Her Best Friend by Sarah Mayberry Page B

rundown on what had been happening in her life: the Grand, Quinn’s part in helping her win the fight with the council, the renovations she had planned. It was awkward and uncomfortable, stilted in a way things had never been with Lisa before.
    There was a short pause when she’d finished.
    “And how is Quinn? Last time I saw him he’d lost a bit of weight,” Lisa said.
    “Well, he’s doesn’t complain when I boss him around, which is a good thing, right?” Amy joked.
    “Ames, has he mentioned anyone? Another woman?”
    Here we go. Was this why Lisa had called? To fish for information on Quinn?
    “Lis, I really don’t want to play piggy in the middle, you know?”
    “Please. I just need to know this one thing.” She sounded desperate. “Is he seeing anyone?”
    Amy tugged the quilt tighter. “I’m sorry, Lis.”
    “All right. I understand. You and Quinn were always close. I get why you’d pick him over me. I’m the dirty wrongdoer, right?”
    “It’s got nothing to do with choosing sides. If you want to know how Quinn is, who he’s dating, whatever, you need to talk to him, not me. I’m not a marriage counselor or a go-between.”
    “It’s okay, Amy. I’d probably be the same myself. Good for you for standing by him. If it’s not pushing our friendship too much, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention this call to Quinn.”
    “Lisa—”
    But it was too late, she was listening to the dial tone.
    Shit.
    Amy threw the phone to one side and made a frustrated sound in her throat. What had Lisa expected from her? A full report on Quinn’s comings and goings? An intimate recounting of all his conversations?
    It wasn’t fair of Lisa to try to trade off their friendship to pump Amy for information. In fact, it was uncool in the extreme and Amy was tempted to call Lisa back and tell her as much.
    Two things stopped her: the fact that she’d been lying through her teeth when she’d said she wasn’t on anyone’s side, and the memory of that small, ugly moment not long after Quinn had told her he was getting a divorce when she’d consciously registered the fact that he was free to love again and a part of her had rejoiced.
    She wasn’t exactly a shining example of virtue in this situation, after all.
    She was covered in gooseflesh by now and she took the quilt with her as she crossed to the ensuite. She waited until the water was steaming hot before tossing the quilt into her bedroom and stepping beneath the shower.
    The water was hot and hard. She turned her face into the spray and held her breath. Only then did she allow herself to ask the question that had been echoing inside her since Lisa’s call.
    If Lisa wanted to try again, would Quinn take her back?
    Her gut said no, that Quinn was too hurt, too angry to forgive two years of lies and betrayal. But what did she know, really, at the end of the day? Quinn and Lisa had been together for a long time. Who knew how far and how deep their connection went? Marriages had recovered from worse blows, she was sure.
    It doesn’t matter. It’s none of your business. If they get back together or not is irrelevant. It doesn’t change anything for you. Not a thing.
    God, how she needed to hang on to that reality.
    She also needed to decide whether it would be a bigger betrayal of Quinn to tell him Lisa had called or to do as Lisa asked and keep it a secret.
    So much for not brooding.

    T HEY WERE SITTING on the edge of the dock down at the lake. It took Quinn a moment to recognize it as the night before his wedding. Amy sat opposite him in a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. They were drinking Coronas with slices of lime in the neck of the bottle. The air was warm, the moon full.
    “Tomorrow’s going to be a great day. The best day of my life,” he said.
    Amy smiled and nodded. “You’re going to be a great husband.”
    “I know.”
    They both laughed because he sounded like such a cocky son of a