed behind her. “Well, I had to. Linc couldn’t stand the chaos, and it’s not that big a deal.”
“When was the last time you told a story?” Julia asked her. “I haven’t heard you tell one for months. Not since you got married.”
“I told one this morning,” Daisy said. “To Linc. About Jupiter.”
“And before that?”
Daisy thought back. “I haven’t had much time,” she said, ignoring the little chill Julia’s questions were starting. “I’ve been painting. Really good stuff.” She thought about the bright painting of Linc that she’d turned against the wall and felt guilty, and then she realized she was feeling guilty about her best work, and the chill grew.
“Daisy, this isn’t good,” Julia said, and the microwave dinged, and Daisy pulled the gravy out with pot holders and handed it to Julia.
“This goes in the dining room,” she said.
“Daisy—”
“Stay out of my story, Julia,” Daisy said. “I’m really happy, so happy I can’t believe it, and I’m willing to pay a lot for that. It’s my story.”
Julia nodded. “All right. But I miss the way you used to be.”
“Julia says Evan’s not going to work out for her,” Daisy told Linc when Julia was gone.
“Very picky woman, Julia,” Linc said.
Daisy frowned. “I know, I can’t believe she dumped you. Which reminds me, did you ever do the chocolate syrup and vacuum cleaner bit with Julia?”
“I never took a major appliance anywhere near Julia. And since I never touched sugar until you moved into my life, I certainly never syruped her either. Do we have any Christmas cookies left?”
“I’ve ruined you,” Daisy said complacently. “They’re in the cookie jar. I want some too. We are out of chocolate syrup, however.”
“Well, make a note to get some.” Linc kissed her. “This sex stuff can get boring if you don’t stay innovative.”
“Right.” Daisy smiled at him and he sighed.
“Forget the syrup. The day I’m bored with you is the day I have no pulse.” Jupiter pawed at his leg and he looked down. “Who taught this dog to beg? This is disgusting.”
He fed Jupiter some turkey, and Daisy loved him so much, she thought her heart would break. This is worth everything, she thought, and pushed Julia’s questions out of her mind.
Linc came home late one day in January a week before Daisy’s gallery show and found her sitting at the bottom of the stairs, her face pale with shock. He dropped his briefcase and went to her, pulling her close to him. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s my father,” she said dully. “My mother wrote him about the show. She was so proud I finally did something he’d like that she wrote him to brag about it. He’s coming. With my stepmother.