2019-06-14 - Coffee and Chaps

It's late night at the diner, but diners are fortunately open 24/7, and Justin's always been kind of a night owl. He's set up camp in one of the booths and is idly staring out the window, occasionally glancing down at his phone from time to time, flipping through whatever is on the screen, and enjoying the quiet. He'd sent a text to Dahlia, letting her know that he was getting into town and had been looking for a place, as he was thinking of relocating, and invited her out to the diner if she was up and bored.

Of course Dahlia was up for it. She hadn't been back in town long herself, so it was a nice surprise to hear that Justin was back in town. She entered into the Diner, doing a quick look around to see who all else might be around before spotting Justin. She slid into the seat across from him and offered a bright smile. "Hey you, feel like I haven't seen you in forever." And it was nice to get out of the trailer for a little bit. Dahlia had forgotten how claustrophobic it was in there. Her phone was set on the table, but off to the side. Mostly just in case her mother called. "Been getting around okay? Not that things have changed all that much."

"Because you haven't seen me in forever," Justin laughs just a bit. It had been a couple of years, after all, between their differing schedules and work, Lucidwave taking off. Messages had been exchanged, but life had just been busy. "Funny meeting up here again after all this time." He smiles a little wryly at it, finding something funny in it. "I'm pretty sure this is where we first met." There were just as many bears then, too. He sets his phone off to the side now that she's there, and he doesn't need to keep himself entertained. "I'm thinking about getting a place here. I'm going to be looking at some real estate."

"That is true." Dahlia laughed with him. The sound had a light and airy quality to it. "It's amazing how fast time flies." There was a brief moment of silence, perhaps her thinking about something before it passed and she smiled again. "I think you're right. I went from pestering William," One of her older brothers, "to daring you to steal a hat off one of those bears." Because he was the 'new kid' in town, even it was just for the summer and Dahlia had been something of a wild child. Growing up with three older brothers, it was the logical course that had been taken. "LA getting to be too much?" She quirked a brow, relaxing in her seat. "There's a handful of property for sale here and the surrounding area I'm sure. How long are you going to stay in town to look?"

"I still have that hat, you know," Justin says in a low voice with a bit of a grin. "I should bring it back and put it back on the bear, see if anyone notices." He glances over toward the hatless bear, that has probably had a number of different hats over the years. Then he turns his attention back to Dahlia and sighs, slumping back a bit into his seat. "I just need a break from it all. You know how it goes. Someone drags you out to a party, and then before you know it -- it's out every night, here, there, everywhere, no sleep, no stopping, just go go go. Between all that and work, and my mother's constant trying to get me to do another movie.. I need to just get somewhere far away, where I can relax for a bit. Figured here was a good place to do that. I figure I'll know within a week or two if I've found a place or not."

There was a sparkle of amusement in Dahlia's eyes when he said he still had the hat. "Or come in one day wearing it." Her voice a conspiratorial whisper. Studying him closely for a moment as he explained what he'd been up to. "I get it." She said sincerely. "The getting dragged everywhere, trying to prep for auditions, showing up for the chance to even be an extra. It gets exhausting. And your company has become such a big thing I can't even imagine your mother thinking you have enough time for a movie." Dahlia shook her head. Of course, it was very likely she'd never even met his mother or if she had it was brief. "I miss it a little. This town...well I left it for a reason and not just to be closer to your pretty face." Dahlia teased with a chuckle. "But, I'll stay here for as long as mom needs me. And it's a good way to get away from the hustle and bustle yeah. I think you'll be able to relax and find a place. The Lonely Goose is the B&B if you haven't set up any place to stay yet while you house hunt. And I can help you out if you want too. Or just want a second set of eyes."

"I dunno about wearing it. I know where that hat has been," Justin says with a dubious look in the bear's direction, one brow arching just a little bit. "She still wishes I had her passion for acting," Justin says with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I won't lie; I enjoy it. But I want something of my own, you know? I don't want to be a name because I'm someone's kid. I want to earn it for my own work, and this company -- I built it myself." He smiles and shrugs his shoulders. "I might do another one if it comes up, though. Maybe." He laughs then and says, "Yeah, I have no doubt that you didn't leave for little old me." He has no such illusions. "I should check out the B&B. I stayed in a hotel in Seattle last night and just drove out. And I wouldn't mind the help or the company finding someplace."

"It's important. Having something of your own so you're not standing in someone's shadow." Dahlia agreed. "And if you do decide to do one, let me know. You know I'll be front and center opening night." She chuckled. Dahlia hadn't had any big breaks or leading star roles. Just some extra spots and minor supports but she was still trying, more or less. "And it's a closer and probably cheaper too." Dahlia mused at the the talk of the B&B. "My schedule is pretty open here. There's some festival in the works that Byron is helping to put on that I offered to help with." He may or may not have known of Byron from their childhood days. "And I'm going to see about maybe offering acting lessons or something to bring in some money. But other than that I'm free as a bird."

"If I do decide to do one, I'll make sure that you're in it with me if I can," Justin says. "Maybe that's what I'll tell mom next time she asks. If she can find you one, then I'll do it." He flashes a smile, liking that idea all of a sudden. He glances up as a server comes by to reheat his coffee and to take Dahlia's order if she has one. "Who is Byron?" he asks, lips ticking up a little bit at the corners. "New beau?" He doesn't remember Byron, but then, he was only there during the summers and not for a very long time. He knew a few people, but not a lot.

Dahlia's eyes widened a touch at the suggestion, but then she smiled. "Well...I certainly wouldn't be opposed to that. I think it'd be fun to do a movie with you." They'd likely used each other at least a couple times to help audition for different parts. And she would actually be a legitimate actress. Wouldn't that be nice. Dahlia laughed when he asked if Byron was her new beau. "Oh no. No. He grew up around here too. But he was in LA briefly a while back. He owns the Bayside Apartment Complex now. We can definitely check that out for you too if you want. If an apartment is an option too." Dahlia explained."No, I haven't messed around with anyone since," Another paused and a little wrinkle of her nose. "Since that cop I told you about awhile back." Meaning like at least half a year or so ago. So he might not even remember.

"I think I'll tell her that next time she calls and see what she says," Justin says with a grin, lifting his mug of coffee and taking a sip from it. "Oh, did he? Did I meet him?" He might have, but if he did, he doesn't remember it. He considers and then says, "I don't think I want an apartment. I kind of want the privacy of my own house. I don't need a lot of land, but I'm thinking something with its own access to the beach would be nice." He pauses for a moment and says, "Wait.. the cop? Was he the one who had a thing for Westerns? Or was he the one that had the crazy ex-wife?"

"You might have. We didn't run in the same circles much cause he's a little older. But I'm sure you'll recognize him if you see him around if you did meet him." Dahlia mused. "Fair. There's probably plenty of houses available. I'll do a little perusing myself and see if I can find some possibilities." She ran a hand through her hair and laughed. "Jeeze you make me sound like a whore." Teasing though, because there was a smile with it. "He's the one I met in a bar. Supposed to be a one night stand and just lasted longer." Dahlia shrugged. "But it's for the best. We didn't have a thing in common."

"What about you? Any ladies missing you back in LA?"

"What? You're a whore because you dated more than one guy and I can't remember exactly which one the cop was?" Justin asks with a laugh. "Come on." He shakes his head just a little bit and then says, "Right.. I remember him now. See? I do pay attention." He smiles at her over the edge of his mug and then shakes his head. "I haven't seen anyone since Mark went to London." The guy that couldn't quite take Justin's lack of a private life, and left for a job opportunity in London, preferring to stay out of the spotlight.

Dahlia laughed again. "I guess not. Just when you put it all together like that it sounds like a lot. God Cowboy Hat...I still don't know why I thought he was a good idea." Dahlia grinned when she shook her head. "Didn't you even try to warn me about him too? Like 'Anyone who's as enthusastic about westerns as this guy can't be good news." Of course, Cowboy Hat had been fine really, just obsessed...which Dahlia was annoyed by. And she may or may not have pawned off a couple of his collectables for cash before breaking up with him. A fleeting frown when he mentioned Mark. "Mark seemed so nice too from what you told me. I'm sorry that didn't work out." Dahlia said sincerely. "Do you keep in touch at all?" Curious.

"Oh come on, Cowboy Hat had a fantastic ass, that's why you thought that was a good idea. Hell, /I/ thought it was a good idea because as long as you were seeing him I could stare at his ass," Justin says with a flash of a grin from behind his mug. Then he shakes his head, "What I said was, anyone who was that fascinated with chaps couldn't be straight. Sadly, he was very, very straight." His smile fades a little and he shrugs his shoulders. "Mark wanted a quiet, settled life without anyone prying into it. I'm never really going to have that sort of quiet life. The photographs bothered him. The questions bothered him. He was just stressed out all the time." He nods though, "We email every once in a while. He's happy in London and doing well. I'm happy for him, really. He sounds a lot less stressed out."

Dahlia dissolved into giggles, nodding. "True. That was about the only redeeming quality he had. We should've found out if he had a twin brother for you or something." Flashing a grin. Her phone started to go off and she peeked over. "That's mom. Let me take this and then we'll get back to catching up." She flashed a grin, grabbing the phone as she stood up. "I'm really glad you're in town Justin. I think you'll like it here."