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“One day, Daisy, someone will be.”
And I wouldn’t be around to see it.
Chapter Thirty
Daisy
My mama tapped on my door as I was getting ready to head out. Tonight was my last shift at High Bar, and I was running late. I hated being late.
“Look.” She held up a handful of black material.
“What am I looking at?” I asked.
She shook the material out and pinched it between her fingers. “It’s Reed’s Andes vest.”
I gasped, shocked at the state of it. Dirty and ripped in a couple spots, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Reed had loved his vest. How could he have let it get like this?
“He hasn’t been wearing it lately but wouldn’t tell me why. You think he might’ve torn it up riding his bike?”
She shook her head. “He hid this. Dad found it this morning when he ran something out to the garbage at the curb. Reed must’ve snuck it in there last night after Dad put the can out. I was hoping he’d said something to you about it.”
“No,” I whispered. “He hasn’t said anything. In fact, when Miles asked him where his vest was, he made excuses.”
“Something’s not right. I don’t like him being secretive.”
She didn’t need to say it reminded her too much of Quinn.
“I don’t like it either, but he also has a right to privacy. Let’s just keep an ear out, and I’ll ask Miles to be vigilant too. All right?”
She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I suppose that’s all we can do.” Then she looked me over. “You look gorgeous. Are you goin’ to work?”
“Yep. I told Nick I’m done. I’ve picked up too much web work, and I see Grazing taking off in the coming months. I don’t need three jobs.”
She held up her hand, and I slapped my palm against hers. “Good goin’, babe. I’m so proud of you for taking a chance and going after what you’ve always wanted. Do you know how few people do that? How many live stagnant because it feels safe?”
Why did my mind conjure Miles’ smiling face? I might as well have kicked myself in the shin.
“I don’t know, Mama. I just know it feels good to be moving forward.”
I just had to swallow down the bad and concentrate on what I had.
Duke and Lloyd were making me wistful. Nick’s foul mood, on the other hand, was making my decision to leave High Bar a lot easier.
Nick had no reason to snark at me. I wasn’t even really his employee. Me arriving ten minutes late barely affected him. He gave me attitude anyway and had been ever since.
About an hour into my shift, a group of women sitting in Bea’s section waved me down. When I recognized them, my mood lifted. Saoirse, Elise, Clara, and Shira were here.
I walked over to their table with a big smile. “Cupcakes, charc cups?” I offered.
“Oh my god, how cute are you?” Saoirse exclaimed.
Elise pressed her hands to her cheeks, her diamond-encrusted wedding band glinting in the light. “I love this whole thing. You look like you stepped out of a movie from the fifties.”
“Thank you.” I did a little curtsy. “You’re lucky you came in tonight. It’s my last one. I’m retiring from being a cupcake girl.”
“Oh, I know. Miles told us, so we planned an impromptu girl’s night,” Elise explained. “We couldn’t miss this.”
Again, thoughts of Miles left me with a sharp pain. Since Elise and Weston’s wedding two weeks ago, we’d had a couple dinners, worked on his house, and had gone to two events, but it hadn’t been the same. We’d kept a respectful distance. No hugging, no flirting, nothing. Even faking it in public together, at most, he’d graze my back or brush my arm. Except once.
