“I’m going to go with ‘I blew his mind.’”
Vivian laughed and threw a plastic cup at Daisy. “Confident much?”
She deflected the ammunition easily. “Once I stopped trying to analyze everything, I was feeling pretty great.”
“I’ll bet.”
They giggled.
Though they were having a grown-up conversation in front of a ten-year-old, they were super careful about their vocabulary. Saying things likehis attentioninstead ofkisskept the atmosphere PG.
Jason shot off two rounds, knocking out the center cup. Because of the way Vivian stacked them, the majority of the tower remained intact. He squinted and reloaded.
“So are you guys a thing?” Vivian asked as she picked up the cups that had been knocked down.
“I have no idea. It felt like a lot more than just a thing. There was a real connection there—stronger than anything I’ve ever felt before.”
“Aunt Daisy, can you move your skirt?” Jason asked.
“Please,” reminded Vivian.
“Please,” he parroted.
“Sure, bud.” Daisy tucked her skirt tighter under her legs to give him the best shot. “Do you think I should talk to him?” she asked.
Vivian rubbed her lips together as she thought. Jason did the same thing as he aimed. Daisy smiled, wondering if either of them saw the resemblance. “Maybe I’m in a weird mood, but I say enjoy the ride.”
Daisy balked.
“I know. I know. But hear me out.”
Jason shot out a corner cup and half the tower tumbled. “Yes!” He clenched his fists in celebration.
Daisy braced herself. “I’m listening.”
“I think—and this is just speculation—but I think you and Beckett have some latent feelings for each other.”
Daisy cocked a grin, thinking of Beckett saying he’d wanted to kiss her since she was sixteen.
“And it’s possible that these feelings are left over from your teen years. Once you act on them, they’ll fade, and you’ll realize that at the bottom of all this you’re better as friends.”
Daisy tucked her hands under her legs. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”
“Of course not—you’re adrift in a sea of …” Vivian glanced down at her son. “…stuffthat happens when you pay close attention to someone new.”
Daisy held back a laugh. “Yes, it does.” She could definitely say there were a lot of hormones circling and her head swirled with the memory of being held in Beckett’s arms. However, the idea this was all going to seep away the more theypaid attentionto one another wore like pants that gave her a muffin top. But she couldn’t throw out the idea as a possibility either.
Needing a distraction from the uncomfortable tightness around her midsection, she asked, “So, why is it that you claim to be my best friend and you don’t tell me you want topay attentionto my brother?”
Vivian’s chin lifted. “Because I don’t.”
“Bull.”
“I don’t,” Vivian said more forcibly. “I just got out of asituationwhere I was responsible for a man’s debt. I don’t want to go anywhere near that again, and Quinton has more debt thanthat other guy.” Bysituationshe meant marriage, and bythat other guyshe meant her ex-husband.
Sibling loyalty brought Daisy to the defensive. Quinton was in debt, but he was living with Daisy so he could throw every penny he made at loans. “Quinton is not likethat other guy. At all. He wouldn’t physically harm a soul and he takes full responsibility for his credit.”
“I know, but then there’s the whole friends thing.”
