“Do they do mail order?”

“I think it’s illegal to ship beer to private consumers.”

“Eh, mark it ‘heart transplant’.” Precocious swung open the door to the gallery and walked in. She carried the double chocolate stout over to the drink table and passed it across. “Could you put these on ice?”

The waiter behind the table nodded at Precocious. “Sure.” He lifted the bag from the table and set it next to the large ice chest. “Anything else?”

Tyler handed over the six pack of Guinness. “You’ve seen this before?” He gestured to the double chocolate stout and the Guinness. “Do you have a lot of people who bring their own drinks to these sorts of events?”

“Just Linda’s openings.” The waiter smiled. “I went to school with Linda and Precocious.”

Tyler wondered if every person who went to school with Precocious and Linda looked half their age. “Any tips you can give me?”

“Don’t smoke.” The waiter smiled wider. “And don’t ever drive an SUV. Precocious comes from a very alternative background.”

“That’s one word for it.” Tyler turned around to watch Precocious walk across the room and deftly rescue Linda from the Steinem Brigade. He held back a laugh as he watched Linda’s eyes widen in relief when they were far enough away that she could let loose what looked like a great deal of words she shouldn’t be saying at her opening or near the Steinem Brigrade. “Beer?” He asked, when they got close enough.

“Good fucking God, *yes*.” Linda held out her hand in a ‘gimmie’ motion to the waiter. “Leon, if you’d be so kind.”

“Always.” Leon grabbed a bottle of double chocolate stout and handed it over. He put the other two bottles in the cooler. “And what do I get for my services?”

”My eternal devotion.” Linda cracked her bottle open without a bottle opener and took a long drink. Some of it dribbled down her chin, and she caught it with her hand before it could land on her dress. She licked the side of her hand and sighed with a great deal of drama. “I needed that.”

“So, only your eternal devotion?” Leon leaned across the table with a smile, determined to keep Linda’s attention. “I give you double chocolate stout, and you only promise your eternal devotion? Don’t I get a kiss out of it?”

Linda rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless. I’ve turned you down six times, and you keep trying.”

“I’m a romantic.”

“You’re glutton for punishment.”

Leon shrugged. “Maybe.”