Page 16 of The Little Shop on Silver Linings Street
‘Yes, but we only really talk about work-related things, and—’
‘Daisy’s just being polite,’ broke in Kit. ‘What she should have said is that I have my head stuck in a book all day and she does all the work, so I rarely give her any opportunity to talk to me, although actually I doubt that she’d want to anyway.’
Daisy stared at him. Now what did she say? She could hardly agree with him.
‘Which is a point in itself, isn’t it, Kit? Everyone knows you don’t want to be here, so why even bother with the competition?’ asked Lawrence. ‘Or are you just doing it to piss me off?’
‘I don’t hear you asking Bertie the same question,’ Kit replied. ‘And yet, forgive me, but I can’t see him tied to the shop either, it would put a serious dent in his lifestyle.’ Kit held Lawrence’s look defiantly. ‘But yeah, now that you mention it, maybe that’s why I am doing it. It would do you good to lose every once in a while.’
Daisy looked anxiously between the three of them. ‘Kit, that’s hardly helpful.’
‘What? And Lawrence’s comment was?’
‘And what I do in my own time is no concern of yours,’ put in Bertie. ‘Not everyone wants to live the way you do.’
Daisy put her hands over her ears. ‘Stop it!’ she yelled. ‘Just stop it, all of you!’
There was a stunned silence for a moment as Daisy stood with her eyes shut, close to tears.
‘Jesus, she’s right,’ said Bertie coming to her rescue. ‘We can’t keep doing this to one another. There has to be an element of trust and acceptance that we each have as fair a chance as the other. I take your point about Kit, but—’
‘I have every right to enter the competition,’ growled Kit. ‘And whether you like it or not, I’m bloody well going to. I have my reasons, same as you do.’
‘Which is exactly what I was going to say,’ argued Bertie, his exasperation clear. He held up a placatory hand. ‘Look, this is getting us nowhere. Can we all please calm down and think about what Daisy said.’ He softened his expression as he turned to her. ‘We were talking about the fact that none of us knows you that well and you mentioned that you would help us… Did you have something particular in mind?’
‘Not really,’ she muttered, opening her eyes now that she was sure the danger of making a fool of herself by crying had passed.
‘Then surely the easiest way to accomplish that is if we each get an opportunity to spend some time with Daisy,’ suggested Lawrence. ‘Or how else can we possibly choose a piece of jewellery for her?’
‘Okay…’ said Daisy slowly. ‘And how are you proposing you do that?’
‘I don’t know,’ replied Lawrence, looking around him. ‘Maybe spend a day working here… or…’ His eyes suddenly widened and he clicked his fingers. ‘I know, why don’t we each take Daisy out for the day? Christmas is coming so there are loads of things to do… Where we go could be up to us, wherever we think will reveal the most about Daisy. We could ask her as many questions as we like but we’d all get the same opportunity as each other that way.’ He gave her a challenging look, obviously pleased with his idea. ‘What do you think?’ he prompted.
She was still trying to work out what his idea would mean for her.
‘It’s not a date,’ he added.
She could feel her cheeks growing hot. ‘Good. Because I certainly wouldn’t be going on a date with you, Lawrence… but yes, I think that might work.’ She had meant what she said about getting to know the brothers herself. Her very future depended on it. ‘But only on one condition.’
‘Go on,’ said Bertie.
‘That you all promise not to ask me what has been discussed on any of the trips. I don’t want to be accused of giving anyone unfair advantage.’
‘Fair enough,’ said Lawrence. ‘Kit? Bertie?’
The other two brothers nodded.
‘Then shake on it,’ said Daisy. ‘And at the same time do as Bertie suggested and swear to behave like decent human beings, for goodness’ sake. And you can draw straws to see who gets to go first; that way there can be no argument about that either.’
Bertie smiled and held out his hand. ‘You heard the lady,’ he said.
‘And please hurry up and get on with it,’ added Daisy, glancing at the clock. ‘I’m way behind with everything and there’s a shop to open up in case you’d forgotten.’
6
Saturday 7th December
Eighteen shopping days until Christmas
