Nikki was having a blast, and it showed both in her glow and the care-free mode of her fluid swaying.  Despite it, she hadn't imbibed enough to be oblivious to the changing of the winds so to speak, and Richard's preoccupation with the bar -- and her husband -- prompted a similar, if somewhat mimicking, intrigue.  She played along, glancing to Chris where he stood sipping his drink, and smiled the moment their eyes met.<em>"Sure.  C'mon,"</em>she beckoned with a playful smile that lingered just long enough that one might've considered it telling.  If it wasn't obvious enough by now, she was somewhat enamored with him.<br/><br/>In an instant, her arms unhinged from around the handsome young man before her, and her left hand latched onto his, giving it a squeeze as she dragged him towards the bar.<br/><br/>She approached her husband with a familiar and giddy sort of grin, gently brushing into him with the front of her body.  Even as one hand still held Richard's, drawing him into their space, her other curled possessively around her husband's side, clasping gentle as she pecked his mouth and smiled that vibrant smile.<br/><br/><em>"Sorry.  We thought you meant you were bringin' them to us."</em>She shot the bartender a questioning glance.  As if picking up on the obvious change of plans to the most recent cancellation, she gave Chris a roll of the eyes and set to re-mixing the two drinks she'd just poured out.  In waiting, Nikki turned her back on the bar, shifting so that she stood next to Chris but also faced Richard.  Wry grin intact, she looked like she was up to something; even when she really wasn't.<br/><br/><em>"So, Chris.  Richard totally walks dogs."</em>The hint, none too subtle, was an obvious reference to their plight of finding reasonable daycare for their dogs.