The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie [72]
“Dr. Crawford.” Gordon Flattery shook hands firmly while he and Crawford nodded eye to eye. “Lincoln.” Linc’s hand was also firmly pressed. “Mrs. Crawford.” Chickie got a dignified nod. “I’m pleased to meet you all.”
Crawford’s frown smoothed out a little as he recognized a kindred spirit, and Linc wanted to dump his drink on both of them. Self-satisfied stuffed shirts.
Chickie looked back at the yellow portrait. “You must be proud of your daughter. Such beautiful paintings.”
Flattery frowned. “Well, she’s certainly matured in appearance from the ragbag she used to be.” He looked at Daisy’s black dress with qualified approval, and she stiffened, no longer teary. Linc watched Daisy’s chin come up and her scowl harden her face, and he thought, Good, stand up to him. I don’t want you to care what he thinks. Then she turned and looked at him the same way, and he flinched. Wait a minute—
“But I’m not sure about her artwork.” Daisy’s father looked back at the yellow portrait too, and then turned to Linc. “I can’t think what you were doing, letting her show that thing.”
“Exactly what I was telling him.” Crawford expanded. “Daisy may not have been smart enough to know that sort of thing wouldn’t do, but I expected more of Linc.”
“Linc didn’t know.” Daisy’s voice was flat but firm. “He’s as appalled as you are.”
Linc started to speak, but Flattery overrode him.
“What were you thinking of, Daisy? He has to face these people. His students are here.”
Linc stopped breathing, stunned by the echo of his own words.
“I was thinking of Linc.” Daisy took a deep breath and went on. “I was thinking of both sides of him, and I wanted to paint him, and I did, and I think it’s my best work, and I’m not sorry.” She turned and met Linc’s eyes, angry and miserable and lost but defiant. “I’m not sorry at all. That’s a beautiful portrait, and you should be proud that you’re like that.” She bit her lip. “I’m proud you’re like that, like both of them.”
Chickie’s drink had made her bold. “I think so too. I think they’re both beautiful.”
“I told you to shut up.” Crawford looked at Chickie with contempt. “You’re as dumb as Daisy.”
“Why don’t you leave him?” Daisy told her passionately. “He’s a terrible person. He’s always making passes at other women, and he treats you like dirt. Leave him.”
In the shocked silence that followed, Linc looked at all the people gathered around him and realized that he really gave a damn about only one of them, and it was time he said so, but not until Daisy had her say. He was done trying to stifle Daisy.
Crawford found his voice and said, “That’s about enough,” but Chickie said, “Where would I go?”
Daisy stuck out her chin. “You can come live with me. I’m leaving, so I don’t know where that will be exactly, but you can come with me. Leave him. You’re too good for him. The only reason you drink too much is because he makes you so miserable.”
Chickie looked at the glass in her hand as if she were seeing it for the first time. Then she put it down on the nearest table and walked away.
Crawford seethed. “Listen, you—”
“No.” Linc stopped him cold. “You cannot talk to my wife in that tone of voice.” Daisy turned to follow Chickie, and he caught her arm as he finished with Crawford. “And if you ever touch Daisy again, not only will I break your fingers, I will report you to the board of regents for sexual harassment. And I’ll be damned if I know why I’ve waited four months to tell you that, you old goat.”
Crawford dropped his drink. “What?”
Linc ignored him to face Daisy’s father. “I’m very proud of Daisy’s work, and you’re a fool if you can’t see how talented she is. Everyone else who’s here can. The only mistake she made tonight is that damned