What? Why had he just said that? I opened my mouth to speak, but Bianca got there first.
“All good, I hope? Because Zoe has beenverysecretive about you.”
“Oh my God, Nick is not my mystery man,” I said, perhaps a bit too emphatically, because I saw a slight frown flutter across his face.
“Oh?” Bianca said, wrinkling her nose. “But the two of you were looking so cozy just now.”
“Nick is an old uni friend of Steve’s,” I said. “He’s also the owner of Baskerville Books, which is how I know him.”
“Baskerville Books?” Bianca said, then her eyes flashed with delight as the penny dropped. “Oh, so you’re the misogynist dick lit bookseller?”
“At your service, ma’am,” Nick said, giving a mock bow, and I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling.
“Oh, so Zoe actually hates you. How disappointing,” Bianca said, but there was something in the way she was looking at me that made me squirm. “Where is this Will guy, then? Did you bring him?”
“Yeah, he’s here somewhere,” I said. “So, are you having fun? The place looks amazing, and I haven’t had any food yet but—”
“Stop trying to change the conversation, Zoe Knight,” Bianca said. “I want to meet this date of yours. Where is he?”
“I dunno, maybe he’s gone to the toilet? Why don’t I go and find him now. Nice to see you again Ni—”
“Ah, Zoe, there you are!”
I froze, and for a moment the only part of me that seemed to be moving was my heart, which was suddenly hammering against my chest very, very rapidly. I looked around slowly, hoping I’d made a mistake and it was just one of B’s relatives coming to say hello. But no, there he was: Mr. Darcy, holding a pint, smiling as he walked toward me.
“Well, hell-o,” Bianca whispered in my ear.
“Hi, Will,” I said, my voice a squeak.
“I have been looking for you everywhere,” Darcy said as he reached us. He saw Bianca and clearly recognized her from the photos in my flat, because he smiled. “You must be the bride.”
“Guilty as charged. It’s good to finally meet you.”
Darcy leaned forward and gave her a kiss on either cheek, a move I can only imagine he’d learned fromLove Island. Then his eyes moved over my shoulder to the man I knew was still standing behind me.
“Good evening. I am Will. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Nick didn’t immediately answer, and although I couldn’t see his face, I found I was holding my breath.
“Nick Baskerville. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, too,Will.”
Oh fuck. Again.
Chapter Sixteen
I turned around, expecting to see Nick glaring at Darcy, but instead it was me he was staring at. And this time, there were no twinkling eyes or a flicker of a smile; his look was pure anger.
“So, let’s grab a drink and you can tell meeverything,” I heard Bianca say to Darcy. “Where do you live, what do you do, how amazing is my girl Zoe?”
Oh God, how was he going to answer all that? But I didn’t get to hear, as there was suddenly another voice closer to my ear.
“What the hell is Mr. Darcy doing here?”
Shit, what was the best way to play this? Should I a) try to deny it, or b) confess all and plead for mercy?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, going with option c) panic and play dumb.
“Please don’t lie to me, Zoe. I’ve met the man before, so I knowexactlywho he is.”
