Page 101 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
He flicked her a wary look. “What?”
Her heart was beating so fast, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to get the words out. “You know the big job I took on in Wicklow recently? It was in Granary House. Matt bought it.”
James turned to look at her properly. “When did you start?”
“In March.” Daisy’s voice wobbled.
“And you didn’t bother to mention that you’d taken on a job for the guy who treated you like a piece of dirt?” He stared at her.
“He’s just another client, James.” Daisy knew how weak it sounded. “And you and I don’t talk about our work to each other. Let’s face it, we barely talk about anything at all.”
“We’re talking now, aren’t we?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “So, is he with someone?”
Daisy spoke quickly. “No. But the house has been busy with workmen and decorators, and Kayley Lynch and her team. They’ve been filming and rehearsing there. Kayley’s even staying in –”
“I read that.” His jaw tightened. “That was after the flood, though, wasn’t it? Or maybe the place didn’t flood. Maybe it was just the perfect excuse for you and your ex to …”
“Hook up?” She swallowed hard. “That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it? Why would you think that?”
“Because he was the one that got away, Daisy. And you never got over him!” James’ eyes glittered. “So you took up where he left off, and threw me under the bus for good measure.”
“That’s not fair! I would never deliberately hurt you.” She pressed her hands into her stomach, wishing she could deny everything. “I never told him anything about the app!”
“Screw the app!” James was shaking now. “Tell me nothing happened between you!”
She opened her mouth to reassure him, to draw a line under all the doubt and uncertainty she felt with James. It had been nothing – a couple of kisses. Only ithadnearly led to something more. She met his eyes and realised that he’d already guessed.
“James!”
“Don’t!” He stumbled off the bed, grabbing the pillow.
“What are you doing?”
Their voices had got louder, she realised. They couldn’t wake Alma, she didn’t want her to know that they were fighting.
She dropped her voice to a loud whisper. “What are you doing?” Why had she said a thing? Now there was no going back.
James yanked open the blanket box at the end of their bed and pulled out a spare duvet.
“What does it look like?” He didn’t look at her. “I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight, and tomorrow I’m taking a break. I’ll go to London, see my family.”
“James, please – ” The rest of the words withered as she caught his expression.
After a few moments, she heard him going downstairs, moving around the sitting room, then the house fell silent. She switched off her lamp and lay back down, knowing she wouldn’t sleep.
She doubted James would either.
Briefly, she wondered if he’d find it easy to get another job. The tech industry in Dublin was small enough; word was bound to get around about what had happened. She tried to imagine what it would be like to lose Discerning Designs, and be forced to start all over again.
But what about them? She remembered the overheard snatches of conversation of Matt on the phone to Charlie. Right now she couldn’t think about that. No matter what was going to happen with Matt, James deserved to hear about it from her first.
He just needed a bit of time to calm down. She’d talk to him in the morning.
CHAPTER 46
By the following morning, Daisy had decided that if James been looking for an excuse to break up with her, she’d handed him one in the shape of Matt. She should have been honest from the start, but right now she doubted it would have made much of a difference.
Alma had left early to catch her flight back to Sweden, but Daisy had slipped out of bed to say goodbye.
