Today? Daisy repeated.
Of course I didnt, dear. But were all enjoying having you back home in White Hills so much. And your mom and dad and family arent here right now, so it just seemed like you might need a gift today.
Today? Daisy repeated.
The older lady patted her hand. We all know, she whispered, and then turned around.
Daisy wanted to question her-what exactly did we all know?-but the buzzer went off for the bottom oven in the kitchen. She sprinted in, grabbed her hot pads and yanked open the oven door. Her poached apples with vanilla and wine and cardamom and lavender buds simply couldnt fail-yet the pot had bubbled over and made a sizzling mess on the oven floor.
Harry showed up in the doorway. Phone call for you in the office. And if this keeps up, I swear Im dragging my brother in from his vacation. I dont like working this hard. Its against all my principles.
Ill help, Ill help, and I promise, Ill get off the phone lickety-split. But her heart was soaring higher than an eagle taking flight. The call was surely Teague. Okay, she was anxious and wary and thorny because hed been so unreachable for the last two days. But as long as he was calling nowwell, she wasnt totally appeased yet. But she was sure willing to be.
As she charged into the office, she realized her palms were wet. Realized her thought train: that she was willing to forgive him about anything. Realized that shed only been separated from him for two days and yet she was wallowing in a palms-wet, cant-sleep, cant-think, constantly anxious state of mind.
Shed never suffered the symptoms before. Shed been wild before, but that seemed her nature. There wasnt much risk in doing something that came naturally to a body. Skydiving and taking off with an artist to another country and that sort of thing had never felt like a risk.
This felt like a risk.
This-God protect her-felt like love.
She grabbed the phone in Harrys office with her heart suddenly galloping at breakneck speed. Teague? she said breathlessly.
Its Dad, Daisy. Not Teague. Whos Teague?
Dad. She closed her eyes, took a breath, pinched back the fierce disappointment-and realized all over again that she was in love.
Love was ghastly and terrifying. Who knew? How come her sisters were so happy being in love and loving? This wasnt fun. This was so damn scary she couldnt breathe.
Daisy, are you there?
Yes, Dad. And its so wonderful to hear your voice. Ive really missed you! That wasnt strictly true at the moment, but Daisy still meant it. She adored her dad. Her two sisters had cleaved more with their mom, but somehow she and Colin always had a special compatibility. When she got in trouble, hed ream her out-but behind closed doors, hed laugh with her, as well. He affirmed her spirit, her independence, even when he did the proper-dad-thing and yelled at her when she broke the rules. Are you and Mom doing okay?
Your mom is fine. Im fine. But I need to get something off my chest.
Shoot. Daisy saw Harry motioning her to get off the phone, but she sank on the corner of the desk. A woman had priorities. If her dad needed her, that was that.
Daisy, you told your mother about the divorce. You told your sisters. But you never said one direct word to me.
Guilt bit with sharp teeth. I never meant to hurt your feelings-
If you were having trouble with Jean-Luc, why didnt you say? I know you can handle yourself. I know you wouldnt have gotten a divorce unless the situation had become hell for you. But I thought we could always talk. I never met anyone who got so old they couldnt use support from family. Why havent you called?
Im sorry. She took a breath, knowing shed been avoiding her dad. I know were overdue a heart-to-heart. She thought shed conquered a lot of her pride, partly because of finding Teague. Talking with him. Somehow telling him things shed never have told anyone else. But there was a level of pride she still had trouble dipping beneath. That asking-for-help thing. That admitting when she was wrong. That admitting when she was scared.
Youre doing all right now?
Fine, she told him, and then grappled for more honesty. Wellnot fine. Because a man entered the picture who I really care about. I wasnt looking. And I hadnt planned on looking until I had money, a job, my whole life back together. But now is when I found him.
You love this guy? her dad asked gruffly.
So easily, so strongly she said, Yes. But she closed her eyes and added, Dad, there was a reason I didnt tell you anything before. Everyone in the familys done so well with their lives-in spite of some terrible things happening, like with Camille losing her first husband, and Violet believing for so long she couldnt have a baby. I seemed to be the only one who really bungled things.
You didnt bung-
Yeah, I did. And I didnt want to be a disappointment to you.
You couldnt disappoint me, you goose. Her dad talked a few more minutes about family business. How her mom had managed to plant a garden in spite of the heat. How Camille was loving being a stepmom to her hellion teenage twins and talking about starting up an animal shelter. How Violet couldnt talk about anything else but how wonderful the pregnancy was.
When Daisy hung up, she was smiling. Smoke was billowing out of the oven; Harry was exasperated with her, and no one was waiting on the impatient customers at the counter. But as she dashed out to help, she felt so, so, so much better for having talked with her dad.
She did need to put her life back together, not go into any relationship as a dependent. But even with the fear shed built up about repeating her bad judgment with men-she knew Teague was different. Knew his heart was honest, his ethics straight and true, his capacity for love generous and huge.
Yet as she charged into the restaurant to help put out fires-the table of seven near the far window looked downright furious at how long theyd been waiting-she suddenly stopped dead. That particular far window looked out on Main Street. The east side of Main Street. The side that led to the shops and main business district.
Maybe shed glanced out the window earlier, maybe not-there wasnt much to see in those pitch-black hours before sunrise. But the watery sun had poked over the horizon now. She immediately saw the banners-all three of them.
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
DAISY!
Loopy daisies and black-eyed Susans hung from both sides of the banners, climbing up the lampposts. And when she saw the banners, suddenly all sound seemed to stop in the café. Even the impatient family of seven was grinning. Staring at her.
Now she got it-all the customers this morning.
All the presents.
Only it wasnt her birthday or even close.
For an instant she couldnt move or breathe. It was another charming, impulsive gesture. Romantic. Grandiose. Exactly what had given her an uneasy stroke when hed given her the four-foot heart. And since this was bigger and even more public, she probably should be having a stroke times two.
Instead she sucked in a breath, took care of the impatient customers, and the instant she got a free second, she ran into Harrys office to use his private phone.
No surprise, Teague didnt answer-either his home phone or his cell. But this time she left a firm message. This is Daisy. Either call me or Im going to strangle you with my bare hands. And thats a promise.
Eleven
Teague pulled over to the side of the road, braked and rolled down the window. The blast of cold air wasnt enough to wake him up, so he slapped his cheeks.
He had to get some sleep. Hed been burning the candle at both ends all week-and all for a good cause. He just had one more project to pull off before he could crash. It wouldnt wait because tomorrow was Valentines Day.
As whipped as he was, his mood was still elated. This would get her, he thought. It was the Valentines present of all Valentines presents. All right. So it wasnt exactly romantic in the classic sense, but romantic was what showed love, right?
Its not like it was an appliance.
This was big. No one could call it ordinary. It was nothing like that lazy son of a gun would have given her-something she had to give back, something she really had no use for. Daisy already had zillions of jewels and crap like that. She was suspicious of that kind of thing. Hed had to find something that would really, really be a surprise for her-and it damn well wasnt easy to surprise a woman whod lived a lot higher than Teague ever dreamed of.
He put the truck in gear and plodded in, turning into the massive parking lot just before four. Barbara Vanhorn was waiting for him. She came on to anything in pants, wore her hair all moussed up, wore tight skirts to show off her legs. And she was a born saleswoman. Still she was okay to deal with.
Teague, I was afraid you were a no-show.
Didnt mean to be late. Just been running a few minutes behind all day. You got the paperwork on my baby?
Of course. Come on into the office. She sashayed into her cubicle. Steel-blue chairs, steel-blue desk, nothing there but the usual forms. I could have done better for you.
I know you could have.
Its justnot the right toy for you, you know? You need something sexier. Classier. You could have blown me over with a feather when you said you want this.
Teague suspected that sexy and classy started and ended her vocab on adjectives. At least when talking about her favorite subject. This is what I want, he said.
And youve got it, hon. You just call me anytime.
Good. It took a few minutes to fill out the fifty thousand forms. I need this delivered first thing in the morning-like by eight. To the Marble Bridge Café. To Daisy Campbell. And under no circumstances are you to tell her who its from.
We settled all this yesterday. Stop worrying, Barb said.
I mean it. Im holding you to your promise. I want to tell her myself, but I just want to do it my own way.
Hey, wheres your trust? You know me. I think this whole surprise is just darling, she assured him.
When he stood up, he had the sixth sense she was going to wrap her arms around him and claim a big hug-for old-times sake, and for the sake of the sale, and for the sake of it being a nice day. And any other old sake Barb could think up.
She was nice enough, but right then he didnt seem to want any boobs pushing against his chest but one womans.