Page 94 of The Bartender Special

“Felicity did a passive aggressive complaint about Carol’s damn sunhat. I thought it was funny because Benny and I’d already talked about the thing earlier. I didn’t realize I’d laughed. To be fair, Carol took about fifty pictures and half we had to readjust because the hat was in the way.”

Santana tapped the username at the top of the screen.

“Well, this is the only one Carol posted from the day just now, and—” She moved her finger to the text beneath the picture. “It already has six hundred likes.”

Jack swore. Not under his breath.

“I swear that woman tries to stir more pots than a cook.”

Santana nodded, sympathetic.

“She sure knows how to hit all the right spots to make you go oomph.” She patted Jack's shoulder. “You better give Benny a heads up before other people start yapping about you still being in love with Felicity.”

“I’m not still in love with Felicity,” he pointed out.

Santana took her phone back and sighed.

“You may say that here, now, but the next time Carol sees Benny? I guarantee that’s all she’s going to talk about.”

She was right.

Jack put his bar rag down.

“Can you cover the bar for a second?” he asked her.

Santana waved him off.

“If it’s to help Benny get ahead of the Queen Bee’s sting, then take all the time you need.”

Jack hurried back to the office, already scrolling through his phone to Benny’s name.

Guilty.

He felt guilty.

Like he'd just cheated on Benny, even though, A) he absolutely hadn't meant to look lovingly at anyone and B) he and Benny weren't actually dating.

It was ridiculous.

It was dramatic.

It was dumb⁠—

Jack started to pace as the phone started to ring.

And rang.

And rang.

After he hung up before the automated voicemail could record a message, he cussed again.

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe Santana was too.

It was just a picture, taken by Carol of all people. Their shared enemy.

Maybe Benny wouldn't care.

Maybe it wasn’t a big—or small—deal at all.