Page 38 of The Best of Friends

“You can’t take me.”

Jayne stood. “Want to bet? I have years of resentful bitterness on my side.”

Rebecca rose and walked around the table. “I have four-inch heels.”

Jayne’s expression softened. “Thanks for being my friend.”

Rebecca stepped close and hugged her. “Always. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They held on to each other for several seconds.

“It would make me really happy if you told David to buy a house that would piss off my mother.”

Jayne laughed. “I’m sure it would, but I thought you liked David.”

“I do. You’re saying any house that would annoy Elizabeth would be bad for him?”

“It’s a possibility.”

“Oh, sure. Think of everyone but me.” She returned to her side of the table and sank onto her stool. “What’s he seen so far?”

“A place in Malibu. It was lovely, if you’re in to floor-to-ceiling views and forty-seven fireplaces.”

“Forty-seven?”

“Okay. Three or four. It was huge and beautifully done. Ten acres. What does anyone need with ten acres unless you’re keeping livestock?”

“It’s for privacy.”

“I didn’t realize David was being stalked.”

Rebecca laughed. “He’s not, but land means wealth.”

“I guess, but I think it’s silly. And way too expensive. My entire condo is smaller than the master suite.”

“What did he think of it?”

“He said it was nice, but he wants to keep looking.”

“Did he say why he’s looking in Malibu?”

Jayne rolled her eyes. “No, and if he did, I wouldn’t tell you. If you want to know, ask him yourself. You sound like your mother.”

“Hey, there’s no need to be mean. I’m nothing like—”

Her cell phone rang. Rebecca walked to her purse and grabbed it, then stared at the small screen. There was a single word there.

Nigel.

“What?” Jayne asked, hurrying to her side. “Oh. What are you going to do?”

“Nothing.”

She listened to three more rings, then there was silence. A few seconds later, the message envelope popped onto the screen.

“He’s doing this on purpose,” she whispered. “He doesn’t want me, but he doesn’t want me to forget him, either.”