Page 32 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
Daisy made a mental note not to eat too much. If this was the buffet mentioned in her horoscope, the predictions had become disappointingly pedantic!
After they ordered, Daisy picked up her beer. “Cheers!”
James clinked his glass against hers.
“So.” She sat up straighter. “We’re celebrating.”
“A work thing?”
“I wish!” She shook her head. “Ourtwo-year anniversary of us getting the keys of our house.”
“Wow, is it?” He smiled. “Look, I know you’d have liked something bigger, Daisy, but Rathmines is close to everything. You can’t compare it with the huge houses your parents or mine live in – they’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
James’ parents lived in Howth! Which was hardly the middle of nowhere, but she wouldn’t point that out. “James, I completely agree!” She could never understand why he always got so defensive about their home. The only possible explanation was that he privately regretted turning down his parents’ offers of help. Either way, she couldn’t mention that Matt was now the proud owner of a five-bedroom historical home in Wicklow. “So,um, howareyour mum and dad?”
James shrugged. “Fine. Mum says they’ve painters in again. It’s like they don’t know what to do with their money.”
She’d better say nothing.
James moved the cutlery slightly on the table. “How’s everyone in the office?”
Daisy relaxed slightly. “Laura’s training for the marathon!”
“Laura?” He looked surprised. “She never struck me as the type.”
She laughed. “You hardly know her, James!”
It was true! By the time she and James had got together, Laura and Brian were already married. The four of them had gone out together a few times, but James and Laura had always seemed careful around each other. Daisy knew that James had been trying to make a good impression, but that Laura had thought they wouldn’t last. To add to the pressure, James had quickly made it clear to Daisy that he didn’t like Brian.
She smoothed her dress over her stomach. “Maybe I should take up running. I don’t think the cycling is enough.”
She waited for James to tell her she was getting plenty of exercise, but he just nodded vaguely. Great, he obviously agreed with Rosie that she was overweight! Maybe that was why sex had been a bit ... robotic between them recently. She’d been chalking it up to stress on James’ part but, if she were being completely honest, it had felt like they were both simply going through the motions. Therehadbeen a couple of times he hadn’t even been able to ... Daisy took a deep breath. She wouldn’t think about that tonight.
Their food arrived, and they spent a while piling their plates with sauces and extra rice.
“This looks great.” James forked some curry into his mouth. “You should try some!”
Was sauce-covered curry more fattening than Vegetarian Saag, Daisy wondered vaguely. She dutifully scooped a small amount off the edge of his plate.
“So, how are Mike and Ciara?” she asked. They’d both been in college with James, and had helped set up TakeOff.
James drank some beer. “Both working as hard as I am.”
Daisy waited.
“I’m not sure what you want me to say,” James added. “They don’t have the same responsibilities I have.” He rolled his shoulders. “Can we talk about something else?”
He turned his attention back to his food, and Daisy sighed. She’d lay bets there were secret agents who talked more about their work.
She watched James eat for a few moments. He was good-looking, she mused – tall and slim, but with decent shoulders, even though the nearest he came to exercise was when his video game persona was being chased. She was pretty sure she was still attracted to him. She just wasn’t sure there was anactualsparkanymore.
Which had to mean he wasn’t attracted to her, because she was pretty sure it took two people to spark. But if she were honest, she felt invisible around him sometimes.
Matt, on the other hand, seemed acutely aware of her. The truth was, hewasn’tlike any other client. No other client knew how she took her coffee, or what her favourite food was. No other client looked at her the way Matt did. At times, it felt a bit like she’d found her way back to the path she’d stepped off five years ago.
Which was confusing, and completely unfair to James, who ... Daisy blinked ... who was now frowning at his phone.
“What’s wrong?”
