''i just needed a moment to think. jeez.'' charlie let out a sigh and shook her head. ''i'll start with a gin and tonic please. then an old fashioned.'' she pulled out her wallet that had her identification on the bar. ''i can see you're busy so there's no rush.''
"Ā wellĀ darlin',Ā ifĀ theĀ barĀ wasn'tĀ packedĀ shoulderĀ toĀ shoulderĀ rightĀ now,Ā IĀ wouldĀ gladlyĀ letĀ youĀ haveĀ allĀ theĀ timeĀ inĀ theĀ worldĀ ā¦Ā butĀ hereĀ weĀ are,Ā "Ā gesturingĀ towardĀ theĀ crowdĀ practicallyĀ piledĀ intoĀ oneĀ anotherĀ aroundĀ theĀ bar,Ā thoughĀ theĀ faintĀ smirkĀ tuggingĀ atĀ herĀ glossedĀ lipsĀ softensĀ theĀ biteĀ behindĀ herĀ words.Ā ceruleanĀ huesĀ flickerĀ brieflyĀ overĀ theĀ IDĀ restingĀ onĀ theĀ counterĀ beforeĀ settlingĀ backĀ onĀ theĀ otherĀ woman.Ā "Ā so,Ā ginĀ andĀ tonicĀ first,Ā oldĀ fashionedĀ after.Ā seeĀ ?Ā weāreĀ alreadyĀ makin'Ā progress.Ā "Ā theĀ soundĀ ofĀ iceĀ clinkingĀ againstĀ glassĀ fillsĀ theĀ spaceĀ betweenĀ themĀ asĀ practicedĀ handsĀ moveĀ quickly,Ā pouringĀ andĀ mixingĀ withoutĀ missingĀ aĀ beat.Ā onceĀ sheĀ wasĀ finished,Ā sheĀ placedĀ theĀ drinkĀ inĀ frontĀ ofĀ theĀ other,Ā butĀ notĀ withoutĀ slidingĀ aĀ veryĀ colorfulĀ strawĀ in.Ā "Ā letĀ meĀ knowĀ howĀ thatĀ isĀ whenĀ IĀ getĀ back,Ā "Ā sheĀ tossesĀ overĀ herĀ shoulderĀ beforeĀ disappearingĀ downĀ toĀ theĀ oppositeĀ endĀ ofĀ theĀ bar,Ā whereĀ aĀ rowdyĀ groupĀ wasĀ waitingĀ forĀ theirĀ shots.
charlie couldn't quite make out yet if she was being sarcastic at first until she walked away to the other side of the bar. was she flirting? most likely not so instead charlie just smirked with a shrug of her shoulder. she drank some of her gin and tonic, realizing she was on her own as a clearly drunk man came up to stand near her. he was trying to hit on her and she was not interested at all. she was guarded for a reason and this man was not helping how she felt. she just took deep breaths as she waited for the bartender to return.














