See ya later pretty eyes!

—“See ya later pretty eyes!”
I said that to a cute store employee as I walked toward my supermarket exit. I earlier noticed her eyes were pretty, and told her.
Again, I said that? With the history I have!
“You’re smiling at me. I can tell. You can hide behind that mask, but you’re smiling at me.” Her eyes twinkled.
She’s been at that store eons. Probably in her thirties by now, but still cute.
“If you didn’t have that mask on, your smile would light up the entire store!”
I could be suspicious — she wants my business, staggering geezer that I am. But her eyes were flashing at me, and she wasn’t backing away.
I was making her feel good, and I wasn’t on-the-make.
Which means I recognized her, mask or not, and I learned how to “flirt,” if you wanna call it that.
I never said anything to her before, like I was scared. But no longer.
Say something to ‘em and they eat it up — or so it seems.
Just the fact I said something makes ’em feel good.
What’s notable here is I got so I can do this:
“NO PRETTY GIRL WILL SMILE AT YOU!” versus her eyes were smiling.