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‘Ifyou say so.Ofcourse you can exist without a man.GodknowsIdo most of the time asBarry’saway so much.’SheeyedDaisywith a twinkle. ‘Muchmore fun with them around though.AndIreckon your mum has found that out.’
Daisyslumped over the counter, laying her head on her hands. ‘Ijust don’t know howIfeel about it,’ she wailed.
‘Jealous?Leftout?Furiousshe didn’t tell you?’
‘Yeah.Maybe.Possiblyyes to all the above.’
‘Itmay have escaped your attention, sweetie, but your mother is a grown-up.She’sentitled to a private life.’
‘Noshe’s not.She’smy mum!’
‘Whatdo you tell us when we get on your case about your love life, or the lack thereof?’
‘Itell you allto back off.’
Mariontook another biscuit. ‘Thereyou go.’Shebrandished it in triumph but there was an unusual gentleness in her tone.
Daisy’sbottom lip quivered. ‘It’scoming up to the anniversary ofDad’sdeath.Endof the month.’
‘Oh, my darling,I’msorry.’Marionreached out again. ‘Maybethat’s another reason why your mum didn’t tell you.Delicatetime and all, even after all these years.’
‘Possibly.Perhapsshe thinksI’dmind?’
‘Doyou?’
‘Idon’t know.’Daisy’sface contorted with conflicting emotions. ‘Idon’t think so.Imean,Iwant her to be happy.ButI’ma bit worried he’s stringing her along, after her money, messing her about.’
‘FromwhatIcan see he’s a really nice guy.Loveshis family, his little dog, said he wants to become part of the community.Don’tthink he’ll be after her money, he’s loaded.Asfor messing her about, well none of us know that, do we?Lookat you and yourNeville.’
‘Exactly.’Daisysighed. ‘IsupposeI’llhave to just wait until she tells me all about him herself.’
‘Andmaybe get out on a few more dates yourself?’
Daisyswilled the tepid dregs of her tea moodily. ‘Notsure there’s anyone out there for me.’
‘Rubbish.Everypot has its lid.Orevery shoe has its foot, or something like that.YouknowMia’sstarted going out with someone, don’t you, although how she finds the time with all her jobs,Idon’t know.’
‘IsitBenfrom school?’
‘Yes.’Marionlooked vaguely affronted that it wasn’t news. ‘Howdid you guess?’
‘Shewent all pink and girly when he walked into church forGretel’smemorial service.Ofcourse!’Daisyexclaimed suddenly. ‘Fleur!Colinis the friendMumis walking her for.Ishould haveguessed something was going on when she went all soppy over her.Dogs!’
‘Dogsindeed,’Marionreplied crisply. ‘Can’tstand the smelly hairy things myself.’Shepeered into the now empty biscuit packet, having demolished most of them.Shecrumpled it up. ‘You’veeaten all of these,Daisy.Willhave to get you to my gym.’
‘OrmaybeIshould get a dog?Gettalking to a handsome fellow dog walker who just happens to be single?Andyou, cheeky cow,Ionly had three, that was a full packet!Firstjob of the morning.Offyou go, replenish supplies and while you’re at it, get a couple ofBelgianbuns fromBella’s.Extraicing on mine.Ineed sugar.I’min shock.’
Marionhuffed but collected her purse and went.
Daisywatched her teeter out.Sky-high scarlet stilettoes this morning.Daisyhad no idea how she wore them all day.Shepinned her best professional smile on her face asAggieandAustincame in.Thesetwo,MiaandBenand her mother and her mystery man.EvenMarionandBarry.Everyonewas coupled up.Excepther.Perhapsshe should get a dog after all.Atthe rate she was going, it would be the only way she’d ever be assured of unconditional love.Thatand a wet nose.BayRadioblasted out ‘WhoLettheDogsOut’ to underscore the point.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ithad been the final meeting withHonorthat hadDaisydecided.Thebride-to-be had come in with her mother to finalise the last-minute details about the wedding flowers and to arrange for whenDaisycould get into the church and marquee to arrange the flowers for there.Honorwas looking tired and harassed.Itwas as close to a celebrity wedding asLullburyBaycould get and the town was making the most of it.DespiteHonor’sobvious exhaustion, though, her happy glow shone through.Itbubbled up and out and infectedMarion,Miaand herself.They’dall ended up in giggles.True, the laughter bordered on the hysterical, but it turned out to be a happy chaotic appointment.
DaisyadmiredHonor.Shealso saw herself in her.Afellow professional,Honorhad suffered her own fair share of heartbreak and, up to meetingJago, had devoted herself to her career.Shenow seemed to be happily managing teaching and a full life outside the classroom.IfHonorcould do it,Daisywas willing to give it a go.Itwas simply a case of finding the right man to help force through that balance.Itwas such a shameJagoandHonoronlyhad sisters between them.Withgenes like theirs, any single male relative would be a contender on her dating wish list.
Daisywas determined to avoid any whiff of self-pity, although confessed to the odd misery fest when having time to indulge in a quart of chocolate ice cream and a romcom or two.Shewas a logical person who had diagnosed a problem in her life, so she would seek a solution.Thescientist in her was coming to the fore.Surely, if she went on enough dates, met enough men, she’d find one who met her criteria.She’ddecided under forty-five, working and a sense of humour was the absolute minimum.Asit looked as ifRickandMintywere still definitely an item, she resolutely banished the other factors on her tick list: thick dark hair, warm brown eyes permanently on the edge of humour and a pair of firm thighs encased in snug chinos.Afterall, you had to compromise on something.
