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Just seeing those matching plates of food was enough to make Xolani’s hand tighten into a fist over her spoon, but her expression didn’t show her annoyance.
“This food looks so good!” Misty exclaimed. She pulled out her phone from her purse. “I have to take pictures for Instagram.”
Misty oohed, aahed, and took numerous photos of hers and Barry’s plates (Of course Xolani’s plate wasn’t interesting enough). Meanwhile, Barry kept sending Xolani coded messages with his eyes and head. It seemed like he was trying to tell her that they needed to get rid of Misty.
Xolani didn’t acknowledge the messages.
Why would she? She wasn’t the one who’d invited Misty to sit at their table. And she certainly wasn’t the one who’d made the woman feel comfortable about interrupting their date by violently insisting that they were just friends. If Barry wanted Misty gone, then he would have to get her out of here all on his own.
Avoiding his eyes, Xolani ate her food and drank her wine.
“Which do you think I should post?” Misty asked once she’d finished her impromptu photo-shoot. She noisily moved her chair closer to Barry’s so she could show him the images on her phone.
This time Barry moved to get away from her. If their seating was mapped out on a clock, the new arrangement meant that Misty was seated at 11, Barry at 2, and Xolani was at 6.
“I’m not good at choosing pictures.” His eyes screaming his desperation, Barry suggested, “Maybe you should ask Xo for help.”
“Me? No!” Xo, who refused to be roped into their nonsense, shook her head. “I’m no good at choosing pictures.”
The look Barry gave her had ‘help me’ written all over it.
Xolani ignored it and said to Misty. “Barry is definitely better at it than I am.”
Really? Barry threw her a look filled with both disbelief and helplessness. He couldn’t believe that she’d mercilessly thrown him out to the wolves. She just offered him a tight smile and sipped her wine. Fix it yourself.
“See this one,” Misty moved herself and her chair closer to him so that she was now seated at 1. She leaned closer to Barry so she could show him her phone. If she moved any closer, she’d be on his lap. She said, “Isn’t it cute, Barry-Bear?”
Barry-Bear? Xolani’s eyebrows shot up. Barry-Bear?
Barry shot Xolani another helpless look as he moved his chair again so that he was now at 4 and closer to Xolani. To Misty, he said, “I’m sure it’s cute. Post that one.”
Xolani immediately noticed that he hadn’t even called out Misty on that dumbass pet-name. No wonder he hadn’t been fazed by Xolani calling him ‘honey’. Given how many women he was friends with, this must happen to him all the time.
“Do you want to trade seats?” Xolani asked Misty with a forced smile. “You seem to be trying to get to this side of the table.”
Misty immediately jumped at the offer. “Yeah, I don’t like facing the wind. Your seat would be perfect for me.”
Facing the wind my foot! They were indoors. Where was the wind?
It took everything for Xolani not to make an undignified noise below her breath. She stood, picked up her plate and wineglass, then traded seats with Misty. Now Misty was closer to Barry. Xolani helpfully moved Barry’s plate and wineglass to his current spot.
Barry’s expression changed. Anger filled his features, and he glared at Xolani. Clearly, he didn’t appreciate her helpful attempts to end the strange musical chairs that he and Misty were playing.
When Misty moved her seat closer to him again so they were almost shoulder to shoulder, he didn’t move.
“Let me see what pictures you took,” he said to Misty. However, his angry gaze was on Xolani spoke.
“Okay!” Misty eagerly showed him her phone. “What do you think of this one?”
After one last fiery look at Xolani, he forced a smile and turned his full attention to Misty. “It’s nice. I didn’t know you were that good at taking photos.”
“You think they’re good,” Misty trilled with thrill.
“They’re very good,” he complimented.
Misty took the opportunity to come even closer so the sides of their arms were touching and her head hovered just an inch or so above his shoulder. She scrolled through her phone. “What about this one?”
“It’s fantastic,” Barry said while shooting a dagger-filled smile toward Xolani.
