Page 29 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
MyStarScopeTaurus: Life is like a buffet right now. Dive in.
Daisy arrived at Matt’s house shortly after nine and took a few moments to compose herself. She wasn’t sure what was making her more nervous right now: beginning a huge project like Granary House, or the thought of being around Matt again.
She’d taken extra care with her outfit, and had got an early hair appointment, so that her normally wild tresses now lay in soft waves around her face.
Matt answered the door in jeans and a T-shirt. “Come in.” He smiled. “You’re right on time. I was just about to have breakfast. I made pancakes.”
They’d been his party piece – her favourite had been the wafer-thin ones with Nutella.
“I’ve made a stack of them. And I’ve sugar and lemon, or Nutella, if you prefer.”
So he’d remembered!So what, Daisy? It’s chocolate spread – loads of people like the stuff!She hoped this wasn’t the buffet her horoscope had predicted.
“Actually, I’ll just have a coffee.”
“They’ll go to waste if you don’t help – ” Matt stopped as the doorbell rang. “That might be your workmen.”
“Probably.”
He left to answer the door.
Daisy sighed. The last thing she needed were constant reminders of what she and Matt used to love to do, or the food they loved to eat together. She owed it to herself to rememberexactlyhow it had been with Matt – not just the good stuff. Because, obviously, there had been bad stuff too. She couldn’t think of any right now apart from how things had ended, but it was bound to come back to her.
Daisy heard Kenny’s familiar gravelly voice in the hall. She was helping herself to a coffee as they came into the kitchen.
“I’ll have one of those too, if it’s going.” Kenny pulled his small, black beanie down over his head, and scratched at his chin.
Daisy poured another cup. “Splash of milk and two sugars, right?”
“Yup. I’ve two lads coming this morning, but I can make a start. I’ve had a look at your plans.” He took the mug from her and turned to Matt. “Are you thinking of reopening this place as a B&B?”
“God, no!” Matt laughed.
“Well, you can always change your mind. Now, I’ve ordered a big support beam so we can knock through this wall into the conservatory. Are we keeping the glass roof?”
Daisy nodded.
“We’ll mind it, so.” Kenny looked around. “We can start stripping out the old units. I’ll leave everything outside until the skip arrives.”
Matt ran a hand across the back of his neck. “I’ll take some breakfast into the guest wing, Daisy. Call me if you need me.”
“What’s his story?” Kenny said, after Matt left.
Daisy spoke carefully, conscious of not wanting to give away anything personal. “He was living in the States, and he came back and bought this place.”
“Has he a partner or family joining him?”
“Er, no.”
Kenny scratched his head. “Beats me why he’d want to buy this huge old place and live here by himself, but I’m happy to take his money. How are your mam and dad doing? You been home to see them recently?”
“Yeah, last weekend. And the one before.” Daisy smiled. Kenny’s wife had known her parents’ nearest neighbours in Oranmore, which was how he’d been recommended to her. “Dad’s just built a new coop for their chickens, and Mum –” she stopped, remembering the nude self-portrait, “is,er, still painting.”
“Oh, I found these, wait till I show you now.” Kenny took out his phone, and turned the screen so she could scroll through a dozen black-and-white landscape photos. “I transferred them to my phone – they were the last ones herself took.”
“They’re beautiful, Kenny.” He rarely spoke about his late wife, so on the rare occasion he shared something Daisy gave him her full attention.
“They are.” Kenny nodded vigorously, but looked relieved when the doorbell rang again.
