“It’s for a marketing company that works with specialised sports.”
My eyebrows raise. “That’s cool.”
Her eyes glimmer in my direction as she roams them across my face and exhales a long sigh.
I shift in my seat. “So, tell me about your university degree,” I say, because I need her to talk about something before she brings those googly eyes back.
“Well…” She trails off, and I prepare to listen.
A gust of wind ripples through the air as I glance along the beachfront where people are strolling with fluorescent beach towels over their shoulders, and sunburnt noses. Daisy is still talking, and I’m picking up on every other word as best as I can.
My eyes wander from person to person until they fall on a familiar face.
Isaac.
My gaze shoots to the person next to him, blonde hair half tied up in a messy bun. She’s wearing the cutest ribbed dress with short sleeves and socks and trainers.
Isaac says something that has Ivy cackling, and both of them have ice cream cups in their hands. I study Isaac’s gaze as it’s locked on Ivy. He’s not just looking at her, he’s beaming.
And I can read that look from a million miles away.Because he likes her.
Ivy’s lips move, and Isaac grins. A part of me wishes I could be a fly on the wall in their conversation, but I’m too far away to hear anything. I don’t even realise that my fist has clenched on the table until Daisy clears her throat.
“Everything okay?” she asks hesitantly.
I drag my eyes back to her and relax my hand. “Yeah,” I rasp. “All good.”
Daisy hums. “So yeah, that’s where I’m up to with my degree.”
And I have no recollection of our one-sided conversation. “Sounds good.” I force another smile. “Things are looking good for you.”
“Hopefully.” She sinks her teeth into her lip.
“What’s going on between Ivy and that Isaac guy?”
She blinks at my question and pulls back.
I clear my throat and rest my elbows on the table. “Because of what Finn said at the barbecue. He wouldn’t have reacted like that if it wasn’t serious, right?”
Her hand brushes those long locks across her back again. “I mean, they’ve been close since school. They lost touch when Ivy left for a few years, but I know how bad Isaac had it for her. He never really told her or anything, but now I guess he’s got that confidence he didn’t have before. But who knows what might happen.”
“Didn’t Ivy like him in school?”
Daisy shrugs. “Ivy was quite… shy at school. She was reserved, and I don’t think she felt like she was good enough. Which I don’t understand because to me, she’s beautiful. But everyone has their own flaws and insecurities.”
She’s not the only one who thinks she’s beautiful.
I glance back over at where Isaac and Ivy were standing, but they’re nowhere to be seen. My eyes fixate on Daisy’s again, but this time she’s studying me.
“Look, JJ,” she starts, “I know you and Ivy met before she came home.”
My eyes blink quicker than the speed of light. She told her about us? And she was still happy for her best friend to try her luck with me? My headaches.
“I’d never tell Finn or anything, don’t worry.” Her hand comes back to caress my wrist. “I guess you guys knew that nothing would come of it. Ivy made that very clear to me.”
I hate that my heart twitches at her words, bruising my ego because I thought what we shared was somewhat special, even if it only lasted one night.
Maybe I am delusional.
