the best sense. He’ll be
13
your husband one day. The daddy to your kids. My god, they’re
14
going to be ridiculously beautiful kids I’ll spoil rotten.”
15
“Marriage?”
16
“Take that shock out of your voice. I know you too well. Of
17
course, marriage. He lets you continue to live in your little house 18
because it makes you happy and you can both pretend things
19
aren’t totally serious yet. But they are.”
20
“Whoa now. Marriage is a ways off. Yes, we love each other.
21
But he’s got issues and I’m still young. We have time.”
22
Mary used the hand blender to quickly pulse together the
23
ingredients for the salsa- style dipping sauce.
24
“Sure you have time. But he’s not some guy who’ll be content
25
to date you forever. He knows your value. Knows you’re amaz-
26
ing and he will want you under his roof. He’ll want you to marry
27
him and have his babies. He’s traditional that way. And you
S28
want that too, even if you try to tell me you don’t.” She put some
N29
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23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
of the sauce into a little bowl, pushing it and an empanada to
02
Daisy. “Taste.”
03
“More cilantro. You should open up like a counseling busi-
04
ness you run while you prepare food. What about you? When
05
do you fi nd your forever?”
06
Mary shrugged. “I will when I’m supposed to. Right now, I
07
have Luxe up and running. I’ve got jobs lined up for months.
08
I’ve got the supper club booked for nearly a year. Profi ts are up.
09
My friends are getting married. My brother has fi nally admit-
10
ted he’s in love with Jules. I’m not opposed to forever. I want it
11
and all. Just not right now. I feel like I’d shortchange a relation-12
ship in favor of my business. I want all my energy on that and
13
I don’t want to have to feel guilty about it.”
14
Daisy nodded. “Fair enough. The dinner is in two weeks.
15
There’ll be six. Well, I guess eight if you count me and Levi. His
16
brother Jonah and Jonah’s daughter will be there as well as two
17
of his other brothers. Mal and his wife are conveniently
18
unavailable.”
19
Mal Warner’s wife had been atrociously rude to Daisy and
20
thus was on Mary’s we- hate- you- forever list.
21
“It’s unavoidable that we’ll come into contact. Levi loves his
22
brother. And I do too. Mal is a sweet guy. With horrible taste
23
in women, obviously. But I don’t ever want Levi to feel like his
24
has to choose me over his family. I won’t be that.”
25
“You aren’t that. People need to be responsible for what they
26
do or say and to stop hiding behind the excuse that because it’s
27
family no one should ever say anything.”
28S
“Says the gal with the perfect family.”
29N
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23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lush
Mary laughed. “Not perfect, but we do love each other. You
01
were right about the sauce.” She poured it into a container so it
02
could travel safely and tucked it into one of the big fridges.
03
“You’re still going to New York next month, right?”
04
Adrian was on a summer and early fall tour that had started
05
just a few days after the wedding. For most of it, Gillian and
06
Miles would travel with him. And then Gillian would bring
07
Miles back so he could start school.
08
Next month they had a date at Madison Square Garden and
09
as a big thank- you for all the wedding help, Adrian was fl ying
10
out all their friends to see his shows there. Backstage passes.
11
Swank boutique hotel. He’d even pulled some strings and gotten
12
Mary reservations at a few restaurants she’d been dreaming about.
13
“Hell yes. I wouldn’t miss it.”
14
“Damien’s band opens for them.
13
your husband one day. The daddy to your kids. My god, they’re
14
going to be ridiculously beautiful kids I’ll spoil rotten.”
15
“Marriage?”
16
“Take that shock out of your voice. I know you too well. Of
17
course, marriage. He lets you continue to live in your little house 18
because it makes you happy and you can both pretend things
19
aren’t totally serious yet. But they are.”
20
“Whoa now. Marriage is a ways off. Yes, we love each other.
21
But he’s got issues and I’m still young. We have time.”
22
Mary used the hand blender to quickly pulse together the
23
ingredients for the salsa- style dipping sauce.
24
“Sure you have time. But he’s not some guy who’ll be content
25
to date you forever. He knows your value. Knows you’re amaz-
26
ing and he will want you under his roof. He’ll want you to marry
27
him and have his babies. He’s traditional that way. And you
S28
want that too, even if you try to tell me you don’t.” She put some
N29
• 47 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 47
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 47
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
of the sauce into a little bowl, pushing it and an empanada to
02
Daisy. “Taste.”
03
“More cilantro. You should open up like a counseling busi-
04
ness you run while you prepare food. What about you? When
05
do you fi nd your forever?”
06
Mary shrugged. “I will when I’m supposed to. Right now, I
07
have Luxe up and running. I’ve got jobs lined up for months.
08
I’ve got the supper club booked for nearly a year. Profi ts are up.
09
My friends are getting married. My brother has fi nally admit-
10
ted he’s in love with Jules. I’m not opposed to forever. I want it
11
and all. Just not right now. I feel like I’d shortchange a relation-12
ship in favor of my business. I want all my energy on that and
13
I don’t want to have to feel guilty about it.”
14
Daisy nodded. “Fair enough. The dinner is in two weeks.
15
There’ll be six. Well, I guess eight if you count me and Levi. His
16
brother Jonah and Jonah’s daughter will be there as well as two
17
of his other brothers. Mal and his wife are conveniently
18
unavailable.”
19
Mal Warner’s wife had been atrociously rude to Daisy and
20
thus was on Mary’s we- hate- you- forever list.
21
“It’s unavoidable that we’ll come into contact. Levi loves his
22
brother. And I do too. Mal is a sweet guy. With horrible taste
23
in women, obviously. But I don’t ever want Levi to feel like his
24
has to choose me over his family. I won’t be that.”
25
“You aren’t that. People need to be responsible for what they
26
do or say and to stop hiding behind the excuse that because it’s
27
family no one should ever say anything.”
28S
“Says the gal with the perfect family.”
29N
• 48 •
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9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 48
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lush
Mary laughed. “Not perfect, but we do love each other. You
01
were right about the sauce.” She poured it into a container so it
02
could travel safely and tucked it into one of the big fridges.
03
“You’re still going to New York next month, right?”
04
Adrian was on a summer and early fall tour that had started
05
just a few days after the wedding. For most of it, Gillian and
06
Miles would travel with him. And then Gillian would bring
07
Miles back so he could start school.
08
Next month they had a date at Madison Square Garden and
09
as a big thank- you for all the wedding help, Adrian was fl ying
10
out all their friends to see his shows there. Backstage passes.
11
Swank boutique hotel. He’d even pulled some strings and gotten
12
Mary reservations at a few restaurants she’d been dreaming about.
13
“Hell yes. I wouldn’t miss it.”
14
“Damien’s band opens for them.
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