Page 69 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
Daisy found herself holding her breath.
“The thing is, I thought I had everything I wanted, but lately I’ve been wondering if I should have stayed and fought a bit harder.”
“To give your career a chance here?” Daisy’s voice was husky.
“Partly. And I think I should have fought for you.”
For a few moments, Daisy couldn’t breathe. Instead, she stared at Matt, until she realised he was probably waiting for her to say something.Stick to the truth, Daisy.
“Why would there have been a fight, Matt? You went to the States that summer and you decided to stay. Period!”
Matt sighed. “I didn’t think you’d want to do this.”
“I do.” Daisy swallowed. “I’ve never understood why you just left. You didn’t even break up with me properly. It hurt.” It still hurt, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to admit it.
He stared at her and she held his gaze.
“I heard about the party,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “Brian told me.”
“What party?”
“The one in your boyfriend’s house that summer I did my internship in New York.”
Daisy frowned, trying to think. She hadn’t even known James at the time. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Daisy. Brian told me he was supposed to go that night, but he was sick, so Laura took you along instead.” He sounded resigned.
Memories floated back. A warm, dry night in a student house off the Drumcondra road, so packed with people that most of them had ended up in the garden, drinking and smoking weed. It had been a small miracle that nobody had called the Guards, but nearly all the neighbouring houses had been rented by students.
She’d never tried weed before that night. Or since. Even now, she squirmed, remembering how she’d thrown up in a bush, before messaging Laura that she was going home, and she’d see her the next day. At the time, she hadn’t even known it was James’ house – there’d been a gang of people living there.
“Yes, I remember. But I don’t understand …”
“Brian told me he heard you’d stayed over with James.”
“What?”
“You slept with him, Daisy. So I just made things easier for you.”
CHAPTER 30
Matt’s eyes narrowed. “Shit, are you going to faint?”
“No.” Relief shivered through her at the concern in his voice. “I just can’t believe that’s what you thought! Like, all this time, that’s what you were thinking about me? I never cheated on you, Matt.”
“Daisy, please don’t!”
“No! I don’t get why you thought I’d cheat on you! On us!”
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know what to believe, anymore. I thought you’d hooked up with James that night, so I decided I was better off staying in New York after the internship. The next thing I heard, you were with him, so ...”
She wished for one moment that she hadn’t pushed him for the truth, that he hadn’t suddenly, horrifically ripped the bandage off the wound.
“I met James a few months after you left, Matt.” She managed to keep her voice even. “And, after that, it was ages before we started dating.”
Matt’s face seemed to drain of colour.
Helplessly, Daisy looked down at her tea, wishing it was a glass of wine.Ah yes, Daisy,alcohol: the short-term solution to all your problems.
