Page 20 of The Heiress

“Have a seat, Daisy. The summer heat has apparently made you incorrigible. There’s ice water on the tray there.”

Incorrigible? Please, Daddy, you’d be incorrigible too if you found out from the paps that you’re engaged! Don’t make it sound like you don’t know why I’m angry, Daddy. I told you weeks ago that I wanted nothing to do with your marriage scheme.

I sit, but only because I don’t know what else to do. I’m going to get answers from my father, though, I swear. Ice water be damned!

“Today’s been a trying day for you, I’m sure, Principessa.” Daddy gives me the softest look his stern Italian face can muster. Mama always said that he makes incredible exceptions for me. He never looks at his wife as nicely as he looks at me. I learned a long time ago that there’s been little love between them. A ton of respect, since my father is a successful businessman and she’s alearned mother of his child, but scant romantic love. “This whole week. The terrible, nasty things the media is saying about my girl…”

“What’s this about, Daddy?” You’d never guess that I took the initiative to come here and drill him with my questions. Then again, my father has that effect on me. “How did you know I was coming?”

“Your driver called ahead as he has been instructed whenever you’re returning home. As it so happened, Cristiano was here to have a chat. I wanted you to meet him.” Daddy gets up from his seat, rounds his large desk, and claps his hands on the stranger’s shoulders.No. No, I do not like how buddy-buddy they are. This is not sitting well with me one bit. “Perfect timing. As I always expect from my girl.”

My eyes go from meeting Daddy’s gaze to the man called Cristiano. Well, he’s handsome. What’s scary is how good-looking he is… in a different way from Lorde. (You know, the woman I’m kinda-sorta seeing behind everyone’s backs?) Lorde is an affable, all-around American girl with a big smile that kills me right in the undies. She radiates her tenacity like this man Cristiano radiates poise and sophistication. I’d dare say elegance. Cristiano is lean and dapper in his Armani suit. His cologne is as Italian as the rest of his getup… and to die for. If Lorde is the Hollywood rebel, then Cristiano makes a habit of sipping cognac and blowing his sweet Italian nothings into some woman’s ear.

“The Antonetti family are friends of ours back home in Italy.” Oh, come on, Daddy! You were born and raised here in America! My great-grandfather was the one who came over on some ship and established the family name in this country. Yet my father has always been enamored with the family legacy and makes a big deal about how classically Italian we are. It was fun when I was a girl. Now it’s embarrassing. It’s one thing to have a housein Tuscany, to speak Italian, and to know the difference between great Italian food and what the local restaurant serves… but my father takes it to another level. Marrying my native Italian mother only made it worse, I’m sure. “Cristiano is the second son of the main clan.”

“Funny. I’ve never heard of these people.” I’m too bitter to care.

“He’s come from Europe to meet you, Daisy.” Cristiano sends me an apologetic glance. “This meeting has been a long time coming, and you never even knew it.”

I have a sinking suspicion that I know what he’s talking about, but I don’t want to admit it. I’d rather glare at him. I also glare at Cristiano, although as far as I know, he’s an innocent party so far. (Give it time.)

“Daisy…” You’d think it was Christmas, 1965, and my father was about to get all the toys he had asked for. “Cristiano has come all this way to become formally engaged to you. This is the man your mother and I have decided you will marry.”

The words sink in. I mean… I guess. If I’m going to let those words sink in. I’m not in a huge hurry to acknowledge them, truthfully. I’d rather pour myself a small glass of ice water and sip it, letting the frigid temperature freeze my tongue so I don’t say something incredibly stupid. Denial is strong within me.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter.

So. The day has come. A day I’ve seen lurking on the horizon but had hoped I had missed by making it to the age of twenty without any of these shenanigans.

Since I was a girl, my parents have heavily implied they wanted an arranged marriage for me. It was the thing “to do” in their families for the longest time. Of course, times change, and being in the modern age, I had hoped they gave up such traditions. Since, you know, last I checked I was a woman of majority and could do whatever I legally wanted. I don’t have torely on my parents to support me anymore. Not that it’s yet to stop me…

Then, out of the blue, my father took me out for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. Since it wasn’t my birthday, I should have known something was coming. Sure enough, we hadn’t made it to the second course when he asked me what I thought about getting married sometime in the next couple of years.

Suffice to say, I was shocked. And declined.

No, but don’t you all see? My mother has been flying back and forth between here and Italy ever since I went off to college. To find me a husband among the many connections her family and my father’s family have. Apparently, Mr. Antonetti made the cut and agreed to this stupid venture. Whoever he is!

“The ideal timeline was to announce the engagement by the end of the summer.” My father takes his hands off Cristiano and stands between our seats. He’s not a tall man by any means, so it would be plenty easy for me to reach up, grab him by the tie, and growl into his ear that no means no! “Due to recent circumstances, we all thought it best to go ahead and leak it to the media so they’ll finally stop printing such awful things about you.”

“You decided? Without me?”

“We’re looking out for you, Daisy.” He pats my head like I’m a puppy. “Now, don’t worry. Of course, the wedding won’t happen until after you graduate. So you have a few years to get to know Cristiano and become acclimated to the situation.”

“Daddy,” I begin, trying my damned best to keep a level head. Ha.Ha. “I hate to point this out, but I don’t even know this fine gentleman.” Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to drag Cristiano along with my father. Because any man who agrees to marry a woman without her even knowing about it?Suss.

“That’s not a problem. As I said, you two will get to know each other over the next several months. How about you two go on adate tonight? That would be lovely!” He claps Cristiano on the shoulder. “You like her, right son?”

Son. So that’s what this is really about…

Cristiano looks me up and down. I don’t like the twinkle in his eye. Undressing me with it… is he trying to decide if I’m as worthy in real life as I apparently am in my pictures? I could clock him right now. He’s lucky he doesn’t say anything.

“Son,” my father says, still looking at me. “Why don’t you wait outside while I talk to Daisy? I’m sure this is a shock to her.”

“Of course.” Wow. What an accent. I’m used to Italian accents, too!

He gets up, straightening his Armani jacket before showing himself out – but not before flashing me a wicked grin. I bet he thinks that’s charming. No one gets to win me over with a grin like that except Lorde.

Ugh. Lorde. What I would give for her right now…

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