It felt like as good of a time as any to test my chances. Maybe it was wrong, maybe she would instantly hate me, but I had to know.
I stepped closer, angling myself at her back. She wore another dress today, this one pulled down on her arms so her shoulders were exposed, leaving me with thoughts of wanting to lean down and kiss along the bare skin. It would be so easy, from her shoulder to her neck to her lips.
“It can be pretty simple,” I said, quieter now. “Is Mark happy with you two together?”
“I think so. He hasn’t said otherwise.”
“Is your dad happy that you two are together?”
“Happier than I’ve ever seen him when I’ve dated someone.”
I moved a little closer, her back pressed against me now. “And what about you? Is the perfect prom queen as happy as she’s trying to look?”
She stepped away, turning back to me with wide eyes and nostrils flaring. “I don’t think that’s any of your business anymore, is it? And don’t call me that again. It’s been ten years since I was any sort of prom queen, and I don’t like you calling me that. I need to go. I have to go find Mark and my dad. He has Bailey with him, and I’m sure they are both ready for a break.”
She was already trying to walk away, but I followed after her.
“Daisy,” I said, hating how much I loved the way she stopped and immediately turned.
“What?”
“I just want you to be happy, and it looks like you’re doing what you always do and trying to please other people instead of making sure you are happy.”
“You don’t know what is going to make me happy.”
“No, but is being paraded around by Mark and your dad really what you want? Does he know you’re pretending?”
She shrunk back. “Maybe I’m not–”
“Does he know? Is this like what we did? You pretend to date and each gets something out of it. Is that what this is?”
“No,” she said, taking a deep, shaky breath and looking away. “No, it’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like?”
“I don’t know. We are dating, Kye. He takes me out, I go along, he wins his Sheriff stuff, and then…”
“Then? You ride off into the sunset together? You get married? Have a family? Then, what?” I asked. I could hear my temper rising in my voice and feel it in my chest. I wasn’t trying to get upset. When I walked over here, I thought I was going to keep my cool, but now I was learning that she wasn’t actually interested in the guy she was dating.
“Does he know?” I asked.
She gave a half-hearted shrug with one shake of her head.
“Daisy.” This time it really did sound like I was scolding her.
“Kye!” she said, matching my tone. “You have no room to judge my life. You walked out of it. You don’t get to throw your judgment at me the moment you walk back into it. I have to go.”
I took three steps until I was only inches from her. “You are amazing, Daze. Perfect exactly the way you are, and you do not need to be paraded around for other people’s benefits like that just so they think you are a good girl and staying out of trouble.”
“Isn’t that what we did? Didn’t you like that I was seen as a good girl, and you used it to your benefit?”
I smirked. “Didn’t you like that I was seen as trash who would fight anything that moved, and you used that to your benefit?”
“I never saw you that way.”
“I know that’s a lie, but I’ll let it slide. Do you want to know the difference between what happened with us compared to what’s happening with you and Mark?”
“What?”
“First, we were both in on it. And second.” I reached out, running my fingers down her arm and wishing I could do more. “I think I fell in love with you the moment you kissed me, and I’m pretty sure you fell in love with me. We can say different, but I don’t think much of what happened between us was fake from that night.”
A speaker sounded behind her, and I could hear Mark’s voice.
“I have to go,” she said again, but moved closer.
“Alright. I’m texting you later.”
“You are?”
“I can call you if that’s better?”
“No. Texting is fine,” she said, but I could see the confusion.
Part of me did feel bad that her relationship didn’t seem to be everything she hoped for, but the other part of me was hopeful.
There might still be a chance that Daisy could love me again.
FORTYDAISY
