The bar was busier than Julianna expected. But then, the hotel was busier than usual this weekend -- there was some sort of artist convention and a wedding reception both being held in the hotel itself, not to mention the Bears had a big home game against the Dolphins the next day.
From the entrance coming from the hotel lobby, she scanned the crowded bar.
There were several large groups of obvious Bears' fans, decked out in jerseys and the like, boisterously talking trash about the Dolphins.
Most of the other tables were taken by duos or trios of men and women dressed in business casual -- pants suits or pencil dresses; polos and khakis. Most looked like they were knocking back one or two drinks before heading out for some more fun in the big city.
She didn't spend too much time studying the groups -- it was the singles she was interested in.
There were two single women -- one was sitting at the bar, the other at a table near a window.
The woman by the window was obviously waiting for someone. She kept looking out the window while nursing a drink in a tall glass. She hadn't taken off her jacket and she checked her phone every so often.
The woman at the bar was also obviously waiting for someone, although it seemed equally obvious to Julianna, that she didn't have anyone in particular she was waiting for. She had a dark skirt and a tight top with a plunging neckline that, coupled with the way she sat, showed off her deep cleavage.
First come, first served, Julianna thought with a smile.
There were a handful of single men, although they all seemed entranced by the sports channel or their smart phones -- at least for the moment.
Except for him.
It didn't take Julianna long to realize there was something different about him. He was sitting at the bar, a tumbler of dark amber drink in front of him. His finely-tailored charcoal suit and crisp white shirt fit him perfectly. His features were chiselled, his hair cut short.
Yes, he looked fine, but it wasn't just that he was handsome that made him stand out. There was something about the way he carried himself -- the look in his eye. Unlike the other men in the bar he seemed to have a clear purpose for being there. He wasn't just killing time uncomfortably waiting for something to happen. It was already happening -- whatever it was.
Julianna smoothed down her short a-line skirt and pulled her thin sweater down to make sure it hugged her curves just right. With confident strides she made her way to the bar. She purposefully made eye contact with the other woman at the bar and let a small smile cross her lips.
Little Miss Cleavage was sitting about 5 or 6 seats away from the gentleman at the bar and Julianna took a seat in between them. As she mounted the bar stool Julianna had the satisfaction of catching the glare of annoyance from the other woman.
Without even a glance at the handsome man sitting only a few feet away from her, Julianna flipped her hair and caught the attention of the bar tender. She was about to order when she felt a presence behind her.
"She'll have a Sweet Heat," he said. His voice was quiet and smooth with the hint of a foreign accent that Julianna could not place.
The bartender, a young man, cocked his eyebrows at Julianna to gauge her reaction to the man's attentions. She smiled, shrugged her shoulders.
"I'll take a Sweet Heat," she said to the bartender. "Thank you," she directed to the stranger who was already moving his drink and taking the seat next to her as the bartender brought her a cocktail glass filled with a yellowish drink and garnished with what looked like slices of ginger and a hot pepper..
"You will love it," the stranger said. "It is sweet, of course, with notes of ginger, but underneath is a definite fire. Very spicy. It will suit a lady like you well, I should imagine."
Julianna took a sip. She appreciated the strong ginger flavor -- one of her favorites. The underlying kick from the hot peppers was subtle and not as unpleasant as she feared.
"It is very good," she said after taking another sip. "Again, thank you."
In response, he raised his glass to her slightly before taking a swallow, never once taking his eyes off her. His stare was laser focused.
"I'm Julianna, by the way."
"It's very nice to meet you, Julianna. I'm Bixby, Clive Bixby."
"Are you here on business, Mr. Bixby?"
"You could say that," Bixby looked past Julianna, his focused eyes quickly sweeping the room. "There's a gentleman I was hoping to meet here tonight."
Julianna moved to get up, "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr Bixby. I didn't mean to intrude on your evening. I'll leave before I interfere with your plans."
He placed a powerful hand gently on hers. "Don't be silly, Julliana. Sit. The gentleman I'm looking for is here already, has been for nearly an hour. He knows I'm here. I know he's here. Our paths will cross soon enough."
Julianna looked intently into Bixby's serious eyes. "What line of business are you in, exactly, Mr. Bixby?"
"I work for the government, Julianna," Bixby said as he twirled the drink in his glass slowly before taking a swallow. "I'm a problem solver."
"What sort of problems?" Julianna leaned in closer to him, letting her hand brush against his arm.
"Problems the government doesn't want you to know they have." He nodded slightly towards someone behind Julianna. "Problems like our friend over there."
Julianna slowly turned about to get a view of the tables behind her. A few tables away, sitting alone, was a swarthy man wearing a light orange button up shirt. The collar was open showing a tuft of thick chest hair.
"You mean that man in the coral shirt?" She asked as she turned her attention back to Bixby.
"Yes, he's the one." Bixby took another casual swallow of his drink.
"He's the man you have business with? Who is he? What's his name?"
"His real name is classified information, I'm afraid," Bixby said. "But in my circles he's known as Agent Orange."
