Page 80 of Sweeper
Daphney’s face falls as she shifts her attention to Phoebe. “Why are you talking about that?”
“I didn’t say anything bad.” Phoebe holds her hands up. “I just said you’re talented beyond Tire Depot.”
Daphney shakes her head, pursing her lips as she takes a drink of her beer. “It’s no big deal.”
“Why did you tell me you only do commercials?” I ask, propping my elbows on the table and watching her reaction.
“Because I do,” Daphney replies crisply, showing me that she’s clearly not happy with the direction of this conversation. “I don’t write my own music anymore. Just stuff that pays the bills.”
Her nostrils flare as she hits me with a look like I should drop this subject. It reminds me of how my mom acted when I started pestering her about her time living in London. It puts me on edge.
“Why don’t you do it anymore?” I pry further.
Daphney’s blue eyes narrow. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Well, if it doesn’t matter, you should play one of them here tonight.” I hit her with a smile that she does not reciprocate. “The mic is open right now.”
“Forget it,” Daphney says, forcing a laugh.
“Come on, Daph,” Phoebe coaxes, her voice almost tender as she looks at her with a soft smile. “I haven’t heard one of your songs in ages. It would be so lovely to hear one again.”
“Would you guys please stop?” Daphney stands up, backing away from the table. She shakes her head, then grabs her handbag off the table. “It’s getting late. I’m going to head home.”
She offers a weak wave and turns on her heel to walk out of the pub. I watch her, stunned into a rare silence because she’s clearly upset. Something I haven’t seen on Daphney since the moment I met her. I’ve seen her angry. I’ve seen her nervous. But this moment right here…she looked almost…broken.
“Mind telling me what that was about?” I ask, looking at Phoebe for answers I’m sure she has.
A sad look flits across her face. “I think I’ve already said too much.”
Daphney
My mind is racing as I strip out of my jeans and Bethnal Green jumper and slip into silk shorts and a camisole. I throw on my robe and turn on some music to calm my nerves as I head into my loo to take off my makeup.
Damn Phoebe. This is all her fault. We were having such a laugh, and she had to go and ruin it by bringing up stuff she knows I hate talking about. And to bring it up in front of Zander of all people is just maddening.
There are things I didn’t plan to discuss with Zander. My ex being one of them. It’s been nice re-inventing myself here in London and feeling more independent. Maybe I’m a casual sex kind of girl like Phoebe now. I feel like I’m doing pretty well with Zander so far, so why does she have to muck it all up?
A light knock on my door has me freezing in front of my mirror. It’s either Phoebe or Zander, and I’m not sure who I want it to be less. I quickly dry off my face and pad barefoot over to the door to look through the hole.
I sigh heavily as I see who’s on the other side. “I’m not in the mood tonight, Zander.”
I can hear Zander’s huff of laughter muffled through the door. “I’m not here for sex, Ducky.”
I roll my eyes and swing open the door. The momentum causes him to nearly fall in as he was bracing his hands on the door. “When are you not here for sex?” I cross my arms over my chest.
He barks out a wounded laugh, and I don’t miss the way his eyes flash to my chest. He redirects his focus on me and holds a hand to his heart. “That cuts deep.”
“You’ll survive,” I grumble.
He tilts his head and hits me with a soft smile. “I mean it. I don’t know what that shit was down there, but I know you left upset, and I don’t like to see you upset. It gives me flashbacks of the mouse incident, and no one wants to see you in that horrible mouse-catching getup again.”
I fail to fight back the smile that spreads across my face. Damn him. “So, what do you want from me then?”
“I want to cheer you up,” he says coyly, chucking me under my chin. “But you’re going to have to let me inside to do that.”
I exhale heavily and step back to allow the man entrance because…well…I’m weak, and Zander smells really good right now. “Do you want something to drink?”
“I’ll have a water, thanks.”
