Love Can Be Murder

didn't know what you were thinking last Saturday."
    "After all these years of waiting, you didn't sleep with that man, did you?"
    She shook her head.
    He exhaled in relief. "See? Deep down you couldn't. You knew you were meant for me. We could have a small ceremony, then go on to Hawaii for say, ten days, and have a huge reception when we get back."
    "But I don't have a dress—"
    "I'll buy you a Versace."
    "And the church—"
    "Your mom said we could have the ceremony at your house."
    "You talked to my parents before you talked to me?"
    He sighed. "I knew I had to repair my relationship with the entire family. Your parents were very understanding. What do you say, Angora? We can move to Chicago and start new careers together. You'll love the shopping there."
    She lifted her chin. "I could move to Chicago all by myself."
    "But you'd have to rely on your allowance to get by."
    He was right, darn it. The job at the art agency was mostly commission, and it would take her a while to build a client list.
    "Marry me, Angora, and you'll live like a queen."
    "But Trenton...do you love me?"
    He scoffed. "Of course I love you. We're so much alike, not loving you would be like not loving myself."
    She bit into her lip and studied his face—he was so handsome, so smart, so well connected. And he had such good taste. She might look the rest of her life and not find anyone as wonderful as Trenton. And so what if he'd humiliated her—wouldn't she have the last laugh once they were married? She won him back, they would say at the club.
    Another knock sounded, and her parents appeared. Dee wore a hopeful expression. "Aren't you glad to see Trenton, darling?"
    She conjured up a smile.
    "And isn't it wonderful that the two of you will be able to work things out after all?"
    Marrying Trenton would make her mother so happy—it would certainly make up for all the trouble she'd caused them lately. That whole arrest scene had hit her father hard—he was looking old these days.
    And wasn't Chicago the chance to do something with her life? Okay, so the art world wasn't as glamorous as she'd imagined—most of the artists finger-painted to support their body-piercing addictions—but the Chicago job was a great opportunity and what else was she halfway qualified to do?
    "Yes," she said to her mother. "It's wonderful."
    Trenton's shoulders fell in relief and his smile did lift her spirits. "You won't regret this, Angora."
    Her mother beamed. "Trenton is going to stay until tomorrow evening and we'll all fly home together."
    But Angora shook her head. "I'm going to ride back with Roxann."
    Dee scowled. "You can't be serious. That tramp is the one who got you into this mess."
    "I've made up my mind, Mother. Once I move to Chicago, I might never see Roxann again. I don't expect you to understand, but I want to do this."
    "I don't know—"
    "Dixie," her father said. "You heard your daughter."
    Angora jumped on the momentum. "You all should head back now so Daddy can go into the office tomorrow and so you can start getting things ready for the ceremony. Pick out the dress, the flowers, whatever you want is fine."
    Her mother seemed surprised. Granted, they'd argued for hours over the details the first time around. "Well...all right, dear."
    "Are you sure the drive won't be too uncomfortable?" her father asked, dear man.
    "Roxann will take care of me."
    "But I just got here," Trenton said.
    She smiled. "And we have the rest of our lives together. Roxann and my attorney will be here soon, and I'd like to rest." Besides, she knew her mother didn't want an encounter with either one of her impending visitors.
    The three of them looked at each other, perplexed, but they relented and said goodbye. Her father hugged her carefully. Her mother kissed the air next to her cheek. And Trenton kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you later this week."
    She nodded and held her breath until the door closed. She was so used to being ignored, all the attention was downright suffocating. After rescuing the Moon Pie and the magazine from behind her pillow, she snuggled down in the covers and munched slowly.
    So, she was going to marry a doctor after all. Everything would be just the way she'd planned, and she'd live happily ever after with Trenton. They would be fine—she'd forgive him for being infatuated with Darma. After all, she'd been infatuated with Carl.
    Things would be...fine.
    She scoured the meat loaf recipe and decided it was something she could try on