Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Daisy was up late again, tucked beneath her covers, her great-aunt’s voice filling her head despite the fact that she’d never heard it before.
Nate took me to the new gin joint in town.
What a laugh that it’s in the basement of the town hall, right beneath the mayor’s nose.
Nate says he’s in on it, but I’m not so sure.
We drank and danced and kissed, and even as I laughed and smiled, I couldn’t let myself be free.
Hadn’t I done this before? Hadn’t I given my heart to a man only to be left behind?
Nate wants more from me. I know he does. But can I give it?
Same, girl, same, Daisy thought. It seemed she and her great-aunt were not just alike in looks. She’d been wondering the same thing all day after kissing Elliot this morning. Could she give him more?
She grabbed her phone.
U up?
Iris replied immediately.
U know I am
Iris picked up on the first ring.
‘Hey.’
‘What’s the little man doing tonight?’
‘Well, he started with a bit of projectile vomiting and now he doesn’t want to be put down.’
‘Iris, are you okay?’
Her friend sighed.
‘Yeah. Just very tired.’
‘You’re doing amazing.’
Iris sniffled. ‘I don’t know why I’m crying.’
‘Probably because you grew and birthed and are now feeding an entire human. And you haven’t had a full night’s sleep in three months.’
‘Oh, yeah, that.’
‘You’re incredible.’
‘Thank you. I don’t feel incredible, but it’s nice to hear.’
‘How’s the new-mom’s group?’
‘It’s really good, actually. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one going through this.’
‘And you’re talking to your doctor?’
Daisy could practically hear the eyeroll in Iris’s answer, and she smiled to herself. ‘Yes, Daisy. I promise. I’m taking care of myself. Now, what is happening with Aunt D and Nate? Fill me in.’
‘Okay, well, they’ve been kissing a lot and drinking in speakeasies.’
‘Scandalous!’
‘Very.’
‘And what about in modern day? What’s going on with Elliot?’
‘Um…’
‘Daisy November, you know about everything in my life. Don’t be stingy.’
‘Okay fine, also kissing. Not so much with the speakeasies.’
Iris gasped far too dramatically for the moment.
‘Kissing?! You’ve been holding out on me.’
‘It just happened!’ Although, she was totally holding out on her friend. Iris knew nothing about The Orgasm Incident or the kissing at Beltane, but Daisy figured there was no point in backtracking now. She’d never hear the end of it.
‘And how was it?’
Daisy had to bite back the dreamy sigh that nearly left her lips.
‘Good.’
‘Liar!’
‘Incredible.’
‘That’s better. I’m happy for you, Daisy.’
‘I don’t know what it means.’
‘Maybe just be thankful for incredible kisses.’
‘More middle-of-the-night wisdom.’
‘You’re welcome. Now read me the next entry.’
Daisy cleared her throat, happy to divert Iris’s attention to her aunt. She read,
August 12, 1925
Nate says he’s going to marry me someday.
I said, we’ll see.
‘She’s sassy. I love that,’ Iris said.
‘Me, too.’
‘Keep going.’
September 3, 1925
If I were a respectable girl, I would have said yes to Nate’s marriage proposal and no to everything else, but I did it all backwards. I gave it all up for free, as my mother would say, and now Nate could leave me ruined if he wanted to. Maybe it’s a test. Maybe I wanted to see if he would.
As for the act itself, I can’t regret it. Nate was as tender and gentle as any man could be.
‘Tender and gentle!’ Iris practically squealed. ‘I think I have a crush on a dead guy.’
Daisy laughed. ‘Me, too.’
‘Aunt D is really into self-sabotage, though. I mean, Nate is obviously sweet and kind and good in the sack. What more did she want?’
‘She’s clearly scared.’
Mercifully, Iris did not call Daisy out for being just as scared as her great-aunt. She was too busy whispering to someone on her end.
‘Daisy? Archer is here to relieve me of baby-holding duty.’
‘Good man.’
‘He is,’ Iris said, the smile clear in her voice. ‘Goodnight, Daisy.’
‘Night, Iris.’
As Daisy ended the call, she knew she should get some sleep, too, but she couldn’t seem to put the little book down. One more entry wouldn’t hurt.
September 18, 1925
John says I can’t keep running around town with Nate and not make an honest man out of him. Lucky for me, John is not in charge. He says he wants me to be happy. He says he hasn’t seen me like this since before William ran off.
He says Nate is nothing like William.
But aren’t all men the same?
What happened to you, girl?! Daisy wanted to shake the book until Aunt D came to her senses. Instead, she threw it across the room.
The irony of her feelings was not lost on her, but sometimes it was just easier to be frustrated with someone else than to turn that feeling on yourself.
Why berate herself for not sealing the deal with Elliot when she could be angry with a long-dead relative?
She pulled the covers over her head and pretended to sleep.
Of course, men were not all the same, but she and her great-aunt sure were.
And at the moment, she didn’t want to know how it ended. For either of them.