Page 51 of Little Miss Fortune

Someone shifts in the corner of my eye, and I feel a hand land on the small of my back.

‘Fuko-chan, douzo. I grabbed one for you.’ A paper cup with ice cream appears in front of me with a decadent silver spoon sticking out of it.

John’s smarmy face is in front of me. I never realised how much he leans on things. But he is leaning now, blocking the bar for others.

‘There is no need, John,’ I say, looking up at Toby.

Vague amusement. At least someone is having fun. Some classical music with dance bass beats starts playing.

‘It’s some vegan amaretto-and-cherry ice cream. You were a big fan of cherries, as I recall.’

Ew. We had sex once after I had cherries. That’s what he is insinuating. Slimy, gross, little...

Oh my god, his hand is stroking my ass. I pull away.

‘Are you being serious right now?’ Toby leans over the bar, looking John straight in the face, ignoring the woman beside him who is trying to pay for her glass of red.

‘Is there a problem?’ John smiles.

‘You bring her an amaretto ice cream? Did you ask about almonds?’

‘Oh, that, yeah, yeah, yeah... They usually don’t have actual almonds.’

Toby crosses into the actual bar and pulls out an amaretto bottle. He points at the ingredients: bitter almond. ‘Did you ask, or are you just fine with her going into anaphylaxis?’

He looks so angry, despite his voice being calm.

‘I would go back to your camera if I were you.’ Toby finally brings the card reader to the woman.

Sashka and Leon wave at me, signalling that they want to have a chat, most likely about my ex hovering too close to me, with his cologne permeating my clothes. But I can’t look away from Toby. He is not breaking eye contact either.

His lips open, and I realise I’m holding my breath. I can’t look away from him.

I need to get out. ‘I’m going to get more spoons.’

The staff room is still propped with a box. I try to turn the lights on, but it seems the bulb is bust. I open the window on the other side of the room that looks out to the backstreet. The pavement glistens when the streetlamps illuminate the hefty but silent raindrops. The gentle breeze feels cool on my skin.

What is happening to me? Get it fucking together, Fuko. You are at a work event. Why is your personal life seeping in?

‘Fuko,’ a voice behind me. A low, quiet voice.

It’s Toby. Out of all the people here, how bad is my luck that it’s him to come after me?

‘Fuko, I need to say something.’

‘Please don’t. Whatever you want to say, just keep it to yourself.’ I shake my hands in front of me.

He takes a step forward. Behind him, a bouncer opens the main door to go for a cigarette break. It creates a wind tunnel and slides the box and the door. It shuts behind Toby.

Ha. Ha ha.

Ha ha ha ha ha.

CHAPTER 18

Welcome to the party, Fawzia, Leon, and Sashka

‘What’s so funny?’