Page 15 of The Next Mrs. Parrish

Generational Texas wealth and blood ran through Birdie’s veins, and she had the added bonus of regal bearing and beauty. She loved telling the story of how Carrie Neiman, the cofounder of Neiman Marcus, had traveled to New York with Birdie’s mother in 1921 to help her choose a wedding gown, and Birdie herself was a loyal Neiman customer. Daisy Ann had never seen her mother-in-law—nor had anyone, actually—dressed in any way but impeccably, whether it was a Saturday barbecue or a formal evening event. She looked nowhere near her seventy-five years, an accomplishment due not to surgeries or fillers, but to her enviable genes. She was strong-willed, with exacting standards of what good behavior demanded of her and others, and she was used to getting her way.

“Is that my wayward son I hear?” Chandler Briscoe’s voice boomed through the hallway as he came bounding down the stairs. Daisy Ann didn’t miss the pained look on Mason’s face at his father’s choice of words. A straw Stetson in one hand, he put his other around Daisy Ann’s shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. “Howdy, honey.” He then extended a hand for Mason to shake. Anyoneseeing the two men together would know immediately that they were father and son. In fact, Mason was the son who most resembled his father, with the same green eyes and tall full-bodied frame. And although Chandler’s hair was now a dazzling white, it was every bit as thick and wavy as his son’s.

“Hi, Daddy,” Mason said. “Looks like it’s gonna be a great party.”

“Yes, they’ve done a fantastic job. Everything looks gorgeous,” Daisy Ann agreed.

Chandler laughed. “I can’t take credit. Your mother did it all.”

Daisy Ann knew what that actually meant was that Birdie had directed the party planner. This shindig had been in the works for months now.

“I hear voices. Sounds like the party’s getting started.” Birdie’s dark blue eyes flashed with excitement. “Why don’t y’all get a drink while I go greet my guests.”

“Mama, can we go see the rides now?” Tucker asked. Birdie had told them about the children’s funfair rides she’d ordered for all the kids weeks ago.

“Sure. You guys go ahead and have fun.”

They were off and running before Daisy Ann finished the sentence. She laughed and took Mason’s hand. “Let’s get a drink.” Together they walked outside where several bars were set up under a clear top tent that covered a huge expanse of lawn. A string quartet played relaxing classical music during the cocktail hour. Chandler’s birthday surprise, however, was that Willie Nelson would be headlining later tonight—not the country band the planner had told Birdie would be performing. Daisy Ann was as excited as a schoolgirl when she’d found out.

She and Mason walked over to one of the bars where he ordered his usual—a whiskey neat. Daisy Ann accepted a drink from one of the roving waiters and took a sip. “Mmm. Sure you don’t want to change your mind? This margarita is perfect.”

“I’m good,” he said as they started to walk toward the center of the tent to mingle, passing tiered tables laden with trays of food, asampling of which included smoked salmon, shrimp, rare roast beef, and delectable-looking nibbles. The choices went on and on. Champagne flowed, and plump ruby red strawberries and other fruits were mounded around a large assortment of cheeses. The most spectacular table was the one upon which sat the birthday cakes. Not one, but ten cakes, all spectacularly decorated and mouthwateringly exquisite. Daisy Ann could just imagine what the kids’ food tent contained. “Mother’s in her element tonight. Center of attention and charming hostess with the mostest.”

Daisy Ann thought the description was apt for a woman who could seem vain and arrogant but could also charm the birds out of the trees. As a mother-in-law, she could be tough at times and supportive at others, and in the beginning, Daisy Ann often felt like she was on a bucking bronco. When she and Mason got engaged, Birdie had gone into high gear, forcefully voicing her opinions on how everything, from the announcement and engagement party to the wedding itself and all things in between, should play out. Daisy Ann was ready to explode and had gone to her mother. She remembered the conversation as if it were yesterday.

“Mama, I can’t take it anymore. She’s driving me batty. I want to tell her to keep her big mouth shut and screw off.” She was almost shouting.

“Daisy Ann. Language!” Marylou Ann, Daisy Ann’s mother, had tried to defuse her daughter’s anger. “She’s excited, that’s all. She just wants to feel a part of things. You should be glad that she’s happy about the engagement.”

“Of course she’s happy. Why wouldn’t she be?” But Daisy Ann knew that her mother was referring to Birdie’s old family name and money, and although the Crawfords were every bit as rich as the Briscoes, they were profoundly nouveau.

“Yes, yes. I agree. I’m only telling you to be thankful that everyone is pleased because that’s not always the case. And maybe you should try and be a little patient with Birdie. After all, she only has sons. She’s not used to having a daughter.”

“Ihavebeen patient. I’m sick of it. I want her to butt out and let us plan things our way.”

Her mother gave her a look that she’d come to know would be followed by words of wisdom. “This is your wedding, my darling girl, and I understand that you’re picturing exactly how you want it to be. It’s also just one day in your life. A day that will be so busy and hectic and thrilling that much of it will be a big blur to you afterward. Your mother-in-law, however, will be part of your life for years to come. The last thing you want is to get this relationship off on the wrong foot. You will regret it for the rest of your life.” Her mother had taken her daughter’s hand and said, “I know you. You’re not unkind. You know how to compromise. And I trust you to handle this with grace and thoughtfulness so that everyone is happy in the end.”

It had been good advice, advice Daisy Ann had taken to heart. And when six months later Daisy Ann’s mother died, Birdie was there for her. It was then that she saw the other side to this imperious woman—the side that could be tender and compassionate, and she became Daisy Ann’s rock in those heartbroken months that followed.

She took another sip of her drink and saw that the house and grounds were filling with people and the party was now fully under way. Birdie’s social circles were wide and diverse, and the guests ranged in age from their twenties all the way up to their eighties and nineties. If it was true that a party could be judged not by who’s there, but who’s not there, then Birdie’s parties were always a resounding success. Anyone who was anyone was there. It was a sparkling array of designer fashion, both subtle and glittering, lavish jewels worth a fortune, elegant high heels, and even one woman in a pair of luxurious Philipp Plein boots despite the summer heat. Chandler had shown Daisy Ann the birthday gift he’d bought for Birdie—a three-strand oval diamond necklace for which he paid $176,000.

“Is that the governor over there?” Daisy Ann whispered to Mason. She couldn’t tell with the cowboy hat and sunglasses he was wearing.

“Looks like it. Let’s walk over.”

Daisy Ann saw that the governor was talking to Wade Ashford. Damn. She hadn’t realized that Wade would be here tonight. He was supposed to have been out of town. It was going to take a bit of fancy footwork to avoid him tonight, but there was no way she was going to let him corner her with her family around.

“I’ll let you go and say hello, I’m going to check on the boys.”

As she made her way out of the tent and down the path to the rides, she stopped several times to say hello to arriving guests.

“Running out on the party so soon?”

Daisy Ann spun around and forced herself to smile at her sister-in-law. Rose Sheridan Briscoe stared at Daisy Ann, a smirk on her pretty face. She was a southern belle through and through and butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she never missed the opportunity to get her digsin.

“I was just going to check on Greyson and Tucker,” Daisy Ann said.

Rose tilted her head. “They’re with their cousins and the younger folk down at the kids’ corral. Birdie hired a band for the young set. They’re havin’ a good old time. So, no need for you to go running off, although why should it surprise me that you’d shirk your duties to this family.”

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