Page 3 of Honey Sunshine

“Actually,” I grit out while continuing to smile. I’d forgotten how much Judas not only liked to toot his own horn but also talk on and on and on. “The company’s doing just fine since you left, which is all thanks to how I run things.”

“Is it now? I’m so happy for you.”

No, he isn’t. That smirk playing on his lips is as disingenuous as his words. He knows something, but I don’t know what and I don’t want to know—maybe he just suspects things aren’t as fine as I’m saying they are. He’s trying to get me to spill, but instead of taking the bait I continue to bluff. “Yeah, things have finally been looking up this year, and I’ve started seeing someone.”

This time, his grin completely falls, and his body tenses slightly.

“You’re seeing someone?”

If by someone you mean adult-film actors on my laptop screen and my electronic-toy boyfriend, then yes.

I’m certainly not going to correct that though—I’m enjoying that little smidge of dismay and puzzlement in his eyes. In fact, I can’t help but latch on like a leech at the first sign of fresh bloodin front of me. I’m going to milk it dry and ride it all the way to the damn bank.

I puff out my chest. “Yep, why else did you think I’d be here today?” I attest, swishing my glass of coke and rum.

“I don’t know. You often like to eat out alone for lunch.”

No, you always made up an excuse at the last minute, so I had no choice but to stop asking and eat out by myself.

If only I’d known this bastard had been working behind the scenes for months, stealing clients, preparing to open his own advertising firm and promptly dump me. Now he has the audacity to come up to me like we’re buddy-buddies.

“Nope, not today,” I counter, leaning one elbow on the table. When I see the dark look in Judas’s eyes, something giddy happens inside me and I press on further. “We’re meeting here for lunch.”

The truth is, I’m here to have a business lunch meeting with Harvey Cooper of Ciox Corp, a much larger advertising firm that wants to invest in my small ad business. It’s a huge opportunity that Judas is of course on the verge of ruining, even if he isn’t aware of it. I won’t be surprised if he interrupts the meeting, just because he can.

As I usually do for such lunch meetings, I arrived early to gather my thoughts, but the universe had other plans to disturb my peace.

“Interesting,” he mutters and slowly takes a sip of his drink. “So... where is he?”

“Hm?”

“Your boyfriend,” he clarifies as his sharp eyes snap back to mine. “Where is he? Shouldn’t he be here by now to meet you?”

Have you ever stretched your lie out so badly to spite your ex that it comes back to bite you?

Does it usually come around this quickly?

“He’s coming soon,” I say, waving my arms nonchalantly.

“Does he even exist?”

I huff, rolling my eyes. “I’m offended you think I’d waste my energy lying to you.”

For a moment, we stare at each other. I can see the doubt in his eyes, and I know I’m completely fucked if he asks for photos or something like that. The chattering of the crowded room surrounds us, but it feels like we’re in our own bubble of tension.

He squints his eyes and then reaches for his drink while I look around, hoping to look indifferent even though I’m freaking the fuck out inside. He then slams his drink down, making me jump in my seat.

“You’re lying.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You do that weird twitching thing with your lips when you’re lying,” he declares.

Should I be completely flattered or creeped out that he remembers that about me?

You know what? Because it’s my slimy ex who stole all my top clients, it’s going to be the latter.

I’m sweating like a construction worker on a hot summer’s day as I try to think of a quick comeback, but my mind just goes... blank.

---