He strode into the coffee shop, his leather jacket gleaming in the afternoon light. It was a perfect day for a victory lap. His latest novel had just hit the bestseller list, and the reviews were glowing. He felt a sense of freedom he hadn't known before. He spotted Emily, his longtime friend, at a table near the window. She had always been his sounding board, his first reader, and her opinion mattered more than most. She'd always believed in him, even when he doubted himself.
He approached her table, his chest puffed out with pride. He could not wait to hear her reaction.
"Emily!" he exclaimed, sliding into the seat opposite her. "Guess what?"
Emily looked up, her smile strained. "Hi, James. Congratulations on… well, everything." She gestured vaguely.
"Thanks!" James replied. "You saw the reviews, right? What did you think?"
"Oh, they’re lovely," she said.
He leaned forward, eager to share the details of his success.
"Who is he?"
James felt the room spin. He knew that tone of voice.
"Oh, him? He’s just… a friend. A colleague, even."
"You never told me you were involved with publishing," he pointed out, a new, sharp, pain now forming in his chest.
Emily stared out the window, her jaw tight. "That's… complicated."