Page 37 of The Best of Friends

“I don’t want her to know. Not yet.”

Jayne simply looked at her.

Rebecca picked up one of the diamonds, then tossed it back on the table. “Fine. I have mother issues. That’s hardly unique.”

“Yours drag you down. You spend so much time and energy hating Elizabeth. That can’t be good for you.”

Rebecca shrugged. Hating her mother was a whole lot easier than facing the pain inside. The emptiness. The fact that the only time she felt whole was with Nigel.

“Enough about me,” she said. “How’s the wrist?”

“Better. Healing. At least that’s what I tell myself when it aches.” She rubbed the cast. “I miss work. My friends, the patients.”

Rebecca didn’t want to talk about Jayne’s other friends. “What did you think of Jonathan?”

Jayne grimaced. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to him. I’m sure he’s very nice.”

“I’ll admit he’s not my fantasy guy,” Rebecca said. “But he’s reasonably intelligent and funny. Uncomplicated. I think I need uncomplicated.”

“You’ll get over Nigel.”

“Could you give me a date? Even one month in the future. It would give me something to look forward to.” Imagine closing her eyes at night and not hearing his voice or picturing him in her mind. What on earth would she do with her day when she didn’t have missing Nigel to fill up the time?

“You won’t be in love with him forever,” Jayne said.

“Is that a promise?”

Jayne looked uncomfortable. “No. It’s not.”

Because loving one man for the rest of her life, while old-fashioned and depressing, was entirely possible.

“Why did I have to fall for him?” she asked, picking up the smallest of the three diamonds and turning it over in her hands. “Don’t worry. I don’t expect an answer. No one knows why we love the people we love. If only love were sensible.”

“Like me,” Jayne said. “That’s how everyone sees me. Not pretty or funny or charming. I’m sensible and reliable. Like a used compact car. Nothing flashy, but you know it will start in the morning.”

Rebecca stared at her. “That’s not really what you think, is it?”

“Sure. I’m the sensible friend, the person Elizabeth can count on to do the right thing. I can be trusted to know where the good china is and not steal it. I’m a paragon of incredibly boring virtues. You get to be all beautiful and fiery and dangerous.”

“I’m hardly dangerous.”

“You had your mother sweating yesterday at the brunch. And then she sent me to make sure you stayed in line. I’m like those placid dogs a family buys when the dog they chose first is too high strung. I’m the pet’s pet.”

“Which makes me the high-strung dog?” Rebecca asked, trying not to smile.

“Do not make this about you,” Jayne snapped. “I’m serious here. Your mother asked me to help David house hunt. Apparently, men aren’t capable of buying a house on their own. How lucky for all of us that I broke my wrist and am available. Although I’m sure if I was still working, she would explain to me why helping her son was more important than my job.”

“Isn’t everything?”

“Yes.” Jayne covered her face with her hands. “She asked me to tell her any information I may pick up about who he’s dating.” She dropped her hands. “I told her no, but that’s not the point. She asked. She expected I would be her spy. I’m an unpaid family retainer.”

“Is that better or worse than being a reliable used car or a Labrador?”

Jayne’s mouth twitched at the corners. “There are mean-looking tools all over this place. Don’t make me use one on you.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Absolutely. It could get ugly.”