Page 94 of Cream & Sugar

“Did I?” She pulls out her phone, the sparkly pink case glittering like a disco ball. “Which photo? Let me check.”

She scrolls and swipes until she has my profile up. As casually as I can, I point out the photo and she opens up the comments. It’s still there. Two words: “please delete.”

“It’s no problem,” I say, trying to move the conversation on. “I get it. After a break-up and all, you want to shed all the old baggage. I honestly just liked the photo, that’s why I left it—”

“Shauny, I didn’t write this.” Lara’s knuckles whiten as her fist clenches around her phone. “Oh my god. Oh mygod!That complete arsehole!”

I frown at her. “Who are you talkingabout—?”

“Viggo, of course!” Lara slams her phone face-down on the table. In the corner of my eye, I see Freddie stiffen. “That total prick must have taken my phone!”

Something about this doesn’t add up.

“But why would Viggo leave that comment?” I ask.

Lara looks at me, a little pityingly. “Oh Shauny, because he wasjealous, of course!”

“Jealous? Of us?”

“Ofyou, silly.”

Why would Viggo, knobhead that he is, be jealous of me? As much as it pains me to admit it, the guy looked like Jason Momoa.

“But he’s, like,reallyhot.”

Wow, that rolled off the tongue far too easily for a man who, to fifty percent of the people in this room, is straight. Lara doesn’t seem to notice.

“Ugh, I know. But he was really insecure. Often the hottest guys are, don’t you think?”

Freddie catches my eye. Clearly he’s overheard everything.

“Not in my experience,” I say with a small smile. “So Viggo wanted me to take the photo down because he was jealous of me?”

“Probably. I think he saw how popular you were on all my old posts. I know I only had a couple thousand followers back then, but they honestly loved you, Shauny. They thought we were a good fit.” The glimmer in her eye is back. “And honestly? I think Viggo felt threatened by that.”

Threatened? Byme? My ego—a small, starved beastie I keep in a box at the back of my mind—slurps up the compliment like a pain au chocolat. It’s getting a lot of little boosts lately. Soon it’ll need a bigger box.

“Well, it sounds like you’re better off without him.” I can’t quite bring myself to say she deserves better, even if an independent jury would probably rule as much.

“Thanks. You’re such a doll. And you’re right about that picture. We do look great together.” Lara rests her forearms on the table, her hands slightly past the invisible line drawn halfway between us.

For some reason, I’m getting flashbacks to our first date. What’s her angle here?

One of our regular customers strides past the window and, to my relief, steps inside.

“Be right back,” I say, pushing my chair away.

“Can’t Frankie serve them?”

“He’s not on shift,” I explain.

Lara blinks, clearly confused. “Then why is he here?”

I pretend not to hear her and scamper behind the counter to make the customer’s order—a small takeaway cappuccino, same every day. When I return, I steal another look at Freddie. He’s making no effort to hide he’s eavesdropping now. I can’t say I blame him. After I told him about our break-up, I’m sure he’s just as perplexed as I am.

I sit, scooting my chair back under the table. My calf comes into contact with Lara’s foot and I quickly jerk it away. Lara places her hands back in the same spot, palms open.

She lowers her voice to a whisper. “So why is Frankie here if he’s not on shift?”