Patricia Kay - Meet Mr. Prince

G eorgianna Hunt Fairchild glared at her mother. I cant believe you said that.

Cornelia Fairchild, as always, remained unruffled. Darling Georgie. What I cant believe is that Ive somehow managed to upset you.

Im not upset. Im just tired of people trying to interfere in my personal life.

People? Im hardly people .

Georgie rolled her eyes. When you start trying to fix me up with every Tom, Dick and Rupert out there, youve joined the ranks of people! How many times do I have to tell you and my sisters and Uncle Harry and Alex and every other person who might know my name that I am not interested in getting married . Period. End of story.

Completely frustrated, Georgie jumped up and began pacing around her mothers living room. Do you know that the other day Joanna invited me to dinner, and when I got there, it wasnt just her and Chick the way I thought it would be, but shed invited Chicks brother?

Joanna Spinelli was Georgies former college roommate and her BFF. She was currently having a torrid romance with Chick London, her bossbig mistake, Georgie thought, mixing her work life with her personal life, as nothing good could come of itand now she seemed to want everyone else to enter the same besotted state.

What was so wrong with that? Cornelia asked.

Look, Chicks brother is nice enough, but it was obvious that Joanna was trying to fix me up with him! Dammit, I dont want to be fixed up with anyone, and she knows that.

Please dont swear, Georgie. Its very unladylike.

Sorry. But honestly, Joanna of all people should know better. And then Bobbie called and got on my case. Bobbie was the youngest of the four Fairchild sisters, and she was practically still on her honeymoon and wild about her new husband. In fact, all of Georgies sisters seemed to be wildly in loveor lust, although they would say they had found their soul mates. Georgie had yet to be convinced that such a thing existed.

Your sisters love you, Georgie, her mother said softly. And so does Joanna.

I know they do, Mom, but doesnt that mean they should listen to me once in a while? I listen to them. Georgie ignored the little voice of her conscience that said she didnt always listen to them.

Cornelia shook her head sadly. Oh, all right, Georgie, have it your own way. But just wait. One of these days youll be a forty-something woman with no husband, no children and no prospects. Then lets see how you feel!

Besides, I was not trying to fix you up, she added. Trust me, Ive learned my lesson in that area. All I said was Josie Wilcoxs nephew is staying with her while hes in Seattle on business and hes at loose ends, and from what shes said about him, he sounds as if you two might have a lot in common.

You know, Mom, first of allno offense against you, but I barely know Josie Wilcox and from what I do know of her, I have no desire to meet her nephew. Second of all, I have a long way to go until Im forty-something, considering Ive just barely turned thirty. And last of all, dont you remember what that survey showed? The one where they interviewed married men, single men, married women and single women?

Her mother said nothing, simply picked up her mug of tea and sipped. Her thoughtful eyes studied Georgie over the rim of the cup.

Well, I do, Georgie said. That survey foundand I believe itthat the happiest people are, number one, married men, and, number two, single women . And the un happiest people are married women!

Oh, for heavens sake, Georgie. Anyone can prove anything with a survey. Everyone knows that surveys are skewed by all kinds of things. Why, I know any number of happily married women.

Georgie sighed. I dont want to argue with you. Try to understand, okay? Im happy the way I am. Unlike your other daughters, I really dont want to get married. I mean, whats the point if you dont want children? I know that just goes against everything you believe, but Im being honest with myself, and I dont think Im cut out to be a mother. Cant you respect that?