A long road to happy

Chapter 3: Shots and game plans

I pull out a stool as I make it to the bar, waving the barman off as I just take a minute to myself. I pull myself together, my cheeks have gone back to normal and I've given myself a pep talk. Lovey dovey with Danny, that's the mission, you gotta convince them.

I eventually call the barman over, order myself another cider, get Danny his beer and order myself 2 more shots. That should do it, I should be nice and merry, in that sweet spot after this, more relaxed. I just need to keep to the cider to stay in the same state. I think to myself.

"This one's on the house." The barman winks at me, putting a third and fourth shot down besides the other 2. "Oh, uh, thank you, that's very kind." I stutter out. "No worries gorgeous, there's more where they come from, just ask for me next time you're at the bar, my names Sean." He says smiling at me, looking me up and down. OK, this guy gives me smarmy creeper vibes, no thank you. I mean, he isn't ugly, just smarmy. He's tall, but then again the bar is a step up so maybe hes average height? He has medium length dark brown, almost black hair that keeps falling in his face, so it's a constant battle where he keeps pushing it back, thus causing it to look pretty greasy, pair that with his beer stained shirt and ripped jeans and the smarmy smirk he keeps sending me? He can go away. "Nice to meet you Sean." I say, avoiding eye contact and downing my first shot. Before he can respond, I'd assume to ask me my name, I hear that raspy voice once again. I've heard it a handful of times, and I could tell you who it belonged to without even looking already.

"There you are, we were about to send out a search party." She says laughing. "Oh, looks like you've started your own party here" she comments, pointing to the shots in front of me.

I look up and chuckle a little. "Actually, I only ordered the 2, it looks like the barman has taken a fancy to me" I cringe at my stupid comment. She raises an eyebrow at me, a smile playing on her lips "Well, can you blame him?" She says, picking up one of the remaining 3 shots, "there's a beautiful lady sitting at the bar on her own", turning to face me, eyes dropping to take my dress in. As her eyes raise to meet mine again she moves closer, whispering in my ear "who wouldn't want to shoot their shot." She says, her voice dropping as she says it. Downing her shot and placing the now empty glass back on the bar. I gulp as my jaw drops and my eyes widen as I just stare at her side profile as she calls a different barman over to order herself a drink. I drop my eyes for the first real look at her tonight, the pantsuit she's wearing is black with white accents, along with some red bottom heels. Her legs look so toned and long. I run my eyes up her legs, to the curve of her side bum where they linger for a second too long. I continue my journey up, scolding myself in the process. The front of her jacket cuts in low, just below her boobs, showing slight side boob through the closed jacket. . . I wonder if she has a bra on under that? She couldn't possibly, I can see her side boob, but they're sat so nicely, she must have tape at least, or the stick on ones? I catch myself staring and daydreaming, tearing my eyes away as I finally look up to take in side profile.

"Are you just going to continue staring at me, or are you going to finish your shots?" She smirks, not even turning to me, or looking over at me. My face morphs to one of slight confusion and panic, I just got caught blatantly checking her out, I didn't even try to hide it. Wait, she was busy getting her drink, there is no way she saw that. How the hell did she know I was looking at her? She chuckles, turning her head to look at me. "There's a mirror behind the bar, I could see you staring." She says, turning back to the barman to pay for her drink, I shake my head, smiling to myself as I down the last 2 remaining shots. 

"So, what's with the 2 shots you bought yourself? Were you nervous about tonight?" She asks, grabbing another stool and sitting down, taking a sip of her beer.

"I don't do too well with large crowds, I do get nervous, so yeah, this is like Dutch courage if you will." I chuckle to myself as I turn my head from my drink and meet her eyes. There's a mischievous twinkle in them, I find myself unable to turn away as I peer into them for a few seconds longer, they're so mesmerising to me. "Your eyes are so beautiful, I've never seen anyone with green eyes like yours before." I almost whisper, voicing my thoughts, that have somehow slipped past the brain to mouth filter that would usually stop me from saying such things. My eyes widen slightly as I realise what I said, face flushing red as I drop my gaze back to my drink in front of me as I mumble out "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate of me." Hoping she hasn't noticed the red tomato my face now resembles. . . Who am I kidding, she's not fucking blind Harley, of course she can see your tomato face,  I groan internally, shifting slightly on my stool.

She looks over to me, as if waiting for me to reach her gaze. Is she crazy? Nope, not happening, if you think my tomato face looks bad from the side its gonna be 10 times worse straight on. Besides, my embarrassment won't allow me to look at anything other than my cider right now. If you have something to say beautiful lady, it'll have to be to the side of my face. 

To my surprise, Scarlett sighs, then slowly raises her hand towards my face. As if she's doing it slowly deliberately to give me a chance to move should I so wish to. Slowly she puts her fingers under my chin to turn my head back to her. "It's OK." she says, with a soft smile, eyes flicking between both of mine, like she's searching for something in them, whatever it is, i don't think she found it as i look at her with slight confusion. Her hand drops from my chin as I continue looking at her, weirdly I miss her hand touching my face. It still tingles where her fingers lingered on my chin.

Scarlett's still talking, but I'm so lost in my own thoughts that I have no idea what she's talking about. Instead of trying to work out what she's saying, I let my thoughts take over for a bit. 

I've just met the woman, and I'm talking about how beautiful her eyes are. I'm such an idiot, what am I doing? What was I thinking? I'm just embarrassing myself at this point.

Why is she being nice to me anyway? Why has she even come over to sit with me? Maybe they think I'm gay? What, no, that's irrational, where did that thought even come from.

Maybe they think I'm not really Danny's girlfriend? They're trying to get me to slip up, that's it, that's got to be it, she's playing me. Of course she is you idiot, it's literally her job at the very basic level! Pretend to be someone you're not. There is no way this gorgeous woman, who I believe is married! Right? Who doesn't know me from Adam, comes and sits with me to chat, no. It's all part of the game, separate and conquer.  . . Sneaky. I bet she even got that barman to send me over the other 2 shots, pretending they're from him, to get me drunk. Drunk people are more likely to spill the truth. What's that saying again? Oh yeah, drunk lips sink ships. No, that's not right. Loose lips sink ships, that's it. Well, not tonight, not on my watch.

I snap out of my thoughts as she finishes talking. "We should probably get back to those 2, Danny is going to want his beer, and if I'm being honest" I say, leaning in a bit as if I'm about to reveal some big secret "I kinda miss him a bit" I say with a wink. Standing up as I begin to make my way back to him. That was close! I think I need to up my game a bit. 

"Here's your beer babe" I say, handing him his beer and pecking his lips, he's taken back for a split second, but then he pulls me back in for another quick peck as I place my hand on his chest. "Before I forget, here's your card back." I say handing him his card. "I'll thank you for the drinks later." I say slightly quieter, pretending it was meant for his ears only, but I made sure it was still loud enough that Elizabeth and Scarlett could hear. I peck his cheek and send him a flirtatious wink as I stand beside him, intertwining our fingers as I look up at him lovingly.

Let the games begin.