Page 27 of Bride By Committee

“Emails. Phone calls.” She dismissed their relationship with a wave of her hand. “That’s not knowing each other. Not well enough for marriage.”

He studied her for several tension-filled minutes. “Why is this bothering you so much? What’s going on, Madison?”

“I’ve already explained. I’m responsible. Sunny and I have always looked out for one other.”

“You don’t think she’s capable of looking out for herself?”

“To a certain extent. But if Sunny has one great failing, it’s that she’s controlled by her emotions. That’s why we make such a great team.”

“You’re the brains and she’s the heart.”

Did he have to sound so amused? She lifted her chin. “Something like that.”

“I promise you, Madison. My father isn’t going to do anything to hurt her. And I’m not going to let you ruin my father’s happiness just because you have trust issues.”

She stared blankly. “Trust issues?”

“It’s the only thing I can figure. Otherwise you’d be celebrating Sunny’s good fortune instead of trying to put an end to it.”

Madison swept to her feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Now there’s a surprise.”

He climbed to his feet, as well. Without her high heels, he towered over her even more than yesterday and she rushed into speech to prevent his expanding on any more inane theories.

“Here’s the plan… We’ll keep a discreet distance between us. But I want to make sure that Sunny isn’t being blinded by love principles.”

“You’ll be able to spot any he might use on her, Iassume?”

Now came the tricky part. “With your help.”

Amusement returned the brilliance to his eyes. “So I’m supposed to warn you if he’s using a page out of his book, so to speak.”

“Exactly.”

“Let me get this straight. The other Sunflowers are more impractical than you?”

“Very funny.” She turned and walked briskly from the kitchen. “Let’s move, Harry. If we’re going on a picnic we have to get organized.”

“Are you sure you can afford this much time away from work? Won’t there be other Sunflowers clamoring for your attention?”

“I’ll have my cell phone with me. Rosy will call if anything urgent crops up.”

He looked briefly intrigued. “Does that happen often?”

“Every day.” Opening the door to his suite, she swept through. “What you don’t seem to realize is that the Sunflowers need me.”

“I think you have it backward, sweetheart,” he muttered. “I’m beginning to suspect that you need them.”

ChapterFive

Principle 5: View the one you love

in every possible light.

True love never fades nor wilts—not even

beneath the harshest conditions…

---