Chapter 21 - Daisy
E ven a fake marriage can lead to real friendships.
My pulse speeds up recognizing faces, remembering I used to empty the trash and mop the floors where most of these people work but Callie and Tabitha greet me warmly. “Daisy, you look gorgeous, girl. That dress was made to slay on you.”
“You clean up nicely, too, Grant, but your wife puts you to shame.”
“I can’t object to such an obvious statement of fact, Tabitha. Daisy, may I introduce…”
I’m formally introduced to Dean Culver and Ezra Sokolov. Both men congratulate me on our marriage but I note the curiosity in Dean’s eyes when we shake hands. He’s as much a blueblood as Grant. Does he sense that I don’t belong?
Gratefully, I’m able to carry on a brief discussion with Ezra, Callie’s fiancé about his hockey team and her son’s love of the sport before I’m forced to interact with Dean. “I understand you attended prep school with my husband,” I comment.
“It was more a matter of survival than attendance,” Dean replies with a rogue’s charming grin. “Have you explored every inch of the estate yet, Daisy? Grant hosted a small party there last month before your marriage.”
“I was sorry I couldn’t attend that.” Being as I barely knew him at all then, I silently add. “As for the estate, not yet though I’m trying.”
“Let me know if you ever see inside the hedge maze. Barclay spoke of it often his first year at school.”
“The maze is off-limits,” Grant barks, his sharp words at odds with everyone else’s good spirits. Why is the maze such a mystery? Realizing everyone is staring at him, he plays it off as best he can. “The swans are already feral. God knows what beasts are lurking in there. It might not be safe for my wife.”
A few chuckles and the other partners and their ladies take the opportunity to greet me next, moving us past the awkwardness. The CEO, Anthony Sorvino I only recall from my successful attempts to never remain in the same room with him for more than two seconds but his wife, Grace, is a sweetheart and embraces me warmly. “I’ve missed seeing you at the office, Daisy.”
“Thanks. It wasn’t exactly my dream line of work but it wasn’t bad.” If one ignored the big, fat, Rusty-shaped issue there.
“And, what is your dream line of work, Mrs. Barclay?” Jameson Reynolds asks, stepping forward like a detective preparing to interrogate me.
“My wife is an artist. She enjoys painting.” I smile and nod, surprised that Grant had spoken with such… was that pride? He’s convincing at this part, especially when he casually loops his arm around my waist. It's a little too convincing for my confused heart.
A stunning beauty near my age joins us, shaking my hand as Jameson puts his own possessive arm around her waist. “Hi, I’m Kiara Sorvino. I understand you’ve married yourself an old man, like me.”
“I’ll have you know I’m years younger than your man, Kiara.”
“Yeah, yeah but you act like the oldest fart here so it still applies.”
Both men scowl at her, Jameson playfully and Grant not so much, but I’m laughing. I recall hearing about Anthony Sorvino’s little sister and what a live-wire she could be through some of the gossip at Golden Gate. I think she’d be a fun friend to have.
“I’d like to point out that, unlike Grant and Daisy, Jameson hasn’t married you yet,” Mr. Sorvino grumbles, glaring at his business partner.
So strange to see an intimidating man like Mr. Reynolds on the defensive. “That’s only because she says she won’t marry me until she finishes vet school! I can’t tie her up and carry her to the altar, can I?”
“Who says we need to marry to be committed to each other? It’s not like it’d be a white wedding anyway, Anthony.”
“What was your wedding like, Daisy?” Grace asks, ignoring them all and the way her husband is glaring at both his partner and his little sister now.
“Um… quick. We didn’t want much, uh… fanfare.”
I feel Grant stiffen beside me but Grace bobs her head in understanding. “So was ours. We just did it at the farmer’s market one Saturday last year with a handful of witnesses. It was… well, it’s a special place for me and that’s what I wanted so Anthony said it worked for him.”
She smiles affectionately at her husband and, when he gazes back at her, I see it. Anthony Sorvino may scare the shit out of me based on his reputation alone but he is absolutely, butt-crazy in love with his wife and he married her at a farmer’s market because it was special to her. Would Grant dare have such a public display of wedding vows when he didn’t even want me to participate in the public mural painting event? Would anyone believe City Hall was special to me?
“I hear we’re practically neighbors,” Kiara says, deftly moving us past any further wedding talk. “Jameson bought a cabin and land out in Napa last year,” she adds, catching my blank look. “We get out that way at least one weekend a month. We should get together.”
“Really?! Oh, that would be wonderful!” I like Tabitha and Callie but they both live in the city. It would be something to have someone around my age nearby to hang out with.
We exchange numbers and Kiara asks, “Are you finished with school?”
“No, I was working on my art degree but had to drop out. I’d like to return and finish it next year.” Next year, when I’m divorced and very rich, I will. It will be something to help me adjust to life post-Grant, won’t it?
Kiara mentions visiting famous galleries in Rome last year and I grow so excited by the thought I’m soon rambling for several minutes with only minor input from the others. “Sorry to carry on,” I say, feeling embarrassed. “Guess I’m-”
“Passionate,” Grant interjects. “You’re passionate about it, which is reason enough to carry on.”
“Grant’s right, no apology needed. Do you have pieces for sale, Daisy?” Tabitha asks.
“No, not yet. Nothing that could be considered a good investment.” I shoot a playful smile Grant’s way after borrowing his phrase. He does not smile back. Oh dear.
“Art is art . The enjoyment of it is not necessarily a matter of dollars and cents.”
My jaw drops hearing Grant repeat my opinion. And, it doesn’t drop alone. Everyone seems shocked to hear him express an opinion that doesn’t revolve around a thing’s monetary value.
The Chief Technology Officer of Golden Gate and his wife are last to give their well wishes. Samuel and Remi Adams are a striking pair, him with his golden boy good looks and her with her mesmerizing Mediterranean beauty. But, there’s a speculative look in their eyes, one that makes me feel even more under scrutiny than Jameson Reynolds’ inquiring nature or Dean Culver’s years of rubbing shoulders with Grant made me feel.
When Grant agrees to ditch his champagne in favor of some scotch with the men, they all move to the far side of the table and Remi steps up to me, her dark eyes both kind and knowing. “It can all feel very sudden, being swept up into this group. It was the same for me when I first attended this ball with Samuel.”
“Yeah, sudden is the word for it. Grant mentioned you’re a pilot. That’s very cool.”
“I am and thanks. I love flying. It was the first thing I realized I had in common with Samuel even when it seemed like it must be the only thing.”
“I’m sure there are many more.”
“Oh, there are some but we’ve still got our share of differences, too. Don’t ask me what he does ninety percent of the time at his job, for instance.” We share a laugh before she continues. “What matters is we agree on the important things.”
Sighing, I look over at my husband. What things do we agree on besides the fact we know this marriage is supposed to be over in a year? “I understand you fell in love when you were your husband’s flight instructor.”
“Yes and no. I doubt Grant knows this but Samuel and I had a rather unconventional start to our relationship.”
“Unconventional?”
“Yes. One I wouldn’t trade for anything now but… well, that’s a topic for another time.” I’m burning with curiosity as she gives me another searching look. “For as long as I’ve known Grant, he’s always sworn he’ll never marry. I’ve never once seen him bring a woman around to any functions or even speak of them.”
I’m flushing and my palms are sweaty. Is she going to call us out like this? “Yeah, well… sometimes, two people meet and-”
“But, I’ve never heard him speak of something like art the way he spoke earlier and I’ve never seen him stare at anyone the way he’s looking at you right now.”
My flushed skin is no match for the fire beneath it when I glance up and see what Remi’s talking about. He is staring at me. With a look that speaks of desire. Perhaps more. Am I imagining that?
Giving Remi a shaky smile, I’m grateful when Callie calls us over to where the ladies have gathered. “What were those drinks we had the other day, Daisy? The peppermint chocolate ones?”
“Oh! Jingle Jam Mudslides!” I answer, excitedly. “They were divine! I wonder if the bartender could make something like it.”
Tabitha loops her arms through mine and Remi’s and says, “That’s definitely something I intend for us to find out.”