Page 93 of Maximum Dare
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you’ve lied before.”
“When?”
“That’s the kind of woman your mum wants you to marry. I can’t compete with those upper crust types. It’s not who I am.”
“I’m not asking you to compete with anyone.”
“You could have warned me.”
“I started to…”
“You’ve been lying all this time.”
“How?”
“The invite to the Dare Club. It came from you.”
My shoulders slumped as I realized how all of this must look, now with the added complication of another woman being thrown into the mix.
Her lips trembled. “Did you switch out the invite to Bar Ibiza in Soho with one for The Dare Club?”
“Listen, I—”
“You replaced it, didn’t you?” Hurt shimmered in her eyes. “Then signed me up for the club online?”
“It’s not how it looks.”
She stepped back. “You think I’m boring. You want to change me. You want me to be like Morgan or that woman in there. I was never going to be good enough for you.”
“No, that’s not it at all.”
“Did you actually think I would sit down with your mum while she paraded a perfect woman in front of you so you could compare me with her?”
“Daisy, please, come inside so we can talk.”
“Why should I?”
There was nothing I could add at the moment that wouldn’t hurt her more. When I’d first met her, I’d seen how hesitant she was to have fun. Nick had hinted that she needed to be more outgoing, and on our first meeting she’d appeared shy and reticent. I hadn’t wanted her to miss out on the best life had to offer. I’d wanted her to come out of her shell.
And I’d thought maybe, just maybe, Nick might want Daisy back if he saw her playful side…if he saw her trying new things and being more adventurous.
But I hadn’t counted on falling for her myself.
Daisy looked away and gave a nod of defeat.
“Don’t go like this,” I said, my heart aching.
She was already walking away. I watched as she climbed into the back of an Uber, a Ford Escort, and slammed the door shut.
I drew in a sharp breath of regret. Of all the people in her life, it had been me who’d let her down the most. I’d put myself forward as her knight in shining armor and all the while I was the one who was destined to destroy her.
A whiff of Gucci hit me at the same time I saw Mum hurrying toward me.
“Well, that was strange.” She was out of breath.
I glared at her. “I can’t believe you treated Daisy like that.”
