“Isn’t it grand when they think they know more about your job than you do?” Steve said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “You’d be surprised at how many people tell me how to mix their drinks. Like they’re going to come up with something that I haven’t heard about in the years I’ve been bartending.”
“Sometimes that’s what you got to do. Just get up and go someplace else for a couple of days.” Steve said with another soft chuckle and nod of his head as his eyes rested on her for a moment. He took a long gulp to finish the glass of wine before he set that down and then put the pictures back in their piles. “And if you’ve never gone on vacation, then I understand the appeal. I haven’t been on one in over a year myself. Though, it does sound like you’re pretty fond of this friend of yours.”
----
Alice nodded. “I guess people get picky about their drinks?” She always saw those sorts of things in the movies at least. “Blame James Bond,” she teased.
“Yeah spontaneous isn’t usually my gig, I work in seasons, but it was a nice change. I’m completely broke now, but it was money well spent I guess,” she smiled. The comment about being fond gave her something like a doe-in-the-headlights look. “Hm? No. I was just talking about the pictures. I mean, yeah, he’s- I barely-” eventually she had to give up, giving a small laugh she sat back in her chair again.
“It’s not like that,” she told him. “I don’t think.” Because she really couldn’t be sure.
---
“If they were making up their own drinks, then I’d totally understand that. But standard drinks that everyone makes the same way?” Steve just shook his head at that. “Even Bond didn’t tell the bartender how to make the vodka martini.. except in that one movie, and that was messed up drink.” He blamed it on rich kids thinking anyone who worked was stupid. But, he wasn’t going to say that part.
“Gotta be spontaneous once in a while, Alice. Sometimes the best thing you can do to keep yourself happy is just go Fuck it, I’m doing this. I’ve had some of my best memories or experiences doing that.” And some of the best toys laying about his apartment too. “Of course, some of my biggest screw-ups were also because of that.” He grinned. Good with the bad, gotta roll with the punches.
The doe look got a grin out of him and he shook his head a little. “Hey, I don’t care who you’re sleeping with. It’s not like we’re really dating, right?” He grinned at her. Of course, he had at least three girls he could call whenever he wanted some booty. “Though, how could you not know if you’re fond of the guy?”
----
“I have to admit, I don’t know my bond like I know my Star Wars. I will take your word for it. I can imagine it’s pretty annoying.”
The next statement made her brow raise. “Mhm, I agree... I just got back from a spontaneous road trip with a guy I barely knew. That’s how we got on this conversation, remember?” she pointed out, smirkng slightly, though she looked a bit confused too.
His comment on her sex life made her laugh slightly and she crossed her legs. “Well, that’s a relief.” Frankly, she wasn’t asking permission- or forgiveness. The sarcasm was pretty clear in her voice. “You asked if I was fond of him, not whether I was sleeping with him. Which isn’t really your business,” she pointed out, though tried to be nice about it. “Yeah, I guess I’m pretty fond of him, whatever that means anymore. He’s a really great guy.”