‘Thanks,’ Drew murmurs, but his tone has changed. He’s realised that trying to impress Zoe with their engagement was the wrong tactic. ‘Did you know this is Darcy’s fourth season field producing on The One?’

Darcy cringes. She knows he’s trying to help, but it sounds like he’s clutching at straws. Bragging that Darcy has worked on the same show for four years isn’t going to impress Zoe. Frankly, nothing is going to impress Zoe. She’s going to walk away knowing she landed the superior job whereas Darcy is marrying her high school boyfriend.

‘Field producing for four years? Wow …’ Zoe manages, somewhat polite, somewhat patronising. They both know she should have been promoted by now.

‘Anyway …’ Darcy begins, desperate for their little reunion to be over. She wishes she could walk away and not give Zoe a second thought, but Darcy already knows she’ll be replaying their conversation in her head late at night.

‘Do you still see anyone from uni?’ Zoe asks suddenly.

Darcy’s a little thrown—from anyone else it’d be a normal question, but at university Zoe had never been interested in maintaining relationships of any kind. ‘Um, yeah. We see Ed all the time and I catch up with Ellie and Tara every few weeks.’

Zoe’s expression tightens. ‘That must be nice.’

Huh? She sounds genuine, possibly even envious.

‘I’ve fallen out of touch with everyone, but I’d love to see them again.’

Darcy swallows a lump in her throat.

‘Aren’t a whole lot of you catching up next weekend?’ Drew looks to Darcy.

Darcy shoots him daggers. Even if Zoe is feeling left out, Darcy doesn’t want to hang out with her. ‘Yeah, Tara’s just organised a bit of a catch-up through Facebook.’ Darcy tries to play down the reunion as best she can. ‘I don’t know how many are going, though.’ Pretty much everyone who lives in Sydney will be going and even a couple who are now based in Melbourne are flying up for the weekend, but she doesn’t want Zoe to know that. The whole vibe will change if Zoe Eggins is there, parading around her success.

‘That sounds great,’ Zoe says. ‘When and where?’

Darcy’s heart sinks.

Chapter 25

25

Penelope stands on the front doorstep, listening to the hurried footsteps approaching.

Lara throws open the door. ‘Hello. Come in, come in!’ She beckons, urging Penelope to follow. ‘I’ll just be a moment,’ Lara tells her, running down the hall, her arms loaded with washing. ‘Molly wet the bed last night, so I’ve got to get another load out on the line.’