Read Online Woman Walks into a Bar by Rowan Coleman - Free Book Online Page B

attention. “And now I’m going home. Get out of my way.”
    But Joy didn’t move.
    â€œYou told me once you still thought about Luke Goddard and how different things might have been.”
    I stared at her in disbelief.
    â€œI didn’t!” I said.
    â€œYou did,” she said. “That’s why I thought . . .”
    â€œIf I said that, I was drunk or brain damaged or something . I don’t even remember saying it.” I shook my head. I couldn’t believe her.
    Joy lowered her voice as a few people looked over our way. Even the greatest hits CD that Brendan had turned up to full volume couldn’t disguise the fact that something was going on with us.
    â€œSam, babe, if you could just talk to him, then . . .”
    â€œI can’t believe you’d think . . .” I began, hearing my voice roll like low thunder.
    â€œJust hear me out” Joy held up the palm of her hand. “You never knew, did you? You never knew if he really liked you, or if he’d meant the whole thing as a sick windup right from the start. Well, now you can ask him.” Joy’s voice softened. “Look, he seemed to me like he really wanted to see you. To set things straight. Don’t you want that too? To finally move on . . .”
    â€œThat’s what I’ve been trying to do,” I said. “What I thought I had done until you raked all this up. Luke Goddard? Joy, why? You must be sick!”
    â€œI just thought,” Joy kept talking. “Well, I’ve seen it on the telly. You know, when they get people to confront their painful pasts. It helps them to find a new strength to live their lives with.” Joy put a hand on my shoulder. It felt heavy. I shrugged it off. “If you talk to Luke, you could tell him how he made you feel. You could make him see what he did and how it’s affected you since.”
    Joy glanced through the crowd of Friday night drinkers, and I caught a glimpse of Luke fiddling nervously with his mobile. “I think he really regrets it. I think if you talk to him you’ll feel better. You’ll see he’s no better than you.”
    â€œI know that,” I said sharply.
    â€œDo you?” Joy asked me. “Do you really?”
    At that moment I hated her but there was some truth in what Joy said. Since that afternoon in the park there had been a lot of times when I’d wondered if all the things I’d felt had been in my imagination alone, if I had really been that stupid. I did want to know.
    â€œI’ll talk to him,” I said to Joy.
    â€œYou won’t regret it,” Joy said, smiling with relief.
    â€œNo,” I said, shooting her an angry look. “But you will.”

Thirteen
    â€œ Luke, ” I said. I sat down and made myself look at him. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was losing his hair.
    â€œSam!” He smiled and looked nervous. “You look exactly the same. You look great, really great. Can I get you anything, a drink or anything?”
    I shook my head and watched Luke’s mouth open and close twice before any more words came out.
    â€œI’m so glad you’ve come,” he said.
    â€œWhy are we here, Luke?” I asked him. I didn’t want to make small talk.
    â€œI thought Joy told you . . .” he began, looking anxious.
    â€œJoy told me I was going on a date,” I said.
    Luke said nothing for a second and then he said, “I’ve been thinking about you a lot, Sam.” For a second my eyes drifted over his head, and I could see Brendan behind the bar, flirting with a group of girls just a few years older than Beth. I made myself look at Luke again.
    â€œHave you?” I said. Every moment that I was near him I could feel a cold, hard ball of anger growing and tightening in my chest, making it harder to breathe. I wanted to reach for my inhaler but I was worried it would make