“Hi, Aunt Be—” the two girls started in unison but when they saw her, they both stopped, stunned.
Daisy glanced over, a ready smile on her face for her sister, but her eyes nearly bugged out when she caught sight of Benny. “Wow. Look at you.” She came to her feet and met Benny halfway on the lawn, stopping to stare at her hair and then face. “You look…great.”
Well, that didn’t sound as enthusiastic as Benny had expected.
“Great?” Her hands went to her hair, now doubting the cut and style and everything she’d put herself through the past couple of hours.
“Sorry, Ben, you just took me by surprise. It’s…different. I didn’t expect it. You almost don’t look like…you.”
“Different.” Benny blinked, trying not to let the deflating feeling show in her face. “Different is painting my face green and shaving my head. That’s not exactly a resounding compliment.”
Her nieces had reached her now and were staring at her wide-eyed. “Aunt Benny, you look so…”
Benny held her breath, waiting for another hit. Eight-year-old Natalie touched her arm, as though almost unsure she was real.
“Beautiful. Like a princess or something.”
Jenna, a more sophisticated ten-year-old, disagreed. “No, dummy. Not a princess. More like a movie star. Mom, can I have my hair cut like Aunt Benny’s?”
Benny swallowed a lump. That was better. Kids didn’t lie, right? She glanced back at Daisy, who was studying her again, nodding. Then smiling. “They’re right. You look gorgeous, the hair, the clothes, the makeup. It’s all so glamorous and chic I almost didn’t recognize you.” Daisy grabbed her and hugged her. “I’m sorry. You look beautiful. Really.”
Somewhat appeased, Benny nodded. She had thought the makeup was a bit heavier than she’d like. The lip color a little more dramatic than she was used to. She was still getting used to it, and she knew it was there. She couldn’t blame her sister for being thrown off.
“You hungry?” Daisy asked and flipped Benny’s hair. “We ordered pizza. I was tired and it’s too darned hot to cook.”
“Starved.” Benny glanced back to see the girls back on the swing and Paul still digging the hole. “What’s with Paul?”
Daisy sighed and shut the door. “He’s still set on getting a dog. He’s digging a hole to show he’s responsible.” Benny raised her brows, unsure of the connection. Daisy expanded. “He’s showing me his scooping skills to prove he won’t balk when it’s time to clean up the dog poop.”
“You’ve got to give the kid credit for creativity.”
“Don’t start.”
Daisy grabbed a plate and handed it to Benny, who grabbed a couple of pieces and sat at the kitchen table, where they had a view of the kids playing outside.
Daisy joined her, setting out glasses of tea for them both. “So, I’ve been bugging you since, oh, about, birth, to let me do your hair, and you’ve never let me prevail. What inspired this new look suddenly?”
Benny hadn’t shared with Daisy the fact that her new coworker was adorably cute, smart, and overall wonderful and was meant to be the father of her children. She still wasn’t sure she wanted to. It had been a hard lesson that summer when Daisy had scooped up the dreamy lifeguard Benny had been certain was her soul mate. Truth was, ever since that moment, seeing her sister on the arm of the guy she had been so desperately in love with, she’d realized she would never be able to compete with Daisy. Couldn’t trust that whomever she liked wouldn’t fall at Daisy’s feet.
Not that Benny was going to be competing with Daisy for Luke Seeley’s attention. She knew that. On some level. But it didn’t mean she could just ignore old habits of pretending disinterest when it came to some of the hotter men the two had met. No sense setting herself up for the inevitable crushing blow when the guy went for Daisy. It was too humiliating, and her sister would only feel sorry for her. Which was not acceptable.
So she fibbed.
“I just figured that I needed to overhaul my general professional appearance. I spend half of each visit just convincing the parents that, yes indeed, I did go to medical school, and yes, I am a bona fide doctor.”
“Yeah. I guess I can see that.” Daisy took another sip of her tea and wiped the lipstick from the glass with her thumb. “I wanted to apologize to you for what the kids said at your birthday party the other night. I know that you acted like it didn’t bother you, but being reminded that you’re single can’t be easy. Believe me, I’ve been fielding a few invasive questions from moms at the kids’ summer camp. I can see the judgment flash in their eyes that quickly disappear behind smiles as they rush their kids on their way. Like my single status is going to rub off on them or something.”
“Don’t let them bother you, Daisy. You wouldn’t want to be friends with someone like that anyway.”
“I suppose not. Sorry. Pity party for me. I’ll adjust.”
“You will. You’re a great mom. Look at them. They’re lucky to have a mom like you.” Benny nodded outside to where Paul had given up on the hole digging and was chasing his sisters around the yard with a wa
ter gun.
Daisy smiled. “No, I’m lucky to have them. They’re my bright rays of sunshine. But enough about me.” She turned a sly smile to Benny. “Since I’m not really ready to be back in the dating game—Lord knows if I ever will—I have to rely on you to live vicariously through. So, are you seeing anyone?”
Benny rolled her eyes. “What was that whole bit earlier where you apologized because everyone was scrutinizing my single status?”