Page 22 of The Secret Holiday Kiss

Daisy laughed. ‘An LP, of course. Who do you think it is? Journey, or Meat Loaf?’

‘“Bat Out of Hell”. You know that’s my karaoke song?’

‘The full ten-minute version?’

‘Of course.’ He looked affronted. ‘I don’t mess around when it comes to Meat Loaf. Music-wise or the foodie version.’

‘Good to know.’ Daisy grinned, and for a moment she and Avery just stared at each other.

‘I’d love to see what your parcel is too,’ May said quietly.

‘You can call me for an update as well,’ Daisy told her, blinking out of her staring contest.

‘Oh, and Daisy?’ Winnie called, as they turned towards the door, ‘We would love to chat with you at some point. About fancy lights and colour swatches.’

‘Oh.’ Excitement fizzed through her. ‘Perfect. I’ll pop in tomorrow, shall I?’

‘I’ll be here,’ Winnie said.

As Daisy went to leave, she noticed that Avery was looking at her, a puzzled expression on his handsome face. Would he love that she was getting herself involved in his house build? Not a chance. Did she see antagonizing him as a bonus of offering her services to Mary and Winnie? Absolutely. Being back in Mistingham was affecting her in all sorts of strange ways, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. She gave him a coy little wave, then left the hotel with Sophie and May, fully replenished after their wonderful lunch and with new opportunities at her fingertips.

Chapter Seven

Daisy waited until she and Sophie had said goodbye to May before she allowed herself to feel curious about the parcel she’d received. May’s cottage was on the other side of the village, on a quiet road behind the bakery, and Daisy couldn’t help wondering what it looked like.

She’d always found May intriguing. She hadn’t ever been able to get a handle on her, because she could be outgoing, full of ideas, generous with her time and her kindness, or she could be quiet and intense, as if she was observing the world from a distance. So she was curious about May’s house, and she also wanted to see the work Avery had done.

‘Thanks for lunch,’ she said to Sophie as they reached the manor, the warmth enveloping her like a hug. ‘It was good to get away from work.’

‘Are you going straight back to it?’

‘I’m going to spend some time researching flint cottages,’ she said. ‘Winnie wants to chat about their house, so I need to be prepared.’

Sophie grinned. ‘You’re the most organized person I know.’

‘The more prepared you are, the less likely things are to trip you up. That’s what I thought until recently, anyway.’

Sophie squeezed her arm. ‘You’re getting back on your feet.’

‘I’ve had to escape to my newlywed brother’s house because I bought a flat with huge structural issues. That’s not the sort of thing I do.’

‘You need to cut yourself some slack,’ Sophie said gently. ‘You’ve had such a hard time. Your whole life has changed. You can’t expect to land on your feet like a cat.’

‘I should be able to, though.’ She really felt that way. Since losing her mum, losing her happy, close family unit, she had made it her mission to get her life in order, to test everything before she committed, to always be prepared. She thought she was future-proofing her happiness, but Stefan, the man she had loved, had trusted, had destroyed her foundations.

‘Be kind to yourself,’ Sophie said. ‘Let yourself feel at home here. Rest and recuperate. Tell your inner, highly organized voice to shut it for a bit.’ She grinned, and Daisy laughed.

‘Shut it. Right. I’m good at saying that to other people, but not so much to myself.’

‘I’m going to walk the dogs. I don’t suppose you fancy a bracing stomp around the estate?’

‘I should really do this research,’ Daisy said gravely. ‘Perhaps in front of the fire, with a nice hot chocolate and a blanket over my knees.’

Sophie narrowed her eyes. ‘Unfair. I’ll join you when I’ve worn out the pooches, if I can?’

‘Of course,’ Daisy said with a laugh. ‘It’s your house.’

‘Yours too.’