Then Lee heard Daisy’s voice. He paused. Daisy was back? Surely, she should be at her wedding. Had she forgotten something?
Putting his lunch aside, Lee went to the door and opened it. Daisy was with Marigold and a very tall black man, the guy opening up Daisy’s apartment. Daisy was huddled against her younger sister while Marigold hugged her. It was then Lee realized that it was Daisy crying.
“Daisy?”
Daisy looked up, and Lee was shocked to see how pale she looked, her eyes red and her makeup smeared on her face with her tears. She straightened up, looking embarrassed.
“Lee? I thought you’d be at work.”
“Not today.” Lee looked at the three people standing in the hall. “What’s going on? I thought today was the wedding.”
Daisy whimpered. Marigold scowled.
“Well, there would have been a wedding if Nick hadn’t decided to run off with one of the bridesmaids.”
“What?”
“The little bitch has been fucking Nick for a while now. They decided to run away and go on the vacation Nick and Daisy were going to use as their honeymoon.” Marigold looked like she was going to murder someone. “He didn’t have the decency to tell Nick. We had to find all of this out from her sister an hour before the ceremony.”
Lee felt like he was in a bizarre movie plot. He knew Nick had a bit of an eye for the ladies, but this was ridiculous. Who would cheat on Daisy like that?
Evidently, Nick had, and he didn’t seem to care about it if he was taking his side-piece on the honeymoon trip.
“Oh, shit.” Lee stared at Daisy. “I’m so sorry. I…I don’t know what to say other than that.”
Daisy gave him a shaky smile.
“There’s not much you can say. I’ve been humiliated on my wedding day. There’s not much anyone can do.”
“You weren’t humiliated, Daisy.” The black guy touched her shoulder. “And there’s nothing to be ashamed of. The ones who should be ashamed are your ex and the bitch he ran off with.”
“It doesn’t make me feel any better right now, Jake.” Daisy was trembling. “Especially with what he told Nina before he ghosted us.”
Lee frowned.
“What did he say?”
Daisy started to talk, but she just started crying again. Marigold put her arms around her sister, careful of her large bump. She nodded at Jake.
“I’m taking Daisy inside. She’s not in a state to do anything right now.”
The two women went into Daisy’s apartment. Jake turned to Lee, his presence making Lee take a step back. He was six feet tall already, but Jake simply towered over him. That was unnerving.
“Are you a friend of Daisy’s?” Jake asked. “Or just a nosy neighbor?”
“I’m her friend.” Lee answered that without hesitation. “I’ve always been her friend.”
“What about Nick?”
“We nod at each other in the hall, but he wasn’t interested.” Lee folded his arms. “What did he say to Daisy?”
Jake sighed.
“That because the apartment is in his name, he wants Daisy out before they get back so he can move his side-chick in. He wants no trace of her in the apartment.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“That’s what he said.” Jake shook his head. “Daisy tried to get hold of him and Elena, but both of them aren’t answering their phones. Nick’s sister is the only one who is in contact, and even then it’s to give the orders rather than respond to anything. To say everyone is furious with them is an understatement.”