‘Thanks,’ she said as they took the flowers from her. ‘I thought I could get it in one trip. Probably should have made two. Make sure Mary sees these. We spoke on the phone, but she wanted me to do a trial run.’ She was speaking mainly to Jack, and Elliot could see the moment she realized she should acknowledge him, that as his girlfriend she would definitely acknowledge him.
‘Elliot!’ She hesitated and then wrapped him in an awkward hug. Especially awkward because he still held a large flower arrangement in one hand. ‘I’m so glad to see you… sweetie.’
Sweetie?
‘Uh… right. Me, too… honey.’
He could hear Jack snickering behind him.
‘I thought of you while I made these arrangements,’ Daisy said. Her voice was far too loud for the quiet lobby. ‘I think they came out really…romantic.’
A couple seated by the fireplace glanced in their direction, confused by the volume of Daisy’s voice.
‘What are you doing?’ Elliot whispered.
‘Just play along,’ Daisy hissed back.
‘Jack already knows.’
She pulled away, suddenly, leaving Elliot regretting mentioning that fact. If he hadn’t, they might still be hugging. ‘He does?’
‘Yep,’ Jack said with a smug smile. ‘But you were very convincing,sweetie.’
‘Oh, shut up.’
‘I thought we decided on no pet names,’ Elliot said, still reeling from the feel of Daisy pressed up against him.
‘You told Jack?’
‘Well, you told Iris.’
‘I will take it to my grave!’ Jack called as he placed one of the arrangements on the mantel. He smiled at the confused guests. ‘We’re just working on a little play.’
Daisy squeezed her eyes shut like she was regrouping.
‘Okay, that’s okay as long as no one else knows.’
Gabe appeared from the second-floor guest rooms, pausing halfway down the stairs. ‘Hey, Jack. Could you come up here a minute? We have an issue in one of the rooms. Looks like we might need to get a plumber out.’
‘Oh, of course.’ Jack smoothed down his pastel plaid vest and went to follow Gabe, but not before glancing over his shoulder at Elliot. His smile was a mix of excitement and terror at being alone with Gabe. Or maybe at whatever plumbing issue he was about to find. Elliot gave him a thumbs-up for encouragement.
By the time the two men had climbed the stairs, Daisy had pulled herself together and had a new look of determination on her face.
‘I think we need to go on some dates. To be more… convincing,’ she whispered, glancing over at the couple by the fire who no longer seemed to have any interest in them. Daisy tugged him by the arm back to the front desk anyway. ‘We need to be seentogether.’
Together.
‘Okay, what did you have in mind?’
‘Well, we’re still on for Beltane, right?’
‘Wouldn’t miss it.’
Daisy tapped a finger against her lips as she thought. ‘I guess I haven’t actually dated in a while…’
‘What did you used to do with David?’
Her frown made him sorry he’d asked. ‘Mostly whatever he wanted to do, which toward the end wasn’t much. Probably should have been a red flag. One of many.’
