He watched Melissa leave using only his peripheral vision, like a superhero, he thought, the kind who can see everything that is going on without having to turn their heads, or show any emotion And it had taken superhero strength of character not to run after her and go wherever she was going. God, he had missed her. He had seen the look in her eyes when she waved her cheery goodbye and his heart broke for her. And for him. His hands twitched as he longed to reach out and pull her to him and make everything all right.
But, he reminded himself, he was moving on. Remember? Back in the game and all that? And he had the fabulous Erica on his arm and what man wouldn’t want someone like that? So he focussed on the beautiful face of Erica.
‘Y’know, being single in this country?’ Erica was saying.
Was that a question? He didn’t know.
‘It’s a way of life. And even if you are in a relationship, you act like you’re single. At an event, people who are married don’t spend time together. Men socialize with each other men, women with their friends, y’know?’
‘Are you saying we’re a nation of outcasts and losers?’ he asked.
She laughed. ‘Kinda. I suppose. Not you, Cormie. You’re a man who likes being with women, y’know? I mean, you and Melissa…’
‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘We’ve been friends for years. But I do have other friends. Walter. My brothers. I hang out with them.’ He managed to think of a few other names to bolster his list. ‘So, I would say I fit your category of outcast and loser. I like male company.’ He felt it was necessary to distance himself from Melissa. He didn’t want any awkward questions from Erica, but there was something Judas-like about his behaviour. Forgive me, Melissa, I know not what I do.
‘Yeah, but you and Melissa hang a lot, don’t you?’
‘Not really,’ he said.
‘But you do… you said before that you do.’ She took a sip of her wine. ‘God, this stuff is terrible, she said. ‘Walter swore to me that it was a German Kombucha. But this is definitely wine.’
‘Is it? Right…’ he said vaguely. Oh no. He was going to be rumbled and his chance of happiness with this amazing woman, and probably the only chance he was ever going to get, would disappear. ‘Nah,’ he said. ‘Me and Melissa haven’t seen each other for ages.’
‘But the two of you seem very comfortable together. You were laughing when I came back. You seemed very friendly. Close.’ She was looking at him.
‘Yeah, we are. Kind of. But nothing romantic, if that’s what you’re wondering. Ha! The very idea. The thing is,’ he said, ‘the thing is that Melissa is gay. She’s gay, anyway, so…’
‘Really?’ Erica looked at him as though she didn’t believe him.
‘Some more wine?’ he said quickly. ‘Or shall I see if there is anything like Coke?’
‘Coke?’ Her eyeballs almost popped out of her head. ‘I’ll have a water.’
This was worth it, he thought as he went to find a drink for Erica, the lying, the denying, all of it was worth it just to move on with his life. But he kept thinking of Melissa. He hoped she’d got home safely.