Page 66 of Three's a Crowd
How the hell did Zach get better and better looking, every time she saw him?
She wasso annoyedby her body’s customary involuntary response to him.
Memories of their last encounter swam vividly into her mind, but she pushed them out again, getting up from the loo and going to stare into the mirror.
Get it together. It’s just Zach. He can’t hurt you any more than he already has.
She took another deep breath, repaired her lipstick with a shaking hand – to be ready and armoured in case she had to face him again – and nodded at herself in the mirror.
Must stay calm, she told herself, although calm was the last thing she was feeling right at that moment.
As she was leaving the bathroom, heading back towards the corner where she’d last seen Claire, she bumped into a woman walking the other way and nearly sent the drink she was carrying flying.
‘Sorry,’ Daisy muttered, holding up her hand in apology.
‘Daisy? Is that you?’ said the woman.
Daisy stopped in her tracks and turned to face her.
‘Carol?’ Daisy was both pleased and pained to bump into her old friend right at that moment. Carol and Daisy had been at university together and even though they’d never been especially close, they’d spent a number of crazy nights out together with the same group of friends, touring the clubs and bars of Manchester.
Carol was a tiny thing with a mass of red hair and an abundance of freckles on her button nose. She reminded Daisy of a doll and had always been so full of energy, she’d made her feel tired just being around her.
‘It is you!’ Carol said with a huge smile. ‘How are you? It’s been ages. What are you up to?’
‘I live here in London. I’m a radio producer. You?’
‘Actress,’ Carol said. ‘I’m in a play on in the West End at the moment.’
‘That’s amazing. Well done you!’
They chatted for a bit and as Carol was frenziedly explaining what a fantastic life she was now leading, a large, male presence walking towards them caught Daisy’s eye.
Zach.
Daisy braced herself for another jibe, but to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around Carol’s shoulders and placed his chin on the top of her head, smiling his heart-stopping smile at Daisy.
Her heart sank.
Typical. Of course he was now seeing someone she knew and liked so she couldn’t hate her for it.
Carol looked round to see who was wrapped around her and gently punched him on the arm.
‘Hey, Zach, this is my friend, Daisy, from university.’
‘Actually, she’s my friend from a very long time ago,’ he said, looking at Daisy searchingly.
She smiled weakly back at him.
The same desire to put her hands on him – all over him, in fact – was back with a vengeance. But this was the man who’d played with her emotions, refused to listen to her version of events and told her he never wanted to see her again, she reminded herself. And to top it off, he was obviously with her old uni friend now and quite prepared to lord it over her.
‘Where’s Adam? Is he here?’ Zach asked, but was drowned out by Carol blurting, ‘We should all meet up for a drink soon then. It’d be great to catch up properly. Give me your number, Daisy.’ She looked at Zach. ‘Have you got your phone on you? Mine’s in my coat pocket in the cloakroom.’
Daisy was glad of the interruption. He obviously hadn’t heard about her and Adam then, if he was asking about him, and the last thing she wanted was for Zach to find out she was on her own now. Especially after the way things had ended with Adam. It was a matter of pride.
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and produced his phone. ‘I’m afraid I don’t have your new number,’ he said to Daisy.
Of course, he’d never had her number, or she his. They’d stayed in contact through Adam.
