She was about to move away, having finished cleaning the cup when Avery dropped his cup on the counter and asked "What's your name?"
She jolted, taken aback by the question as it didn't seem like he was going to talk to her if she didn't talk to him first.
She stepped closer, making the width of the counter the only distance that separated them both. Her voluptuous figure was already accentuated in the dress she wore, but then, pressing her lower stomach against the edge of the counter caused the dress to tighten more which in turn made her figure stand out even more.
She leaned forward. Her rounded, supple breasts came close to Avery's face, and her full, rosy lips were even closer.
"My name is Kenser, what about yours?" She said.
Avery looked down at all her mesmerizing features then took his gaze back to staring directly into her eyes. His gaze was unwavering.
Avery took the second sip of his drink and then said "My name is Avery, Avery Reed"
"A-ve-ry… Ave-ry… Avery. Well, it's nice to meet you, Avery" Kenser said with a warm but this time seductive smile which Avery found appealing.
"It's nice to meet you too, Kenser," he replied then his shoulder twitched which Kenser thought was him going for a handshake and so she too went for one.
Unfortunately, to her surprise, his hand moved not to initiate a handshake but to raise his empty cup to both their faces.
"Can I get a refill?" He asked "The wine was really delicious"
Kenser, who was shocked and a bit embarrassed by her presumptuousness, flicked her eyes to his raised cup and chuckled. She liked that it didn't go as she had expected as the unpredictability was more fun.
"Sure thing, Avery. Allow me to fill your cup with something that'll quench your thirst" she said, wrapping her soft hand around the cup and Avery's fingers in a suggestive way before taking the cup from him to go get him another drink.
'Was I wrong about her not being forward with the customers?' Avery asked himself, realizing that he knew little to nothing about women. After all, his memory wasn't available to assist him.
At the end of the lineup, Shieve who had momentarily gotten distracted from what Kove was saying to focus on Avery's and Kenser's budding relationship, grumbled. He chugged the rest of his drink in annoyance and jealousy.
Just as he dropped his cup on the counter and reached for the second bottle of alcohol between Mosey and Kove to pour himself another cup, Kove's words recaptured his attention.
"I've been thinking about this all through the journey here, but the equipment we need for this job, how and where are we going to get them?" Kove said and Shieve's eyebrow raised curiously while he poured himself a cup.
Kove flicked his eyes to the bottle In Shieve's hand. "We're out of Squarez, so much so that all we can afford are that one bottle in Shieve's hand, this empty one in front of me, and whatever drink the pug is having," he said and they all looked at Avery.
Kenser and Avery looked back at them then she smiled and said "Don't worry, fellas, this one's on the house. It's a gift from me to my handsome friend."
Avery's eyes widened as he looked at her and Mosey, knowing where words like those could lead, grinned and then fist-bumped Avery's shoulder, encouragingly.
On the other hand, Avery who didn't understand why Mosey did that only grimaced which made Kenser chuckle.
"Like I was saying, we are limited on funds so what plans are Centshuu and Ripply concocting to tackle this? We've already abandoned our previous job for this one so are we going to take up another loan or what?" A concerned Kove said.
Suddenly, Mosey placed his hand around the observant man's back then he pulled his face closer to Kove's and smirked.
"Stop worrying about the details," Mosey said and Kove's slanted eyes widened.
"Huh?" Kove voiced.
"You've been with Centshuu way before we became a team and I've been with Ripply for a long time too. We've both witnessed how resourceful those two are on multiple occasions. With Ripply's brain and Centshuu's way with words, I'm sure everything is going to be alright" Mosey said then stretched his hand sideways and took the bottle from Shieve.
After seeing how little alcohol remained in the newly opened bottle, Mosey frowned at Shieve, who had selfishly drunk it.
Ignoring the burly man's glare, Shieve turned his head in the opposite direction and drank his drink.
Mosey rolled his eyes and poured Kove a drink. He then said, "It's unlike you to question Centshuu but I understand because the situation we're in has started to make us get a little desperate. Just enjoy your drink and wait for when those two come back. I'm sure they'll explain to us what the next move is"
After he had poured enough for Kove, only having a little left for himself, Mosey dropped the bottle next to his cup and patted Kove's back before retracting his body and sitting properly.
He grasped his cup, peering into the liquid's gentle ripples, saying to himself, "I'm sure whatever plan those two have thought of is for our best interest," before taking a sip.
***
Inside Bell's private room where she and Centshuu sat opposite each other while standing beside his leader was Ripply, Bell crossed her legs and said:
"Alright Centshuu, spit it out"