Page 85 of Be More Octopus

'Let's check his stories. 'Devon girls are the best' written across a photo of Mark with his arm around two women, a similar age to Lucy and Em - too young to be old flames from school days. Jack probably took it. It looked like it was by the harbour, and it was dark, so it was after they'd bumped into Em and Luke.

A selfie popped up, showing Mark with one of the women from the previous picture. Then it moved on to someone else's stories.

'Nothing useful there,' said Lucy.

'Hang on. Go back. Who was behind Mark?'

'Ooh, you're right.' Lucy looked more closely. 'That's Jack.'

The image of him was fuzzy, but it appeared to be Jack laughing with his arm around the other woman.

'I bet that's Daisy.' Em felt jealous. She was gazing into his eyes. 'I wonder if he has the same effect on her as he has on me.'

'Let's see if it is Daisy.' Lucy went back to the photos in Mark's feed. The one of Jack had 23 likes. She looked through the list of likers. Iamdaisydashford was one of them.

Iamdaisydashford 's account was public. She was the woman Jack had his arm around - her story had a selfie with a tipsy-looking Jack. Lucy took a screenshot of it. 'For future reference,' she said.

Lucy carried on scrolling. Em looked dazed. What should she do now?

'Looks like she's a teacher at the local secondary school,' said Lucy. 'A history teacher, specialising in 19th-century ships.'

'What?'

'I thought that would make you pay attention. She is a history teacher, though.'

She is attractive, and she has something in common with Jack, even if she isn't obsessed with ships. I've lost him!

'I need a plan.' Em said.

'No, you don't,' said Lucy. 'You just need to tell him how you feel as soon as possible.’

Ping. A text from Jack.

'And there's your chance,' Lucy said.

Em didn't unlock her phone. 'He probably thinks I'm a psycho after the Daisy text revelation.'

'But that's easily explained away. Mark's Instagram feed led us to find out about Jack and Daisy, not the text.'

'True! Thank you.' She checked the notification.

'It's just his last-minute shopping list for Sunday lunch.'

'The one I'm graciously going out to buy for him? He's got us both waiting on him now.'

'He's not in a state to drive, and I've got guests to sort out. I didn't think you'd mind as you'll enjoy eating it.'

'Give it here. I'll write it down in my notebook.'

'I can text it to you.'

'No, I prefer paper. Hand it over.'

'We've got a double date tonight!' Lucy gleefully announced as Em returned to the flat from doing her concierge job for the day.

'Jason and Luke?'

'No, Jack and Mark.'