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“That’s amazing,” I say, meaning it. I wish my own parents had been more supportive like that. “What about Angela? Did she take up your dad’s offer?”
“Yes, she did. She’s one of his electricians. She was one of those kids who is always taking something apart just to see how it works, you know the type?” Tyler looks at me and I smile and nod. “My dad started to teach her about fixing electrical items from an early age and she never really looked back. It’s funny though because I bet now you are picturing her as a tomboy, right?” I nod my head again. “Everyone always does when they hear what she does, but she’s actually a really girly girl. She will think nothing of going out to rewire a building with a full face of makeup on and her nails done.”
We both laugh at that.
“I think I would like her,” I say.
“Yeah, I think you would too,” Tyler says. “And she would adore you.”
We keep chatting about our families for a bit then we move onto old friends, new friends, our dreams for the future and everything in between. We discuss hobbies, movies, books, and music. I feel like I know Tyler as well as I know my best friend by the time twelve o’clock rolls around. For a time, the bar became really busy, all of the tables full and people standing around too. Then it quietened back down again as it started to get later, and people moved on to other bars or clubs.
“Are we outstaying our welcome here?” I ask Tyler when I realize the time.
He shakes his head.
“No, they’re open until one,” he says. “Sometimes later. They…”
He trails off and I follow his gaze. A blonde-haired woman in a form fitting cream dress printed with red roses has just walked in. I feel a surge of jealousy flood me, hot bile rising in my throat at Tyler’s reaction to her. I force down a swallow of my drink and raise an eyebrow to Tyler.
“Sorry,” he says, and he genuinely looks it. “I thought that was my ex-wife for a minute there.”
I suppose that is marginally better than him just staring at strangers like that, but it doesn’t change his reaction to the sight of her. I hate that I hate it, but I do.
“How long ago did you get divorced?” I asked.
“Just over a year ago,” Tyler says.
“And you’re still in love with her?” I press him.
“What? No. God no,” he says.
He sounds like he really means that. In fact, he sounds almost like he hates her. But his reaction to the woman he thought was her can’t be ignored.
“Are you sure? You caught sight of someone you thought was her and you just stopped talking mid-sentence,” I say.
“I can promise you I am not in love with Chloe. I was just shocked when I thought I saw her, that's all. She’s honestly the last person I want to see,” he says.
“Bad break up?” I ask.
“Something like that,” Tyler says. “Now, I’m going to ask you something very important.” He pauses and I find that I’m quite nervous all of a sudden. “Harry Potter. The books or the movies?”
I relax and laugh. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t that. It’s obvious that Tyler just wants to move the conversation away from his ex and that’s fine with me. I can understand if he had a messy divorce he doesn’t want to dwell on it.
“I love the books,” I say. “But I haven’t seen the movies yet.”
“What do you mean you haven’t seen the movies?” Tyler demands, his face showing his shock. “One Sunday you are coming to my house, and we are having a Harry Potter movie marathon.”
“Ok,” I laugh. “I guess it is about time I watched them.”
“It’s past time you watched them,” Tyler corrects me.
The bartender shouts for last orders. We both have almost full drinks, so we don’t bother ordering another. Tyler goes off to order a cab and I debate ordering us some shots, but I decide it’s better if Tyler thinks I at least have a little bit of class and somehow doing shots feels like the opposite to that.
Tyler comes back to the table.
“Five minutes,” he says.
I nod and we start to finish up our drinks. I swallow down the last mouthful of mine and put my empty glass down on the table with a laugh.
