Page 6 of Three's a Crowd
Daisy was so squashed in between Adam and Sam, she had trouble raising her glass to her lips.
Taking a sip, she looked up to see Zach was studying her with a puzzled look in his eyes. Was he wondering where the old tomboy Daisy had gone?
‘So, Zach. How’s drama school?’ Sam said, making Zach turn away from her to look at him. ‘You know, if you’d asked me when we were younger if you’d end up as an actor, I’d have said no way.’
‘Yeah, I know. I just kind of fell into it at school when I was bored one lunchtime and the drama teacher asked me to stand in for one of the kids in the play she was putting on. The idea of pretending to be someone else – getting right into their psyche – appealed to me. And I love the camaraderie of being part of a group all working towards the same goal. The after parties are pretty fucking cool too.’ He flashed them all his wolfish grin.
‘Isn’t it a bit pricey?’ Sam asked.
‘What, drama school? Nah. Not really. I got in on a scholarship.’
Sam nodded, his mouth lifting at one corner in approval. ‘What does your old man think about it?’
Zach shrugged. ‘Don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him in two years. He was barely ever sober enough to hold a conversation with anyway.’
The previous warmth of the atmosphere seemed to plummet and they all shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
‘I bet you’re getting plenty of action from all those gorgeous actresses though?’ Sam said, in a clear, but somewhat naïve, attempt to lighted the tone.
‘It’s just “actors” for both sexes. And I can’t complain. There’re always plenty hanging around.’ He folded his arms and gave a nonchalant shrug. ‘You know what women are like: love me, need me, screw me, heal me,’ Zach said, for some reason choosing to address this towards Daisy.
She shot him a hard glare back, one eyebrow raised in disdain.
‘Sorry Daisy, I forgot there was a girl present,’ Zach said, with a grin, clearly not sorry at all.
Anger burned in her chest, but she also experienced a sinking feeling of disappointment. Clearly, he still didn’t think of her as a grown woman. Choosing not to rise to it, she just rolled her eyes at him, then stared down into her drink so he wouldn’t notice how hot her cheeks were.
She was horrified by the thought of all those women willing to fall into bed with him as soon as he snapped his fingers; it sickened her. Couldn’t they sense how little they meant to him?
She sat in silence for a while, feeling churned up and studiously ignoring him as the rest of them chatted. Why was she suddenly so uncomfortable here with them all? What had happened to their tight-knit gang of four from only a few years ago? It made her want to weep.
‘I’m off to the gents,’ Zach said suddenly, pushing away from the wall and dumping his half-drunk pint onto the table.
Daisy didn’t watch him go this time.
‘Yeah. Me too,’ Sam said, sliding out from behind the table to leave Adam and Daisy on their own.
‘You know I can’t believe how different you look since the last time I saw you,’ Adam said as soon as they’d gone, apparently not having noticed the tension growing between her and Zach.‘You used to be so… I don’t know… boysy… when you were young. I used to think of you as one of us.’ He held up his hands. ‘Not that you haven’t always been attractive. No offence meant.’
She smiled, despite herself. ‘None taken. I was never very interested in make-up and hair and looking feminine, but I guess I changed as I grew up?’ She twitched one shoulder and grinned. At least someone had noticed she wasn’t the same girl she used to be.
‘Your hair really suits you long too. And I love the short fringe. Very French chic,’ he said, with a slow nod of approval.
‘Thanks,’ she said, moving her hand to self-consciously tug on a curl at the end of her hair. The same curl Zach had tucked behind her ear earlier.
‘I can hardly believe you’re the same girl I used to go skinny dipping with,’ Adam said, his eyes twinkling with humour.
Daisy couldn’t help but grin back. ‘You know, I think you’re getting me mixed up with some other boysy girl from your past.’
There was a loud snorting sound and Daisy turned to see Zach had returned to the table and was sitting down in Sam’s place.
‘Sorry, Zach, what was that?’ Adam said, sounding miffed at the rude interruption.
Daisy jumped, but forced herself not to jerk away, as Zach’s leg pressed against hers.
Heat rushed across her skin where their limbs touched, from thigh to knee.
‘Nothing. Just got something caught in my throat,’ Zach said, in the lazy drawl he always employed when he was in teasing mode. ‘Massive queue for the gents so I’ll go later.’
