He takes a swig, but doesn’t reply to my question. Instead, he asks, ‘Are Michael and Cindy here?’
‘No, just Josh.’
‘You’re out alone with Josh?’ He frowns at me.
‘We’re on the lemon squashes, don’t worry.’
‘That’s not what I was worried about.’
‘What were you worried about?’ I give him a cheeky grin, but he doesn’t smile back. I suddenly feel full of a strange confidence. I don’t know what it is about him that makes me feel so up and down. ‘Come on, Norman No Mates, come and join us.’
‘I don’t want to interrupt anything.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ I scoff, tugging him off his chair. ‘Come on.’
Ben allows himself to be dragged reluctantly because he doesn’t have much choice. I budge up the bench seat so there’s room for Ben beside me, but he slides in opposite me instead. Josh returns to the table and I beam up at him.
‘I brought Ben over to say hi.’
‘Alright?’ Josh offers a lame smile and sits down next to me.
‘Hi.’
‘Are you eating?’ I ask Ben.
‘No.’
‘Go on, get something.’ I pass over a menu.
‘I’m not hungry,’ he says.
‘What?’ I cry. ‘Not hungry? That doesn’t sound like you. What’s going on?’
Ben shakes his head in slight bemusement and takes a sip of his drink.
‘What’s this?’ Josh regards his lemon squash with disdain.
‘Lemon squash. You’re not drinking and driving me home,’ I state with determination.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake.’
And for the first time today, Ben gives me a genuine smile. I raise my eyebrows at him across the table. He looks down and then at Josh.
‘How’s work going?’ he asks.
‘Alright,’ Josh replies. ‘How’s yours?’
‘Fine.’
‘Aren’t you supposed to be moving to Pommieland soon?’
‘Yeah, in about two weeks.’
‘Nuts, mate, nuts. Who’d want to live in that grey old place?’ Josh nudges me, trying to wind me up. On the contrary. ‘When are you getting married to Kate Winslet?’
‘Charlotte.’
‘That’s the one.’
