The Life Daisy Devlin Designed

CHAPTER 32

@Deuxmoi: Kayley Lynch and her band in high spirits as they leave Dublin’s fashionable Bitter Honey Club in the early hours of the morning.

By the time Daisy got to the office that afternoon, she was convinced Laura would take one look at her, and know exactly what had happened. Or what had almost happened, she reminded herself.

Now she knew why Matt had left, it was painful to imagine how different their lives could have been if he’d just asked her the truth about that stupid party.

She also knew she wasn’t ready to tell anyone about it. Laura already hated Matt enough, and Daisy guessed that if she told her why Matt had left, she’d judge him even more harshly than before. She couldn’t understand why Brian would have told Matt something like that. Even now, she suspected it had just been an awful mistake. And she wasn’t ready to accuse Brian and risk alienating Laura.

She needed time to sort through everything for herself. Which meant she had to pretend that everything was normal.

“Anything new this morning?” she asked brightly.

Laura narrowed her gaze. “Why are you talking like that?”

“Like what?” Daisy wrapped her hair into a knot and stuck a pencil through it to hold it in place.

“Have it your way.” Laura shook her head. “The latest from Mrs Feng Shui is that my design won’t ‘allow her middle daughter to find love’!’ Other than that, nothing to report.”

She flashed a huge fake smile and Daisy laughed, shaking out some tension.

“Is she reading Feng Shui for Idiots or something?”

“If that book exists, I should read it. At least we’d be on the same page. I mean, why employ someone like me if you’re going to spend your whole time telling me I’m wrong?”

“Tell her to put some moonstone under her mattress,” Fionn said, looking up from his laptop. “Or her daughter could wear it as jewellery.”

Laura held up a hand. “Stop! The poor girl’s only a teenager! Her mother’s just batshit crazy.”

No wonder Laura was frustrated. Daisy knew from previous experience how difficult clients could be. By contrast, she’d been very lucky in her last few jobs.

Both Freya and Matt had agreed with Daisy’s broad vision for their houses, and she had an amazing house to enter for the award. Her mind wandered back to what Fionn had said.

“Fionn, is moonstone white?”

“Yup.” He typed something quickly on the keyboard, and turned the screen so Daisy could see. “That’s moonstone. It attracts love, and it’s Gemini’s alternative birthstone.”

It was the same stone Kayley had been wearing around her neck the first time Daisy had met her, she realised.

Laura looked amused. “Do you know everyone’s birthstone, Fionn?”

He swept his fringe out of the way. “There’s only twelve traditional, and twelve alternative ones to remember. Plus, I’m a Gemini!”

Daisy’s phone rang and Matt’s name flashed up on the screen.

“Hi.” She glanced over at Laura.

“Hi.” Matt’s voice was warm. “I just wanted to check that you got to work.”

“ Um , yep, there’s a bit of damage along the riverbank, but the road was okay.” Daisy walked over to the window and looked out. She could see a tour bus pulling up across the street. “I’m sorry I had to intrude for so long – thanks for putting up with me.”

“You’d never intrude.”

He sounded so sincere. She half-turned, aware that Laura and Fionn were probably listening to every word.

“I messaged Kenny earlier about the flooding, so I’ll make sure he knows the road’s okay now. And you know where I am if you need me.”

“Yes. Thanks.”

Daisy hung up and messaged Kenny with the update. Then she sat back at her desk, carefully avoiding making eye contact with the others.

She’d woken frequently during the night, conscious that Matt was on a mattress downstairs. Each time she’d woken, she’d wondered guiltily about James. Had he missed her? Or had he been too sick to notice? She should be grateful to Alma, she supposed.

Fionn scraped his chair away from his desk. “Coffee? Usual, everyone?”

“Not for me,” Laura said. “I got one on my way.”

“Daisy?”

“Yeah, thanks, Fionn.”

After he left, Laura whipped around to glare at Daisy. “Why didn’t you say that you spent the night at Matt’s place?”

God, she wasn’t ready. “I was there late yesterday evening and the river burst its banks, and flooded the road. I’d no choice, Laura, and nothing happened.”

“The fact that you even stayed over!” Laura looked at her carefully. “So, did you talk about anything?”

If she admitted that they had, she could let something slip. Daisy shook her head.

“You’re better off not dredging up all that history, babes,” Laura said firmly. “You owe it to yourself not to get hurt again, so just be careful. In fact, don’t talk about anything!”

“Laura, ‘careful’ is my middle name! Honestly, you have nothing to worry about!”

We just kissed and nearly ended up having sex.

“Good, yeah.” Laura crossed her legs.

Daisy studied her for a moment. “Is everything okay?”

“All good.” Laura’s smile seemed a bit strained.

Maybe Laura guessed that she wasn’t telling her the truth about Matt. But it was more than that. Laura had changed. Daisy wondered if everything was okay between her and Brian. If they weren't, why would she stay with him?

For the same reason you’re staying with James? It wasn’t that things were awful with James, she thought. It was just that they didn’t seem to be going anywhere anymore. Was this what happened? Did people just stay together out of habit? She supposed it was normal enough.

And how could she imagine that she had some magical insight into someone else’s relationship, when she couldn’t even figure out her own.

With a sigh, she opened her drawings of Granary House and went through a checklist. The last bits of work were going well, thanks to Kenny and his team. And at the rate they were going, the painters and decorators would be finished most of the house in another week. Her mobile rang again, and she braced herself for another call from Matt. But it was Kenny.

“Hi, Kenny, I was just about to call you. The road was cleared earlier, so you should have no problems.”

“Yeah, I’m on my way. Just wanted to check that we’re doing all the new floor-to-ceiling units in the second reception room today?”

“Yes. The painters will do the wall that won’t have shelving.” She was pretty sure they’d gone through those details before.

He grunted. “Did you get away last night okay?”

So that was why he was calling her! “ Eh , no, there was mad flash flooding and it was too dangerous, so I ended up staying over.”

There was a muffled noise that sounded a bit like swearing, followed by a moment’s silence.

“Right.” Kenny cleared his throat loudly. “Look, Daisy, I know I’m probably a bit out of line, but we’ve known each other a long time, and sure I’m old enough to be your dad.”

Daisy glanced over at Laura, but she seemed to be busy. “ Uh huh? ”

“Right. Now.” Kenny cleared his throat again, and Daisy pulled the phone away from her ear for a moment. “I know you know this fellah, or you used to. So I hope you don’t mind me telling you to be a bit careful. I don’t trust him. I don’t know why, but that’s it now.”

Daisy scrambled for an answer that wouldn’t sound like she was being defensive.

“I’m sorry now if I’ve overstepped,” Kenny added.

Daisy suspected he was more embarrassed than sorry. She was also starting to wonder if he was in the Keep Daisy Safe Club with her mother and Laura.

“Not at all, Kenny.” She forced a smile, knowing he’d hear it in her voice. “I appreciate that but you don’t have to worry.”

“Right,” Kenny said. “I’ll see you soon, so. Bye, now.”

He hung up, and Daisy put her phone away, avoiding Laura’s eyes as she turned on her laptop. She wondered what Matt had done to make Kenny dislike him. He barely knew Matt. Then again, she’d known Matt intimately for over five years and he’d still managed to shock her!

“Babes?” Laura looked over. “Does James know where you stayed last night?”

Daisy folded her arms. “No, he doesn’t know I’m working for Matt! I just told him I had to stay over at a client’s house in Wicklow because the road was flooded.”

“Oh-kay. So what happens if Granary House is shortlisted? James will know it’s in Wicklow, and he’ll know who owns the house. It won’t take him long to put two and two together.”

“ Um , I’ll cross that bridge if I come to it. I mean, it would only happen if Granary House actually placed. And it mightn’t, right?”

Laura gave her a hard look. “No, it mightn’t,” she said slowly. “But what’s the point in entering it if you don’t want it to place? And I know you, Daisy, you want to win. So what if you suddenly get everything you want, and James finds out you’ve been lying to him? He’ll know that you’ve been seeing your ex-boyfriend and you spent the night at his house! Just the two of you!”

“James trusts me, Laura. And nothing happened at Matt’s.” Just that kiss. Daisy clenched and unclenched her fists.

“Look at it from his point of view, babes,” Laura said. “When he finds out you’ve been keeping the whole Matt-being-a-client-thing from him, he’s going to wonder why.”

Of course he would. Only now she’d spent the night in Matt’s house! Daisy suddenly felt queasy. How had she not thought of that?