she did, Sage’s question made perfect sense. Joanne wouldn’t allow any kind of defiance to go unpunished and that was the kind of parental love Sage had grown up with.
“I knew he’d get over it,” she said softly. “Although he still hasn’t given up.” She told her about her recent visit from Uncle Ray.
“You’re really brave,” Sage told her.
“I’m not, but I couldn’t pick a career to make my father happy and I know, deep down, he wouldn’t want that for me. I’m not like you. I didn’t take off for Europe by myself when I was nineteen.”
Sage waved away the comment. “I was young and didn’t know any better.”
“But you did it. You made a life. You fell in love and got married. You saw the world.” She smiled. “I’ve been living in this same house since I was born. I’m not exactly a risk taker.”
“Being one has its disadvantages. Sometimes it’s nice to know where you belong.” She pointed to the dress. “I want our seamstress to adjust it so it fits perfectly.”
“Thank you.” Daisy brushed the front of the skirt. “I never would have found this on my own.”
They looked at each other for a second. Then Sage gave her a quick smile and left her alone in the dressing room. Daisy watched her go, not sure what was happening. After all this time, was it possible she and Sage were starting to become friends? And if that was true, it was about the strangest happening ever.
thirteen
Daisy nervously adjusted her emerald drop-style earrings. They were nearly two carats each, with diamond accents. She’d inherited them from her mother and while she loved them, she rarely wore them. They weren’t exactly something you put on to run to the grocery store.
But the school reunion was different—it was a glamorous event with a charity auction and while the dress code was “cocktail attire” she knew better than to be underdressed—jewelry wise.
She studied herself in her bathroom mirror, not sure if her upswept hairstyle and heavier-than-usual makeup made her look as if she was trying too hard. Most years she wanted to look nice, but tonight there was the added pressure of wanting to look good for Jordan.
She slipped on her Stuart Weitzman strappy sandals and told herself she’d done the best with what she had. As she walked out into the hallway, she nearly ran into Cassidy, who was sitting in her wheelchair at the top of the stairs.
“Hey,” her sister said, glancing at her. “You look really good.”
“Thank you.” Daisy frowned. “You’re not thinking about trying to take that chair down the stairs, are you?”
“What? No.” Cassidy rolled back a few feet. “I was lost in thought and wasn’t paying attention to where I was.” A half smile tugged at her mouth. “No need to worry about my mental state.”
“Good, because you’re getting better every day. Your bruises are gone and you’ll be in a walking cast soon.”
“Can’t wait for that.”
Daisy expected Cassidy to wheel away, but instead she stayed where she was, as if she had something on her mind. Daisy waited patiently.
“You’re still in touch with your friends from high school?” Cassidy asked.
“Sure. Aren’t you?”
Cassidy looked away. “Not really. It’s hard to keep up with people when you travel so much. I can’t get back for engagements or weddings.”
Daisy knew her sister traveled a fair amount but didn’t understand why she couldn’t take a flight from Miami to LA for a wedding, not that she would mention that. Her détente with Cassidy was still new and fragile.
“Did you want to come tonight?” she asked. “Maybe some of your friends will be there and you can reconnect.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Not like this. No one wants to see me broken.”
“You’re not broken. You had an accident and now you’re doing great. You could tell them what happened. It’s a wonderful story.”
Cassidy’s brows rose. “That I was so horrified by Desean proposing that I fell down a mountain? I’d rather not be pitied.”
“I was thinking more about how you were writing about the women in the small villages empowering themselves by selling their beautiful textiles online and how the internet has made it possible for women like that to finally have a steady income without being dependent on a man.”
Cassidy’s mouth dropped open, then closed. “Oh.”
“Yes, oh. You don’t have to mention Desean at all. You could have just tripped and fallen. It’s not graceful, but it’s close to the truth.” Because Daisy knew all about trying to