To say that Noah was not taken aback by Allie's tone would have been a boldface lie, although he supposed it was not an unwarranted reaction on her part. He had a hard time remembering at times that the people telling him stories were indeed people and not just vessels of anecdote.
"That was kinda shitty, huh," he admitted, ducking his head slightly as he was given to doing when called out on being such -- a veritable submissive trait he'd likely learned from Kathlynn, whom he knew to be in possession of a book entitled "How to Make Your Man Behave in 21 Days or Less Using the Secrets of Professional Dog Trainers." Noah had leafed through it once while Kathlynn had been at work and had found it slightly fascinating, and largely condescending, as the professional dog trainer was, naturally, a woman.
"Y'know... " he ventured cautiously, "I'm not exactly an expert at this stuff" -- this was true; Noah had only ever been with Kathlynn aside from a string of awkward blind dates during a two-month sabbatical they had taken; he'd been twenty and she, eighteen -- "but... " -- here he paused to gather his thoughts -- "okay... sure he's probably happy you're not with him anymore... I mean, no one wants to see their ex happy with someone else, right? But... I don't think he'd be vindictive about it, not if he's as decent as you say he is," he concluded. "Hell... for all you know he's been hoping for this."
It was another bold statement on his part but it was at least honest and slightly more well-thought out. He did not suspect that Kathlynn had been seeing anyone although he supposed it was a thing he would eventually have to deal with and could therefore put himself in the other guy's shoes... if Kathlynn remarried and subsequently re-divorced... well, it was no secret that the Olympic-sized torch he would likely always carry for her would still be burning strong -- and with any luck, would guide her back to him.
He had thought for a brief time that the worst, the initial separation, was over, but he had not allowed himself to consider his feelings on the subject of Kathlynn seeing -- and likely marrying -- someone else.
He was going to need a lot more beer for this conversation, he concluded, and he signaled the bartender accordingly.