noondayclock | (no subject)

[ It was surprising sometimes, the number of parties people seemed to throw at this bar. Not that he was complaining, of course, the more people there were the more business there was, and if business was doing well that did tend to work in favor of the barkeeper.

Besides for all the mess he knew he was going to have on his hands when Alfie got well and truly drunk by the end of the night, it was hard not to watch the other guy's antics without being at least a little amused.

Billy leans across the bar, scanning the crowd, trying to keep alert and vigilant in case his duties as a barkeep required him to dive out into the masses and pour out a cold one, or you know, more realistically if someone came up and asked for another drink.

The problem is, while he's trying his hardest to keep his eyes on things, his gave keeps flickering back to a certain lady who's seemed to be keeping herself nice and busy tonight, despite Billy's best attempts to psychically will her over to the bar. He's starting to doubt his powers! You know, the ones he's well aware he doesn't actually have. ]

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[It's harder than it should be. Ignoring Billy that is. She thinks in a way, it's a little too late for that. She'd been trying so hard to push him out, since Alfie caught them kissing in the hall. And for the most part, she thinks she's succeeded.

He's no longer under her roof, around her all of the time, and digging into her senses. She'd even tried going out with Tom a lot more often, trying to force the spark with him that she felt with Billy. It wasn't working. Tom had everything she knew she should be looking for.

He was a good cook, sensible (seemingly most of the time), he had kids, he was around her age, perhaps a little older. A steady, well paying job, and everyone thought well of him. Which, when it came to the school community, was only something that could work in her favour.

After last night...The kiss in the bathroom that might have become...Complicated, that was so rightfully interrupted...Well, she'd had some revelations. She'd been blowing Tom of all night, and earlier that day as well, if truth be told, but...

She wasn't quite ready to admit to Billy that if he knew what he was getting into, really and truly, instead of just...kidding himself, she was willing to cave about as easily as she had last night. Being busy doesn't seem to help, when she can feel his eyes following her, and she glances at him out of the corner of her eye in return any time she thinks she can get away with it. In between ducking her admirer, that is.

When it seems like her group are already to go, Fran, the traitor, votes her up to go and pay the tab, and she's left feeling stupid, fingers drumming idly on the bar edge, eyes darting from his eyes, to his mouth, to just past his ear with a slight smile]

Ehm...

The tab! I want...To pay it off, please. [Well, they're off to a brilliant start, aren't they?]

[ Finally the lady graces him with her presence. He was starting to think he was going to go the entire night without talking to her once. Billy straightens up and offers her a nod and a smile as she walks over to him.

The smile falters a little with what she has to say. Paying off the tab already? Sounds like they're not planning on sticking around much longer. ]

Of course.

[ He glances over to her group of friends before looking back to her. ]

Leaving already? You know, the night's still young.

[She makes a short noise, of slight disbelief. The night is young? Perhaps if she were still a twenty-something year old without only one child to think of, that she could easily have left at her parents for a sleep over.

No, when she has two year olds, and no parents easily in the picture, and a solid ironed out custody agreement, nights are old fairly early, and she wakes at 7.

It's almost too easy to turn this into another excuse to nip this in the bud. He's going to miserable in a house with screaming children getting ready for school, when he bartends all night, and would likely enjoy evenings out after work, with Alfie.

She's going to rob him of this, if she keeps it going]

The girls don't care for such logic, I'm afraid.

[ Billy laughs a little and leans over the counter again, waving back at Fran when she gives him a wave first. There's something a little strange about the look she's giving him. He can take a few guesses as to why that is. ]

Well I suppose a good solid...

[ Taking a glance at the clock. ]

-- eight thirty is about the time you'd want to be heading off.

[ And that cheeky smile is back in place as he leans back and waits for her to pay. ]

Are you sure I can't convince you to stay a bit longer? I've got a break in five.

[She supposes she should have added something else onto that, to make that sound a lot less like a random excuse. The sitter she's hired will keep until midnight.

She doesn't glance over her shoulder to check out who he's waving at, not sure if she wants it to be Fran's all knowing attitude, or a much younger girl better suited to him.

She digs out her credit card, taking more time than she needs to, to find it, just for the excuse not to look at him. It's always easier to turn him down if she isn't looking] Oh...Are you sure you wouldn't rather spend it...

[Well that's not decisive at all, is it?] You should join Alfie, some.

[Have fun, you know? She finally slides the credit card across the counter top at him. Oh my god, at this point would be it be tacky to tip him? These are questions she never would have had to ask if it weren't for his damn smile, and meddling Fran]

[ She was doing that thing again, the thing where she did her very best to avoid spending time with him. He was hoping they'd be over this after what had happened at Tom's house the night before. Well... the thing that happened before Jason and Tom had ruined the moment in the worst possible way imaginable.

That has sort of put a damper on the moment.

He reaches for the card and leans towards her, talking lower so only she can hear him, and nods towards Alfie who seems to be more than busy with a young brunette. ]

He's doing all right on his own. Honestly, I don't think he'd want me interrupting at the moment.

[ He looks away from Alfie and straight at Gemma, hoping she'll actually look him in the eye. ]

Besides, I've got him for the rest of the night. I've only got you for fifteen minutes best. ... If you'll stay.

[ Another smile before he's taking that card to the cash register to take care of the tab. ]

[The problem was that the more time she had to think about it, the more she realized all the ways that it was wrong, despite what she felt. And...That and the fear at the prospect of having to tell everyone, something he seemed pretty happy to do.

She checks on her son briefly, before yes, alright, giving up and meeting his gaze. It's hard not to, when he leans in so damn close, and he's almost near enough that if she tips just the last few inches in, she could kis-]

I- ...Yes, alright.

[Her head clears almost as soon as he smiles again and moves off to actually take care of the tab, mind running over the fact of what she's just agreed to in a rush.

Damn]

[ Hey, if he's gotta charm her to keep her from running off on him he's got no problems with it. He still has no idea about what flirty thing she seems to think he does, really. He's completely innocent in everything he does, and definitely isn't doing any of this purposely. That idea is just offensive!

Billy brings her card back over, and leans towards her again while placing it in her hand so he can curl his fingers around her hand instead of just handing the piece of plastic over with no contact. ]

Give me just a moment.

[ Letting of her hand so he can go mutter something to his boss and slip around the bar and make his way towards Gemma. ]