Page 34 of Couple Goals

‘Oh,’ he says.

He sits on one of the bar stools, though he’s so tall that it’s more like he’s just leaning against it. He fidgets, not looking at her but over towards the counter, perhaps trying to catch the tender’s eye as soon as possible. Well, this is awkward.

She looks over too.

The counter is piled with plump, flaky pain au chocolats, chunky cookies, and elegantly iced cupcakes. They, too, have designs featuring the shapes and colours of bees and roses, and Adriana finds them to be a deadly combination of delicious and adorable. Her favourite at the launch had been the honeycomb brownies, but she wonders if Jacob would judge her an inferior ‘product’ for the team if he saw her breaking her nutritional diet quite that emphatically.

Under Pappi, Adriana would sometimes defiantly ignore the nutritionist’s recommendations, probably consuming too much alcohol and cheese for someone whose body is her job. Yet she’s blessed with a constitution and metabolism which, at least for now, in her early twenties, means she can enjoy her favourite treats without ever worrying it will affect her game. Her view is that she plays better when she’s happy than if she were to start resenting her training for restricting her life outside of it. Far better to be happy and keep things in balance, than miss out on a whole world of pleasure when she already gives so much for the game.

‘Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favourite customer!’

Adriana beams up at a welcome familiar face, who has bustled over to their table. ‘Emily, howareyou? It’s looking so good in here! The dangling bee lamps are new, right?’

But Emily doesn’t seem to care about the elegant lighting in her own cafe-bar – she’s too busy ogling Jacob.

‘Well, and aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? Who is this handsome young man?’

Adriana is expecting Jacob to be standoffish, even snobby about Emily, but she’s surprised that he smiles at her – properlysmiles– and introduces himself.

‘I’m Jacob. It’s a beautiful place you have here, I’m glad Adriana suggested meeting here.’

‘Ohmy!’ says Emily, fanning herself with her rose-patterned apron. ‘Well, aren’t you a gorgeous couple!’ Emily steps back from them, forming edges with her fingers like they’re a frame she’s watching them both through. ‘You look like you should be on the front of Vogue! And what doyoudo for work, Jacob?’

Jacob coughs, about to reply, but Emily seems to then forget she’s asked a question.

‘Oh, but for heaven’s sake, you haven’t come to chat to little old me, have you? What can I get you both? Addy, I seem to remember you’re…’ Emily clicks her fingers. ‘A coconut milk mocha?’

‘Bingo,’ Addy smiles at her.

‘And at the opening I saw you sneak a second of the honeycomb brownies. Can I get you one of those too?’

‘Emily, you’re the best.’ She grins.

Adriana feels Jacob’s eyes on her, and she wonders if he’s judging her, just as she expected, for having such a sweet tooth. Defiantly, she decides she definitelywillhave the brownie. The sugar might take the edge off their awkwardness.

‘And what about you, handsome?’

‘A cortado, please.’

‘Uhhuh,’ says Emily, wiggling her eyebrows, as if Jacob’s order of coffee had been deeply euphemistic. ‘And are you too serious for a pastry?’

Jacob chuckles. Chuckles!

‘It would be rude not to. A croissant, please. For me, their simplicity is the best way to appreciate the skill of the baker. I have no doubt yours will be wonderful.’

‘Oooh, I can see why she likes you!’ Emily playfully nudges him with her elbow. ‘Well done. You have triumphed where hundreds of men have failed! I’ve been trying to set her up with my most eligible bachelor friends foryearsbut she has this whole stupid ‘policy’ of not dating, which includes never seeing a man in the light of day, especially at a precious weekend.’

‘No, Emily, we’re not–’ Adriana tries to cut in to correct her before it gets more awkward, but her friend is a real yapper, and she doesn’t seem to hear the warning in Adriana’s voice.

‘I mean, if you ask me, it’s all a defense mechanism,’ Emily carries on oblivious. ‘Tale as old as time. Someone gets their heart broken once at a formative age, of course they’re going to be wary of letting themselves fall in love again.’

‘Emily–’ Adriana tries again, mortified.

‘And then of course, she has her work,’ Emily says to Jacob, ignoring Adriana. ‘It takes up so much of her life, her priorities, and that’s marvellous, I mean, I knowthatfeeling!’ Emily gestures around. ‘I respect a – what is it the kids are calling it?A “girl boss”? But it seems a shame, someone so overflowing full of love, holding herself back from romance.’

Adriana now realises it was the worst idea in theworldto bring Jacob here.

Thankfully, an oven alarm starts beeping behind the counter, and Emily’s ears prick up.

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