2019-09-03 - Taking Shots

"Yeah, I guess." Julia still looks a little worried, but lets her attention get dragged back to Greg. "So...you were saying you're an entrepeneur, huh? Looking to start a business? What are you into?" she asks, leaning forward against the bar a little. Her mojito is slid toward her. "My family has a place on the boardwalk."

"Totally," Sparrow assures Kai like she knows what she's talking about. "And so are we." Looking to Joey as he calls for four more shots, she tells him, "See? Told you there aren't any problems for us tonight." There's even a wink this time, more conspiratorial than flirtatious, like they got away with something. She takes up her next shot and lifts her glass to the three nearby, calling a toast this time, directed to Nicole, it seems. "To getting out despite unexpected dangers even if they are not playing any of your songs. Mm, do they take requests? What's that--" She swings her hips from side to side as she tries to recall a song, humming something that doesn't carry at all. Yeah, no, who knows what she's on about.

"I just opened a dispensary down the road," Greg answers with a sly grin. "Business is slowly picking up., and I'm hiring." He shrugs as he fishes his vape pen back out of his pocket for a puff. "Who knows, maybe I'll invest in some other businesses?" He gives her a look like he's not sure if she's being serious or not. "You, uh... you know I work for Felix, right? Like Hannah and Andre, but different." He looks around for Andy, and pitches his voice low for Julia. "I get people what they need. For the Boss."

"What, are you only after numbers, Hero?" Clarissa asks Andy, leaning her hip into the bar and looking out at the dance floor, "Suppose that's what a singles event is for after all."

"I was after a drink. If I'd realized this was a singles event I probably would have done it up right. You know, worn my really nice t-shirt and maybe some cowboy boots." It's hard to tell if Andy is serious or not. When appletinis show up he lifts his toward Clarissa and has a slurp, then winces. "Oof. So much for 'easy on the tini'." He glances down to Greg at the mention of a dispensary and helpfully notes, "Just remember that buying and owning is legal, but public use isn't. So don't get yourself kicked out of any Cheesecake Factories or whatever."

Kai looks over her shoulder at Jersey Shore #3. "Thanks for reminding me why I usually don't come in here." As for Joey clueing her into what's happened with the guy, "More to toast to then," she murmurs. She snags her next shot to lift just in time to the toast from Sparrow, certainly not the least bit put out that she has no idea what the context is. She leans to put in the order for the next round of shots before finishing off her drink and depositing the glass on the bar. "Anyone wanna dance?"

Love shows her ID on entry, then jams it back into her back pocket, wandering inside from a warm night, a rare clear sky. It's nice, now and then, to wander into a place where you can get a drink you didn't have to pour. Besides her height, well over six feet in a pair of ridiculous heels she's only ever wearing when she can spend most of the evening sitting, her most notable feature happens to be a copious amount of tattoos. Anyone who's been by evenings at the Platinum in the last couple of weeks may recognize her as a bartender there.

Julia looks askance at Greg. "No," she admits, "I didn't know." It's clear she's not going to freak out or narc on him, but it's also not her scene. "A dispensary's a good business, though. We didn't have one yet here, and it's been legal for a couple of years now." She chuckles. "Maybe I should try my hand at making edibles."

"I hate to be 'that person', but, I am going to have to head home. Thank you so much for bringing me out. I promise next time I will be more lively. I just, have an early morning at the shop tomorrow." Nicole smiles to Sparrow before turning to the others. "Hey, great meeting you, Kai. Good to see you again, Joey, even if like, you barely remember me." It's a sheepish grin she wears now. "I was gone a few years. I don't blame you. Hopefully I will see you around again soon."

Sparrow is already sorta dancing kinda in a trying to find the rhythm to a song she only listened to once while other music is very noticeably playing and throwing her off sorta way. In an already had three shots of tequila sorta way. When Kai asks if anyone wants to make it official, she arches one dark eyebrow to wordlessly ask how far that 'anyone' extends. She watches for a few seconds before turning to Nicole to give her a little pouty face. Weak protest. Insincere. "Anytime, pretty. It's a good start." That sounds sincere. She lifts a hand to blow a kiss rather than offering a hug before she leans in to whisper to Joey, "She's definitely worth remembering," again like she's got experience she really simply does not.

Joey says evenly to Nicole, "Weeeeell come around more often and that won't be an issue." Looking to Sparrow he informs in casual conspiracy shorthand, "Birthday's in like 3 weeks. Bring her by to the bash. Beer, BBQ, big fucking pumpkins, and likely a noise ordinance if it goes alright." Eyebrow arches to Nicole, "I mean it. We'll look for ya." Looking back to Sparrow there' the look of I'm trysting you to make that happen. There's a pause and he looks town to Kai knocking back #3 as it shows up. "Yeah. Why not. Gimme a second." And with that he is heading out for just a moment.

Clarissa picks up her appletini and gives it a sip, grimacing at the burn, "I don't know if I'm drunk enough for this one yet. And getting drunk at a singles event in a small town sounds like the best way to have the cops on my doorstep in the morning." She takes another sip though and doesn't seem inclined to stop. "Is that legal here now? Or just with a prescription still?"

Greg grins over at Andy. "My boy in here talking about Cheesecake Factory," he tells Julia with incredulity. "Thanks for keeping us all safe in here tonight, officer," he calls to Andy with his trademark crooked smirk. "I'll try to keep it in mind next time you put the K9 on me." His grin shifts to Julia as he puffs the vape again. "Well Julia, it was good to meet you. I think I'll go check on my business and fuckin'... be not where the cops are in general." He laughs as he unzips his suit enough to reach in and pull out a pack of Newports, lipping one. "I'll see you around," he tells her as he turns to go. "Come by the shop some time if you want to check out the edibles or whatever, okay?" He turns to walk out, now making a spectacle of shaking his head and waving his hand in front of his noise. "Fuckin' bacon smell in here is powerful, family. Peace..." And with that, the sketchy dude in the janitor coveralls exits into the night.

"It was nice meeting you," Kai lifts a hand to Nicole, head cocked to the side with a conciliatory grin. "See you around." The small woman is about to move off after Joey, she looks back to Sparrow and finally answers that inquisitive look with, "You coming?" with a little smile for the woman and a jerk of her head back toward the dance floor. "Come on." She reaches her hand out, presumably so they can stick together on the way to dance.

Sparrow's expression goes all serious as she straightens, wobbles slightly, then crosses her heart, a solemn vow made to Joey to do her best to make birthday magic happen. "Can't wait, cutie. I'd offer some live entertainment, but..." She doesn't finish the thought, leaving it entirely open-ended, but Joey's sure to see the inherent problem. Jaime might kill her for volunteering the band to play a gig at his own birthday party. When he accepts Kai's offer more directly, the redhead leans back against the bar, not even properly propped up when the invitation is offered her way directly. Her smile goes wide and, without any more hesitation than it takes to show how delighted she is, she takes Kai's hand and follows her with a little bounce in her step in sync with the percussion.

Love makes her way up to the bar, slips in to take a seat vacated by a departing patron. She gratefully takes takes a load off, crossing her long legs before she leans against the bar and visually peruses the display of bottles. She glances over at something about bacon or ... maybe it was the edibles, but isn't sure who's talking. Her attention wanders again, looking over the faces gathered for any familiar ones. Should a bartender wander her way, she orders up, "Old Fashioned with a slice of orange. Whatever your favorite bourbon is."

Joey comes back on almost as swiftly as he stepped out a second and not even long enough for a cigarette. Moving to catch up to Kai and Sparrow he tells the latter of her friend and his former schoolmate, "Wanted to make sure she got to her car without reality TV breaking out outside. 'S good." howeer right now? Music that no one here has chose, at least two other people willing to have a damn good time, and a good buzz leave his heading to the dance floor in Kai and Sparrow's wake.

Kai almost misses that Joey is heading back out. It's too easy to lose people. Especially after slamming a few shots and a highball. The small woman threads through to find a little spot that looks big enough, and starts moving to the beat once she has it in her sights. She turns, pivoting her hold on Sparrow's hand till they're in place, letting it slip away naturally as she closes her eyes and the beat draws her in. Yeah, she's so good she can dance with her eyes closed..with a few shots of tequila. Really she's moving to the beat enough to be passable.

Sparrow is happily lead, not only to that little patch of not-too-crowded space on the dancefloor, but into the dance as well. She keeps close to Kai without crowding, enough room between them for a little bit of tipsy-girl arm flailing that's not quite as attractive as it feels to her tequila-steeped brain. She proves steady on her feet, though, with a keen sense of rhythm that easily catches the more intricate patterns of percussion, evidenced in how she shakes her hips and works her shoulders. One arm drapes across Joey's shoulders as he joins them, a wide smile turned his way as she calls, "Knew you were the nice one!" over the music. With a look to Kai, she tilts toward him and asks, "Whaddya think? Naughty or nice?" without any concern for the season.

Love turns from the bar while her drink's being mixed, watching the dancers. There's a good chance she caught a whiff of tequila shots on one of them when they passed by, or maybe she makes some assumptions based on the general level of inebriation in here tonight. You know, bar + dancing = somebody's gonna drunk dance, and maybe start a brawl that way. She hooks her elbows over the bar, back against it, pale eyes watchful.

Joey can get his dance on almost as well as well as he can box or likely rock someone's good time standing up. It's really hard to get any of the former done with the god damned Jersey Boys both running into him and then trying to insert themselves in his business point blank range with his drinking pals. Once is an accident, twice brings him to turn and just check the 'Situation's situation with his shoulder. See no hands, but he does, in a rather non-plussed manner, give a singular warning, "You touch me again pal and we're gonna have a problem. now you know how to fuck off or you need me to draw you a map so you can find it?" And that's how well his evening's starting to go. There's a ahrd moment and a mutual disengagement. Where's that groove again? Oh yeah right the fuck in front of him.

There's this thing about chasing liquor with more alcohol and it's clear Kai's in luck that she's /comfortably/ buzzed. Her cheeks are a fairly flushed and Sparrow ends up being sufficiently distracting. She skips a half-beat and reaches to to...someone, shoulder, to balance herself and hopefully avoid stepping on anyone's foot. "Huh? Oh..." She might answer, but then, "Huh?" Sparrow earns a quizzical look. The beat is sort of slowly slipping away from her as she tries to multitask.

Sparrow pretty much flat out squeaks when Joey turns to the guys causing trouble, the contact she was offering drawn away rather swiftly. Did she do that? No, no, he's not upset with her. She didn't do that. By the time Kai looks her way again, the girl with the bright red hair has wholly lost the beat, standing still in the middle of the dancefloor as she watches the shorter woman. And keeps her hands to herself. And, after a couple awkward seconds, bursts out giggling, her own cheeks bright between the booze and whatever weirdness is running through her head. She dips in close to Kai so she can talk without shouting. "Such a weird vibe in here tonight! Can I get your number so we can try this again some other time?"

Love reaches back to take the drink mixed for her. She tips the stir straw into her mouth and tastes it. Must be good enough, because she drinks it. Hard to mess up good bourbon. She jumps a little, reaches back to pull her phone out of her pocket when it buzzes. She slides a thumb over the screen. A furious-paced texting exchange ensues.

As Sparrow stops dancing, Kai's dancing slowly dies down and Kai look from Sparrow to Joey as if more insight might be garnered in the time before Sparrow start laughing. She nods, "For sure." She trusts that the woman has some good reason, not trying to parse through things all that much. Hopefully she'll give Sparrow the right number, but that's something they can find out later. "You can reach me there," she tells Sparrow unnecessarily.

"Good," Sparrow chirps happily as she saves Kai's number and sends off a quick text to reciprocate. A little kissing_heart emoji. She can't hear, here, if the message actually goes through, and she doesn't wait either. Instead, she tilts her head toward Joey and explains, "I'mma get Mr. Twitchy home safe and sound. I hope you find someone wonderful to dance with tonight." With that, she turns to the boxer and, with a warning called to tell him she's, "Coming in!" she scoops up his nearer arm between both of hers and starts guiding him to the exit. "Let's get some fresh air, handsome. Away from all the Axe Body Spray, yeah?"

Joey looks to Sparrow, "You got that?" Looking to Kai he admits, "Glad we ran into you. We'll have to holler if something good comes up." Which is apparently a royal 'we' or more so a voluntold 'we'. Cycling off the dance floor he offers out to Sparrow, with amusement, "My fuckin hero." Okay Jersey Shore's fucking hero more like. Kai gets a g'bye, as does the bartender getting a phat tip for hooking them all up. because you always keep the bartender fuckin happy is why, and he peaces out leaning a little heavy on Sparrow even though he doesn't have to. The price of heroics, at least until he reaches the damn door and seems just fine.

"Okay. Likewise. See you guys around," Kai and lifts a hand to wave them off in response, not bothering to shout. There's no way she feels her phone go off right now with the text, but maybe later she'll find the message, after a few more drinks. Once the others have moved off, Kai reaches up to rake her fingers through her hair as she moves her way back to the bar next to Love to order a, "Negroni." The mad texting is a little hard to ignore and while the bartender checks if they have the ingredients for the drink still in stock, Kai takes a seat.

Love squints at her phone, thumbs tapping away as she returns a text. She's seated at the bar, her back to it, leaned against it, long legs crossed. An old fashioned is balanced on her thigh while she does so. Kai's just sat down next to her and ordered a drink.

"Honestly, the things people ask for at this hour." She appears to be talking to herself until she glances over to note Kai seated next to her. "I've never had a Negroni, but have seen them made. They smell good. Do you prefer yours with a chunk of orange or a twist?"

Mae pushes her way into the club, squinting around inside to see what kind of atmosphere she's walking into. Everything seems calm, but it is getting late so she eases the rest of the way in, walking toward the bar. She is clad in a pair of hip-slung denim jeans and a suit vest, with nothing underneath. She takes a seat at the bar, nodding at Kai before she quirks a brow at Love. "You're not being poached by this place, are you?" She teases, flicking a two finger salute off of her temple toward Kai. "Evening."

"Orange zest and a pinch of cocoa, but, I doubt they have cocoa here." That /certainly/ doesn't belong in a proper negroni. Kai doesn't seem put out by the lack of eye contact, given by the time Love looks up, the Asian woman is squinting at what liquors are available. Given the noise and the people floating around, Kai doesn't notice Mae on her approach, but she does look to the woman as she takes her seat. She nods to Mae and when her drink is delivered, she nudges it a few inches closer to Love's way. "Feel free to try it if you want." Then she lifts her head toward Mae with a flash of a grin, "Hey."

Love's attention is pulled by a familiar voice asking questions. She turns to look at Mae, swapping her drink glass for her phone, resting the latter on her thigh just as a text buzzes the screen. She rests a hand on it so it doesn't slide off her skinny jeans and onto the bar floor. Who knows what's down there. "Thought it might be nice to check out the other bars in town. Hadn't been to this one yet. How bout you? This place is quieter than what we're used to." Just a quiet drink at the bar with a rep.

She looks back to Kai at the response about the drink. "Cocoa, huh." Maybe she hasn't seen it made properly. She reaches over to take the glass as it's offered, her almond shaped nails long, ticking against the rim. She picks it up, brings the glass to her lips, tipping it to take a little sip. Just a taste. Her lipstick, though black, doesn't leave a print on the glass. "Mm." She puts it down with a light thumb on the bar, brushing her thumb over the rim. "Not bad." She favors drinks with a hit of citrus. She pushes the glass back toward Kai with her fingertips. "Thank you for letting me taste it."

Mae opens her mouth to respond to Love, but then her phone buzzes. She pulls it free, swipes a thumb across the screen and gazes down at it. "Fuck." She gets to her feet, waves briefly at both women and as she's walking toward the door, she can be heard talking into her phone. "What do you MEAN the kitchen is on fire?! Well yeah, kindly put a lid on it, shit."

Kai lets the two other women catch up since they obviously know each other. "Marries the zest, but it's bitter on bitter on bitter," bitters, zest, and raw cocoa? Much bitter. She tilts her head, waiting for Love's verdict. "Of course." She reaches to hook the drink in even closer and centered in front of her, her thumbs resting against the walls of the glass.

Kai looks after the retreating Mae, her eyes lingering a touch or two longer than necessary as she steals a sip. "I should probably get going before the yellow cabs won't even pick me up." She flags down the bartender to close out her tab and signs the slip without even looking at the total. "My name's Kai. See you around." She slides the negroni in Love's direction an inch or two before pushing off and heading for the door.

Love glances over to say something else to Mae when she answers her phone. She opens her mouth, close it. Her brows pop up when she hears the words kitchen and on fire. "I've been there." She laughs softly. "Didn't even get a drink on board before going to deal with that. You couldn't pay me enough." She finishes off her Old Fashioned and thumps it down on the bar, sliding it and a tip across for the bartender, the next time they happen by.

"Pleasure, Kai. Love." Is her name. She leaves it out there to either prompt a confused 'what?' or for it to be accepted as a thing that is also a name. "Thanks. I'll just take care of this..." She slides the glass closer, and watches the Kai go, finishing off her drink.