Page 5 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
Daisy slung her phone back into her skirt pocket and went into the kitchen, to see her boyfriend of five years twirling Alma out from his long, lean frame and back in again, like they were on some sort of country music dance show.
James caught her eye and they stuttered to a stop. “It’s Kayley Lynch.” He grinned sheepishly, pushing a hand back through untidy brown hair.
“I know, yeah.” Daisy tried her best to smile, but she strongly suspected it looked more like a grimace.
“Good evening, Daisy,” Alma said.
She was always excessively polite around her. She saved that Swedish warmth for James. Now Alma was giving her that penetrating stare she had, like she was judging how she looked. She wondered what the petite twenty-three-year-old with her pixie haircut and gender-neutral clothes in equally neutral shades, thought of her colourful, vintage wardrobe. Although she was pretty sure her clothes weren’t the only thing Alma was judging. Daisy sucked in her stomach, which at that moment gave a very unladylike gurgle.
“Nice smell.” Daisy folded her arms. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Chicken Korma!” James came over and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “I’ve been teaching Alma how to make it.”
“I love experimenting with food,” Alma said.
Daisy didn’t believe that for a moment. The only thing Alma seemed to cook was spaghetti with Swedish meatballs. And soup. Which was fine by her, because they’d all agreed early on that Alma could use the kitchen to make her own meals.
“Alma decided she’d eat with us this evening,” James said.
There wasn’t a trace of apology in his voice, Daisy noticed. She’d bloody kill him! Still, it was just dinner. And Alma would probably go up to her room to work for the rest of the evening. She was a final-year postgrad in nuclear physics or something equally intimidating, and seemed to be able to study and party with equal intensity. Despite the fact that there were only seven years between them, Daisy always felt ancient around her.
As Alma checked on the rice, James set the table, and Daisy debated leaving them to it while she grabbed a shower. She wondered if they’d have to keep renting out the room after Alma finished in the autumn. James was always telling her that they couldn’t afford the mortgage, all their bills and have some savings, without the extra income.
“So, how was your day?” James handed her a bottle of beer.
“Grand, you know yourself. You?” Even after all this time, she felt like she was playing house in front of Alma, when all she wanted was to pile some curry into a bowl and eat in front of the telly.
He pulled a face. “Same as it’s been all year.”
Daisy flashed him a sympathetic smile. She’d met James when she was twenty-four, less than a year after Matt had simply walked out of her life. James had been twenty-seven, and hadjust started a small software company. Ironically, it had been exactly the same thing Matt had hoped to do.
At the time, Laura had warned her about being on the rebound. Although James had taken his time before asking her out, Daisy sometimes wondered if shehadbeen on the rebound. How long did it take to get over someone, anyway?
Even now, she wondered had she simply not wanted to be on her own after Matt had left. It would have been hard, she knew, but everyone said that being single for a while made you more independent, more discerning.
Immediately, she felt guilty for thinking she mightn’t have ended up with James, if she’d been more discerning. James was such a good guy. Even if hewaspretty distracted these days. She watched as he added some seasoning to the korma, beaming at Alma as she stirred it in. Definitely distracted!
“Oh, I nearly forgot.” James reached into his pocket.
For a brief moment Daisy allowed herself to imagine that he’d got her something. Before they’d bought their house two years before, they’d regularly surprised each other with little fun gifts. She suppressed a sigh as James handed Alma a small, unwrapped box.
“For your collection!”
Alma’s face lit up as she opened it and pulled out a plastic figurine with an oversized head. “A Funko Pop!” She flushed. “Thank you so much!
For a moment, Daisy thought she was going to launch herself into his arms. Instead, she grinned stupidly at him for another long moment.
Daisy forced another smile. Ever since Alma had told James that her big brother used to buy her Stranger Things Funko Pops – little figures with tiny bodies and giant heads – and how much she missed him since coming to study in Ireland, James hadsurprised her a few times by buying them for her instead. Alma had tried to pay him, but he’d always refused.
Daisy tried to ignore the niggling feeling that it was downright weird to buy gifts for someone who rented a room from them.
As James ladled out the curry into some mismatched bowls that Daisy had picked up from their local Oxfam shop, she mentally skimmed over the events of the morning.
After some persuasion, Laura had asked Brian for Matt’s new number, and Daisy had agonised for ages over what to message him. In the end, she’d simply texted:Hi Matt, I heard you were back. Congrats on buying Granary House. I’d love to pitch for its redesign, and would be delighted to give you a very competitive quote. Best, Daisy.
She’d checked her phone during the day, but he hadn’t replied. It had taken her until the afternoon to pluck up the courage to ask Laura to check the number with Brian. Laura had shot her a worried look, but she’d double-checked the number.
Daisy tried to rationalise Matt’s lack of response. Clearly, he’d never expected to hear from her. He might have even thought her pitch was an excuse to see him. Embarrassment curled through her. The last thing she wanted was Matt to think she was still pining for him. She didn’t want his pity. In fact, she wanted him to know that she was fine. Better than fine! She wanted to prove to him that she’d made a success of her life. In every single way that mattered.
