friend, and I hate it that I can’t do more.
Chapter Eight
Ava
The bar turns out to be worth the walk. The fact that it’s only fifteen minutes—on foot—is a bonus because in Japan you can’t even ride a bicycle after drinking. Outside hangs a simple white sign containing a black circle made with a single rough brushstroke and a highly stylized ideogram. Underneath are two English letters: WA.
The crowd is about twenty-five percent expat. The long, dark wooden counter and tables and stools are mostly occupied, and a group of young Japanese women in stylish outfits is playing pool. The sound system adds to the cheery atmosphere with a selection of Japanese and foreign songs.
Hips loose, Bennie moves toward the counter to get the attention of one of two bartenders, black canvas shoes treading along the faux wooden flooring. His light beige top and artfully frayed jeans showcase his tall frame, and more than a few women slant their eyes to check him out. If they only knew. He says something to the bartender and raises two fingers.
Looking at the way some of the women are dressed, I’m glad I’m in my new dark crimson number and black ankle boots. I got the thigh-length dress on sale last month, and Bennie insisted I wear it out at least once before the weather gets too cold.
A couple of Japanese men at the counter are leaving and I snag their seats. Bennie quickly comes over with two bottles of Asahi Super Dry. “To your new adventure,” he says. We clink bottles.
“I haven’t decided yet, but…”
“As if. You’re totally gonna go.”
I smile, but I honestly have no clue what I’m going to do. I take a quick sip of the cold beer, then look around. “Not bad.”
“I know, right?” He flips through the menu. “Hmm… How about chicken fingers and fries? I need some junk food in my life.”
“Go ahead and get it. I’m hungry.”
I flag a bartender and give him our order. He nods.
I sense a few gazes on me, but shrug them off. I’m sort of used to it at this point. Platinum blond with blue eyes has its advantages and disadvantages in Asia. One of the latter is that people sometimes stare. I even had a child touch my hair, then flee when I turned around.
“Hallo, Bennie.”
Bennie’s shoulders tense as an arm wraps around him. Drew lowers his head and whispers into Bennie’s ear—probably something embarrassingly sweet. Drew’s dark brown hair looks exceptionally soft under the warm glow of recessed lights in the bar. But he pulls back pretty quickly and frowns at Bennie.
“Something wrong?”
“No.” My roommate pastes on a smile. “I was just surprised. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
Drew’s frown deepens. “We did agree to meet here on Thursday…”
“Right. We did.”
“You weren’t answering my calls or texts, so I thought perhaps you were ill or some such.” Drew turns to me. “Ava. Back in town already? I had no idea, or I would’ve called you instead to make sure our lad here was all right.”
“Just got back.” I smile to hide my unease. I do not want to get between the two of them when I can’t even manage my own personal life.
Drew is the same age as Bennie—twenty-five—and has high cheekbones in a slightly narrow face. His sharply defined features make him almost pretty, and his eyes are the color of a deep lake on a sunny summer day. His body is leanly muscled from regular workout sessions, and the black shirt and slacks hint at the nice physique underneath.
To top it off, he’s smart—graduated top of his class at Cambridge. I don’t know why he’s teaching English in Osaka when his degree could open a lot of more lucrative doors in England.
“I left my phone in my room and totally forgot,” Bennie lies. “Sorry.”
“’s okay, love.”
Drew keeps his arm around Bennie’s shoulders, and Bennie sends me a look full of pleading.
What does my best friend want me to do? If Drew did something wrong, maybe I could yell at him, but it doesn’t look like he’s done anything. He’s just being his usual affectionate self.
Bennie stands up. “Potty break. Back in a flash.” He pulls away from Drew and disappears down a small hallway in the back.