She’d watched Noah at the bar with Charlie and he wasn’t happy with the exchange. She wanted to find out what that was but the servers were bringing out the first course. She’d need to remember and ask him later … if he’d tell her. She smiled at him, hoping he knew it was to support him. It seemed to perk him up as he returned it, along with the dimple. It seemed strange that they’d be sat across from each other rather than beside each other like the other couples on the table. If they’d been quicker to the table they could have swapped the name tags she thought with a grin. Yes, doing things outside her tiny comfort zone was definitely going to be fun and she was sure Noah was the one to show her how to do it. Freya always had her down as the sensible one and she was grateful for all she’d done for her but Daisy wasn’t sure whether sensible was the best way she wanted to be described. It no longer felt right. Sure, she’d been sensible all through college, preferring to study instead of party, but that was because it was part of her plan. Not because she didn’t want to party. She often longed to tag along with Freya to all the different campus parties but she’d promised herself that she needed to achieve top grades to ensure she received the best career opportunities after she graduated.
She’d long forgotten how to have a life outside work and now she’d achieved her goal of getting a high paying job and never having to want for anything financially, she realized her life was empty. The goal she’d set as a disappointed fourteen year old and had never deviated from, hadn’t turned out like she’d hoped. She knew she was missing out on life and was grateful that she’d finally realized that this weekend. She shuddered to think if she hadn’t of come here, she’d still be in denial about her life.
Daisy made small chat with the men at either side of her at the table. One was married to Jennifer, a woman she’d gone to college with. He’d pulled out his cell to show her photo’s of their little girl who looked about a year old. He was so proud of his daughter, and his wife. It was lovely to hear and made her feel even more strongly that she was missing out on something. It wasn’t like she’d tried and failed at relationships, she just hadn’t tried. It wasn’t part of the plan.
In her mind she pictured the plan, written down on a piece of paper as a checklist. Everything on the checklist had been ticked off long ago. She took great delight in ripping it to pieces and throwing it to the wind. She would need to do the same with the original in her bedside cabinet at home. She was going to make a new plan that would lead to happiness, not just financial security.
Excusing herself she made her way to the bathroom. When she came out of the stall Freya stood in front of her with her hands on her hips, wearing a what the hell do you think you are doing look.
“What?” Daisy asked, as she washed her hands in the sink, then walked towards the dryer. Looking over her shoulder to see if she was going to get an explanation from Freya. No? Well with her new found confidence she was going to push for an answer. “Are you going to tell me what’s got your panties in a twist?”
Freya slumped her shoulders. “Daisy I’m sorry. I saw you with Noah and freaked out that you were falling for his womanizing charm but I forgot that you were, well you, and you’d see through him in a heartbeat. I love Noah, I do but I also see how he disregards women and I don’t want that for you.” She looked like she’d been up to something behind Daisy’s back and knowing Freya that could mean anything. “I tried to set you up with my cousin Paul but he’s sick and couldn’t be here.”
“You what? How could you Freya?”
“Relax he’s not here, but there are a few hopefuls going to be here tomorrow night.”
“Freya!” Daisy was freaking out, the last thing she wanted was to be someone’s pity date. “I’m not interested in being set up, not now and not ever. Please hear me on this, promise me. Set them up with your other single friends. I know how much you love playing match maker.”
Now Daisy was worried. Freya looked like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Freya, what have you done?”
“It’s my wedding so you can’t kill me, promise me you won’t kill me,” she pleaded. “There aren’t any other single guests, well at least not female ones.”
“What?” she suddenly felt sick. “What. Did. You. Do?”
“Well, as you know most of our friends from college are all in delightfully happy relationships.” Daisy slowly nodded in agreement. “Well I love you like the sister I’ve never had and all you do is work so I thought that this weekend I could help you find someone too.”
Daisy groaned. Out of all the stunts Freya had pulled over the years this had to be the worst, especially as she was the recipient of her ‘help’. She was also angry because instead of focusing on enjoying the best day of her life, Freya had tried to set up Daisy with a date. She loved her for being so selfless and wanting the best for her but this was beyond a joke, and there was one flaw in her plan. “If you wanted to set me up with a date and didn’t want me anywhere near Noah.”
“Yes?” Freya prompted.
“Then why is the only single guy here, Noah?”
“Ah, well, Noah wasn’t supposed to be here but Charlie insisted he be invited, especially as this is his family’s hotel, and as it turns out Paul wasn’t the only single guy to get sick and call off today.”
Daisy wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. The looks she’d got from her other friends throughout the day made sense now. They’d known about Freya’s plan.
Just kill her now.