010

October 6, 2014 (off camera)

Hunter Donimari surveyed the crowd of people in his bar, watching the crowd start to dwindle down now that it was creeping close to midnight. For a Monday, it wasn't too shocking now that the weather was starting to turn cooler. People had better things to do than drown their sorrows— just the usual diehards were here, bellied up to their respective tables, elbow deep in pitchers of beer and nachos. They'd closed the kitchen early because the flu had been making the rounds through the staff for the better part of the last week. His partner in crime Luke Fancher had called off because both his wife and little girl were sick, leaving him to man the bar solo. He didn't mind too much because it gave him something to do. Most of the patrons were drunk and the ones who weren't were well on their way. He had a tumbler glass in one hand and a towel in the other to dry it off as he went through the motions, already wishing he could speed the hands on the clock ahead a few hours so he could call it. After work, his plans consisted of going back to his little apartment and passing out in front of the television alone.

He was daydreaming about that when he suddenly spotted a head of unnaturally bright red hair. He'd always had this thing about redheads and he couldn't stop staring. Only one person he knew had hair like that but there was no chance in hell she'd be in his neck of the woods. She hadn't even been on Twitter lately, let alone replied to his half-assed attempts to joke around under the guise of harmless flirting. There was no way she'd be here in his bar or so he thought until the young woman turned around.

"No shit," he said with a grin crossing his face. "Kasey," was all he managed to say before he started waving like an idiot, hoping she'd see him.

Kasey Summers stood in the middle of the packed bar, her eyes wide behind her glasses as she surveyed the patrons in astonishment. The place was a lot less if a dive than she'd expected after Googling the address Hunter had given her via Twitter over a month ago. Being back in Chicago reminded her of Kyle and all the mess that went with it— it made her desperately crave a drink. Making her way to the bar, she didn't even realize the man she'd come to visit was there until she was almost on top of him. Looking up, she froze. He looked even better up close. His hair was perfect, just a hint of stubble on his jaw and— oh God his eyes weren't blue at all! They were almost sea green.

"Ohmygodhi!" The words came out in a breathless rush as she stared up at him. God, he was so cute and so tall— he was probably taller than Lex, even. Was it awkward to be lusting after her ex-boyfriend's wife's brother or was that just part of that whole small world of Twitter?

She honestly didn't care. All she wanted to do right now was pretend she was doing the right things in life. If that meant pretending to be unattached and fancy free— she'd just add alcohol and it would be perfect!

He stood there looking down at her, unable to stop himself from chuckling at her as she gawked at him in awkward silence. "Hi yourself." Hunter replied with the hint of a crooked grin starting on his lips. She was one of the most adorably endearing girls he'd ever met. "What's up, Buttercup?"

"I uhm…" her cheeks turned pink as she toyed with a lock of her hair, totally unable to say anything coherent when he was smiling at her like that. "I'm in Chicago," the words came out and she almost facepalmed at how stupid she sounded.

"Nope, you're actually in my bar, technically speaking." It was his attempt at being snarky, but he delivered the line all wrong. Second guessing himself, Hunter brought a hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, ah… good to see you."

"Do you make drinks?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that sounded really idiotic— he was behind the bar. Of course he could make drinks. "I mean… um… pineapple drinks. Because I really want something with pineapple. Sweet. Fruity and stuff. So like… can you?"

"I can make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. It's pretty good… and I could get you pretzels if you're hungry." Usually he was kind of smooth, but she was so damned cute and he did like her. "Maybe popcorn or peanuts? Kitchen's closed early—"

"Maybe... " she put her knee on the stool that sat beside her, using it to boost herself up so she was a little taller. She rested her palms on the bar, leaning towards him so that she didn't have to yell over the din of the other patrons and the rock music that was blaring. "Just… the drink… or eleven to start?"

He raised an eyebrow, "eleven? Nah. I don't think I can condone that. See the thing is, if I let you get really drunk— pretty sure Han and Lyv would kick my ass. Pretty sure that's called endangerment and I could lose my liquor license for that. So, how about a big ol' glass of water as a chaser instead?"

Kasey actually feigned a pout, batting her eyes at him, "are you seriously cutting me off before I've even had a single drink? That's kinda harsh, you know. And as for Hannah kicking your ass, I honestly think she'd do that more because she really doesn't like me all that much. I mean, I did try and accuse Lex of murder and stuff…. remember?" She paused, "or maybe you don't because I didn't know you or Hannah then because I didn't even know that he was meant to be with her then so……..yeah. Holy shit has it really been like almost six years since that happened?" Yep, she was babbling already.

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "shit happens but it's all in the past. I'd like to think everyone's moved on since then." He'd begun making her drink and before she knew it, a martini glass with a yellow and orange looking concoction was slid in front of her, complete with an orange and lemon wedge on the rim. "Try it; think it's just what you're looking for."

Kasey picked it up with a bright smile, taking a sip through the straw. That smile turned into a grin as she set it down again, "ohmyGodyes! It's perfect… you can't even taste any alcohol!!"

"Easy, Kitten, it'll hit you before you know it." He got himself a bottle of beer and opened it. Taking a long sip, Hunter studied the young woman in front of him and shook his head. "So what brought you here? Business in Chicago or fun?"

"I came to see you." She replied without missing a beat, that blush creeping over her cheeks again as she sipped at her drink, trying to be coy. "Tomorrow I have to fly to Wales because I'm wrestling this really yucky mean girl with a potty mouth on Thursday so," she made a face, shaking her head, "I figured today I'd road trip… come to see you and the flight from O'Hare was hella cheap compared to the one from La Guardia so hey— everything's coming up Milhouse!"

The unexpected Simpsons line made him almost spit out his beer from laughter. This chick was versed enough in the things he liked that it was almost uncanny. Covering his mouth, he waited for a moment before dropping it and grinning at her. "Well I'm not complaining about the impromptu visit. Kind of makes me cocky that out of everyone you could've come to see, you chose me. What happened to that kung fu Power Ranger looking guy?"

She looked away, almost embarrassed. "Uh… it's complicated. He's got a kid. And, well, he's in Phoenix and I'm not…"

"Right." He lifted his bottle of beer and held it towards her drink.

She lifted her glass and clinked it against the edge of the brown bottle, "you should be flattered, really because out of all the guys I have to choose from out there, you're the one I can't get out of my head. It's funny really. Every time I break up with someone, it's like this feeding frenzy and all the sharks come out of the water. It's kinda scary but you…"

"Me?" He looked surprised, "what about me?"

"You're not scary and I like you. A lot."

She liked him? What? Why? "Naw… I mean… naw." He was grinning, completely bashful and looking down at the bar counter. Shaking his head, he stammered, "come on, now. Me?"

"Yeah. You." She laughed at him being all flustered before looking around, "come on… all these pretty ladies in here and nobody's throwing themselves at your feet? I don't buy that for a second!"

He looked around the room and then back at her. "Nah, the girls around here are kinda crazy. I may not got much sense, but I have enough to steer clear."

"So, does that mean I'm crazy too?" Kasey stared at him for a few seconds, definitely feeling the alcohol now.

"Nah, you're okay in my book. In fact, I encourage you throwing yourself at my feet. So… proceed!"

She laughed, shaking her head, "you know, I would but… I don't want the crazies around here getting the wrong idea. Maybe… later?" Taking another long sip, she drained the rest of the fruity booze before pushing it towards him, "not that I'm trying to imply there's going to be a later. I just… you know… you said if I was in town that I was welcome to stop in so... ta-da?"

He set the glass to the side and leaned onto the counter. "I did and I was starting to think you might've forgotten about me." Straightening up, he took a long sip of his own beer.

"I do that sometimes." She sighed, "people think I'm flakey because I disappear. Sometimes I just have to—"

"Find yourself?"

"Well, yeah. Maybe. Not always though." She picked the lemon off the edge of the glass and put it in her mouth, smiling at him with the rind against her teeth before pulling it away and chewing on the tart fruit. "I dunno, sometimes Twitter gets a little too intense. People are weird on there. Not themselves— I didn't forget you though. I could never!"

"Glad to hear that." Hunter returned her smile, taking the discarded rind she'd dropped on the bar and tossing it overhand into the trash, "and you're welcome here anytime. For you— everything's on the house."

"Wait… no. No. No." She shook her head, reaching into her cleavage for a little black leather change purse. "I don't do freebies. That's just really skeezy and I'm not here because I want to tell you how pretty your eyes are to get free drinks—"

"Wasn't really giving freebies," he said with a shrug of the shoulders, "and they're not pretty. They're just eyes." Picking up the towel he had earlier, he began wiping down the counter. "My friends don't pay when they come in here. But if you feel the need, then go for it."

"Oh," she seemed to almost deflate a little, feeling silly for getting all outraged. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a little prickly because of that match coming up. And… y'know, some other stuff. But… yeah. So, can I get another one or something else whatever you want to make or put in front of me?" The words came out in a rambly rush, and she could feel the heat in her cheeks. Friends? Had she just been friend-zoned? What did that mean?

"You got it," he threw her a smile and began making her another drink. "And don't worry about it… probably could have worded that a little better." As he slid the drink over toward her, he also set his cell phone down and slid it towards her as well. "There's the drink and there's if you wanna put your number in."

Her eyes went wide as she looked from the phone up to his face but he was pretending to be busy wiping down the bar. Tyler was nice, but he was a bit too old and she was attracted to Jason but Tori was definitely going to make anything that ever happened between them into a living hell. After the trainwrecks of Richard Specter, Bryan Axel and Kyle Kilmeade, she needed something NORMAL. Besides, Hunter was adorable, had a stable job and his own home and— oh God, those eyes of his were enough to drown in. She grabbed the phone and pulled up the contact list, punching in her number quickly, before she lost the nerve. "You can text me whenever you want. I have an unlimited plan that's pretty much worldwide— one of the perks of being one of the big names in women's wrestling, I guess."

It was hard to hide how happy he was that she'd put her number in. Grabbing his phone back, he slid it into his pocket, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he'd be texting her sooner rather than later. "Once you get outta Wales, you should come back to the city and I could show you around or something. Maybe take a night off so we can do something nice, just the two of us—"

"I'd like that," she nodded, not bothering to tell him that she'd lived in Chicago for almost two years before the huge split with Kyle. She didn't really need to be shown the sights but the less he knew about her drama-filled land of evil exes, the better. "And you know, if you want, you can watch the broadcast of Velocity on Thursday. I won't be able to hear you cheering me on or anything but… you know… spirit counts for something, right? And if you watch, I'll dedicate something to you."

"I'll be working, but I'll have it on— the patrons'll appreciate it." He gave her a smile and then a wink. He had the urge to lean in and kiss her, but held off because he didn't want to scare her off. It had taken her months to show up, after all. That might not be welcomed and so he just went back to his beer, watching her as he tilted the bottle to his lips. "I look forward to watching it though."

"People love wrestling in places like this." She had no idea if it was true, but he'd seemed convinced that it was a good idea so she rolled with it. She polished off the second drink in a few swallows, looking sheepish as she stared at the clock on the wall behind him. "Aw, shit. It's getting hella late and I have that flight to catch in the morning… ugh. I don't wanna go… but I kinda… sorta… have to." She leaned forward, reaching out and touching her finger to the end of his nose. "You make yummy drinks, Mr. Donimari… they go really good with your yummy face." Before he could react to that comment, she slid off the stool and disappeared into the crowd.

When she made it outside, her ears were ringing from the sudden silence, her face feeling hot and feverish. "Shoulda done that way sooner," she whispered to herself and then froze when the cell phone tucked into her bra vibrated. She fished it out, staring down at the screen to find the best message she'd ever read in her entire life. She typed back a reply before she could think about it, grinning like an idiot.