Carl looked from me to her. “Are you seeing Seph? I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
Wren laughed. “No. I’m staying with Callum and because of that, Seph, before I go back filming.” She looked at her glass which was now empty. “I think I’m going to grab another drink. Can I get you one, Carl?”
He looked at me and then her, clearly trying to work out what the fuck was going on. I hoped if he worked it out then he’d share it with me.
“I actually have to get going and if I have another I’ll run late. Can I get your number?” He looked at Wren now, pretty much ignoring me. “It’d be good to go for a drink when we both have more time.”
She gave me a quick glance and I saw her inhale deeply, a tell that she wasn’t sure what to say.
“Let me take yours. I can’t remember mine so I’ll one bell you so you have it.” She handed him her phone. I stuffed my free hand deep into my pocket. This was uncomfortable, not a situation I’d been in before.
“Don’t forget to call me.” He gave her a nod and wide grin, still ignoring me, then left, disappearing through the crowd that was fairly busy for a Monday night.
“O-kay.” She didn’t look at me. “That wasn’t weird or uncomfortable in the slightest.”
I had no idea what to say.
“Callum? Thoughts?”
“I don’t have them.”
She glared. “The last time I saw you…” She stopped and shook her head. “It’s okay. Let’s just get a drink.”
I followed her to the bar like a lost dog needing a master, briefly catching Seph’s eye. He shook his head and then focused on the woman he was talking to. There was a very good chance he wouldn’t be coming back with us tonight.
“How was your first day?” It was a safe topic and probably the only words I could come up with besides broken ones with sharp edges.
“It was good,” she said, taking a glass of chardonnay off the bar and passing me a beer. “I like Helen.”
Helen was a vet that had arrive at the zoo off the ark, she’d worked there for so long. She was animal hearted and only had patience for those that were similar. I knew she would’ve loved Wren.
“She’s good people. Anything interesting come up?”
There was a nod, a sip of her drink. Another clench in my chest.
“They’re starting a study on zebras. It’s on the scientific side but it looks really interesting.” She started to go into detail and my breath came a little easier. This was our pattern from years before, work. Talk about work, or lectures, or essays and exams. Not about feelings.
We had one more drink and walked home. It was warm, the start of summer, but nothing on Africa. I missed the stars and so did she, the feeling of space and silence, the height above us.
“In the bar,” she said, slowing her pace. “Why did you come over?”
Because you were with another man and I didn’t like it. Because I want you to be mine. Because I’m better than I was and I think I can love you.“Because I wanted to say hi.”
She shook her head. “You wanted to say hi?”
No, I wanted to tell the man you were talking to to fuck off and that we have something going.“Yeah.”
“That’s lame, Callum.”
I shrugged, wishing I had Seph’s ability with words right now. “What was I meant to say?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that you didn’t want me being chatted up by another man? Or that you were jealous. Were you jealous?”
I shook my head. Lying.
“Callum, would you rather I didn’t give Carl my number?”
I’d never wished I was Seph more than I did right now. “It’s up to you who you give your number to. Whatever makes you happy.”
