InspiredByOQ Day 6 - this one shot is inspired by Jen's ( starscythe) beautiful edit - see tweet. As always, thank you to my beta - Temera - for the edits and suggestions!

Roni moved around the bar with expert ease. She refilled glasses, got new drinks, and mingled with her customers. She was comfortable behind the bar. This was her forte. Her rules. But as the clock ticked, the butterflies in her stomach grew.

What's wrong with you? You're acting like a teenager and he might not even show. She scolded herself as she made her way over to another customer with a drink.

Roni was standing behind the bar watching the clock when she heard a distinct British accent behind her, "He'll be here."

Roni jumped, turning around to see her business partner and best friend, "You don't know that."

"Of course I do," Kelly responded filling a beer, "7:12 on the dot, every fucking day. He'll be here."

Roni rolled her eyes, pouring herself a shot, "He doesn't even know I exist."

Kelly motioned for Roni to pour her a shot as well, "You're joking right?" She chuckled, "Rons, he comes into this bar every single day; beelines to you to get his drink. Even when I'm closer and free, he waits for you."

"Scotch on the rocks, please," Roni stated, "That's all he's ever said to me. I'm his bartender, nothing more."

"Which is why you need to just ask him out already." Kelly looked over at the door when it dinged, signalling that someone had just walked in. She glanced at the clock on the wall and smirked. "7:12 on the dot. Make a move, Roni. You know you want to."

Roni quickly downed the tequila as she saw this mystery man walk toward the bar. She smiled as he got closer and propped himself on an available stool. "Scotch on the rocks?" she asks.

He chuckled, "Yes, please."

She reached for a glass, filling it with ice, and turned towards the wall to retrieve the scotch she knew he prefered. She saw him pull his laptop out and prop it on the bar. Frowning slightly, he usually prefered going over to a table. She placed the glass on a napkin and slid it to him, "What are you working on?" She started, making small talk trying to work up the courage to, at the very least, ask him his name.

"A mystery novel, I'm a writer." he replied, giving her his award winning smile, showing off those dimples that made her weak in the knees.

"Oh, that's very interesting. I didn't take you as the mystery writer type."

"What did you take me as, Roni?" he asked, turning his attention towards her. He had a twinkle in his eye as he watched her.

She suddenly started feeling very warm as she glanced back, "How..How do you know my name?"

He grinned, "The first day I came in here you introduced yourself, granted every day since you haven't, but I would never forget your name."

"You wouldn't?" she squeaked slightly, she cleared her throat slightly to fix her voice, "You wouldn't?" she repeated sounding a little more normal.

He laughed watching her, "No, I wouldn't. Your presence is very hard to miss, not that I mind. You're stunning, in every way."

Roni ducked her head feeling her cheeks heat up, "Thank you." she muttered looking back up into his baby blues, "I guess it's only fair that I know your name too in that case."

"Robin," he replied holding his hand out over the bar to her to shake, "It's a pleasure to meet you, milady."

"The pleasure's all mine," Roni replied shaking his hand. She pulled her hand back after a moment, standing awkwardly for a second trying to figure out her next move. Luckily for her, the bar wasn't quiet today and she was summoned over to the other edge. A part of her wanted to stay put and talk to Robin. Robin, what a nice name. Not one that she would have guessed, but the more she thought of it, it suited him. He certainly had robin's egg blue eyes that are boring into her soul as she stood in front of him. But she couldn't ignore a customer right? That was bad for business. She was making excuses, she knew if she didn't make her way over that Kelly would pick it up for her. But she needed a moment to collect her thoughts so off she went.

She'd never asked a guy out before. As hardcore and badass as she was, asking someone out was hard. She'd never been one to actively seek out rejection. She had gotten enough of that on her own, growing up with a mother like Cora gave her the steel backbone she had today but it didn't do so without some scars.

Roni turned back towards the shelf of liquor to find the one that she needed for her customer when Kelly walked over to her, "Did you do it?"

"What?" faking innocence.

"Oh, don't play coy," Kelly narrowed her eyes.

Roni ushered Kelly further away from Robin, "No, not yet. I don't know how." She confessed.

"What are you talking about? You've asked out plenty of guys before." Kelly furrowed her brows.

"No, I haven't."

"Yes, you have. The guy you brought home last month… what was his name?"

"Graham?" Roni asked, "No, Kel, that was just sex."

"Ah," Kelly said suddenly realizing what was going on, "Darling, he likes you. He's not going to say no. Just do it, or I will."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Because I love you, and I don't like seeing you all wound up like this."

Roni sighed, "Okay, fine. Can you give the guy in the red a vodka tonic?"

"Yeah, I got it. Go."

Roni took a deep breathe and made her way back over towards the left side of the bar, fidgeting with her fingers slightly, "So, umm,..can I.. can I get you another?" she stumbled to say as he looked up at her and smiled.

"No, thank you, I have a one drink limit until I get to my intended word count for the evening." He responded.

"Oh," Roni deflated a bit, not knowing what to say next. Come on Roni, you have better game than this, say something. Anything. Her insides were tumbling and turning, making her feel sick.

"Roni," Robin tilted his head watching her, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Roni busied herself with wiping down an already clean glass, something to keep her hands occupied and give her an excuse to be standing right here in front of him.

"Uh huh," he furrowed his brows, "Listen, umm, is there any chance I could possibly buy you a coffee sometime?"

Roni's head snapped up, looking at him, "A coffee?"

"I was going to say drink but seemed a little counter intuitive for a bar owner," he teased.

Roni laughed slightly, "I, yes, yes, I'd like that."

"Great, how's tomorrow afternoon?"

"Tomorrow's perfect," she said mentally kicking herself for sounding so cheesy.

Robin nodded, biting his lip, "I'll see you then."

.::.

The next day, Roni made her way out to the coffee shop they had decided to meet at, after spending way too much time deciding on an outfit. Her entire closet was currently on her bed or floor, a casualty while she found the perfect outfit. Something casual but made her look like a vision. She took a deep breath and walked into the shop. She looked around and spotted him at a table towards the window waiting.

She hesitated for a moment, he hadn't seen her yet and she could still turn around and bolt. What was she thinking, agreeing to meet a customer. There had to be some sort of rules against that right? Truth was, she had only ever had one real boyfriend who she cared for and that hadn't ended well. She swore off ever letting herself get close to anyone since. Her walls were sky high and she wasn't about to just tear them down. Her methods had been working for her thus far. She would allow herself to relieve the physical need when it so came but getting emotionally attached or dating during the daylight hours was always a no-no. So why had she agreed to meet this man, this man who she never so much as spoke two words to until last night, take her out for coffee? What was it about this mystery customer, Mr. 7:12 as he was referred to until she got a name.

Before she had the chance to turn around and leave, he saw her and smiled. He got up making his way over to Roni and easily pulling her in for a quick hug. "Hey there," he said as he pulled back.

Roni had been caught off guard for a moment, "Hey," she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and gazed up at him through her lashes, "Sorry, I'm late."

"Not at all, I was early." he motioned to the counter, "Did you want to get something?"

"Oh, yeah." she nodded and turned towards the counter. She felt him place a hand on her back and guide her towards the line, she stiffened up slightly which obviously went noticed as he immediately dropped his hand. She cringed slightly. "I'm sorry, I don't do this very often."

He chuckled slightly, "Neither do I. I'm a bit rusty."

"You don't look rusty at all," she commented quickly covering her mouth as her eyes went wide, "I didn't mean to say that outloud." She was making a great impression here.

He looked amused watching her, "You're quite a firecracker aren't you?"

"Sometimes," she muttered averting her gaze.

He turned to read the board behind the counter standing next to her, "You know it took me weeks to get the nerve to say something to you."

"What?" she furrowed her brows.

He nodded, "Why do you think I came in every day? Hardly ever finished my drinks."

"I just thought…" she started, "you were coming in to see me?"

He nodded, "I was."

She chuckled rolling her eyes, "Well shit, we just wasted weeks."

"I wouldn't say we wasted them, we were just waiting for the right moment."

She smiled up at him, "So we were."

They turned back to the counter to place their order, both of them much more relaxed than they had been moments ago. Roni smiled easily as she talked to Robin. He was very easy to talk to and every bit as dreamy as she had imagined. They talked for hours, very comfortable in each other's presence even though they hadn't known each other very long at all. It was as though they had known each other their whole lives, as though they were meant to meet and see where this adventure took them. Maybe, just maybe, it was time for Roni to kick her no dating rule out the window and take a chance on this.