There had been an unusually high number of cash payments at lunch. Sergio had money burning a hole in his pocket, enough to pay off Kanal. And now another table had paid in cash. He debated whether to take this, too, or put it through the till as normal.

On one hand, if he took too much he risked getting caught. Mateo had given him a vague talking-to that morning, about ‘watching himself’ and ‘not overdoing things’. He worried his father suspected he was stealing.

On the other hand, if he paid off Kanal, he could get another couple of grams. And if he had another couple of grams, he could suggest to Angel that they share it. She seemed like the kind of girl who wouldn’t turn down the offer of coke.

It was an easy decision. As long as he could get in touch with Angel.

*

Jemma hopped off the bus and walk-ran down Princes Street. It was hard to go quickly with the box under her arm, but she was excited. She couldn’t wait to see Holly’s face.

She was in the shop window, dressing a mannequin. Jemma knocked on the glass, beckoning her.

‘I don’t have a lot of time,’ Holly said when she came out. ‘I’m right in the middle…’

‘I know, I know. But I’ve got you a present.’

‘A present?’

‘Here.’

Holly took the box, and gingerly opened the flap. She gasped when she saw what was inside. ‘You got me a dog?’

‘I got you a dog!’

‘You got me a dog.’

‘You were upset. And I thought, you know, this whole thing might take a while. I thought a dog could be a nice distraction.’

Holly stroked the dog’s soft head. ‘You got me a dog,’ she said again. She was just as surprised as Jemma had hoped she’d be.

*

Sergio caught up with Katie as she was heading home after her shift. ‘Do you have my number?’ he asked.

‘No,’ Katie said, shaking her head.

‘I’ll give it to you,’ Sergio said. ‘In case you want to change a shift or something. Let me see your phone, I’ll put it in.’

‘OK,’ Katie said, handing him her phone. Sergio hadn’t thought it would be that easy. He flicked through her contacts, found Angel’s number, and sent it to himself. Then he created a contact under his own name.

‘There,’ he said, handing Katie her phone. ‘If you need anything, you can call me.’

‘I will,’ Katie said, with a wide smile. Sergio smiled back. He’d entered the wrong last digit of his number. The last thing he wanted was nuisance calls from lovesick waitresses.

*

Angel had left the flat not knowing where she was headed. She’d let her legs carry her around Bruntsfield Links, around the Meadows, and back towards Marchmont. When she reached Ryan’s flat, she realised she’d been heading there all along. She rang the bell.

His flat was on the fourth floor. She had five flights of stairs to figure out what to say to him. Should she tell him why she’d ended things, how it was all to do with her mother and trouble at home and nothing to do with him? Should she tell him she regretted it?

He was waiting at the door when she reached the top of the stairs.

‘I was passing,’ she said. ‘Thought I’d say hello.’

‘Hello,’ he said. He didn’t invite her in.

‘I…’ Angel began, then stopped. ‘Are you still seeing Nicole?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good. That’s good. Good. Um…’

‘Don’t,’ Ryan said.

‘Don’t what?’

‘Don’t come here, when you know I’m with someone else, and I’m happy, by the way, I love her, don’t come here and try to mess that up, Angel. Don’t.’

Angel swallowed. ‘You love her?’ 

‘Yes.’

‘Well, that’s great.’ Angel smiled. ‘That’s great. So, I was passing, I thought I’d say hello, I’ve said it, so, I’ll go.’ She headed for the stairs.

‘Angel,’ Ryan called, but she didn’t stop. She didn’t look back. She heard him sigh. He closed the door.

*

‘Angel, is that you?’ Katie was washing her dinner dishes when she heard the door. ‘Guess what?’

‘What?’

‘Sergio gave me his number. Out of nowhere. He just gave me his number.’ She dried her hands and went into the hall. Angel was kicking off her shoes.

‘That’s great, Katie,’ Angel said. Her voice sounded strange. Strangled.

‘Are you OK?’

Angel didn’t answer. She went to her room and closed the door. Katie stood in the hall, twisting the tea towel in her hands. She had the funniest feeling Angel had been crying.