Chapter Six
Lissa prods at a lump in her neck as she walks along the high street. It’s been there for two days now – just a tiny little thing. It probably isn’t anything serious. A cyst, according to Google, is the most likely option.
‘What are you doing?’ Darcy asks, eyeing her.
‘Nothing,’ Lissa says quickly, dropping her hands to her sides. Misty rain settles around them, tiny droplets clinging to Darcy’s hair, tied into its signature knot. It’s still light outside, but a grey sort of light, the cloud cover thick and dense above them while a chill holds the air. A week to go until the clocks change, and it’s like the weather has accepted its fate, given up the good fight.
‘There’s nothing there,’ Darcy says, glancing at Lissa’s neck.
‘Itfeelslike there’s something there.’ She lifts her hand to prod at the lump again.
‘Stop it,’ Darcy says, taking Lissa’s hand and lowering it. ‘You’re just nervous.’
Lissa frowns. ‘Why would I be nervous? It’s a pub quiz, not theUniversity Challengefinal.’
Darcy goes quiet and Lissa narrows her eyes. ‘Why would I be nervous, Darcy?’ she repeats, more suspiciously now.
The pub comes into view, further down the high street. It’s one of the oldest pubs in Bath, apparently, with rumours that Charles Dickens once stayed there. As they near the blue exterior, nestled into the Georgian buildings either side, Lissa spots Mia waiting underneath the hanging sign, her red hair falling in waves around her heart-shaped face.
Darcy still hasn’t answered her. And she knows Darcy. Knows that the casually innocent expression she has fixed in place is a sure sign she’s up to something.
‘Darcy,’ she says firmly, as Mia waves and comes towards them.
Darcy curls a strand of her glossy dark hair back into place behind her head, then sighs. ‘All right, but don’t hate me.’
‘No promises.’
She faces Lissa. ‘I invited Mark.’
‘Mark?’
‘Yes, Mark. You don’t have to sound so incredulous – you’re the one who’s been sleeping with him.’
‘Slept with him,’ Lissa corrects. ‘One time.’ There have been vague promises to do something soon, some overly polite conversations at work – thankfully helped by the fact that Mark is really invested in the project he’s currently working on, meaning he doesn’t have all that much time for small talk in the kitchen – and some awkward, lingering eye contact across the Monday meeting table. Lissa had just about decided that this was all for the best, that she’d let things fizzle out on their own, and now Darcy has to go and bloody ruin it.
She opens her mouth to ask just what the hell she was thinking, but Mia has closed the distance between them, hoop earrings bouncing in her ears. She’s smiling, a light dusting of freckles framing her nose, and Lissa makes herself smile back. She invited her cousin because she’s seemed a bit down recently, and Lissa figured an outing might cheer her up.
Darcy bends to give Mia a hug – and she really does have to bend, because Mia is only about five foot tall, whereas Darcy is somewhat of a giant, especially in the heels she insists on wearing. Darcy once told Lissa that she’d put walking in heels on her CV – Lissa still isn’t sure whether to believe her.
‘So nice to see you!’ Darcy says.
‘You too.’ Mia grins back. ‘I only just got here. I wasn’t sure whether to go in – I’ve never done a pub quiz before. Are there, like, allocated tables?’
‘I don’t think there’s a seating plan,’ Lissa says, ‘but it’s a good thing you didn’t get us a table for three, because Darcy here has invited a plus-one.’ She tries to keep her voice mild. Doesn’t quite succeed.
Mia raises her eyebrows at the tone. ‘Okay …’
‘For me,’ Lissa adds.
‘Ah.’ Mia purses her lips, then glances at Darcy. ‘Ohhhh.’ She draws out the word. ‘Mark?’
Lissa sighs. ‘Yes.’
‘Good idea,’ Mia says to Darcy.
Darcy gives a gracious little bow. ‘Thank you.’
Lissa throws her hands in the air at the two of them.
