Alex had been watching the man across the room for a while. If she’d been into men, he might have been her type- a little lanky and bearded, kind of a hipster air, one of those people who was born on the east coast and came west to fit in.
As she approached the bar she said, “You must be Alex.”
“Must I?”
He offered a genial hand to shake. “Jack Spheer. Lena invited me.”
Alex gave him a shake. “Oh, I know who you are. Lena and Kara both mentioned you a few times. Lena’s ex, right?”
He favored her with a dashing smile and saluted her with his drink. “Guilty.”
Alex turned and looked at Lena, seated across the bar at a table by herself, looking exhausted and overstimulated as she turned a drink between her hands and glanced furtively at Kara and Nia, who were animatedly playing Mortal Kombat on one of the barcade’s old game cabinets.
“Did she invite you?”
“Oh yes,” he said. “Can I swear you to secrecy?”
“Sure, why not.”
“She told me she feels a bit fifth-wheelish at these gatherings of yours.”
“That’s silly,” said Alex. “She’s sort of become the heart of our little band. She’s everybody’s little sister.”
“Nah, that’s Nia.”
Jack looked over at Lena and Kara. Nia lost the match and threw up her hands, and Brainy sauntered over. Nia put her arm about his waist and they fell into each other. Kara’s laugh looked a little strained, a little pained, as she turned to let the couple have their moment.
Kara was in fact staring at Lena now, leaning against a column and nursing a beer that lacked the potency to get her drunk unless she spiked it with the alien liquor in a flask in her purse, but Alex was sure she hadn’t touched it.
The only singles in the group tonight were Lena and Kara, and Alex remembered how Kara’s expression darkened when Lena mentioned he’d be joining them tonight to close out this new place they’d all be eager to visit.
“So are you two…” Alex said.
“No,” Jack laughed. Used to be, back in Metropolis. It ran its course.”
Alex turned and signaled the bartender to bring her and Jack another round.
“So you’re not thinking about making a move?”
Jack swirled his new drink and looked over at Lena, then down at the booze spinning in his hand.
“Thinking about it? Who wouldn’t. She’s gorgeous, you know. Obviously she has those model looks but it’s more than that, it’s deeper. She has the most soulful eyes of any woman I’ve ever met. You’d drown in them and never regret it. She’s a genius, she’s kind and driven. I’ve never met someone who’s so enthusiastic about kindness for the sake of kindness. She throws herself into goodness with such desperation.”
“Wow,” said Alex. “You have a way with words. You really must have deep feelings for her.”
“I do. I won’t say I love her as a sister, that’d be lie. I love her as someone who wants her highest happiness.”
“A girl would be lucky to have someone who sees her like that.”
“You would know,” said Jack. “Your Kelly introduced herself a while ago and had the same sort of high praise for you. By talking to your partner, you’d think you were Supergirl.”
Alex snorted. She glanced over at Lena and saw her still moping prettily, sighing into her drink with her cheek resting against her palm.
“She looks down,” said Alex.
“Unrequited love. Or so she thinks.”
Alex blinked. “What?”
“Don’t you see it?”
“I can’t say I do.”
“She’s in love. I know because she never really looked at me like that.”
“Like wha-“ Alex began.
Lena was looking at Kara, and suddenly Alex saw it. Lena practically radiated yearning, those big soulful eyes of hers so sad that Alex thought sappy music might start playing from nowhere. There was a deep need in that look. Every time Lena looked at Kara, she seemed afraid it was her last chance and she might never see her again.
“I dare say she’s quite in love with your sister.”
Now that Alex saw it she couldn’t unsee it. More than that, pieces began snapping together in her brain- how Lena had gone to absurd lengths to capture the attention of this klutzy, ditzy reporter that had come tumbling into her organized, minimalist, breakfast in California and dinner in Tokyo lifestyle, bringing friendship and a found family and all her bizarre quirks.
The billion dollar CatCo acquisition. The flowers. The look of pure relief in Lena’s eyes when Kara let her back into her life, let her come home.
“Jesus, you’re right.”
Alex took a long drink, then went completely still.
“Or so she thinks,” he’d said.
“Shit, they look like they’re in middle school. Every time Kara looks, Lena looks away.”
“And vice-versa,” said Jack.
Alex sighed. “Great. Just great.”
She suddenly realized that Kara was looking at them, now, and her eyes were wide, a look of unbridled shock on her face.
Goddamn Kara and her goddam bullshit super hearing.
Kara had locked eyes with Jack, and he looked back just as intently.
Then it happened.
Alex knew a bro nod when she saw one. Kara nodded back, pulled the flask from her pocket and took a nip for courage, grimacing as it went down, then turned, head down, and headed straight for Lena.
“Go get her, Supergirl,” Jack said softly.
“I’ll drink to that,” Alex said, offering Jack a toast.
