Page 21 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
“Let’s hope it won’t interfere with the landscaping.”
Which could be a problem! There was a reason she advised her clients to leave outside work until the weather was better. Not that good weather could ever be guaranteed in Ireland.
Still, most people weren’t trying to turn three-and-a-half acres of overgrown land into an outdoor concert venue!
“This is me.” She stopped outside the nineteenth-century Dublin townhouse.
Matt looked up at the building and laughed. “Of course it is!”
Daisy smiled. “Hey, we just have a small, first-floor room. But I love it.”
“Thanks for meeting me, Daisy.”
Before she realised what he was about to do, Matt leaned in and gave her a soft, fleeting kiss on the cheek.
“No problem. I’ll be in touch.” She turned, fumbling as she keyed in the code for the heavy door. When it clicked open, she pushed it in, glancing briefly back over her shoulder at Matt.
He gave a small wave before she let the door shut, and leaned against it, waiting for her face to cool down.Get a grip, Daisy – it was a kiss on the cheek.
She couldn’t overthink her and Matt. Only what if she was right? What if Matt still cared for her? And what if that was the real reason he’d come home?
CHAPTER 10
“The problem is, the twins have had too much sugar.” Rosie poured herself a second glass of white wine and propped her hip against the huge island unit in her Galway kitchen that Saturday afternoon.
Daisy drank some more of her own wine as she stared out through the wall of glass that wrapped around Rosie’s sprawling house, and overlooked her equally sprawling garden – most of which was currently covered by two enormous bouncy castles.
As usual, Rosie had not only invited every single child in the twins’ class, along with their parents, but their neighbours, friends and casual acquaintances and all of their kids. Daisy had a hard time trying to find her own parents when she’d arrived.
“I think all kids eat too much sugar at a birthday party, Rosie. It’s kind of the point.”
Rosie gave a little sniff. “I’ve told Séan he can take our gang to the park later to run off that energy.” She folded her arms. “So, how’s work going?”
Daisy brightened. “Great, actually. I’m coming to the end of one big project, and I’m just starting another one.”
Rosie clicked her tongue. “I can never understand how people don’t know how to decorate their own houses. It’s basic: don’t mix patterns and remember the Rule of Three.”
Daisy made herself count to five. She wouldn’t rise to the bait. Rosie knew well that she wasn’t an interior designer. Even if she were, there was a lot more to it than that.
“Well, you must be finding yourself stuck in the office a lot these days.” Rosie placed a hand on Daisy’s arm. “You don’t look like you’re getting much time for you.”
Daisy finished her wine. “How do you mean?”
Rosie pulled back her shoulder-length hair, a paler version of Daisy’s, and secured it with a small, brown bobbin.
“Well, no, nothing. Only, are you getting any exercise?”
“I cycle to work a lot.” Daisy stared at her.
“Oh, class.” Rosie frowned.
Was her sister body-shaming her? It was a pity she’d finished her wine – she could have thrown the rest of it over her! Except she wouldn’t. She and Rosie didn’t actually fight. Not since Rosie had hit her teenage years, learned the art of passive-aggression, and had spent the whole of her adult life perfecting it. The easiest thing was to listen and nod along, never disagree. There was no point: Rosie was always right.
Penny burst in from the garden. “Mummy, when can we have the birthday cakes? Everybody wants to see me blowing out my candles, Mummy. Annie wants her birthday cake too. Please, Mummy?”
Rosie’s face gentled. “In a few minutes, loveen, I promise. Did you say hello to Daisy and thank her for your present?”
Penny turned to her. “Hello, Daisy, thank you for my present.”
