Page 58 of Bride By Committee

“How do you know?” she pleaded. “How can you be so certain?”

“All I can tell you is that Bartholomew faxed him the pages from your journal and within five minutes Harry dropped everything and was on the next plane to Seattle. And he’s stayed here, neglecting multi-million-dollar clients so that he could spend time with you.” He patted her hand. “Somehow I doubt it has anything to do with the Sunflowers, our financial situation, or his book.”

“But I haven’t told him about—”

“About your past?”

Her chin wobbled alarmingly. “There are things I haven’t even told any of you,” she whispered. “Terrible things.”

Daniel released his breath in a long sigh. “Do you know what today is?”

“My birthday.”

He dropped his hands onto her shoulders. “It’s more than that, Madison. It’s the day you decided to change your life. We can guess how hard your choice was and what it cost you. Why do you think we make such a big deal over your birthday every year?”

They knew. The Sunflowers knew her secret. She fought to breathe. “How long?” she demanded in a strangled voice. “How long have you all known?”

“From the beginning. Your father made sure we were told.”

“And you still took me in?” She couldn’t believeit.

“Of course we did. You’re family. We’re always there for each other, no matter how much trouble we’re in.” He gave her a quick hug. “Which brings us to your problem with Harry. Iassume your current woes are because you haven’t told him the truth.”

“I couldn’t. Ijust couldn’t.”

“Don’t you trust him?”

“Of course I do.” The words escaped without volition. And they came straight from the heart. “Yes. Yes, Ido. Itrust him with my life.”

“Ah.” He nodded sagely. “That explains why you’re here with us, instead of with him.”

The truth hit with devastating force. She’d been such a fool. All this time she’d allowed fear to dictate her life. All these years, without her even realizing it, her father had been controlling her every action, manipulating her choices from afar. Because she’d been afraid to trust herself and those around her, she’d walked when she could have run, drifted when she could have soared, hidden from the sun instead of bathing in its light. She’d also risked losing the most important thing in herlife.

Harry.

“I’m an idiot.”

Daniel simply smiled. “Yes, my dear.”

“I have to get to him.”

She didn’t waste another second. Yanking open her personal file cabinet, she flipped to the far back and removed a folder. She tucked it under her arm, and then gathered up her purse and the envelope her uncle had given her. “Thank you, Uncle Daniel,” she said, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You’ve been more help than you’ll ever know.”

He positively glowed at the praise. “It’s what I do best.”

“Yes, it is. And don’t let anyone tell you different. Not the cops, not the judge, not even me.” She practically ran from the office. Skidding to a halt beside Rosy’s desk she shook the pages of her journal at her cousin. “You are so dead!”

Rosy yawned. “Yeah, yeah. Tell someone who cares. You know you’re gonna thank me in the end.”

“But first I’m going to kill you.”

“Jones won’t let you. He owes me, remember? If I hadn’t sent that blueprint of yours, he’d have never come chasing after you. Now that I think about it, that means you both owe me. And don’t think I won’t collect.” She continued before Madison had a chance to argue. “Oh, and one piece of advice before you go. Make him get down on his knees when he proposes. That’s where Kent’s goin’ when he’s done falling in love with me. Straight to his knees.”

“You’ve got it backward.” Madison spun on her heel. “I’m the one who has some groveling to do.”

“That’s a bad way to start a marriage and I’m puttin’ that in the sequel I’m gonna write for Jones,” Rosy retorted. “Chapter One… Women don’t have knees so don’t expect clean floors, scrubbed toilets or any groveling. You can tell Harry I said that, too.”

Madison paused in the doorway of the parlor where her grandmother and all the Sunflowers sat. To a one, they eyed her with nervous apprehension. “Does everyone know Harry wrote The Principles except me?”

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