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‘Iwas put on a warning to improve.Hada bit of time off for stress and then my aunt died.’
‘I’msorry.’Rick’ssympathy was heartfelt.Itseemed he was okay in the listening stakes too.
‘Thanks.Yeah, it was rough forMumfor a while, she was her only sister.Sheleft me some money which was a huge surprise asIdidn’t know her very well; she moved toScotlandwhenIwas a baby.SoImade some decisions.Themoney meantIwasableto make some decisions.Decidedto leave teaching and open a business.Sothat’s whatIdid.’Shepicked up her burger and resumed eating.Thesimple explanation didn’t encompass the hard work and study, the expense in setting up a business, the sheer hard grind.Notto mention the loneliness.Butshe’d done it.Shewas proud of herself and deeply grateful to herAuntyMarie.Herinheritance had given her an opportunity she could only dream of.
‘Youmake it sound simple, but it can’t have been.Itsounds incredibly brave.’
Daisygave him a huge smile.Heunderstood.Hereally understood!Thethought was a thunderbolt:Icould fall in love with this man ifI’mnot careful.
‘Whatmade you decide on a flower shop?’Rickpicked up a couple of fries and ate them.
‘Well, there was one for sale, for a start,’ she said simply. ‘Itseemed the logical thing to do.’Itwasn’t entirely true but it was the flippant shortcut answer she gave out when asked.
‘Areyou always so logical?’Hehad a teasing look in his eyes.
‘Maybe.’
‘Andyou enjoy being a florist?’
‘Ilove it.’Noflippancy needed this time.Itwas the truth. ‘I’mthere at all the important times in people’s lives.Whenthey have a baby, when they’re ill, birthdays, anniversaries, when they’re getting married, when they die.I’mright at the heart of the community.’Inher excitement she waved her burger around, threatening to spray tomato slices around the beer garden.
‘Whenthey need to say sorry.’
‘Thattoo.It’sas if the whole town is my family andIcan join in with all their key moments.’
‘Somefamily.’
Daisy’seyes went huge. ‘Youcan say that again.Itgives extended a whole other meaning and, trust me, with theWiscombefamily being the size it is,Idon’t need any extra relatives.It’sfun though.Iknow all my regulars, get to know thevisitors and the second homeowners.I’vequite a few businesses who have contracts with me.Iwouldn’t do anything else.’
‘And, whenIopen my restaurant, you can supply the flowers.Ilike flowers on a dining table.’
‘SodoI.It’sa deal!’Shemet his look and a beat of understanding passed between them.Sheput the rest of her burger down, no longer hungry.Herface felt suddenly very hot.
‘I’msorry,Ididn’t mean to make you the butt of gossip.Earlieron,Imean.’
‘Trustme, if there was no gossip, this town would invent some.Don’tworry about it.’
‘I–’Hepaused. ‘Ilike you,Daisy.Alot.Ilike talking to you like this.Youmake things make sense.’
Daisyblushed even harder.
‘Mintyisn’t interested.’
Anotherthunderbolt but this one showered pure ice.Ithad the effect of bringing her right back down to earth with a resounding bump.Washe really offering ‘the wife doesn’t understand me’ excuse?Thedisappointment lodged in her throat, solid and cold.Aftera frigid pause she asked, ‘Areyou serious about opening a restaurant here then?’Hervoice fractured.Jigger, the pub’sLabradorambled over.Shefed him fragments of burger which he ate greedily and then tickled his black ears, concentrating on his soft glossy coat.Shedidn’t want to meetRick’seyes.Shedidn’t know what he was playing at.Neville’sduplicity misted round her.Shecouldn’t believeRickmight be the same.
‘Icould be.’
‘You’dbest get yourself toBerry-Francisthen.Theyhave commercial as well as residential property on sale.’Daisykept her voice matter of fact.Thehurt lodged in her gut.
‘Iwill.’
Itwas no good, she couldn’t stay and make small talk anymore.Ifhe was trying to do the dirty on his girlfriend with her, he had another thing coming.Hottears pricked.Shehadto get out of here before she embarrassed herself.Bloodymen.Theywere all the same. ‘Well, thanks for lunch butIreally have to get back to work now.’Daisystood up. ‘Bye,Rick.Seeyou around.’
Itwas only when she got back to the shop that she remembered she hadn’t paid for her lunch and thatRickhadn’t returned to collect his flowers.
‘Well, tough titties,Minty,’ she muttered. ‘You’lljust have to make do with a motorway service-station bouquet that your beloved can pick up on the way home, or go without for once.’
Chapter Nine
