Page 47 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
Matt frowned at something over Daisy’s shoulder and she spun nervously, dizzy with relief when she saw Laura approaching.
“Hello, Matt.” Laura’s smile seemed frozen to her face.
“Hi, Laura. Good to see you.”
Laura’s expression didn’t change. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Matt gave an easy shrug. “Brian invited me. You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Neither have you, I’ll bet.” Laura flicked her attention to Daisy. “Your mum’s looking for you.”
Daisy peered around the room. “Is she okay?”
“I think one of Rosie’s kids ate too much and got sick, and your mum’s with them.”
“Probably Ben.” Daisy grinned. “I don’t think he’s got an off-button. I’d better go see if she wants any help.” She turned to Matt. “Excuse me.”
He waved her gently away. “Catch you later.”
Laura’s smile turned into a grimace, as she tucked her arm firmly through Daisy’s, and marched her across the room towards the bathrooms. “Not if I see you first,” she muttered.
Daisy waved and mouthed a few hellos to people they passed. “Laura, what are you doing?”
“You know what I’m doing!”
Daisy sighed. “You can’t be rude to Matt like that, you know.”
“Give me one good reason why not.” Laura pushed open the door to the ladies’, where Sam and the twins were running up and down, and Daisy’s mother was spritzing some of her homemade lavender perfume and looking perfectly relaxed.
“Daisy!” The twins ran over and threw their arms around her, before racing off again.
Daisy’s mother smiled. “Did you go looking for back-up, Laura?” She laughed. “We would have managed. Still, I didn’t get a proper chance to talk to my birthday girl earlier. Doesn’t she look wonderful this evening? Where did you get your dress, Daisy?”
Daisy smoothed down her flared, poppy-red dress. “It’s from my favourite second-hand place, New Lease. I just put some pockets in.”
Miriam stuck her hands into the pockets of the sparkly blue, kaftan top that she’d teamed with darker, equally sparkly Capri pants. “I put pockets in this too.” She looked closely at Laura’s elegant, knee-skimming dress. “Is that silk? Almost impossible to have pockets in that.” She scrunched up her nose.
“And it would ruin the very sexy line.” Laura winked and Miriam chuckled.
Rosie emerged from the cubicle with Ben. “Here, wash your hands, now.”
Ben turned on the water and caught Daisy’s eye in the mirror. “Mummy says you’re thirty. That’s pretty old.”
“Ben!” Rosie shot him a frazzled look.
Daisy just grinned. “It is, yeah, but I’ve decided not to get any older after this.”
Rosie turned to her mother. “I’ve got this, Mum. Why don’t you all go back to the party?”
Laura looked relieved, and excused herself immediately.
“Dad’s at the bar with Séan, I see,” Daisy said, when she and Miriam went back outside. “I think they’re comparing craft beers.”
“Your dad’ll be singing in another hour.” Miriam sounded unbothered. “Are James’ parents coming, do you know?”
“I don’t think so. Probably not their kind of thing.”
“I thought they were very pleasant any time I met them. Obviously they couldn’t make it.”
