(NOW)
An hour later, Daisy stands in the doorway to say goodbye to the Stepford fucking family.
Of course she would love them. But they were weird. Way too perfect. They must be hiding something.
She hands a carrier bag to the family. “Can you give these to the paparazzi at the bottom of the hill? They’ve been out there all day. They must be hungry. And thirsty.”
“You are not giving snacks to the paparazzi,” I say.
She turns to me. “No. I’m giving snacks to Rosalie. And Colin. And—”
I throw my hands up in the air.
I’m frustrated and confounded and confused by how she’s handling her fifteen minutes of fame. This entire time, Chase and I have been treating her like a fragile creature who could break at the wrong look.
But she’s got the spotlight of millions on her, and she’s blithely unconcerned.
Probably because she says she’s not Googling herself.
I don’t either. I broke that destructive habit years ago, and it was the best thing I ever did. But I didn’t think she’d be strong enough to withstand that temptation. Maybe Chase and I have underestimated her all these years. Maybe her experiences, and the parts of her that shattered and had to be stitched back together, strengthened rather than weakened her.
“Don’t change the subject.” Daisy interrupts my thoughts. “I can’t believe how you treated that perfectly lovely family!”
“The dad looked guilty of something. I don’t trust him. And the daughter was too rough with Archie.”
“She was not. She was sweet.”
“She squeezed him. He could have damaged an organ.”
“She hugged him gently! They were the best candidates out of all we have. Now I’m going to have to start from the beginning.”
I shrug. “I’m not letting him go to just anyone,” I say, petting Archie.
My heart does a flip when he turns his brown eyes on me. But I push that away. Archie deserves the best. And that isn’t me. “We have time. I can’t leave when there are still paparazzi atthe gates and you refuse to do what my publicist advises. I also noticed you moved your things to the pool house. You shouldn’t have done that. It’s safer here.”
“I movedbackto the pool house. Where I was before I hurt my ankle. And it’s perfectly safe because Duncan is overseeing enough bodyguards to protect the Queen’s jewels.”
“You’ve been avoiding me. And you won’t let me explain, apologize.” I take a step closer. “Whatever you overheard that day of the dog party. It’s—” I look up at the ceiling, trying to find the words. “It’s not right. I don’t think you’re a nuisance.”
“Menace.”
“What?”
“You said I was a menace. Not a nuisance. Though you probably thought that adjective as well. And that I followed you around like a little lost puppy.”
“Hell, Daisy. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you. I’m sorry you heard that. I care about you.”
She sighs. “I know you do. But you can care about me and still think I’m a menace. It’s exactly how brothers feel about little sisters.”
I shake my head. “I sure as hell know you’re not my sister. Just because I can’t break your brother’s trust doesn’t mean I think of you that way.”
Daisy’s eyes are on my shoes, but we’re standing only inches apart now. I lean down and put a finger under her chin. Her skin is the softest silk.
She lifts her head with my silent urging, and our eyes meet. My throat goes dry and my heart pounds. I swallow. “I’m sorry I said those things. I shouldn’t have. And they weren’t—”
The front door swings open with a thud.
We jump apart.
