Page 37 of Lease to Love

I started pacing. “You employment-challenged, mama's-basement-dwelling, musty, rusty,—”

I pointed at my phone as though he could somehow see me through the screen.

“—dusty little ass boy!”

I was halfway through describing all the ways in which his mother had failed him when his voice cut through my rant.

“Oh, shit!”

I froze.

Ayo leaned toward his phone and read, “@SunnyDays202 has joined the Live, yall!”

My stomach dropped into my ass.

Wait.

What?

I looked down at my screen.

My thumb was resting over the bottom of the display.

I must've tapped the screen.

Instead of lurking quietly from my For You page, I'd apparently joined the damn live.

“Oh, shit.”

Ayo's eyes widened as he spotted my name.

Then his grin spread. I wanted to throw my phone across the room.

“Wassup, Sunny? You miss me?”

I nearly gagged.

The comments exploded.

THIS LIVE JUST GOT GOOD.

GIRL STAND UP.

NOT HER JOINING THE LIVE

I stared at the screen.

My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.

I hadn't addressed Ayo's cheating publicly. Hadn't made a post. Hadn't subtweeted him. I hadn't even changed my relationship status because I hadn't wanted to give anybody the satisfaction of watching me react.

My social media was my business — my clothes, my customers, my brand — and I'd kept Ayo's mess nowhere near it.

But now he knew I was watching. Everybody watching knew I was watching.

And I had no idea what looked worse.

Leaving immediately?