I first noticed Malcolm from when he first visited the pub I work in. I was clearing up behind the bar and he was conversing with my bar-manger in a rather merry state. But, something made me notice him, don’t ask me what, that certain link that sparks your interest in someone.
From there he would regulate the pub a few times a week, usually with his father, or locals you can’t help but know from living in a village. We would chat of a general nature, sometimes flirt and converse briefly when I would socially occupy the pub. This was progression over about two months or so.
Then I started to play, try to provoke a reaction, the notice of the chemistry was building and I was curious. Would find myself looking at him a lot, and noticed him looking at me. So came the intense eye contact at serving, the subtle flirtations in conversion and finally the offer of a drink sometime.