May felt disappointed at this hint that her skills were inadequate.
"I still think you're the best woman for the job," he consoled her with another, sympathetic grin.
She wished she could speak to him for longer, but he moved away to serve another customer, leaving May wishing she’d thought of a clever comeback.
She would have liked to stay at the bar, so that she could try and speak to Dan again, but her shyness won the battle and she retreated to a table.
She and Owen took their jackets off and sat down. As she did so, May saw the door open again, and rolled her eyes inwardly.
It was just the person she didn't want to see. Today was really testing her in every way. Her ex-husband, Sean, was entering the bar.
May felt her blood pressure rise. She stared at him for a moment as he came in, and then looked away.
Owen noticed and followed her gaze. He was bristling, too, she saw.
Sean was wearing a business suit and tie. His dark hair was as shiny as his shoes. May had to admit he looked very smart and professional, every inch the sharp local lawyer. She supposed that was one of the reasons she had fallen for him.
She'd been swept off her feet by him at the age of twenty-one. He'd been four years older, out of law school and having completed a highly successful internship that resulted in a job offer.
The marriage hadn't worked because May had soon realized that the relationship was all about Sean. He was the only one who mattered in his own life.
Realizing he was a narcissist who would never make her happy, she'd divorced him four years later. It had taken her a long while to recover from the hurtful and demeaning trauma that her marriage had brought. In a way, May thought, she was still recovering.
Now, Sean was with another man in a business suit whose name May didn't know, and a couple of women. They were all laughing and talking, and even though May was glad to be out of the marriage, she still felt awkward to be around them. Sean hardly ever came in here. He didn't think the local bar was good enough. Of course, tonight was the exception to this rule.
She drank her beer and said nothing, but then Sean saw her.
He broke away from his group, and swaggered over to their table, smoothing his hair back with his hand.
"Hey, May," he said.
He knew she didn't like to speak to him. Perhaps that was why he always spoke to her.
"Hello, Sean," she said politely.
"May, I don't think you've met my new colleague, and two of our secretaries," Sean said, beckoning them over.
He looked a little drunk, May thought.
"This is Brian Keeley," Sean said. "And these are Ellen and Angela," he added.
May shook their hands. She nodded at Sean, hoping he would leave them alone, but instead, he continued.
"We were just talking about you," Sean told her.
May felt a small shiver of tension pass through her.
"What were you talking about?" Owen queried.
May noticed the hard expression on Owen’s face. She knew it meant that he was seriously annoyed.
Sean shrugged. He looked smug.
"Just about May. About how she's doing," he said. "Been a long time since you dated anyone."
May stared at him. Of course, this was the kind of thing Sean would say when there were people around to overhear.
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she said tightly, trying to hide her anger.
Sean shrugged and looked around the bar. A world-weary expression crossed his features.
"Let me give you some dating advice, May," Sean continued. "You really don't need to put up such a hard front."
May said nothing. She was so furious with Sean that she didn't dare speak a word.
"I mean, look at you," Sean went on. "You always look so serious, so uptight. You're a pretty woman, sure. You could be seriously hot if you tried a bit harder. But no man is going to want to date you if you don't lighten up a little."
Owen stood up, his face reddening as he glared at Sean.
"I don't think you've got any right to talk to your ex-wife like that," he said. "I think you should leave us alone.
May looked at him, and saw his muscles were tense. He was ready to fight Sean.
"You can't tell me what to do," Sean said aggressively. He was staring into Owen's eyes, and Owen was staring back, grim faced.
Now Keeley was crowding in too, rolling up his sleeves.
Keeley shoved Owen hard.
Owen stumbled, and May gasped. Sean laughed, triumphantly.
Owen was struggling to contain his fury, and May knew he was on the edge of losing control. For a police officer, even off duty, that would be serious. She couldn’t let it happen.
"What the hell?" Owen snarled. “Get back, or I’ll punch you, and if I do, you will stay down.”
"You don’t look capable," Sean taunted. The antagonism in the air was thick.
In an instant, May saw that the situation was going to get out of control. An off-duty cop could not afford to be caught up in a fight. Owen was defending her, but it would end up going really badly for him. She could not allow him to suffer because he was trying to take her side.
Just as Keeley was drawing his arm back, May jumped up, and placed herself between them. But Keeley was already committed to the blow. His fist lashed out and May grabbed his wrist.
Keeley looked shocked as she caught him and dug her fingers into his arm. She’d had plenty of experience in breaking up bar fights. Owen always said her reactions were as quick as a cat’s.
Keeley lowered his arm, looking flustered and embarrassed that she’d grabbed it.
"Owen, don't," she said. "Don't do anything. Just let me talk to him," she said calmly.
She turned and took Owen’s arm, feeling the tension in his muscles.
With an angry sigh, he lowered his hands.