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If Eddie thinks about it then he can pinpoint the start of Chimney's teasing to his second day working with the 118 firefighter's where he'd let it slip by that he was single, he hadn't thought that by sharing some semblance of his personal life he'd be caught in an endless torture of Chimney trying to hook him up with any girl he looked at for more than five seconds. Eddie had tried to get him to knock it off throwing out some excuses, he wasn't looking to date yet, she wasn't his type, etcetera etcetera, but Chimney was just relentless in his efforts to get him a date, culminating in inviting him out for some after work drinks with Buck tagging along. In truth he's just afraid of what any woman might say about Christopher, sure it's not supposed to be such a big deal- tons of people are single parents just looking to start dating again but then add in a special needs kid and suddenly everyone gets jumpy.
Yet here he is setting up a game of pool with Chimney while Buck is at the bar grabbing a few beers when the questioning starts up again, "So what exactly is your ideal woman Eddie? Tall? Brunette? Green eyes? C'mon give me something to work with here!" Eddie runs a hand down his face in silent frustration wishing that Chimney would just let it go,
"Listen I know you're coming from a good place and everything but I don't need help getting a date, alright Chimney? I appreciate the concern for my love life and all but I'm being serious, I'm just not looking to date anyone right now." Eddie says in exasperation hoping that this will be enough to grant him a moments reprieve, but as he turns too look at Chimney that grin quickly tells him otherwise.
"Oh so Mr.Hot-shot new guy doesn't need help getting a date? Alright, humor me for a second and take a bet. Fifty bucks says that you can't get the number of the next girl that walks into the bar." Chimney offers extending his hand, Eddie isn't much of a betting man but at this point he'd do anything to get Chimney to shut up, so without much thought to the bet he shakes his hand with a sigh. Besides, how hard could it be to get one phone number that he'd probably end up throwing away anyways? Eddie leans against the pool table casually, keeping his eyes close to the door awaiting whoever might come in next.
Eventually the next patron steps into the bar, she's got something familiar about her- though Eddie can't place where he knows her from. She's texting on her phone when he approaches her most likely letting her friends or whoever she was meeting know that she was there, she glances up at him- her eyes, bright green with this gentleness about them, strike him for a moment- and offers him a small smile as she moves to walk around him. "Sorry, I was looking for someone but got lost in your eyes." Eddie strikes up the conversation and almost immediately regrets opening his mouth, what the hell was that?
The girl in front of him, looks fairly confused for the most part like she can hardly believe that someone's flirting with her, scoffs softly. "Do you use that pickup line on every girl you meet?" She asks not even trying to hide the sarcasm in her voice as she tucks her phone into her pocket as she looks around him scanning the crowd for a familiar face, when she can't find them she turns her attention back to Eddie, eyebrows arched waiting for an answer.
"Only the pretty ones." Ouch. That's almost just as bad as his first pick up line, but it earns a small laugh so he's counting it as a win, and she hasn't called him a creep yet so that's another win.
"That's sweet, really. Maybe work on your flirting a little bit before trying again, yeah?" She offers making to move around him yet again, Eddie can hear Chimney laughing behind him where the game of pool has long since been abandoned as Chimney is far more invested in watching the spectacular mess unfold before him, he knows that he can't go back there without her number or else he'll be hearing about this for months on end so he sighs and stops her again.
"Okay yeah, I'm not very good at flirting it's been awhile since I've been out on a date. My, uh, friend-" He points to Chimney who waves at the two of them, "brought me out tonight and I'm just trying to get back out there." Eddie finishes, so it's not a lie but it's also not the truth entirely, it seems to work for the moment as her once guarded demeanor softens in understanding. Good to know that's what he should have led with but there's no time for thinking of what he should have done differently. Instead he presses on, "I'm sorry by the way, I promise I'm not this bad, could I offer to make it up to you?"
She flashes him a small smile, he's fairly confident that he's going to get her number when she says, "I don't know, I don't think my boyfriend would like that."
Boyfriend?
"Hey! You made it!" Buck's voice comes from behind him, sliding around Eddie as he draws the girl around him in for a kiss. Oh. Buck's hands slide to her waist as they part smiling at each other, a deep pang of guilt hits Eddie as he realizes that he has just been flirting with his friend's girlfriend for a bet that he certainly doesn't care about anymore. Buck seems to finally acknowledge Eddie standing behind him awkwardly, "Oh hey Eddie, uh this is my girlfriend Raven." He introduces her formally and he finally is able to figure out where he recognizes her from- while Chimney had been teasing Eddie all week, Hen had been teasing Buck about the mystery girl on his phone. The mystery girl with green eyes unlike any he'd seen before.
"Well, it's nice to meet you. Our other friend Chimney probably wants to meet you too." Eddie offers a small grin, Oh and sorry I was flirting with you I had no idea that you and Buck were dating did I mention it was for a dare?
"Oh I've met Chimney before." Raven interjects and it shocks Eddie into the realization that he has been conned into an unwinnable bet, he looks behind him to Chimney- who looks like he's about to fall down crying with laughter- and glares at him.
"You don't say?" He tries not to be too sarcastic but the look Buck gives him tells him he needs to reel it back in, he offers an apologetic smile appreciating that Buck is looking out for his girlfriend. Eddie knows that he's going to have a long chat with Chimney after this.