“Wow. Really stepped up your drinking game, huh?” I remembered how her nose used to wrinkle when she took a shot.
“It helps with the stress,” she shrugged. “So, where’s Nicole?”
“She’s working the midnight shift at the hospital this weekend.” I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about Nicole. Nicole was a name I didn’t even want to hear when I was around Lennox. I didn’t need to be reminded of how I was doing her wrong.
“Oh, a nurse?”
I nodded.
“How honorable.” Her soft lips turned up in a grin as her eyes locked on mine.
“Are you jealous?” I mocked. Giving her the smile I knew she couldn’t resist.
“What? No. No, I’m not jealous.” She waved her hand dismissing the thought but I noticed when her cheeks turned pink. She never was a good liar.
Wendy brought her drink back and Lennox ordered another and a beer before Wendy had even left the table.
“The first one goes down way too easy.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“I think I need to get to know this new Lennox. The Lennox I knew could barely take a shot.”
“Well, this Lennox loves Jack. I think you had something to do with that.” She flashed me her smile and my heart started racing.
Her eyes were trained on her glass, watching as she swirled the liquid like she was nervous. “So, tell me what you’ve been doing all this time.”
“Just, working. I took a job at the high school coaching the soccer team.”
“Really? I’m so happy you got back into soccer. I know how much it meant to you. What about Nicole? How long have you two been together, how did you meet?”
I took a drink. She just wants to jump right into this.
I took a long breath before leaning forward and resting my forearms on the table. My nerves hadn’t settled in the slightest. I let out a nervous laugh at the awkwardness before beginning. “We met a while back, in here actually. It started off just fucking around, but a few months ago, she wanted to take the next step,” I ran my hand through my hair and moved my eyes back to hers. “It was the day you announced your engagement, actually. I figured you didn’t need me waiting around any longer, so I made the plunge. I finally committed to the first girl since you.”
I noticed the look in her eyes, regret, sadness, hurt. Did I cause this look? Is she upset that I’m with Nicole?
“What about you and this actor?” I asked, almost mocking.
She instantly covered up the look in her eyes. “What about him?”
“You accepted his proposal. You must have been in love,” I choked the words out. I didn’t want to think them, let alone, say them.
She tried to smile. I watched as she thought out what she was going to say. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she answered.