Topic: Happy Hour (GideonBlake and Trieste)

[Trieste]

It has been a terrible day for Erin. Stewing about it, she yanks the wheel of her convertible and whips around a turn, nearly getting hit in the process. Terrific, she thinks to herself. That would just be the topper for the day if I rear end that jerk. She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly, trying to calm her racing pulse and her reddening cheeks.

Seeing one of her old haunts on her way home, she squints, considering it. She hasn't been there in a while, and it might be interesting to see if the old regulars still hang around. Decisively, she slows at the next light, waits for it to turn green, then pulls an abrupt U-turn, heading back toward the small parking lot of the hole-in-the-wall bar. It's been... gosh, probably about a year since she's been in there. Wonder if it's changed?

Stepping out of the car, she locks it and pockets the keys in the breast of her tailored charcoal business suit. The skirt of it falls to a tasteful length of just above the knee, and it goes well with her black sling heels. She walks slowly in through the door, adjusting her purse over one shoulder and blowing strands of red hair out od her eyes, looking around to see who's here as she heads for the bar.

[gideonblake]

The bartender looked up, the bright light in his door signaling the arrival of another after work customer, stopping to take the edge off before going back home. He was new at the bar, but not a new bartender, so while his tall, muscular enough and perpetual three day beard didn't make him look like he belonged, he didn't look or act like he didn't belong and that was what mattered. It was all about stage presence at the bar, whether it was at a nightclub or a regular hang out more like this place.

He took a look at the woman and was surprised. He hadn't seen as many professional looking women frequent this particular bar, as they usually went to a bar down the street that was a bit more hip. But, seeing his other customers doing fine and finishing his story with one, he walked over to another part of the bar, gathering the ingredients for a few of the more popular female drinks.

[Trieste]

Erin takes a seat at the bar and looks around her. There isn't a soul she recognises. She shrugs and smiles a little tersely at the bartender, drumming well-manicured but short red nails on the lacquered wood. She looks around and takes in the place. It really hasn't changed much, with the mirrored wall behind the bar holding as much alcohol as ever and the battered-looking clock over by the television - on mute, as usual - in the corner. She doesn't see anyone she recognises, though. Not that they would recognise her in anything but jeans and a t-shirt.

Even the bartender is new. She sighs as she waits for him to finish whatever it is he's doing across the bar and head over, reaching into her purse for her wallet. She crosses her legs on the stool and smiles at the guy. Kinda cute, in a bit of a scruffy way.

[gideonblake]

"Hi there, miss, what'll you have?" he says as he walks over, grinning to her with all the ingredients for a cosmo in his hands. He took another look at her was impressed, here was a real cute girl. He flashed her a smile with his pearly whites, seemingly brighter in the darkened bar. He saw Lenny move his glass and his body forward like he was about to say something and he threw a finger his way to shush him. Putting his hand forward, his darkly tanned skin showing as he offered a handshake, "I haven't seen you around before, so I don't know your poison by heart yet. My name is Will, and I'm the new bartender."

[Trieste]

Raising an eyebrow as he comes toward her armed with ingredients, she nods to his greeting, her bad mood easing just a little at the friendly voice. It's nice, after the day she's had. Now, the question is whether to humour him in his prediction, or send him back for what she actually wants? "Erin. You're new here," she greets him, almost offhandedly.

Well, hell. Since she's paying for the drink, she might as well get what she wants. "Much as I hate to send you back there, I'm not much of a Cosmo girl... I'd really appreciate a Long Island iced tea if you don't mind." She smiles at him again, her expression slightly apologetic. But only slightly.

[gideonblake]

Grinning at her and setting a few of the bottles down, he grabbed the others he needed from the holders around him, deciding against showing off with bottle tricks since he'd already judged her wrong, and quickly mixed up a Long Island ice tea, complete in the tall glass with the straw and the umbrella, placing it on the plain white napkin that was a staple across any bar in the country.

"Well, I can't say you're a regular since I've been here for a month and haven't seen you, but maybe we keep missing each other. How've you been, and what took you so long to come and see me?" he said with a grin, winking at her before he walked down a few feet and got involved with serving the man he'd waved off earlier, pouring him another beer and getting into an argument why the Braves lost to the As when there was no reason for the Braves not to have won, and what was going to happen in the playoffs of the finals for the NBA.

Coming back to the lady, he was laughing at some joke from one of the guys, "You know Fritz over there? Man, that is one hilarious German. Anyways, anything else I can get you, miss?"