Manhattan Bar and Lounge

[Charcoal]

Amanda
Willis immediatly looked back down at the drink in his hand.
Of all the people that could possibly see me here
Willis sculled down the remainder of his drink. The whisky burn down his throat was well hidden behined the alcoholics poker face.

Willis coulddn't help but notice Amanda, mainly because of the number of times their work tasks had overlaped, from repair works at Baltimore shipyard, to the mining fields of the outer Humboldt system. A friendly face, someone he could relate to.

Willis looked back across the bar and gave the bartender a nod, which resulted in his glass getting filled back to its previous level. he began to nurse the drink in his left hand, whilst his right hand scratched the back of his neck. He then looked back at Amanda.

By this time Amanda had sat down at the bar, just out of earshot from Willis. She was alone. Willis drew a deep breath, stood up and walked across to her side of the bar.

"Mind if I join you?" Willis asked rather sheepishly. Amanda was intelligent, that much was obvious and Willis knew her to be a very capable engineer, good at her job. But there was something about Amanda that sparked Willis' interest beyond a prefessional level.