Designs On Daphne Read Online Free

I’ll be settin’ up to Ella Jean’s big table for the rest of my life. It’s too soon to be the old maid aunt, taggin’ along after you two all the time, know what I mean?” 
      Daisy grabbed clean underwear and a t-shirt from her dresser, then dug through the basket Daphne had set on the bed. She pulled out a folded pair of jeans. “Shoot, Daph, you did my laundry too. Now I’m really feeling guilty.”
      Daphne leaned to peck her sister’s cheek. “Well, heck, you’re the superstar now, Daize, winnin’ barrel titles left and right, jet settin’ all over the place. Least I can do is some laundry.” 
      Daisy straightened up. “Huh, maybe Austin was a fluke. Three more ‘til the title. You think Lucky and I can pull it off?”
      Daphne wrapped an arm around her sister’s taut shoulders and squeezed. “Honey, I know you can.” She followed as Daisy made her way back down the hall. “There’s iced tea I just made. How ‘bout a nice glass before you go? I could sure use one. I’m just about parched, from all this vacuuming.”
       “And laundry foldin’ and whatever else you’ve been up to, Miz Rachel Rae slash Martha Stewart slash Paula Deen,” Daisy said, grabbing two mason jars from the cupboard. Opening the refrigerator for the pitcher of tea, she looked into the pan cooling on top of the stove. “Is this your pineapple upside-down, too?”
      Daphne flashed her most charming smile, fluttering her lashes for effect. “Made it for you to take over to Ella Jean’s. I already got the call, she’s havin’ another one of her Sunday night barbecues with the whole ranch crew this weekend. Can’t have it be said the Antlerone girls don’t return hospitality, can I? ”
      Daisy grinned. “When you gonna get your own television show, Daph?”
      Daphne laughed. “Heck, maybe that’s what I do, call the cable stations, ask ‘em what do I need to do to start up a new show, call it ‘Hill Country Hospitality’.”
      “You’d be great. You got the clothes for it now, too.”
      “I sure do. Hey, what about some paint in here, a new color, somethin’ like a sunny yellow?”
       Daisy froze, and Daphne knew her urges to prettify had gotten her into trouble again. Her sister still obsessed over arranging Daddy’s chair just so, facing the television set. The Stockman’s Guide they hadn’t canceled his subscription to was right next to it, too. It was as if he would wander in from the back porch anytime, pour himself a whiskey, sit down and light up a cigarette. She’d swear, if it were up to her little sister, a fresh pack of Marlboro’s would set right on top of the magazine, waitin’ for him.
      She handed Daisy a thick wedge of lemon. Plopping it into her glass, Daisy said, “Once this room’s changed, Daddy’s gone for good. I know Momma’s never coming back, and I should just be able to let it all go, but I can’t, Daph. With me at Hank’s all the time, you oughta be able to make this place look the way you want it to, it’s just . . .”
      Daphne tucked her nose to back of Daisy’s head, nuzzling the short-cropped hair finally starting to grow in. “It’s just, you’re not ready yet. Sh-h-h, Daisy-chain, don’t mind me. Daddy’s not even gone a year. I got too much of the decorator bug lately, and not enough to keep me busy. I’m makin’ caterpillars ‘stead of butterflies.”
      Pulling away, she took a deep breath and squeezed lemon into her glass of tea. “I gotta find an outlet for all this energy. I just don’t know what to do with myself lately. There’s plenty of life ahead of me. Sometimes too much, it seems.”
      After a long gulp of tea, Daisy met her eye, testing the waters. “What about that new apartment of Rodric’s? Sounded like a nice job, and you’d have fun in Austin. Miz Esther’s a hoot. Ty said she’s got a fancy place you can stay in. Once this barrel buckle’s decided, I can come up for some fun, go dancin’ at