“What?”
“At the bar. She pretended not to recognise me.”
“Help me out, man. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Jordan Lane.”
“Oh…now I’m with you.”
“She acted as if she didn’t know who I was.”
“Mmm.”
“But that isn’t possible – right?”
“I don’t know how to answer that. Anything I say will make you look like a dickhead, and I don’t think you’ll like it.”
“Why would she pretend?” I ask, more to myself than to Tyler.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
Tyler’s right. I shouldn’t let this bother me: I definitely don’t need the extra stress. But fuck, it really stung – more than it stung to see her kiss Steven Hill on the dance floor that night.
“Niall?” Tyler asks, dragging me back to the present.
“Mmm?”
“She’s looking this way.”
I turn without even attempting to mask my thoughts from her.
“Maybe you should go over there. Try to work out what’s going on. Or maybe you should give her something that she won’t be able to forget.”
I glance back at my friend.
“Do you think I should?”
“Why not?”
“I’ve just got back in town. I live with my parents, and my daughter hates me. Do you reckon that’s a good enough reason?”
“But she doesn’t know any of that. Besides, I really think you need a distraction. How long has it been since you went out with a woman?”
“I can’t remember.”
And that’s the worst thing.
“Then what are you waiting for? What do you have to lose?”
What I have to lose is my pride; and it’s pretty much the only thing I have left.
I gulp down half my pint and stand up.
“I actually think I’m going to talk to her.”
“I like this new you!”
Tyler lifts his pint triumphantly: a sign of approval. I turn and look towards her table, praying that she’ll get up and leave before I have the chance to cross the entire room and approach her.
