Looking into Lucy’s face, I was suddenly overcome with affection. I pulled her into a hug. “Thanks for being good to me,” I said, the words muffled into her hair.

“Don’t get all sappy on me! It’s just makeup!” She hugged me back.

It was more than that, and we both knew it.

We broke apart when the door swung open and the bell chimed. The first day of tourist season was well and truly underway.

It was almost closing time and only a few customers still lingered at Busy’s when the door opened and Elodie walked in. “Hey, Babe,” she said, smiling prettily. “Got any of that German chocolate cake left? I promised my mom I’d get her a slice.”

So was this the way it was now? Two strangers pretending like they hadn’t once kissed and touched and loved? My eyes smarted. I didn’t want her back, but I didn’t want her pretense, either. I was tired of things being secret and messy. Nothing good had ever come of it.

I was incredibly conscious of Levi sitting at his usual table. Any second now, Elodie would see him, too. I didn’t want to see them talking, getting along. I’d deliberately avoided talking to Levi too much about the art center for this specific reason. I didn’t want El to come up, and I especially didn’t want to feel compelled to explain to him that she was the ex I’d told him about.

Her eyes were on me.

I swallowed. “Yeah. I’ll just wrap the cake up for you.” I grabbed a to-go box and slid the cake in, careful with the caramel coconut frosting. While my eyes were focused on the packaging, she stepped away from the counter.

“Hey,” said Elodie.

I jerked my head up.

She’d headed to Levi’s table. With a hand perched on her hip, she smiled at him. “I’ve seen you at the art center. You’re Penny’s mentor, right?”

Levi closed his sketchbook. “Hey,” he said, voice cautious with surprise. His eyes slid to me for a brief second before flickering back to Elodie. “Yeah, I’m with the art center’s summer residency program. You are, too?”

She nodded.

He held out a hand. “I’m Levi Keller.”

I could see the recognition flutter over her face. My insides squirmed.

“Wait.” El drew the word out like taffy. “Not … the Levi Keller? From Instagram?”

“Um, yeah. How do you—”

“I love your Instagram! I’ve been a fan of yours since forever. Even before you got big,” Elodie enthused at once, voice going high and squeaky with excitement.

I knew how much being one of the early fans mattered to her. She always looked down her nose a bit at people who became fans only after someone got popular.