you think after you’re sworn in, and we’re racing to come in first in the party primaries that are merely nine months away, you’ll have any more time or energy to plan a wedding? There’s no slowing down on this train, Jack. You’ve got to get everything lined up, nailed down, now.”
Jack couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety at the words. Things weren’t going to slow down for a long time and in that space of time, anything could happen. Daisy could say it was too hard, too risky and decide to walk away, something that he didn’t know how he could recover.
There would certainly be advantages to a short engagement, even if Stuart needed to work on his spiel. “That’s positively romantic, Stuart. I’ll be sure to put it exactly that way when I speak to my fiancée later today. I’m sure she’ll appreciate being something to ‘nail down.’”
“Just pointing out the realities.”
Jack sat back, stretching his arms above his head. “Thank you for that. Now, we’ve been going at this for over an hour. I think we could probably use a break.”
Stuart nodded, but from the look in his eye, Jack knew the topic would surface the moment the two of them were alone.
As everyone streamed out of his office, his assistant came in, smiling slyly at him. “Your fiancée has been trying to reach you for the past half hour. I let her know that the minute your meeting was over you’d call her.”
“Thanks, Mona,” he said, already grabbing the phone and dialing. “You wouldn’t mind shutting that…”
He didn’t finish as she was already shutting the door.
A glance at his watch told him that his big surprise should already have arrived, and it was likely the reason she was calling him.
Only the excitement and joy he’d expected to hear on the other end when she answered weren’t forthcoming. Instead, the voice that came across the line was calm. Too calm.
“What on earth have you done?”
Chapter Fourteen
“I’ve done a lot of things of late, maybe you could be specific,” Jack said, his tone relaxed, humored even. Which only infuriated her further.
“Don’t play dumb with me, buddy. I’m talking about why a brand-new minivan is sitting in my driveway.”
Two hours before, Leo had arrived to take the kids, leaving Daisy completely to herself. With Jack working late tonight, she’d thought she might slip into the tub and put something on Netflix.
Only she’d started wondering whether her last batch of orange cardamom bread tasted a touch too much of cardamom and if the chorizo sausage might be a better filling to the ground beef in the last batch of empanadas. And instead of sinking into a hot bath, she was sinking her arms in flour as she tested her theories with the television turned on in the background to her latest indulgence—a brilliant British baking show—that only served to give her more ideas.
Then the doorbell had rung. And standing on her front porch was a guy holding a key up to her. She’d barely had her hands around it, still confused, when she saw the red bow behind him. And the shiny new car underneath it.
The guy took off without having heard her sounds of alarm. It hadn’t been too difficult to figure out the likeliest culprit.
“You don’t like it?” Jack asked, sounding genuinely confused.
“No, I don’t. I liked the slightly rusted, well-lived in minivan that was paid in full.”
“This one is paid in full, Daisy. And it gets better gas mileage and is guaranteed to get you from point A to point B without breaking down.”
“I appreciate your concern, Jack, but it’s my business. My responsibility. There’s no way I could accept such an expensive gift from you. It wouldn’t be right.”
“How about you look at it another way. Soon you’re going to be opening your own bakery and you’re going to need something reliable to help you make any deliveries, to pick up ingredients. Something professional. Look at this as an investment for me. After all, I do have a five percent interest in seeing you succeed.”
Argh. She hated when he came back like that, making it seem so simple, so sensible, to accept what he wanted her to. Even though it went against everything she’d said she wouldn’t do again. Rely on someone else until she soon lost herself.
But he had a point, which was so frustrating. She did need a new van, something in this century and that wasn’t covered with rust nearly as much as paint. And he did have a stake in this. He was putting his name to the loan and would risk loss if it failed.
She leaned against the counter, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Okay. On this thing only, Jack. But nothing else. No more springing for car expenses, no more expensive gifts, no more making decision that affect me without asking my permission first. Please?”
He hesitated. But she wouldn’t give. She couldn’t risk losing herself in another relationship. Finally, he sighed. “You drive a hard bargain, but I can agree to that.”
“Good.” The conflict over, she sank onto a stool.
“Now that I’ve been properly chastised, tell me a little about your day. Are the kids with Leo yet?”