Page 59 of The Life Daisy Devlin Designed
“Great.Um, just run everything by me too, yeah?” A movement behind her made her turn.
Alec was at the door. “Niamh? Kenny’s looking for you downstairs. He wants you to finish something before lunch.”
“Tell him I’ll be there in a few,” Niamh said.
Alec smirked. “Tell him yourself, kiddo.” He sauntered off.
There was an awkward silence after he left, and Daisy was acutely aware that Niamh seemed annoyed and embarrassed.
“I’ll catch up with you later, Matt.” Niamh’s smile seemed a bit forced. “I guess I’d better see what Kenny wants.”
“Sorry if I went over your head, Daisy,” Matt said, after Niamh went back downstairs. “I guess she made me realise how dark the house might be in winter.”
Not to mention lonely, Daisy thought, looking around.
“No problem. Just remember there’ll be lots of occasional lighting, and dimmer switches on your wall and ceiling lights. Anything new should be in keeping with the overall design.”
A slow smile spread across Matt’s face, and Daisy felt her own face warm. “What?”
He shook his head. “I was just thinking – there’s nothing more attractive than a woman who knows her stuff, explaining to a man who doesn’t.”
Daisy rolled her eyes, but found herself grinning. “You know that’s inherently a sexist remark, don’t you?”
“Sorry.” His smile widened. “Should have known you’d never let me get away with it.”
Daisy’s face grew warmer. “I need to go talk properly to Niamh.” She looked around. “Maybe you could work up here – it might be quieter.”
“Don’t worry about me.” He smoothed down the curls at his neck. “I can work in the guest wing. Kenny said the kitchen gets worse before it gets better. And don’t forget that Kayley and her crew will be here next Monday.”
Daisy raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I’ll stay out of her way as much as I can. Anyway, she has a reputation for being a bit difficult. Or a lot difficult!”
Matt shrugged. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” he said.
There was that phrase again. Daisy had the impression that he wasn’t just thinking about Kayley. Was he thinking about himself? Or, the two of them? Was he afraid to say anything straight out, perhaps hoping she’d let him know how she felt first? But, for that to happen, she needed to find out what had happened five years ago.
She gave a hesitant smile. “Catch you later.”
CHAPTER 26
Daisy was on edge when she got home that evening. She’d left Granary House around lunchtime, and had arrived back to the office to find Laura had gone.
“Did she say where she was going?” she’d asked Fionn.
He’d chewed his lip for a moment. “No, just that she was taking the rest of the day off.”
Which meant if she’d had to stay on in Matt’s, Fionn would have been in the office by himself.
Laura definitely didn’t seem as invested in Discerning Designs as she once had been, and Daisy had the uneasy feeling that she was pulling away. Running their own company together had always been their dream, but now she wondered if Laura might be starting to feel claustrophobic.
Her phone buzzed and she checked to see a message from James.Gone to doc, don’tworry about dinner for me. She messaged a quick thumbs-up and put her phone away. Hopefully it was just a bad cold.
She flung open the fridge door, wondering what Alma would make for dinner. Alma didn’t bother to hide the fact that shewasn’t a fan of Daisy’s cooking, even when she made an effort. She was also pretty sure that Alma had only ever learned to cook for one, and she always made exactly the right amount. Clearly, James’ lessons hadn’t extended as far as the wonderful Irish tradition of making far too much food and having leftovers.
Daisy rooted around in the freezer and found a single sausage – how was there a single sausage, she wondered – and two potato waffles slightly iced over in the bottom of a box.
With a sigh, she threw them all on the grill and poured herself a large glass of wine, drinking a third of it straight away.
When Rosie phoned, Daisy stuck her on speaker.
