Page 17

‘And how did you take that news?’ Daisy asked, trying to imagine the situation. She knew how much effort Theo had put into proposing to her and, as much as he was making out that this first proposal wasn’t a big deal, she knew him well enough to know he would have still pulled out all the stops.

‘How was I?’ he said, raising an eyebrow. ‘I was pissed off. At first, that is, but not for long. Everything Heather had said was completely true, and I got that. It took maybe a week or so, but honestly, not any longer than that. I don’t think she even mentioned the proposal to anyone. I know I didn’t. Theonly reason that Mum and Dad knew about it was because of my grandmother’s ring. I’d had to ask them if I could have it, even though my grandmother had always wanted me to use it to propose.’

Daisy glanced down at her hand and the gemstones. Would she ever be able to look at it and not see Theo down on one knee, offering a lifetime’s commitment to someone else? She didn’t know.

‘I don’t think Heather even put the ring on her finger,’ Theo said, as if he was reading Daisy’s mind. ‘And I promise you, I truly had forgotten the proposal to Heather. That was how little it meant to me. But the ring… My grandmother and I were close, and I wanted to share that part of my life with you. But I get it, I completely do. If you don’t like it, I will get another one, or you can choose another one, or we can go together and get one. I don’t care, I just want to put this right somehow. I love you. You do know that I love you, don’t you?’

The way his eyes pleaded with Daisy felt like it was tugging directly on every one of her heartstrings.

‘Of course I know that,’ she said. She knew exactly how much Theo adored her. Just like she knew they would get past this. But that didn’t stop how much it hurt. ‘I think I’m just going to need a little time to decide, if that’s okay?’

Theo’s faced turned ashen. ‘About the ring or the proposal?’ he said.

The moment she heard the question come from her lips, she knew what the answer was.

‘Just about the ring,’ she said.

For a second, Theo continued to stare at Daisy, his lips slightly parted, as if he didn’t quite believe what she was saying.

‘So we’re good? You still want to marry me? Even after I made the most stupid mistake in the world?’

A slight chuckle left her lips. ‘Yes, yes, I do.’

With a loud and nervous laugh that quickly turned into a sigh, Theo dropped his head onto Daisy’s shoulder.

‘You know I love you more than anything else in the world,’ he said as he moved to kiss her, but before he could, Daisy backed away.

‘Just one more thing,’ she said, placing her hand on his chest.

‘Anything, just ask.’

‘I really don’t want to spend tonight at your parents’. Can you ring that hotel, see if we can check in a night early?’

A look of relief washed over Theo’s face.

‘God yes. I will do it right now.’

24

Despite all their pleadings, the hotel didn’t have a room for the extra night.

‘It’s fine. I can just stay in the guest room and out of your parents’ way,’ Daisy said. ‘Or maybe I can just go for a very long walk in the garden and stay outside until they’ve gone to bed.’

‘You’ll be hard-pressed to manage that,’ Theo replied. ‘They’re complete night owls. They never go to sleep until they’ve had several night caps, but…’

He tilted his head to the side, and a slight smile twisted the corner of his lips.

‘Theo?’ Daisy said, knowing full well that his look meant he had just thought of something.

‘I have an idea. Give me a minute, I just need to go into the house and see if I can find something.’ He opened the car door and was halfway out when he changed his mind. Climbing back in, he kissed Daisy quickly on the cheek, before leaving for real. ‘I won’t be long,’ he called from the front door.

Ten minutes later, Daisy glanced at her watch. Theo’s idea of a minute was obviously substantially longer than hers and yet she wasn’t sure what else she could do other than wait. Shedidn’t want to go back into the house and could only imagine how Penelope would react if she stood outside and shouted his name, but she could always phone him. Ringing Theo to see how much longer he was going to be felt like the sensible option. Yet as she looked at the screen and prepared to hit Theo’s number, her phone started ringing itself. Only it wasn’t Theo calling her. Instead, Bex’s name flashed on the screen.

Worried that perhaps something was wrong with the café, Daisy answered.

‘Is everything okay?’ she asked. ‘Has something happened?’

‘Wow, now that almost sounds like you don’t trust us.’ Bex laughed. ‘Everything’s fine. I just thought I’d give you a quick ring. It has been manic, though. How do you do this five days a week?’