The Pact(78)

I frown at him. “Don’t tell me your nickname is suddenly offensive.”

“I don’t know man, I haven’t seen you in forever. Thought maybe you’d be a little friendlier than that.”

He pulls an Anchor Steam out of the fridge and plonks it down in front of me but then heads around the other side of the bar.

I look at Penny. “What is up his ass?”

She exhales in a low whistle. “Well, I actually don’t know, to tell you the truth. He’s been a bit, um, bitchy with me lately too.”

I don’t like to hear this. I like Penny. I lean forward on my elbows and give her a sidelong glance. She does look tired and maybe even like she’s been crying. “Having a bit of a rough patch?”

She nods quickly, her chin quivering a bit, but manages to pull herself together fast. “Yeah. I hope it’s a patch.”

“You guys are great together, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” I tell her and suddenly I feel better, as if my words are truth.

“I don’t know,” she says and then she leans in a bit closer. She smells like whisky and I realize she’s actually quite drunk. “If I asked you something, would you be able to tell me the truth?”

I’m not sure I’m good with the truth anymore. But I nod. “Of course.”

“Is James cheating on me?”

My head jerks back. “No. Cheating on you? No. I mean, not that I know.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I’m not really around much lately, you know how things are, but I can tell you that James is not the cheating type. He’s too sensitive for that shit. He’d spill the beans to you out of guilt if he ever did. And he’s a big believer in karma.”

“Okay,” she says quietly and turns her attention back to her drink.

“What makes you say that?” I ask, because now I’m curious. James is a pretty loyal guy. In fact, he’s as loyal as they come, which in turn makes you feel you need to be just as loyal to him.

“I don’t know…just a feeling. Like there is someone else.”

And then my heart skips a few beats before coming back hard. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Call it woman’s intuition.”

I have to be careful with my words. I don’t want her to think the thing I’m thinking if she’s not already thinking it. I don’t want her to think of Stephanie. “Is that not the same thing as paranoia?”

She glares at me. “It’s a thing, all right? I just don’t think he’s in love with me anymore.”

“So you think it’s a new girl?”

“I’m not sure about that either. But if it wasn’t anything before, it’s definitely something now.” Her eyes seek the ceiling and I think she’s trying not to cry but then she slams down her empty whisky glass and says, “Damn it all to hell. Isn’t that what the dames say in the forties films, when they find out their lover has been unfaithful? Damn it all to hell.”

I can only stare at her, my gut full of pity for her and selfish worry for me. It can’t be Stephanie. If James really is pulling away from Penny, it’s for other reasons. Maybe there is some other woman I don’t know about. I don’t know. I haven’t been around. Maybe James isn’t the loyal guy I thought he was.

Maybe he’s just as good at keeping secrets as I am.

That thought sobers me up and I find myself knocking back the beer until it’s gone. When James finally does reappear at our end, Penny has left. I didn’t even notice her go, that’s how wrapped up in my own head I am.

“Hey man,” I say to him. His eyes slide slowly to mine. “Sorry I called you a fuckface without warning.”

“It’s fine,” he grumbles.

“Are you all right? You seem like you’re PMSing a wee bit.”

He gives me a steady look, the kind of look that tells you take a few steps back. I remain anchored to my stool though, because I’ve never been the one to back down between us.

I wave the bottle at him. “I could sure go for another one.”

James puts his hands on the counter, that ever present washcloth in one hand, and leans forward. “You know what, Linden, you have some nerve. You don’t speak to me for weeks and then you come waltzing in here like everything is all right.”

“It’s not all right?”

“No.”

“Look, man, buddy, pal. I have spoken to you. Have you checked your damn phone? I’ve been texting you. You’ve been texting back. It’s not like we aren’t speaking.”

“You know what I mean.”

I have to play stupid. “No. I don’t. I’ve been busy lately, that’s it.”