7. Daisy
Chapter 7
Daisy
“I t’s official. I need a pool back home,” Daisy mused to herself, keeping her voice at a whisper while approaching the crowded deck chairs. Sweltering heat with an occasional reprieve from the ocean breeze continued into the second week of June, making for perfect poolside weather.
To Daisy, however, unspoken tension intensified the heat. After the confrontation at lunch, she and Jensen stayed out of each other's way. She spent her hours between the spa, shopping on Boutique Block, visiting Giselle while she visited her boyfriend’s family, and going on stupid hikes for peace of mind. She spent most of her time anywhere but in their room.
Unfortunately for her, she enjoyed a dozen Delaney and Easton sightings while trying to mind her business. So, if she kept encountering the two idiots, she deserved an ice-cold cocktail and relaxation time by the pool.
Daisy fixed her sunglasses along the bridge of her nose until the world tinted in a sepia hue. She hoisted her pool bag higher on her shoulder, bouncing against her hip with every stride. Her thin blue cover-up fluttered in the weak breeze.
Daisy’s path wound her past the bigger pools for the kids and families to the adult-only pool. She spotted the volleyball net strung up toward the shallow end and all the alcoves for the swimmers with fresh cocktails filled with people.
Daisy sought out her favorite cluster of deck chairs, enveloped in the shade of a large umbrella. Her spot sat a perfect distance between the full-service bar and the jacuzzi attached to the pool. She got a prime view of the pool while being at the center of the action.
Tossing her bag to her right, Daisy shook her hair from a loose ponytail before reaching for the strings of her cover-up. A simple tug at the loop sitting along the nape of her neck caused the dress to melt off her body.
She picked out her favorite bikini—white with thick blue accents around the edges and silver chains around the hips and between her boobs—for that day. It covered everything for nearby children and families but didn't shield much else.
As a newly single woman, she deserved a pick-me-up to remind her how hot she was. Vacation should be fun; Daisy’s idea of fun included breaking a few necks from how hard people turned to stare.
She bent down to grab her dress from the floor and set up her chair for lounging, but she paused midway when she noticed the jacuzzi.
Easton and two strangers sat in the frothing jacuzzi waters, transfixed on her bent-over figure. Their gazes raked over her exposed body with little remorse, even from her unfaithful ex. Wonder what Delaney would think if she saw Easton gawking like a horny teenager.
Daisy tipped her face away, pretending she hadn’t seen them. Ignoring Easton felt like the right thing to do, especially if she wanted to enjoy her afternoon of poolside fun.
She stuffed her dress away and spruced up her deck chair with her items before someone whistled from behind her. “Look who it is.”
Daisy glanced over her shoulder, finding Jensen wading through the shallow waters of the pool. Behind him, three colleagues—Nelson, Miranda from Marketing, and Holden from Acquisitions—waved from different spots around the volleyball net. “Can I help you with something?”
"We have an uneven number of players for volleyball teams. Any chance you'd want to play?" Miranda held the pink volleyball over her head, all toothy grins and perfectly tan skin under the California sun. Her dark hair glimmered like spilled ink.
“Which one of you is without a teammate?” Daisy raked her eyes over the group curiously. She counted four of them unless Easton planned to waltz his way over and dive in.
“Iris!” Nelson pointed. Halfway across the pool, Iris from Human Resources and Employee Relations flashed a comfortable peace sign from her position in a turtle-shaped pool raft. Her ginger curls barely fit into her messy topknot, and her freckled skin shone from the sunscreen she slathered herself in.
Daisy considered it but shook her head. "Sorry, Iris. I'm going to sit this one out."
“All good. I’m kind of stuck anyway.” Iris rattled her half-filled mai tai glass. She lounged back, drifting further into the deep end.
Daisy turned back, seeing Holden and Jensen setting up on one side of the net and Miranda and Nelson treading toward the other. She stretched out, careful not to let her bikini rise too much.
Miranda held the ball up. "Well, if you're going to spectate on the sidelines, would you mind keeping score for us? We're playing until one side scores five before we shuffle up the teams.”
“I don’t—” Daisy paused when greeted with the pleading of Miranda and Nelson and the quirked brow from Jensen. She liked Miranda and Nelson a lot, so she could spare some time to help. She exhaled, “I can do it. I can still enjoy my music and relaxation from the referee chair.”
“You’re the best!” Miranda exclaimed, tossing the ball neatly into Daisy’s arms. She cradled the volleyball to her chest and nodded.
Her body fought against a laugh when she overheard Holden’s mumbling, “Great. Whichever of us is on Jensen’s team will be an automatic loser.”
“Not unless you don’t carry your weight.” Jensen scowled and sank toward the water. Holden’s cheeks burned. His longer, dirty blond hair hung around his face, hiding more of his embarrassment from Daisy. “I’m always a winner.”
Daisy snorted, "Debatable. As a gesture of goodwill and my commitment to playing fair, you two will serve first.”
Her eyes met Jensen’s as she handed off the ball to Holden, the closer of the two to her side of the pool. Daisy moved the umbrella over before flopping onto her chair, stretched out with her arms draped over the top.
She watched Miranda, Nelson, Jensen, and Holden huddle in their respective teams, giving them time to talk strategy or whatever. While waiting, she reached into her bag for sunscreen, tanning lotion, and her earbuds.
Daisy arranged them into a neat pile on the glass table between her deck chair and the occupied one beside her, clad with one of the standard issue towels of the resort.
As she reached for her sunscreen, she heard Jensen clear his throat. “Could I borrow some of that? I forgot mine back at the suite.”
"Sure," Daisy huffed and grabbed the sunscreen. She spotted Jensen standing at the pool's edge, resting his elbows against the damp walkway. He must've splashed some water over the ground, or else he would've been burning. "Come get some."
The words barely left her mouth before Jensen pushed himself out of the pool. His bare torso glittered with water rivulets streaming over his toned figure. From his shoulders to the peak of his defined v-line, his muscles rippled harder than the waves as he rose onto dry land.
Daisy slumped back in her deck chair as Jensen hovered in front of her, shielding his eyes from the sun with a hand. Daisy’s eyes ran over his body, almost getting stuck on his low-riding, navy blue swim trunks.
Shit, it should be illegal for him to look that good wet. Yes, she experienced it before, but that hardly mattered when his skin glistened so brightly.
Jensen being ridiculously attractive, a good lay and a know-it-all pain in the ass would always bother her. No matter what way she spun it, he existed as pure torture.
"Thanks," Jensen remarked, still dripping onto the stony tiles. His eyes darted between her face and her hand, but when his gaze wandered below her chin, Daisy sat forward. Instantly, his eyes snapped upward, and the bob of his throat elicited a snort from her.
“You might want to dry off first. The sunscreen won’t stay if you’re still wet.”
“You’re right.”
“I usually am.”
“No one can twist a compliment quite like you,” Jensen sighed loudly. Daisy watched their colleagues in the water return to conversations amongst themselves. With a simple jab, they fell back into their normal routine. Emphasis on normal.
"Mind if I sit on your chair?"
Daisy shook her head. “Knock yourself out.”
She scooted to the side as Jensen dried himself off, using the towel on the chair beside her. After a moment, he plopped on the deck chair beside her, palm held out.
Daisy doused her hand in sunscreen, all gloopy and cold compared to the heat outside. She ran her palm over his, splitting the massive blob of sunscreen right down the middle.
Wordlessly, the two began to coat their bodies in the cream, rubbing it into their skin until the stark white faded. Although she refrained from conversation, Daisy observed Jensen in her peripheral vision. Her eyes followed his movements—running his hands across his chest and torso, head rolled back, and eyes closed.
Daisy sped up, squirting a hefty amount onto her sticky fingers to get her back. She tested a few angles, and none felt suitable to apply the lotion. Forget about the tanning oil.
“Need some help getting your back, Your Highness?” Jensen asked, leaning into her view with his elbows perched on his knees. Daisy suspected a trick of the light when his eyes glowed with softness while looking at her.
Daisy clicked her tongue, speaking dryly, “Are you offering?”
Jensen nodded. Not having another option, Daisy smeared the extra sunscreen onto his palm before turning her back to him. She shifted onto her knees, tucking them underneath her ass, while Jensen scooted closer to her on the chair.
"Bold move, Jensen," Daisy whispered, facing forward to the rows of deck chairs behind them. Jensen’s hands pressed into the curve of her spine. The act of him touching her skin awakened every nerve in her body with a violent shiver. “This isn’t very ‘I hate your guts’ of us. The others might notice.”
She bit down on her lower lip when Jensen’s hands trailed downward. He started by her shoulders, coating them in sunscreen with a firm hand, but his path wound down her spine. Every inch his hands dropped, Daisy’s thighs clenched together to stop the treason of her body.
“Maybe they will.” Jensen’s breath skimmed along the nape of her neck. Daisy swore her throat tightened and rasped for air when Jensen murmured,, “But someone else’s watching us.”
Daisy didn’t need to ask who Jensen meant. She glanced toward the jacuzzi in her peripheral vision, where Easton, now joined by Delaney, studied them. Oh, right. Jensen wouldn’t be nice to her without a reason.
From his seat, Easton sat up taller. His arm around Delaney’s shoulders dropped into the water, abandoning his lover. Lucky for him, Delaney seemed newly preoccupied with conversation and the fruity umbrella cocktail in her hand. Easton’s jaw twitched a few times while his eyes narrowed, always timed when Jensen's hands dipped close to Daisy's hips or the imaginary bikini line.
Little did he know, she and Jensen observed his reaction in return.
Daisy leaned forward as Jensen’s hands ran along her sides, wiping off the last bit of sunscreen. He said, “I covered everything. You’re good to go.”
“Your turn.” Daisy grabbed her sunscreen for the last time and coated her hand in the lotion. Jensen, knowing better than to argue, flipped to face the pool. "Sunscreen is no big deal. But I know he's mentally fuming."
“Oh, without a doubt. I’m the guy he felt second place to in your relationship, remember?” Jensen stayed perfectly still while Daisy ran her hands over his sculpted body. She covered his back in sunscreen and quickly turned his face toward her. He had a point.
Daisy painted her fingers over his nose and cheeks, rubbing the lotion in despite Jensen's face scrunching up. As soon as she applied the last bit, she cleaned her hand on his towel. "Try not to lose or get burned, dimwit."
“If you talk to me any nicer, I might start thinking you care about me,” Jensen smirked, rising from the deck chair. He stretched in the sun, forcing Daisy to focus her eyes on a distant point past Jensen. They were supposed to act like they hadn’t explored each other’s bodies before.
Daisy rolled her eyes, waving Jensen away from her sanctuary. By the time she grabbed something to clean off her sticky palms, Jensen vanished into the crystal blue waters of the pool.
His head emerged from the deep end. He shook out his damp hair, pushing toward the volleyball net where Miranda, Holden, and Nelson waited. Daisy leaned back into her deck chair as Jensen served the volleyball, starting the first game of many.
As the official scorekeeper, Daisy held her hands like her scoreboard while she drowned out the shouting, laughter, and general noise with her favorite playlist. Spice Girls and Britney Spears' earliest albums became the soundtrack for the summer afternoon, vibrant and adding some much-needed entertainment between the competitive volleyball game unfolding before her.
Like Jensen promised Holden, he wasn’t about to lose simply because Daisy sat as referee. Poor Miranda and Holden barely survived volleys from Jensen, who cranked the athleticism to a superhuman degree.
Daisy rolled her eyes each time Jensen scored a point, more so when he turned to her and gestured for his victory to be added to the tally. Three back-to-back scores by Jensen against one from Miranda had him playfully flexing for the captive audience of other swimmers.
When Jensen’s back faced her, Daisy lowered her sunglasses and observed his peacocking every so often. With the slight sheen from the sunscreen, his skin gleamed under the sunshine.
Yet, when Jensen spotted her eyes on him and her sunglasses perched lower, he didn’t call out her stare. Somehow, the smirk and subtle wink he shot in her direction shamed Daisy more when she glanced away.
As fast as the game started, Jensen dominated and scored five points to switch teams. Daisy scanned their moving lips to decipher their conversations, too buried in the comfort of her playlist to listen.
“Switch teams,” Daisy remarked while flagging down one of the rotating bar staff. “I’m getting a drink in case anyone else wants one.”
She slid out an earbud as the smiling face of a waitress entered her vision, hearing a small chorus of "No thanks!" or "I've got water" from Miranda, Holden, Nelson, and Jensen amongst all the splashing.
“Can I have your specials for today?”
"Of course, ma'am. Today, we have a blueberry and ginger spritzer, which is alcohol-free. Please let me know if you're interested in our classic cocktails or our regular drink menu."
“The spritzer would be excellent, actually. Thank you,” Daisy said. She gave the waitress her room key, lounging back into her deck chair. She fixed her glasses over her eyes, prepared to slip back into her comfortable state.
But two shadows stretching across her sunlight startled her eyes open, finding the smiling faces of Sandra Foley and Kagami Hirayama. Not one, but two members of the C-suite standing before her forced her to sit up straight.
Sandra and Kagami had been with Hidden Oasis long before Daisy joined the company, but both women’s careers paved the way for Daisy's meteoric rise. Sandra started as the Chief Operations Officer during the early years of Hidden Oasis. Kagami replaced the former general counsel close to fifteen years back.
“Mind if we sit with you?” Kagami gestured to Jensen’s chair. Daisy couldn’t yank her earbuds out fast enough; she might have some sway, but when the top women of the C-Suite asked her for anything, Daisy would bend over backward to accommodate.
“Of course! Please sit.” Daisy kept her voice from cracking as Sandra and Kagami perched on Jensen’s unoccupied chair. The two exchanged a quiet glance before Sandra cleared her throat.
“We won’t bother you for too long.” Sandra adjusted the brim of her floppy sun hat over her newly trimmed, brunette pixie cut, still sporting the ghost of a smile. “Kagami and I have been talking, but we want you to know we’re fully behind you for this CEO thing.”
“Me? I have your endorsement for CEO?” Daisy choked on her tongue but smoothed it over with a cough.
"Absolutely. Sandra and I know our reach is limited on the formal outcome since we don't vote. Still, we hope our endorsement and a verbal campaign on your behalf is a good showing of our support," Kagami assured, brushing sleek strands of dark hair from her face to the jangling of the bangles stacked down her slender wrist.
“And we’ve got a good feeling about you winning it all.” Sandra leaned in more. “We don’t dislike Jensen. He’s a bright young man with great potential, but we see even greater potential in you.”
"There's been a noticeable shift in morale among our female and non-binary employees at the news of your potential appointment as CEO. Someone as young as you and as outspoken about promoting equity across Hidden Oasis has an impact on people's confidence.
"So, we want to keep the momentum going. Whatever you need from Kagami and me—a more involved endorsement, our knowledge of how to win over certain holdouts, moral support as two women who have fought the same uphill battle—it's yours."
Daisy stared at Sandra and Kagami, at a loss for what to say. For the first time, she realized that she wasn’t alone in the fight. Her throat tightened while searching for the words to thank them, to lay herself in their hands and let them help her. She never liked asking, not even when life tried to pull her under.
“I will take everything and anything you give me,” Daisy whispered, arms wrapped around her stomach like a cover. “I will win this. I’ll win this for the company and for us. How much harder have we worked to reach the positions we’re in, and how much easier can we make it for those who come behind us?”
“That’s what we like to he—” Kagami’s voice cut out when a pink blur shot past them, bouncing to a stop against the leg of the table. Daisy leaned over, scooping up the damp volleyball.
Her gaze trailed over to the pool, finding the eyes of Nelson, Holden, Miranda, and Jensen on her. Although the first three looked, Jensen’s eyes crackled. The traces of his smirking and showboating vanished behind an unbridled glint of distrust, long gone. His focus jumped between her, Sandra, and Kagami, visibly struggling to fit the puzzle pieces together.
So, Daisy whistled, “Miranda, heads up!” She tossed the volleyball back to Miranda, quick to avert her eyes from Jensen’s. She overheard the splash of the ball into the water, but that became the last of her concerns.
Sandra and Kagami nodded. They vacated their spots on Jensen’s chair, likely sensing the shift in the air. Daisy waved goodbye as her drink arrived, stricken by the swiftness of their departure.
With her spritzer, Daisy sprawled back out on her chair, soaking in the summer breeze and the sparkling fizz of her drink. Her eyes avoided Jensen’s gaze until she fixed her sunglasses to block him from seeing her.
It wasn’t personal. Jensen had his last name doing the heavy lifting in his campaign. Therefore, she needed power behind her nomination. She finally found a place to start investing her efforts.