Read Love's Courage for Free Online Page B

shocked to see him here on her night out to get over what almost was, he amazed at the cruelty of fate.
    â€œLesego,” Kenneth says huskily.
    â€œKenneth,” Lesego says breathlessly.
    Richard and Joy look from the one to the other.
    â€œOh . . . You guys know each other?”
    â€œYes,” Lesego says, “we met in a bookshop.”
    â€œOh . . . You’re the . . . uhm . . . I mean, that’s . . . uhm . . . interestingly weird and . . . wonderful,” Joy stammers. “Sssssooo . . . You remember Richard, Lesego?” Joy asks awkwardly, indicating him.
    Lesego nods while gaping at Kenneth.
    Joy and Richard look puzzled, but Lesego and Kenneth stare at each other blankly, doing their utmost not to show what they are thinking.
    Lesego clutches her handbag tightly, wondering what to do. Is it too late to act cool or play things down? To make it all seem insignificant? She looks at Richard and Joy, and sees that it is too late. Damn!
    Kenneth stands as if chained to the spot, without an inkling of what to do or say. The way Richard and Joy are staring makes him realise that he and Lesego are making a scene, even though they aren’t saying anything. He clears his throat and then points to the empty chair at the table. “Would you like to take a seat and join us for a drink?” he asks courteously.
    â€œWill that be okay?” Lesego asks, genuinely concerned. “I don’t want you to have a vested interest or anything,” she says rather sharply, looking hurt and disappointed.
    Kenneth frowns at her tone and becomes annoyed. “That was work, Lesego; what did you expect me to do? It was either that or leave the project to people who neither believe in it nor realise its importance. What would you rather I’d done? Prostrate myself and declare my undying love?”
    Lesego gasps and then says, “No, but just an acknowledgement that you knew me would’ve been something.”
    â€œSo what exactly was I supposed to have said in the boardroom? ‘Guys, I know this woman, we’ve been SMSing each other, and we’ve just shared the most soul-shaking kiss I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing?’ ” Kenneth sounds annoyed.
    Joy gasps and looks at Lesego. Lesego’s heart drops into her stomach with anguish, and she feels her throat constrict with deep sadness at what she has lost . . . Richard grins, realising that this is the woman his friend has told him about. He gives Kenneth an admiring nod. She isn’t bad, not bad at all.
    â€œNo, I just . . . Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.” Lesego realises that she is close to tears, and that horrifies her. She shakes her head to clear the confusion, swallows the pain in her throat, gives a polite smile, looks at Richard and Joy, realises to what conclusions they have come and then flushes a deep red. After a small apologetic nod, she turns to Joy, “Can we go to our own table now, please?”
    As Joy gets up, Lesego says to Kenneth, “I’m sorry for having been irrational. Of course you did what you had to, as must I. Gentlemen, please excuse us.” She turns on her heels and walks to the front to get a table.
    Joy shrugs apologetically at Richard, gives Kenneth a sympathetic smile and rushes off after her friend.
    â€œI need a stiff drink,” Kenneth says, running his hand over his face. “And a big bloody steak. Actually . . . make that a few stiff drinks.”
    Lesego and Joy are standing at the front desk. The maître d’ keeps pointing towards a table right next to Richard and Kenneth, and Lesego keeps shaking her head.
    Eventually Joy exclaims, “For heaven’s sake, are you two adults or teenagers? Can’t you just be civil? So what if our tables are next to each other?”
    â€œFine,” says Lesego, “but I don’t want to have to look at him.”
    â€œOkay, okay!” Joy says in exasperation.
    The