The Lie of Love Read Free Page B

introspection.  ‘I think
if we give Rachel an extra big tip we can make up for it.’
    ‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’
Rachel blushed again. ‘Enjoy your cake,’ she added, before scurrying off to
avoid any further embarrassment. 
    ‘I’m sure we will,’ Amanda said,
turning her attention to the polka-dot plate in front of her, upon which sat a
sumptuous looking slice of iced sponge. ‘The apple cake in here is heavenly,’
she added, picking up her fork and shearing a huge chunk off, which went
directly into her mouth. ‘So,’ she said, looking up at Darcy as she chewed.
‘What’s this big secret?’
    ‘It’s no secret.’ Darcy took a
sip of her coffee. It was freshly brewed and had a bitter kick to it that she
liked. She had to admit that she couldn’t fault Amanda’s choice of café when it
came down their goods, even if it did get ridiculously busy.
    ‘It’s just a huge favour I need
to ask of you, and I realise it will be huge and you can obviously say no if
you want to.’
    Amanda’s next piece of cake
stopped midway to her mouth. ‘Good grief, this sounds serious. You don’t want a
kidney, do you? I can’t deny you much but a kidney is taking our friendship too
far.’
    ‘Not a kidney,’ Darcy smiled. ‘Just a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment and probably a lot
of your time too.’
    ‘Enthusiasm is my middle name.
Commitment not so much but we can work around that. And time I have in spades.
Ask away, darling.’
    ‘There’s an operation that Sophie
can have. It may help her to walk, but more importantly, it will almost
certainly ease the constant spasms in her legs –’
    ‘Really? Well that’s marvellous news! I assume you’ve put her name down for this?’
    ‘I would but it’s not quite that
simple. The only surgeon qualified to do this procedure, or rather, the best
qualified to do this procedure, is in Florida.
So it means we have to find the money for not only the operation itself, but
all the aftercare and the three weeks we’d have to stay in Florida
for.’
    ‘I see your problem. Do you want
to borrow some?’
    ‘Oh, God, no!’ Darcy squeaked. ‘I couldn’t ask you to lend me that kind of money. I could
never ask anyone to lend that kind of money. But I thought that you would be
the perfect person to help me raise it. You’re smart, organised, persuasive,
connected…’
    Amanda held up her hand with an
obviously pleased and very musical laugh. ‘There’s no need to flatter me…
although I do rather like it… on second thoughts, carry on.’
    ‘I’d be useless doing this by
myself,’ Darcy continued, getting into her stride and gripped by a new
enthusiasm as she saw that the eventual outcome of this conversation might just
get her first and most precious recruit, ‘and Ged has
made it quite clear that he doesn’t have time to do much of it.’
    ‘He does work long hours,’ Amanda
agreed.
    ‘Exactly. So will you do it, will you be my campaign manager?’
    ‘It does sound like a hoot. And
already I have tons of ideas… Oh, why not!’ Amanda
took a sip of her coffee, and then looked over the rim of her cup at Darcy with
a huge grin. ‘We’ll have your money in no time at all.’
    Darcy leapt from her seat and
reached across the table to pull Amanda into a hug. ‘Thank you!’
    ‘Steady on!’ Amanda laughed as
she swerved the coffee cup out of the way. ‘I haven’t done anything yet.’
    ‘But it means so much to me that
you said you would help.’ Darcy returned to her seat, eyes shining with new
vigour and purpose. ‘I’ve spent so much of the last couple of days obsessing
over this plan, in my darker moments convinced that I’m being an idiot for even
thinking it could work, and now that you’re on board I just know that we have a
chance of success.’
    ‘I’m glad you have such faith in
me, darling, but faith alone won’t bring in the pennies.’ Amanda dug into a
huge leather handbag and pulled out a notebook. She opened it up