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Pushingthrough the scrum in the bar, she found herself pressed against a man.She’dknow that lemony aftershave anywhere.
‘Rick!’
‘Daisy!’Hisarms came around her to steady them against the crush. ‘Hello.Ibumped intoMarionearlier.Sheexplained you were all here but she had to go.Saidyou were on a date.’Hefrowned. ‘Thoughtit was odd, you being on a date withMariontagging along but it’s really none of my businessIsuppose.’
Daisyhad had enough.Whycouldn’tRickbe the man she was spending the evening with?Instead, he popped up where she least expected it and flirted like mad even though he was most definitely not single.Well, maybe flirting didn’t quite describe it but there were vibes.Heavyduty vibes of attraction.Onboth sides.Fury, fuelled by the potent cocktails she’d been drinking, combined with sheer frustration, boiled over. ‘Youknow, it really isn’t.’
Hereeled back. ‘No.Quiteright.I’llleave you to enjoy your evening then.Bye,Daisy.’Hesaid it softly, his voice almost inaudible overBananaramaon the sound system pointing out it was a ‘CruelSummer’.‘Hopehe deserves you.’
AsDaisymarched back to the table,Glenwas on his phone.
Heclicked it off quickly as he looked up and saw her. ‘Maisie, hi.Backalready.’
‘It’sDaisyand yes it would appearIam.’Daisycouldn’t shake off her anger.Rickreally needed to examine his behaviour.Itwasn’t fair.Andshe needed to stop herself obsessing with him and move on.Especiallyif he was going to be living and working in the same town.Timeto move on fromRickblinkin’…Shedidn’t even know his surname!That’show little she knew about him.Shehad only the haziest idea where he was from,Londonat a guess, and no idea what he was called.Howstupid.Howon earth had she developed such strong feelings for a man she hardly knew?Withdifficulty she tuned back intoGlen.Fromnowhere he’d produced a thin leather document case. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
‘IsaidI’vebeen having a dabble at playwriting myself.’Hegave a half smug, half proud smirk and opened the case.Herheart plummeted.Hisphone pinged again and a shifty lookcrept over his face. ‘Sorry,Ineed to take this.Hi, yes,’ he glanced atDaisyguiltily, ‘yeah,I’mkinda in the middle of something here at the moment.Okay.Ringyou back later.Sorry.’Heclicked off the phone again but left it on the table, precisely in line with his placemat.
‘Work?’
‘Um.Sortof.’Hegestured to the case. ‘I’dlove to read some of it to you.Ican do all the voices.Iloved drama at school.’Withoutwaiting for her answer, he launched in.
Thirtyminutes later and very aware of the faces of those on nearby tables, some perplexed, some sympathetic and some outright mocking, she’d drunk her third cocktail, sucked out all the alcohol from the fruit and eaten the orange and lemon slices, rind included, from sheer boredom.Shecouldn’t take anymore.Theplay wasn’t too bad, she supposed.Somethingabout a man trapped in a lucrative career but yearning to express his creative side in the theatre – no guesses as to where the inspiration had come from – but it just wasn’t the time and place.Itwas downright embarrassing, especially whenGlenhad affected a high-pitched voice to portray the love interest.
Hadhe mistaken her for some kind of literary expert, or someone in the publishing business?Oreven someone whocared?Shethought back.Shewas pretty clear she hadn’t given that impression.Itwasn’t often she had time to read anything more taxing thanTheLullburyBayEcho.Shewas sureGlenhadn’t actually asked her what she did for a living, or if he had, he hadn’t shown the slightest interest.Whydid he think she’d want to hear him act out his play?No, he’d simply assumed she’d be gagging to hear his masterpiece.Thearrogance of the man!
Shelonged for a conversation.Aproper one.Onewhere the person with you paid attention to what you had to say and answered back.Glenhadn’t once shown the slightest interest in her, hadn’t asked one question.Well, he couldn’t.Notwhen he was preoccupied by acting his socks off portrayingthe angst-ridden protagonist and the pneumatic blonde heroine.Shegroaned inside. ‘I’llgo and findEleanor, shallI,’ she asked in desperation, as eventually, he paused for breath. ‘Maybeget the bill.’
‘Oh.Right.’Glenlooked surprised at the suggestion. ‘Maybeanother drink first?I’vegot loads more to read out, another two acts.Youknow,I’mhaving such a good time,Maisie.You’rea brilliant listener.’
Shovingher chair back so forcefully it screeched on the slabs, she gritted her teeth. ‘Thanks.Ifonly you were a brilliant conversationalist,’ she muttered under her breath.Headingback to the bar she foundEleanor, paid the bill and ordered a taxi.
‘Howwas the date?’Eleanorasked. ‘Receipt?’
Daisynodded. ‘Fineif you count having a play read out to you.Anextremely mediocre play.’Asshe said it, she still couldn’t believe it had happened.
‘No!’Eleanorpulled a horrified face. ‘Bummer.’Shetore off the receipt and handed it over.Leaningcloser, she whispered, ‘Ifyou want my opinion, he looks a right wanker.Iso nearly told him where to go when he clicked his fingers at me.’Sheshrugged. ‘But, you know, customer’s always right.Youwant me to tell him you’ve gone?Youcan hide in theLadiesuntil your cab turns up.’
‘No.I’vehad that done to me.It’snot nice.Iat least owe him a goodbye.Butthanks for the offer.Andthe drinks and the food were lovely.IfIever find a man worth bringing here,I’llbe back.’
‘Youdo that.’Eleanorwinked. ‘Youcan even have your regular table.’
Daisymooched back outside.Theplace wasn’t as busy now and she could seeGlenwas, yet again, on his phone.
Asshe got nearer, she overheard him say, ‘She’scalledMaisie.’Hegiggled. ‘No,Iknow.She’snot even that pretty.What?Oh, no more than a six.’
Hermouth dropped open in horror.Shefroze, wanting to eavesdrop some more.Furyrose in her like bile.
‘Don’tthink she’s ever met a playwright before.Lookeda bitstarstruck to be honest.Yeah, real local yokel.ThinkI’min with a chance though.Anything’sbetter than a boring night on my own in a hotel room.Yeah, mate.Anyport in a storm.Ooh, hang on.She’sback.Maisie, hi.’
Daisysucked in her anger, felt an icy calm descend and straightened her shoulders. ‘Yes,Ben,I’mback.I’vepaid the bill.I’veordered a taxi.Ireally wouldn’t want to put you to the bother of taking me home.I’msure it’s out of your way.Andthere’s no chanceI’dever go into any hotel room with you.Inyour dreams, sunshine.Besides,Ireally don’t want to risk having to listen to any more of your play.Imay not go to the theatre very often,Imay not have time to read much, being a local yokel.Bothof which you’d know, by the way, if you’d bothered to get your head from out of your own arse for one second and pay the slightest bit of attention to me.ButevenIknow it’s the biggest load of self-indulgent claptrapI’veever heard.Takesome advice,Len.Stickto the day job because you haven’t a hope in hell of making it on stage.’
Shedrew herself up, vaguely aware someone on one of the other tables was applauding. ‘And, for one last time, it’sDaisy.D-A-I-S-Y.Likethe flower.Greatname for a florist.Solots of people tell me.Thatis, the ones who actually ask me whatIdo and are interested enough to enquire.Nota difficult name to remember.Havea nice life,Den.Withoutme being in it.’Feelinga weight lift, she turned on her heel and marched off into the night.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Itwas the morning of theWebFloristinspection.Theday had not begun well.Daisywas so jittery she’d drunk three enormous mugs of strong coffee already.Upmost of the night going over and over the paperwork had meant she’d overslept.
‘Calmdown, darling,’Marionsaid as she prudently took away the fourth mug of coffeeDaisyhad poured.
