Hit Me Like Lightning

Eric Rask. 29. Hey there. If I'm not here, I'm somewhere by the sea.

[ahorribledecisionreally]

“I saw that.” Flynn smirked, nodding to their not-so-sneaky hands. “Nice try, but you can’t get anything past me.”

[raskal-eric-blog]

Eric wasn’t a thief; but he wanted to see if he could get away with it. He’d always been quick, but apparently this guy was quicker. 

“I take it you know what to do, then?” Eric cocked his head. “And I probably wouldn’t have kept it. Probably.”

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nicolaskos

Eric had a pretty solid reasoning, but that still left the question of why he wouldn’t just keep it for himself. Nico studied him for a beat, then considered what Eric had said. A second later, he realized that Eric wanted him to stick around. He bit his lip and weighed the pros against the cons. Who was he to say no to a free drink? The corner of his mouth quirked up, “Now that you mention it, I am a little thirsty. I’ll take a soda if you’re buying.”

Nico laughed. He should have expected that Eric already knew Hades. Most people did. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, “Alright, alright, you got me. I’m not Hades, just his right hand man. The name’s Nico. I can tell you right now that ten wouldn’t get us much at Underworld anyways, so it’s probably best spent elsewhere. So, where to, kid?”

Eric returned the quirked smile, “It’d be my pleasure to buy.” He said, snapping the ten dollar bill he held. “And I did just stumble into some money.” Eric tried to not act like a little kid. 

“I think you were stretching a little far with first claiming to be the owner of this wallet, and then Hades, too,” Eric gave a small laugh. “But hey, we all get our kicks somehow.” And he knew Nico was right; one crappy beer was about as much as ten bucks would get you--he knew, from blowing away a decent chunk of money at Underworld on a few occasions. It was actually a bit of a shock to him that Nico was actually serious about getting a soda with Eric.

“Um, well, I need to drop Max off,” He picked up the small dog, “But then there’s this place by my place that’s not too bad. A diner or something? I’ve only been there a few times for like, breakfast, but I think they have a bar too.” he was rambling and knew it. “And, it’s not far from here... If you don’t mind me stopping by home...” 

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nicolaskos

“Right? I’m gonna have to buy myself a damn purse or something if this keeps up,” Nico’s hand grazed the worn leather before it was hastily withdrawn. Shit.

Nico quirked an eyebrow at the question and narrowed his eyes. He liked to think he was good at being inconspicuous, but apparently he had to work on his acting skills. He was a little hurt that this kid caught on so quickly, and was ready to act accordingly. But then the wallet was in his hand and the other guy still shook his hand. Now Nico was suspicious -  what was his play?

“If I tell you who I am, are you gonna tattle on me, Eric?” he cocked his head to the side and turned the wallet over in his hands. “Here,” he thumbed through its contents and pulled out a crumpled ten dollar bill, shoving it towards Eric. “Go get yourself a sodapop or something, kid.”

“Send your thank-you note to Hades Zeveros.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to tattle,” Eric raised an eyebrow. Sure, he looked younger than he was, but did he really look like some twelve-year-old who was about to tell the teacher? “Because I turn this wallet over to anyone else it’ll sit on a shelf for a year in some lost and found facility, or ya know, I could let you have it seeing as there’s no one else here to claim it. I just wanted to know who this wallet belongs to. And now, it belongs to you, so...” Eric rocked on his feet a little, hoping the man would share his identity.

“Haha,” He let out a dry laugh, “Sure, I’ll go get a sodapop, but this is technically your money now, so it would be rude of me to not get you one, too? I mean, unless you’d rather have something other than soda.”

 “A thank you for what? A ten dollar bill that you gave me from a srtangers wallet?” Eric laughed a little, “Gee, sure, I’ll just stop by Underworld and give him my eternal gratitude for ten bucks from his bouncer. Then, he’d probably look at me like I’m crazy and then have you kick me out. Or he’d just be mad I spent ten dollars on soda instead of in his bar.” 

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nicolaskos

Nico had been enjoying a stroll in solitude before he had been interrupted. He almost didn’t hear the stranger calling after him, but the tiny dog yapping helped get his attention. Annoyed and almost certain that he hadn’t dropped anything, Nico stopped and glanced behind him. He was ready to just turn back with a shake of his head when he got a better look at what the other person was holding as he got closer. That was definitely a wallet, but it was the wrong color to be Nico’s wallet.

But what the other guy didn’t know didn’t hurt him. Nico patted himself down and pretended he didn’t feel his own wallet in his pockets. He widened his eyes in fake surprise, “Geez. Must’ve fallen out. Guess this jacket’s not what it used to be.”

He stepped closer to the stranger and held out his hands, one to accept the lost item and the other to shake the other man’s hand. “Thanks, man. You’re a life-saver - a lot of people wouldn’t say anything, you know?”

The guy patted himself down. Eric gave him a once-over before putting on another smile. A lump in his pocket told Eric that this wallet probably had a different owner, but he couldn’t be sure. “Yeah, pockets these day. Phones get bigger; pockets get smaller. But, what can you do?”

Eric grabbed the mans hand to shake, and held the wallet out too, “Yeah, I mean, why return a wallet when you could just snatch it for yourself?” He pulled his arm back up away from the man just before he could grab it. “But you would never do anything like that would you? I mean, you seem like a nice enough guy...” Eric gave him a crooked smile, and then handed him the wallet, “So don’t make me rethink anything, all right?”

“I’m Eric, and something tells me if I look inside that wallet, your name’s not gonna be inside it,” he shook the man’s hand firmly before letting it go.

[gamblingtheunderworld]

Snack Break

[raskal-eric-blog]

gamblingtheunderworld:

“Occasionally. I mean, who doesn’t love scarring people for life every now and then? I’m pretty sure my assistants at the club know that all too well.” Pierce and Parker had probably seen and dealt with far more of Hades than they ever wanted to. But hey, that’s what they get for being such loyal little shits. Hades snorted. “Well if that happens, I just—” he swiped his finger along his chest as if he was scooping up an invisible glob of egg salad. “No mess. No hassle. Less laundry for me to deal with. I mean, hey, it’s not like I’m eating it off the floor.” Which is something he had done at least once in his life. It was his own floor, though, so Hades didn’t care too much.

Hades grinned crookedly at the man. Cynical. He liked that. “Don’t forget senseless gambling. I mean, I am located right next door to one of the only casinos in town. You get your booze, your babes, your cigs, and then teeter on over to the casino to lose the rest of your money. That’s my kind of life, man,” Hades scoffed as he took a bite of his food. “Sounds like you might need a vacation though, bub. Maybe get some of that fresh air ‘n shit out in the wilderness. My boy Nico loves going out camping…helps clear the mind.”

Shrugging listlessly, though mostly out of fatigue from his run than anything, Hades reached for his water. “It’s been alright. Kinda hot for a run, but I figure it helps rid the body of toxins or whatever to sweat a little.” And lord knows he had plenty of toxins to lose after last night’s bender. “Plus not having to work until tonight is a bonus. Gives me more time to get shit done, y’know what I mean?”

“Yeah, can’t say I have much experience there,” Eric gave a little shrug, “Unless you count when I told my very religious grandmother that boys and girls are both attractive. Yeah, she was pretty scarred, to say the least.” He had put his poor grandmother through hell with all his life decisions and comments about certain topics. But, luckily he had a cute little cousin who was always on her good side.

“Fair enough,” Eric nodded, “I guess that works as well as anything else.” 

He gave a grin, “Of course, the gambling, how could I forget? Yeah, life is good when you live it that way.” Eric couldn’t agree more; he did need more fresh air. “Eh, my boat’s been out of commission for a while, so I guess I have been stuck indoors more than I’d like. But, yeah, Nico has the right idea, camping is a great way to clear the head.”

It was a little hot out, in his opinion. The perfect day to go sailing if his mast hadn’t been cracked by some tree that fell. “It also clears out your pores. Unclogs them, or something. At least that’s what my gym teacher used to say after making us run for an hour in the 90 degree weather.” Eric thought on it, “Yeah, I get what you’re saying. Getting shit done early is the best part of working nights.”

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aurelie-godfrey

“I guess so,” Aurelie wasn’t too sure what he meant by it, but he was giving a smile and she assumed that it was a good thing.

Hearing him ask made her freeze up a little. She never really ordered much, just let the bartender just let the bartender give her the cutest, smallest, sweetest and fruitiest drink they could possibly make and then watch them slide it across the table, careful to watch their hands to see if they’d slip anything inside.But she still had no idea what any alcoholic drink’s name was, and she really only knew one phrase and that was ‘on the rocks’ because adding ice would dilute the drink.

“I’m not too sure that it’s called, but it’s usually bright and sweet and fruity,” she scratched the back of her neck, “Oh! And it’s on the rocks!” She smiled brightly at being able to remember that phrase, even if it was a little embarrassing that she would be proud over something like that.

“No, I don’t work around here,” she frowned a little, She wasn’t to tell him that she lived around here, that would be much too embarrassing. And not in a good way.

Eric nodded. When she got excited about the drink, he laughed. He turned to the bartender. “You heard her, something fruity and sweet, on the rocks.” He gave her a smile. 

“Hm,” Eric leaned on the counter. “Maybe I’ve just seen you around.” He smiled at the bartender when they received their drinks. The blonde seemed nice. He wouldn’t say innocent, but she definitely had some sort of childish charm. 

“So, is it rude to ask you what you’re doing here all by yourself, or does that make me sound like a pervert who’s trying to take you somewhere... unsanitary?” Eric gave her a quick grin, taking a sip of his drink.

[gamblingtheunderworld]

Snack Break

[raskal-eric-blog]

gamblingtheunderworld:

Hades chuckled, recognizing the guy from the bar the other night. He seemed much more reserved when sober, but maybe that was just how Hades remembered things. Still, his comment drew another laugh from the older man and he kicked his feet up on the chair opposite of him. “Trust me, I’m not in a mood to scar people for life. But a shirt is just a shirt. And mine is covered in egg salad…so I might as well ditch it otherwise it’s gonna reek to high heaven.” Nodding his chin at the man, Hades smiled. “Enjoying the fresh air and sunshine this time around?” Two things Underworld lacked.

Eric let out a dry chuckle as he recognized the man. Embarrassed? No. Feeling more self-conscious? Yes. He leaned back in the metal chair, folding his arms. “Do you get in that mood often?” he wondered with a small smile. “And a shirt is just a shirt. That’s true. But what happens when you spill food onto your chest and you don’t have an already dirty shirt to protect yourself?” he raised an eyebrow, in more of  joking manor than a serious one.

“Yeah, fresh air, sunshine, all those nice things,” he nodded looking around, “But nothing beats the smell of alcohol and cigarettes in a dark room. To hell with fresh air when you can sit in a room and let all of your life slowly waste into a cycled void of alcoholism and humorless laughter.”

“What about you? How’s the day been treating you?” Eric gave a crooked smile as he leaned forward, putting his arms on the table.

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rapunzelstieber

“Sailing! That’s wild, I’ve always wanted to try it, but my mother gets sea sick.” She noticed his uneasiness at being drawn so she decided to keep it light. She grabbed her pencil and started.

“AW you have a puppy, I love dogs! What’s it’s name? Netflix is great, but usually I spend the time I could be watching something, trying to find something to watch…” Rapunzel trailed off looking at her sketchbook and smiling she knew just what to draw.

She thought about what asked, she was disobeying her mother by coming to the bar. Rapunzel felt guilty, thinking about her mother who loved her and only wanted what was best for her. She shook her head. She was a grown woman, she could go where she pleased. “I had a long day a work and found myself wanting a change in venue. As for the guys, besides you I haven’t had anyone mess with me!” she laughed. It was true, they probably all thought she was demented-getting up and sitting back down again for 5 minutes straight.

“What kind of puppy do you have?”

“Well, I could take you sometime if you’d like, Rapunzel,” he offered. He noticed her starting to sketch. 

He jumped a little at her excitement about his dog. “His name is Max. He’s sweet. And I do about the same.” Eric noticed a slightly mischievous smile cross her face. 

After what seemed like pondering, Rapunzel answered his question. “Fair enough,” he shrugged, and then smirked, “Are you saying I’m messing with you?” Eric laughed along with her. 

“He’s a Maltipoo,” Eric finally admitted, “Such a manly guard dog, I know. He may be small, but he’s murdered many a shoelace. What about you; got any pets?”

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aurelie-godfrey

“I usually am,” she rolled her eyes instinctively, “but no. I just wear this outfit a lot when I go out, especially to bars. There are some perks, like getting free drinks from the bartender.” She waved her own comment off dismissively, shrugging in a nonchalant manner. She didn’t know why she got free drinks, she just did but she would never get something too alcoholic.

“Well,” her eyes roamed over all the drinks sitting on the shelves, “There’s no point getting something non-alcoholic when you’re in a bar like this. So, I think I’ll just let you choose,” she gave a nervous smile after. A small giggled escaped, “Even if it is the… Whipped cream flavoured rum.”

She wasn’t looking too forward to the drink, with a name like that, but she sucked it up and smiled at the man.

Eric couldn’t help but smile when she rolled her eyes, “Sounds like you know what you’re doing, then.”

“That’s true,” Eric nodded looking around, “I’ll spare you from that though.” He noticed the distaste on her face that she masked behind a smile. “What do you usually get, then?” He knew she said that he should pick for her, but he had zero sense of taste and was a horrible guesser. 

“Also,” he said, “why do you seem familiar? Do you work around here?”

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genevievexaltena

Someone taking the seat beside her wasn’t new and Gen didn’t look up at first. He ordered another drink but didn’t say anything to her, so Gen figured he’d taken the seat beside her for convenience. Until he did start talking to her, asked her a question, and she glanced up at him.

First thing she thought was he was handsome in a very strong way. Good jawline, amazing eyes (slightly glazed over and reflecting the light, oh he was already ahead of her in drinking,) and a sweet mouth. She didn’t know if she should consider him a mark, hearing the way he sort of blurted the words, he either had gathered the courage to come talk to her or he was that special kinda drunk where he was friendly. Gen didn’t know, but some company and a free drink would be nice to start.

“Sure,” she smiled sweetly at him. “A hurricane.”

She had a night off from working, hence spending some time at the bar where she lazily scrolled through her phone looking for anything that caught her eye. Looked like she didn’t need her phone for that after all.

“Are you here by yourself?” She asked, turning a little in her chair to face him. “That’s not any fun.”

Eric noticed her flirting. He was technically flirting too. He got their drinks and then looked back at the girl. She seemed to be a pro at getting free drinks.

“Yeah,” Eric let out a little laugh, “But, to be fair, so are you.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless you aren’t and I’m interrupting...” He looked to the other side of the girl so see an older, bearded man chugging a pint, “Something?”

They got their drinks. Eric gave the bartender a smile. 

“So, not to um, ruin the conversation or potential of whatever this might be,” he motioned between them, “But I’m just gonna say that I don’t think I’m your type.” 

[gamblingtheunderworld]

Snack Break

Hades panted and wiped his face with the bottom of his loose workout tank, pulling out his earbuds once he reached the the little outdoor cafe in the park. He managed to order a water through his wheezing, as well as an egg salad sandwich—because why not? He deserved it after a good, long run like that.

Thankfully the food came quick and Hades gratefully accepted his bottle of water and sandwich, flopping down onto one of the wrought iron seats at an open table. After chugging down a healthy portion of his water, he tore into his sandwich, ignoring the globs of egg dripping down onto his chest. It wasn’t until he noticed someone staring that he glanced down and saw the problem. With a shrug, Hades set his sandwich down and proceeded to peel his tank off, draping it over the back of his seat before smirking at the onlooker. “You can’t spill food on your shirt if you’re not wearing one,” he chuckled breathlessly, grabbing his sandwich once again.

[raskal-eric-blog]

Eric wanted to get out more. Go places, see new people. Instead, he saw a full grown man eating a sandwich like a toddler. He couldn’t blame him; the cafe had pretty good food. But, that wasn’t necessarily on Eric’s list of things to see today. 

And just his luck, the man noticed him looking. As if realizing the situation for the first time, he stripped off the tank top. Eric internally rolled his eyes at the man’s comment on it.

“True, but you can still spill food onto your pants,” Eric commented back. “But please, for the love of God don’t take those off too; there are children around.”

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Eric lounged on a bench in the park, his head back, enjoying the day. It was starting to get dark, but he didn’t mind. The air felt so fresh and he wished he had spent the day out on the water instead of at home doing some basic chores. So he had been determined to take an afternoon walk with Max.

Max was probably the smallest dog Eric had ever seen--especially compared to his tall physique. But the little guy was bountiful with energy. As Eric leaned back, Max ran around the bench while his leash was firmly strapped around Eric’s wrist. 

There was a few tugs and then some barking, and then Eric looked up to see Max barking at an object lying on the ground. Eric got up and picked it up, looking around. Ahead on the path he saw a person walking away.

“Hey,” he called after them, jogging slightly to catch them, “Did you drop this?”

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rogersradcliffe

“Thank you!” Roger grinned cheerfully. He wasn’t one to boast about his skills, other than to Pongo or his closest friends as a joke but he genuinely appreciated any compliment he received.

“Nice to meet you Eric,” Roger looked over to the window and chuckled. “So it is! I hadn’t even noticed,” He walked over to the window and shut it firmly. “One of the other instructors must have left it earlier.” He looked back over at the man and smiled kindly. “Well if you’re ever interested in taking a lesson in the future, just let me know. Practice makes perfect. I wasn’t so good when I first started either. I was also very undecided and tried to take on three instruments at once so that might have also been a factor. At least until I learned to better manage my time.”

“I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true,” Eric shrugged. He didn’t mind handing out compliments, especially when people deserved them.

He watched Roger go and shut the window. As he did, Eric mused over the idea of him playing an instrument. He let out a chuckle, “I’m pretty sure I’d scare off all your patrons with how awful I am,” he admitted. “But, yeah, I’ll think about it.”

Eric looked around the record store. It was nice. Roger had a nice place set up, in his opinion. 

“You said you tried to take on three instruments?” Eric almost marveled, “If you don’t mind me asking, how many can you play now?”

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gamblingtheunderworld

God, Hades loved drunk people. Not only were they great entertainment at the club—especially when one of them caused a scene and required man-handling by him and Nico to toss them out on the street—but some of them were just downright nice. Just like this kid, who no doubt didn’t realize he was seated next to not only the owner of the club and bar, but that Hades was a very large man as well.

Unless he’s into that.

Smirking, Hades pulled the small bowl of honey-roasted peanuts towards him, popping several in his mouth. “Me? Well, I’m flattered, kid.” He could hear Bandit snorting over his shoulder from behind the bar as she cleaned glasses, clearly amused by the situation. “Normally, I don’t accept drinks from dudes. But hey…live a little, right? Gimme a pisco sour, Bandita. And a…uh,” he grabbed another handful of peanuts, gesturing at the young man with them. “What’re you having?”

The man seemed to know several things that Eric didn’t--Well, of course he did, but about the situation. The bartender also seemed amused. 

“Well, if that’s how you live a little, then by your standards I live a lot,” Eric chuckled, “But I usually don’t buy drinks for strangers, so this is an abnormal thing for both of us.”

Eric looked at the bartender and held up the bottle he already had, “Um, another of these, please.” He knew it was some lame ass excuse for a drink, but it was cheap and he’d still be able to walk home after a few of them. 

“So, why do I get the feeling that you didn’t really need anyone to buy you a drink?” Eric asked, probably a little too directly.

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aurelie-godfrey

Aurelie wasn’t too sure what she was doing at a bar of this caliber. She didn’t even drink much, she knew she couldn’t take her alcohol well because she hasn’t really built up the tolerance. The most she’s drank was a few glasses of wine, but that was barely enough alcohol to get someone drunk, much less tipsy.

She what she was doing at a bar, she wanted to know the answer to that herself. Still, she had on her favourite short white cocktail dress and gold wedges, a little fancy to such a rundown place but it was the outfit she would wear whenever she visited a bar. Albeit, the ones she’s visited were extravagant and never this low in standard, but she might as well.

And only when the guy next to her said something did she even realise she was sitting next to a person, stopping her staring of the area. He gave her a smile, asking if he could buy her a drink.

Was this what they call ‘picking a girl up’?

She was about to decline, before she realised she was in a bar, alone and without a drink.

So, she gave him her most charming smile, “Sure, but I don’t really handle my alcohol well.”

Maybe this guy knew a thing or two about drinks. Her throat was feeling a little parched anyway.

The woman was nicely dressed. “You look like you should be somewhere a lot better than here,” Eric noted. “What, where you on your way to a party and your entourage ditched you?” she looked like the kind of person who’d have an entourage of equal caliber girls at her side. 

“Don’t get alcohol, then,” Eric shrugged, looking over at the wall of assorted spirits, “Um, I’d say I’d get you a milkshake, but the closest thing they have here is whipped cream flavored rum.”

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rapunzelstieber

“It’s okay, I didn’t take it that way. However, tonight seems like an appropriate night for drinking, so I’ll take a cosmo.” Rapunzel looked down, smiling shyly. She was relieved he hadn’t been coming onto her, she wasn’t really sure what she would have done. Probably ran home where she should be right now, but he seemed pretty genuine and like he needed someone to talk to. She gazed thoughtfully at the man, always amazed when they didn’t have pointy teeth.

“I draw and paint here and there. I guess it’s kind of my thing.” She bit her lip, not wanting to sound overly-obsessed with art. She still wanted to sketch him though, she was practicing on male specimens. She tried to subtly flip her sketchbook open to a new page. “I’m Rapunzel by the way and I’m curious as to what brings you here and if you mind me drawing you?”

He gave her a smile, “All right,” he ordered their drinks. She seemed nice, almost too nice for a place like this. But maybe that was her intention.

“Nice, I always wished I could be good at art,” Eric nodded. “Sailing is kind of my thing.” When she asked if she could draw him, Eric’s ears heated. No one had ever wanted to draw him before. Was that a normal thing? He didn’t know.

“Um, sure,” he said eventually, “I’m Eric. And I came here because what else is a guy like me supposed to do on a Friday night? Home to my puppy and watch cheesy movies on Netflix? Psh, that’s not what men do.” He smiled, hoping she heard the sad excuse of self-deprecation he held in his voice. 

“What brings you here? Are you disobeying orders by coming here?” he asked, his turn to be curious, “If so, advice for next time; go to a classier bar. All the guys in this one are idiots.”

[raskal-eric-blog]

missluzortega:

Luz chuckled softly, flattered by his compliment. Anyone who sent compliments her way would win her over in a heartbeat. Some would say that she was easy to please, but she would argue that she just liked to be appreciated, and there was nothing wrong with that. “Ooh, it’s a long time since anyone has called me that. I like you already, papi.”

The bartender brought their drinks over and Luz accepted hers with yet another warm smile. She sipped slowly, enjoying the bitter warmth of red wine trickling down her throat. After humming a soft chuckle, she shook her head. “If only.” She teased him. “When you see a hot man, please point him out to me.” Luz was only playing, and she rarely had the chance to exchange banter like this with anyone.

Luz would never judge anyone on their drinking habits, especially not considering the folks she usually encountered in Hatcher’s. “It’s not a nightly thing, but I wouldn’t mind if it was. A little wine at the end of a long day is always very nice. I take it you’ve been here for a little while?” She asked, assuming as much because he seemed a little inebriated.

Eric laughed along. He didn’t ever mind handing out compliments. And she deserved one. “Thanks, I think I’m beginning to feel the same.” It almost made him squirm, the way she called him papi. He had an aunt who would call him that when he was a kid. She was an odd woman. 

Eric took a swig of his drink as the woman did. Her chuckle was warm like someone who had a good sense of humor. Eric cracked a grin, “Hey, I was gonna ask you to do the same for me,” he gave a small wink. 

As he set the bottle down, Eric folded his hands together, looking at the woman. “Yeah, it’s a great way to wind down. The way I just said that makes me sound like a raging alcoholic. I’m not, but yeah, I’ve been here a while.”

He looked around. “So, why are you alone?” he asked, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you are so we can have this conversation, but you don’t really strike me as the sap who goes out for a drink by herself. Do you have friends meeting you here?”