Page 48 of The Best Friend
‘I came home today to see Darcy inmykitchen, looking aftermyson, baking a pie formyfamily, while waiting formyhusband to get home from work. Now tell me if that’s not just a little bit weird.’
He shakes his head. ‘I don’t know, Louisa. When you put it like that, yes, it does sound weird, but—’
‘Creepy,’ I interrupt. ‘It’s creepy.’
‘Can’t you talk to her about it?’
‘And say what, exactly? That I think she’s unhinged?’ I push my hair back off my face.
‘Of course not. I don’t know… Maybe it’s all to do with Mike leaving. Maybe she’s just screwed up because of it?’
‘Maybe. But she was like it before. Remember Joe’s party, and how she left his name off the invitations? And what about my column? That all happened before Mike left.’
‘You should have told me you were worried, before,’ Jared says.
‘I have been telling you!’
‘You’ve mentioned the odd thing, but you’ve never put it all together like this.’
‘Well, I’m telling you now, aren’t I.’
‘And why on earth did you say I’d go running with her if you felt this way?’
I watch him cut into his omelette and take his first bite.
‘She was crying,’ I say, remembering back to how upset she’d been. ‘Mike had only just left her. But this is what happens. She does something dodgy, like taking my column, then she acts all vulnerable so people end up feeling sorry for her.’
‘So, shall I not go running with her any more?’ Jared asks.
God, he still doesn’t get it. It’s like déjà vu from last night. I can tell Jared’s trying to please me, but I’m still pretty sure he thinks I’m worrying over nothing. My blood is heating up and I feel like either screaming or walking out. I can’t do that again.
‘Do you think I’m overreacting?’ I ask through gritted teeth.
‘No, not overreacting. But you’ve got to admit, it does sound a bit strange. Why would she want to hurt you? She doesn’t even know us that well. You haven’t done anything to offend her, have you?’
‘No, I bloody have not.’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to—’
‘I don’t know why she’s doing what she’s doing, but she is.’
‘Why would she purposely want to take your job? It’s not like she needs the money.’
‘I didn’t say I knewwhyshe was doing it.’
‘Maybe she acts that way with everyone,’ he says. ‘Maybe it’s not personal. It’s just how she is.’
‘So, does that make it alright?’
‘No, of course not. I’m just saying that she might not have a personal thing against you.’
‘Hm,’ I say, not buying it.
‘Thing is,’ Jared says, ‘we need to keep her on side with the business and everything. Mike’s gone AWOL so Darcy is basically my landlady. If we piss her off, I could lose everything.’
‘You’ve signed a lease for the offices. They can’t just kick you out.’
‘Yeah, but the Lanes gave me all my contacts. If they wanted to, they could take all my business from me. Blacklist me in the area.’
