Chapters (59)
- Cover
- About the Author
- Praise
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- January
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- February
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- March
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- April
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- May
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- June
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- July
- Forty-One
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
- Author’s Note
- Ladies of the House - Reader’s Guide
- Questions For Discussion
- Excerpt
The noise of the band and the party were gone; I heard only our breathing. Finally he lifted a hand and ran his thumb across my chin. He seemed to be wrestling with what I had just done. I didn’t move for fear of spooking him. I clenched my teeth, knowing that if I opened my mouth I’d resort to begging and pleading that he stop thinking and kiss me back. There was a moment when I thought he might. His nose grazed mine, but, no, nothing. His silence stretched, and my hope contracted, until I felt very, very small. I braved another glance at his face—his expression could only be described as a wince—and drew back, giving him the space he clearly wanted.
“Oh, Daisy,” he whispered, “I don’t mean—”
I cut him off, waving my hand with enough force that I stumbled into the high balcony railing. “I’m drunk,” I said, although I wasn’t really. “I am—please don’t—I mean, please forget what I just did.”
“I’m trying to sort this out,” he managed.
“I’m really sorry about this,” I said. “I’m sure that was so confusing, and sudden, and it is something you don’t have to waste any emotional energy untangling.”
“Will you just stop? Oh, wow, sorry. That came out harsher than I meant it to. Here’s what I mean—” He reached for me, but I stepped away, miserable, and he let his hands drop. “You did surprise me, okay? And I’m trying to get my thoughts in order. I’m reckoning with the fact that I am, technically, still seeing someone. That was her—Ari—on the phone earlier. She has been calling—well, actually, she is a little upset I’m at this wedding with you.” A pause, once he saw my expression. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“It’s fine.” I attempted to collect myself, but the task was hard. My heart had shattered into so many oddly shaped pieces. “I didn’t know you were still seeing her. I mean, I did...” But I wanted you to forget, and you didn’t. “I must have black holes in my brain.”
“Daisy, I wish you wouldn’t feel the need to—”
“You need to hear me,” I interrupted. “You know I would never do anything to break up your relationship.” But please tell me it’s over.
“I know?” This sounded like it might have a question mark at the end.