The background noise is dismal, a poppy tune, a complaining man and lovers. Sabrina seems to hear the bartender shining a glass more clearly than the muddled sounds of the Royal Omi Hotel Bar. Stirs the ice in her drink slowly with her finger as she sits at the bar, intently watching the bar towel as it wipes against the glass. She slides her feet from her high heeled shoes and massages her leg with a bare foot, leaning back to take a sip of her drink.
Across the room, Daniel sits alone in a booth absorbing the music as he watches her graceful movement. He sighs and slowly raises an ice cold beer to his lips, drinking slowly as he drinks in the scenery.
“Yeah, next they’re sending me to Detroit,” an older business man seated near Sabrina complains to the bartender. “I used to enjoy the trips, but they’re not what the used to be. Hell, I even have to pay this tab. Ha! They took away the alcohol privileges… as if we don’t deserve them.”
“Corporate bastards,” The bartender lightheartedly played along with the man. “Who do they think they are really?”
“Right, and the work gets harder and the benefits get smaller,” the man continues to complain as he pushes his empty glass toward the bartender.
“Corporate bastards,” The bartender lightheartedly played along with the man. “Who do they think they are really?”
“Right, and the work gets harder and the benefits get smaller,” the man continues to complain as he pushes his empty glass toward the bartender.
Sabrina turns away and faces the lovers for a moment.
The woman throws her head back in laughter, brushing her hair away from her face. Her lover gently fills her glass from the bottle of wine they are sharing. With a swift move, he eases his chair closer as he places the glass back in front of her.
“I have to tell you that was the worst presentation ever,” he chuckles. “It was everything I could do to hold my eyes open.”
“I fell asleep just waiting for him to get the projector to work,” she continues to laugh. “But, here’s to an all expense paid weekend getaway!” She raises her glass and he taps his to hers.
“I guess this isn’t so bad,” his expression changes to a seductive stare.
“I certainly can’t complain,” she meets his stare.
“I have to tell you that was the worst presentation ever,” he chuckles. “It was everything I could do to hold my eyes open.”
“I fell asleep just waiting for him to get the projector to work,” she continues to laugh. “But, here’s to an all expense paid weekend getaway!” She raises her glass and he taps his to hers.
“I guess this isn’t so bad,” his expression changes to a seductive stare.
“I certainly can’t complain,” she meets his stare.
Sabrina smiles and then turns to push her empty glass toward the bartender.
“I’ll have another,” she says softly.
As he makes her drink, Sabrina’s eye catches Daniel’s reflection in the mirror behind the bar. He’s pulling off his jacket and turns his neck slowly as if trying to relax. He looks mysterious to her. He runs his fingers through his hair before finishing his beer. She watches him walk across the room, slowly, to the bar. The bartender slides Sabrina’s drink in front of her.
“Thank you,” her stare is broken, but only for a moment. Through the corner of her eye, she watches as he orders another beer.
“I’ll have another,” she says softly.
As he makes her drink, Sabrina’s eye catches Daniel’s reflection in the mirror behind the bar. He’s pulling off his jacket and turns his neck slowly as if trying to relax. He looks mysterious to her. He runs his fingers through his hair before finishing his beer. She watches him walk across the room, slowly, to the bar. The bartender slides Sabrina’s drink in front of her.
“Thank you,” her stare is broken, but only for a moment. Through the corner of her eye, she watches as he orders another beer.
“Another Guiness,” he says with a bit of an accent … maybe Scottish? She wonders where he’s from and what his story is. He glances in her direction, and she quickly looks away. He doesn’t want her to see him stare, so he too turns away … but only for a moment, and then he can’t help but look again.
Sabrina is swirling her drink in her hand, scanning the room while carefully avoiding eye contact with Daniel. She’s nervous, but pretending to be cool. Daniel tips his beer a bit, feeling anxious.
“Oh my!” He gasps. “I’m so sorry, sir.”
“Not a problem,” The bartender says. “Bigger problem for you to lose any of that great beer.”
“You got that right,” Daniel laughs then leans against the bar as he takes his first swig, turned to face Sabrina. He watches her as she, once again rubs one bare foot against her thigh and lets out a soft sigh.
He shudders.
“Not a problem,” The bartender says. “Bigger problem for you to lose any of that great beer.”
“You got that right,” Daniel laughs then leans against the bar as he takes his first swig, turned to face Sabrina. He watches her as she, once again rubs one bare foot against her thigh and lets out a soft sigh.
He shudders.
“Hey Buddy,” the business man calls out. “I could use another drink down here.”
The bartender heads toward him.
“Hey lady,” he calls out again, “You want a drink too?”
Sabrina freezes for a moment. “N…no, thank you,” she stammers and then raises her glass “I just got one, thanks.”
The bartender heads toward him.
“Hey lady,” he calls out again, “You want a drink too?”
Sabrina freezes for a moment. “N…no, thank you,” she stammers and then raises her glass “I just got one, thanks.”
Daniel returns to his seat, replaying her voice in his mind. He finds it melodious. He smiles gently as he gazes at her. She catches his smiling reflection in the mirror and their eyes meet. Quickly, he looks down and begins to loosen his tie. Sabrina slips back into her shoes and begins wriggling one shoe on her toes, not quite snugly on her foot yet.
The couple across the room is learning they are out of wine. He raises the empty bottle as he stands, he puts his hand out to her. She takes his hand and rises slowly. They approach the bar, laughing and floating as they step.
“Another bottle please,” He boasts. “And charge it to my room.”
“Oh?” She moves closer to him and he lets go of her hand and puts his arm around her.
“Is that ok?” He asks.
“Absolutely,” She leans on him, smiling wide.
“Another bottle please,” He boasts. “And charge it to my room.”
“Oh?” She moves closer to him and he lets go of her hand and puts his arm around her.
“Is that ok?” He asks.
“Absolutely,” She leans on him, smiling wide.
Sabrina smiles as she watches. She notices Daniel in the mirror, watching the happy couple with a smile on his face also. This makes her smile even wider, and she turns to stand. She walks across the room gracefully, glancing at Daniel only for a moment as they are both still smiling. He catches her, and nods at her. She nods back as she heads to the restroom. He stares at the bathroom door for a moment, the shakes it off … feeling foolish. He struggles to not think of her for a moment. He fumbles in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone, checking it for any messages.
Sabrina freshens up in the bathroom. She leans in to the mirror and looks into her own eyes, takes a deep breath, and steps out. She looks at Daniel, as he is intently listening to a message on his phone. She rushes to her seat, unnoticed, and quickly finishes her drink.
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