Summary:Jennifer Walters wanders into Luke's for lunch Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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It's almost New Year's Eve, and while Luke is expecting a large crowd tomorrow night today is just a prep day…and a quiet one at that.
The tavern being empty, Luke is busy with setting up decor for tomorrow night's party. He is dressed in his usual attire of a worn pair of jeans and a t-shirt that does its best to contain the bulk of the man.
Currently he is on a ladder in the center of the tavern, hanging up one of those paper 'Happy New Year' banners that are more trouble than they are worth.
Jennifer Walters wasn't here to help set up decorations. She was just in the area after a long and mind-numbing meeting with a client ended and decided she needed a drink. She enters wearing a skirt suit. Well tailored and of a popular label, it is charcoal gray with an ivory silk blouse underneath. She wears dark 3" heels and adjusts her glasses as she looks around the bar. Her hair is pulled up into a tight French twist behind her.
Hearing the door open and close, Luke glances down from his perch on the ladder. Eyeing Jen, he nods his head in a brief greeting.
"Be with you in just a minute."
The last of the push pins is pushed into place to secure the banner in place and Luke descends the ladder quickly, just hopping down off of it instead of using the rungs. He makes his way over to the bar, pausing to wash his hands in the sink at the far end.
"Welcome to Luke's. What can I get for ya. We have a lunch special on ribs right now, but I can get you a full menu…or is this just a liquid lunch?"
Jennifer Walters looks to Luke and nods,"Thank you." She'll wander to the bar to wait. Settling on a barstool after smoothing her skirt. She loses herself in the decire of the bar before Hmmm?'ing and looking back to him. "Oh. Well I wouldn't mind looking at the menu, sure. But probably a drink too. A strong one." Not that she looks like she could handle many strong drinks, given her size.
Sliding a menu over to Jen, Luke picks up a bar towel and polishes the bar in front of her as she looks over the menu.
"I recommend the ribs, but I'd advise a bib or something to make sure you don't get any sauce on that suit. Strong drinks I can do easy enough, what would you like?"
Luke takes the bar towel and flips it over his shoulder as he prepares to make a drink, "You strike me as a bourbon girl, am I right?"
Jennifer Walters considers, "I'll have to try those another time. I'm… not sure it'd be good to return to the office with barbecue sauce under my nails. or on my suit.. do you have nachos or anything like that?" She offers a quiet smile. "but drink wise, could I have a gin and tonic?"
"Of course." exclaims Luke, rapping on the bar with his knuckles before turning to start on the drink. "Do you have a preference for gin? Hendricks, Empress, Aviator, Bombay, or just well gin?"
After getting a glass and putting an ice ball inside, Luke moves over to the POS system to place the order for nachos. "With or without steak? Jalape%<241>os?"
Jennifer Walters looks over, like a deer in headlights. "so many choices.." she murmurs. Worrying her lower lip she finally decides, "Aviator…" the guy who owns it is kinda cute after all. Then she nods. "Please. Both steak and jalepeno's." She then settles on the barstool, ankles hooked beside her as she looks around the room. "so… um.. expecting a lot of people for the holiday?"
Luke nods as he finishes up the nacho order on the POS. He returns to the glass after gabbing the Aviator gin from the wall and goes to work making the G&T.
"It usually gets kinda crowded in here, yeah, but I never try to 'expect' anything. I just try to prepare as best I can. Whatever happens, happens." Luke comments. "What about you? Do you have any plans for the holiday? Going to any parties at the office or friends?"
Jennifer Walters watches and nods. "Makes sense. I guess? I'm not much of a bar expert or anything. I'm just another attorney with a statistical drinking problem." Bar humor from a member of the Bar Association. You had to be there. A thank you is offered at the drink's arrival. "I.. haven't really thought about it? I work for myself, not a large firm. So I guess if I wanted to go to a party I'd have to throw it for myself."
"Ah, a lawyer." Luke utters as he moves to retrieve the nachos from the pass-through window. "Tough job, I don't envy you. I should give you the drink on the house."
Luke slides the nachos over the bar to Jennifer, placing a few napkins and some silverware as well. "You have your own firm? Are you one of those 'call 888-888-8888 if you were in an accident' kind of lawyers, or something with a bit more gravitas?"
He pauses for a moment, "I'm Luke by the way. I own this place."
Jennifer Walters shakes her head, "It's not but I like what I do. Well enough to pay for my own drinks" she says while making a face. "I have my own practice" she clarifies. "It's just me. I was in a firm for a while. But I didn't want to put in all those hours for someone else's profit." She smiles, "I don't really chase ambulances or run tacky ads on TV. I have more self respect than that." She then nods, "Hello Luke. It's nice to meet you. I'm Jen."
Luke Cage raises his hand in a non-confrontational gesture of surrender. "I wasn't saying you couldn't buy your own drink, it was more of an appreciation for your hard work…but point taken. Full charge it is."
He smirks, a smile places on his face. "Self respect is a good thing, and it has got to be tough on your own, but I applaud your motivation. Not that there isn't a place or market for an ambulance chaser, you have to pay the bills somehow. It is a pleasure to meet you, Jen."
Jennifer Walters blushes. Not trying to be assertive, "I uh, no.. I wasn't saying you were saying I couldn't.." she runs that through her head to make sure it came out right. Then she smiles. "thanks. but I don't want to keep you from making profits either." She then laughs."Well. I have had temptations to chase my share of ambulances, but I've resisted temptation so far!" she declares with mock triumph. Then she sips her drink. "Oh, that's good. Thank you." She brushes her hair from her shoulder and nods. "The bills never stop that's for sure. Whatever sort of business you own."
"I'll let you in on a little bartender secret. The markup on drinks is insane. Trust me, a few free drinks here and there is not going to break the bank." Luke says with a chuckle.
He nods as she explains her temptation to chase after ambulances, chuckling in his response "I don't blame you. It must be hard to drum up cliental on your own. What kind of law do you practice, anyway?"
Jennifer Walters laughs. "I know your secret. Now you're in trouble" she jokes. A shrug, "Well I am largely general practice. But I do have a very good track record of winning my cases in court" she says with no little self satisfaction. "I've actually represented celebrities, athletes, even some of those so-called superheroes. None that I can name - client attorney privilege and all."
"Oh?" questions Luke as he starts to wipe down the bar. "I didn't even realize that some of those tight wearing guys ended up in court. I just assumed they flew off into the distance and nobody would know how to get in touch with them to serve them with papers or whatever."
Jennifer Walters smiles wryly. "some of them have registered identities that the government and public know. It can end up in court. Some of them have deep pockets, too." She sips her drink, "What about you? How long have you own'd a bar?"
"Couple years." Luke says as he continues to wipe down the bar. "It was just a neighborhood hangout for a while, but it has started to get more popular as I have expanded the menu. It has gotten so busy that I've had to hire on a few staff."
"He looks at Jen, "Deep pockets? Is there money in superheroing? I just thought those guys did it for the 'right reasons'. But I suppose there is no better reason than the all mighty dollar."
Jennifer Walters listens and nods. "A bar is a nice place to hang out for a while after work. But if there's good food, it's a place to more regularly. Smart" she observers. Spinning a little to each side on her stool she shrugs, "There are some who have a lot of money. And some who are good at hiding. If they ever get found out, the government and populace may well have a few things to say to them.." She shrugs a bit.
Luke makes a little 'hrm' sounds in his throat as he thinks on that for a moment. "I suppose it makes sense. You can't have the stuff that some of those guys have without a bit of dough in your pocket, or the government suppling it all." He shrugs one of his shoulders, "Must be a nice gig."
Luke motions to the drink on the bar, "How you doin? Need another?"
Jennifer Walters checks the time, "Well, I'd love one but I need to get back to the office. But I like your place, Luke. I'm a bit of an introvert, but I can see myself stopping in again. I have a.. friend.. who'd probably like it here." She smiles and pays for her snack and drink and stands up.
Luke nods, starting to clean up the glass and plate. "Alright. It was a pleasure Jen, hope to see you again sometime. Bring your friend!"