James must have felt bad for almost elbowing Emma in the face, and Oliver lifted his fresh pint in thanks to the other man before turning back just in time to see Emma drain the old one and take a solid swig of the fresh one. James raised an eyebrow at her, then to Oliver before grinning. Oliver grinned in turn, though it started to falter as Emma squeaked and started to ramble.
"Och, well," he started, but she just kept going. She certainly knew how to drive a point home. Oliver wasn't really quite sure what to say. She could have just said no. He wondered if she thought that was the kind of bloke he was—the uppity pretentious sort that dressed like a ponce and did all the fine dining carp. So Oliver just sat there, tensing a bit as she tucked into him, and hoping she'd stop telling him no long enough to breathe.
He was actually glad when she changed the subject, but before he got a chance to catch up in the conversation with a subject matter that wasn't them, or not going on a date, James was budging back in with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Darlin', I'm not sure if I should take that pint back or buy you another." He chucked her playfully on the shoulder before wagging a finger at Oliver. "Pollyanne here never blushes like that, least not at the same time he's lookin' about like his dog got run over." Oliver frowned at that. He wasn't flushing, it was just warm in the room, and crowded. "Aww, lookit!" James shook his head and turned his gaze back to Emma. "I suppose I'll let ya keep yer pint, but sweetheart, you could just told him no!" James was drunk for certain, or he probably wouldn't have been so loose-lipped. "Now he's gonna be extra mopey for playoffs!" James raised his voice, turning to give a knowing glance to a few of the other players, though none of them had quite been listening to the conversation, but chorused in just to do it, and because Oliver was their assistant captain.
Oliver, for his part, looked a bit crestfallen, but mostly, he looked embarrassed that James was talking more than Emma. Bloody hell, he was surrounded by talkers aiming to turn him pink tonight.