Page 23 of Unwanted
“Harry York?” Heath said slowly. “I know that name. Wait… Harry from school?YourHarry from school, V?”
“YourHarry?” Max’s voice rose in disbelief. “What do you mean by that? She hates his guts. We both do. He’s been a relentless prick since we took that bloody job for the LSE.”
Heath frowned. “Verity does not hate Harry York’s guts. In fact–”
“Just shut up, both of you,” I hissed. “Andstopsaying his name.”
But it was too late.
“Er… hi.” It was much more along the lines of a greeting that teenage Harry would have given, and I felt a sudden absolute longing in my chest that almost felt like pain. “Harry York.”
“YourHarry York, apparently,” Toby said from next to Harry.
“Oh! We don’t have to wear shoes? Thank fuck for that.” Naomi had come up on Harry’s other side and kicked off both her shoes to where Yaz’s and Kira’s lay in the centre of our circle. “Crap,” she muttered. “I feel like a hobbit now. You boys all need to cut down on your greens.”
“You’re Kira Lucas,” Toby said in a stunned voice, suddenly clocking Kira in the circle.
“Ooh,” Kira said, a wide smile on her face. “I didn’t know you Dorset lot had fancy friends what wear Armani.”
“We’re not friends,” I snapped, and all eyes in the circle came to me. “We do business with them.”
“Iwear Armani,” Heath put in, breaking the awkward silence.
“Er… you’re in pyjamas most of the time, mate,” Kira said, which was technically true as Heath was an emergency medical consultant.
“Your husband got us to pay more tax,” Harry blurted out and Kira tilted her head to the side. Her eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to speak but Harry got in there first. “Good for him. Better than that last tosspot.”
“I’m Toby by the way,” said Toby smoothly, extending his hand towards Kira. “This is Harry, and you probably recognise Naomi. Sorry, I’m still working on Harry’s manners. It’s been a couple of decades but at least now he does more than grunt.”
“You must have a bob or two if you were targeted by my husband’s tax policy,” Kira said, eyeing both Toby and Harry. “And I knowyouhave a bob or two,” she said to Naomi, who after my ‘we’re not friends’ comment had slipped her arm through Harry’s and given a squeeze of silent support. She was still hanging off his side now. I felt like I was going to be sick.
“You’re friends with Urvi,” Naomi said, grinning at Kira and leaning more into Harry. “I know her through the biz. Great lady.” The ‘biz’ was the music industry. Naomi Light and Urvi Bailey were both the biggest selling artists in the UK. If anyone had told me back at school that Harry would end up going out with a pop star, I would have laughed in their face, but for this new Harry with the Big Dick Energy he liked to throw around, it seemed a perfect fit.
Kira’s face lit up. “Oh, you’re mates with Urvels? She’s a diamond badger. Loved your last album by the way.”
“Harry, it’s good to see you again, mate,” Heath said.
Harry looked bemused as Heath took his hand to shake it, giving him a couple of slaps on the arm for good measure. I didn’t blame Harry. It was more than a little bizarre and, if I was honest, a bit hurtful. Heath knew how upset I’d been back then after Harry’s rejection. It destroyed me for a good while. I spent the first term of my last year at school holed up in my room listening to Justin Timberlake crying me a river. Where was his loyalty?
“I can’t tell you how brilliant it is that you and Verity have reconnected again,” Heath went on. “She banged on about you all the time at school. Harry thinks this, Harry says that – she thought the world of you.”
I felt a low buzzing in my ears as all the blood rushed to my head. This was mortifying.
Harry’s mouth dropped open to speak but he seemed to be utterly lost for words. He glanced at me, but our eyes only met for a second before I looked away, my face burning. I started to feel lightheaded but then felt Yaz’s hand on my back. The contact centred me, and I realised that I needed to let go of the breath I was holding.
“That’s strange,” Harry said in a tight voice. “That isn’t what you told me at the time, Heath.”
“Now, listen,” Heath started to say, “about that … I– I need to explain. I–”
“It’s just as well we’re not the same people we were twenty years ago,” I said, cutting Heath and this uncomfortable exchange off. I did not want all that nonsense dragged up again. I’d ask Heath about it later. I managed to force my lips to turn up at the corners for a small smile. “Harry could barely remember me when he saw me again. Things move on, Heath. I doubt Harry wants to go over ancient history.” With that I downed my champagne, deposited it on a passing waiter’s tray and turned on my heel to sweep away from the group so I could breathe again. The whole place was full of people I knew – industry contacts, friends, colleagues, but I just couldn’t manage to rustle up my usual effortless charm. My throat felt too tight, and my head was pounding. After a few minutes I managed to escape the crowd and make for the ladies’ toilets.
Chapter11
I’ve been really, really fucking stupid
Verity
I’d only just left my cubicle and was staring at myself in the mirror when the door swung open and Naomi stepped inside.
