Page 86 of Sinful Skulls
Daisy bounces in front of us. “Oh my gosh. How beautiful!” She stops with her hands on her hips under the glass arch above the door. “That’s incredible.”
Elizabeth smiles wide. “Petey made it for me.”
Daisy stares up at it, studying every line and curve.
“I’ve never seen it at night. It’s cool with all the lights on inside,” I tell Elizabeth, keeping her firmly by my side.
She finally relaxes and opens the door, ushering us in. Daisy rushes to the record player to see what album is on the turntable.
“Oh, this is one of my favorites.”
“Really?” Elizabeth steps beside her and turns it on.
Lexie stands by me, staring at the two of them with her hands over her chest.
“You okay?” I ask, noticing the tears in her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m just so happy they’re getting along so well.”
Weird, but then again, it’s Lexie we’re talking about.
They listen to a couple of songs as Elizabeth walks them around the greenhouse naming all of her different plants.
JD steps in after several minutes. He gives me a slight nod, letting me know things are in motion. “Ash says the food is done. Come and get it while it’s hot.”
The rest of the night is relaxed and comfortable. The girls are inseparable. Lexie and Daisy have their heads bowed together on the front porch, both trying to recreate the stitch Elizabeth just taught them.
Ash looks at the two of us. “Something feels off,” he says quietly as we watch them from the fire pit.
I sigh. “I’m just worried about Daisy. I’ll let you know more if it turns out to be anything.”
His gaze bounces between me and JD. “If I can help, you let me know.”
“I will, brother. I will.”
Chapter Thirty
Daisy
Dirk follows me around the studio as I load his arms with the paintings I need to run over to the shop.
“You coming back to work on the one in the corner?”
“Yeah, if that’s okay?”
“It is.”
“What’s in the box?”
“Oh, it’s a gift from someone at the art school I was at.”
“Why haven’t you opened it?”
“I … well, I’ve already seen it. I’ll open it when I get it home.”
He makes a humming noise as we walk out the door. I shut the light off, wondering what the hell I was thinking even bringing it here. I should have tossed it in the nearest dumpster.
“You can look at either of them if you want, but it would probably embarrass you.”
