Josh was on his second beer and listening to his mate, Troy, from high school days, boast about his latest girlfriend, when he saw Lexie walk into the hotel. His heart leapt into his throat at the sight of her; that was, until he saw Batman hot on her heels.
What the hell?
Troy must have noticed Josh’s expression and followed his gaze.
‘Oh shit,’ said Troy as he placed a hand on Josh’s arm. ‘Handle it, mate.’
Josh took a deep breath and looked down at the bar, hoping desperately they wouldn’t see him. He didn’t think he could feign pleasantness to his former workmate who was obviously trying to move in on Lexie. What Josh actually wanted to do was ram his fist down Batman’s throat.
Josh kept his head bowed.
‘Did they see us?’ he asked Troy after a few moments.
‘They did. Lexie nodded at me and the bloke she was with shat himself. He almost bolted up the stairs to the back bar.’
Josh let out a pained sigh. That black cloud that had been hovering nearby was now threatening to engulf him. He tried to push it away before it could settle in.
‘Let’s find somewhere else to have a drink, mate,’ Troy suggested, finishing his beer.
Josh could feel his mate watching him carefully. Having been friends for over twenty years, Josh knew he would be trying to read him. When Josh didn’t budge from his seat, Troy gently reached for his arm. Trying to persuade him to get up, Troy repeated, ‘There are plenty of other places for us to go. Come on. Let’s find somewhere else and get a drink.’
Strangely, for the first time in as long as he could remember, Josh didn’t feel like having another drink.
*
No matter how hard Lexie tried, she was unable to concentrate on anything Batman was saying. She could see his lips moving, but the sounds of the noisy pub fused with the buzzing in her ears made it impossible to make out his words.
Sipping on her chardonnay, Lexie tried to clear her mind. Focus.
It was useless. Her thoughts were like a confusing maze of pathways spearing off in all directions, yet somehow each path led straight back to Josh.
‘Are you okay, Lexie?’ Batman asked.
Lexie nodded automatically. Taking a big mouthful of wine, she forced herself to look at him. She noted Batman’s eyes were hazel. They were nice eyes but not the piercing shade of green of Josh’s eyes. His hair was dark, also like Josh’s hair, but Batman wore it shorter, in a flat-top, military style. He also had a set of cute dimples, again like Josh.
For the first time Lexie noted the similarities between them. At one level, they were alike; yet they were not. Batman was younger, more immature. He was a cheeky, flirty, free-spirited boy. Whereas Josh was older, more mature. He was a strong, gorgeous, masculine man. The undeniable air of aloof confidence he presented gave him an edge. He was complicated. There were many facets to his character. Inside that cool exterior, there was a definite vulnerability he endeavoured to hide. Josh had been wounded by life and all that he had experienced. The combination of strength with vulnerability was, to Lexie, irresistible.
Seeing Josh for the second time today had totally rattled her. Out of all the pubs in the Eastern Suburbs, he’d had to pick this one to have a drink in? He knew this was her pub. That she lived not five minutes away. Had he come here on purpose? she wondered.
Batman was still staring at her.
‘Lex, are you in there?
Lexie blinked a few times and sipped continually on her wine.
‘I’m sorry, Batman.’
She was aware she was far from being riveting company right now, but she didn’t know what else to say.
‘No, I’m sorry, Lex,’ Batman apologised, reaching forward and briefly touching her hand. ‘I can see that running into Josh has upset you. Trust me, as much as I like the guy, he is the last person I wanted to see sitting at the bar. I don’t think he saw us.’
Lexie pulled a face.
‘He saw us. His mate, Troy, looked straight at me.’
Josh had seen her, she had felt it, yet he had looked away before she could meet his gaze. The uncomfortable look on Troy’s face told her all she needed to know. The knowledge that Josh had seen her with another man and had failed to come after them to hunt Batman down and claim her as his, irrespective of how unrealistic that notion might be, left her feeling dizzy and weak.
It’s like he doesn’t even care . . .
‘Look, I feel really uncomfortable about all this as well. I like Josh, but I don’t like the way he treated you. He pissed off and left you, Lexie.’
Lexie was unsure how much Batman knew about the circumstances of her break-up with Josh, but she did know how cops talked. Rumours spread quickly along the grapevine. Sadly, the gossiping word of a colleague could very quickly become distorted and taken for gospel.
‘Let’s not go there, Batman.’
‘All I’m saying, Lex, is don’t forget what he did—’
Lexie was not going to talk about Josh with Batman. She put her hand in the air, palm directed at his face to stop him talking.
‘Okay, we won’t talk about it, then. Let’s just enjoy the night.’
Pushing her glass of wine away, Lexie was no longer thirsty, or hungry.
‘Look, I think I’m going to have to give dinner a miss. This is really bad timing. I’m very tired.’
Batman’s face dropped.
‘We’ve only had one drink, Lexie. Don’t let him get to you. He left you, remember? And I’m right here.’
His voice held the slightest hint of impatience.
The atmosphere between them changed; turned thick and heavy.
Lexie felt the first prickles of irritation tiptoe across her skin. She took a deep breath. It was unfair to resent Batman just because he was not Josh, she told herself; or because he was speaking his mind.
Why couldn’t Josh have just stayed away . . . ?
Suddenly the confines of the pub, although expansive, felt claustrophobic. Lexie felt the old familiar stench of panic start to claw its way up her throat. Swallowing hard, she fought back the unexpected tears that threatened.
‘I have to go, Batman, I’m really sorry. It’s not you. It’s just all too much right now.’
Lexie got up from her seat so quickly the chair she had just deserted fell sideways and crashed onto the wooden floor. A sea of eyes, staff and other patrons, turned towards them with curious stares. Her need to run grew stronger.
‘Just wait a second, Lexie,’ cried Batman as he jumped up, flustered. ‘I’ll walk you home.’
‘No, no. I’m fine.’
Her hands were shaking and she couldn’t breathe. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
‘I need to go. Now. I’m sorry.’
The disappointed look she saw on his face dissipated the irritation she had only moments ago felt towards him. In its place was a bitter sense of guilt, as if she had let him down.
‘I’m sorry,’ she mumbled again as she moved forward, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and headed for the exit. As she ran down the stairs and flew through the downstairs bar where Josh had been seated, she noted he was no longer there. Inexplicably, this made her feel worse; her composure collapsed.
Now there was no holding back the tears that ran in a steady stream down her face as she rushed out into the cold night.