2019-11-21 - A Date Thanks To Hank!

Gabriel has plunked himself down at the bar of Two if By Sea, and is nursing a beer, waiting for his blind date (well, sort of blind date) to arrive. He's wearing a white buttn-up dress shirt and a pair of his nicer jeans with some converse sneakers. A snazzier sort of casual. Date appropriate? He hopes it's date appropriate. He futzes with his phone, but looks up constantly to scan for Mariah's arrival.

Mariah had called Hank after the post went up and after Gabriel had texted. It wasn't an ass chewing, but she had been completely embarrassed that her MC had done that to her. But he had good reasons. She is on time for the 'date'. Dressed in a white skirt, black boots, black t-shirt and an old jean jacket over it. Her long hair is down and locks of it have curled and bounce when she walks. Her green gaze scans the bar until she spots a Gabriel like figure and she heads that way with a smile, "Hey there." she greets him as she approaches.

"Hey, Mariah?" confirms Gabriel when the owner of the Pourhouse comes close to him, smiling when she smiles at him. He hops off of his stool and slips his phone in his pocket, away and out of sight so that he can greet her. But then how do you greet a first date? He briefly considers a handshake, extending his arm, but then turns it into a fleeting hug, quick and largely contactless, unless she has other plans. "Gabe. Good to meet you. You want to grab a table, or?" Or is the bar okay?

Mariah's hand was coming out for a handshake, but it quickly changes when there's a bit of a hug and she smiles, "Yeah, I'm Mariah. Unless you have a thing for just hugging random blondes." she teases him gently. "I mean, if you do it's not something that's wrong." she adds. "And it's good to meet you in person, Gabe. I'm glad someone took Hank up on his joke. I can't say if he's hiding somewhere with a camera either." she chuckles. "Bar or table works. I'm easy to please really." she tells him.

"Just the really cute random blondes that walk towards me," says Gabriel with a smile as the contact ends without incident, although he saw the handshake and maybe he should have gone for the handshake, but it's all fine, you managed it. "And as for easy to please, that is a quality I like the most in my dates." He seems to be teasing as he winks at her and maneuvers over to the host stand to get them a table for two. "How was your day?"

Mariah gives a chuckle, "Sometimes they travel in packs, so you might have to exhaust yourself with hugging sometime." she tells him. Then she gives a look to him, "Low maintenance tends to be a rarity. So I can see why it might be nice." she nods to that. "My day was alright. Worked the morning shift and finished inventory so I could get here on time. How was your day? Anything interesting going on?" she asks him as she waits for a table with him.

"Yes, but on the plus side, I'd be hugged by a lot of gorgeous blodes, so it's a trade-off, you know?" Gabe grins as they are shown back by the hostess to a table for two, the detective going over and perhaps half-jokingly pulling out Mariah's chair for her before he heads around to his side. "Oh. It was good. Caught up on some paperwork. No calls, at least, and nothing I needed to run down. So that's nice. Got some tree work done on my yard the other day. Waiting for an investigation to pick up in the next day or two. But everything going well at the Pourhouse? Looking forward to next karaoke."

"This is true. Most guys would be happy to die surrounded by gorgeous blondes." Mariah muses to that. She gives a bit of a smile when he pulls her seat out and she goes to settle in, "Thank you." she tells him. She crosses one knee over the other and then leans in a little to watch him as he tells her about the day he had. "A day with no murder calls or found dead bodies is a really nice thing. All the deaths we had a few months ago was very concerning." she admits to that. "Oh the Pourhouse is doing alright. Wish I could expand it a bit. Add a few more things, but need to build savings back up and all that." she states. "I'm glad karaoke has taken off so well. I think I'm going to make it a bi-weekly thing." she grins.

"Nice. I need to get myself A Song. Like, people have their go-to songs for karaoke. Mostly, I've liked going to see other people make an ass of themselves, but I'm going to get hauled up there myself some day." Gabriel just knows it. So he wants to play. A nod at the explanation of her plans. "So how did you get into the bar-ownership business anyway?" he asks, curiously, leaning in slightly to listen

"Bad Boys." Mariah offers with that grin of hers. "No one would expect it. Kinda like the Spanish Inquisition." she adds with a sage nod. "Hank loves to make an ass of himself. But he's so entertaining at the same time. He loves to MC for me." she smiles to that. The question makes her shift focus though, "I've got my degree in business management. When I saw the place go up for sale I drained my savings to buy it a few years ago. Felt like a good investment if I couldn't move out of the town." she admits.

Gabriel laughs at that suggestion, but then nods. "Oh. That's a good idea. I like that one. Especially because it requires very little actual singing." A thoughtful nod from the detective as he files away that plan in the back of his head. "So yeah? You're a Gray Harbor local?" he surprises. "What made you not want to get out of town and go into bar ownership?" But then the waitress shows up to take their drink orders.

"Wait. So. You're the professional, Mariah. What should I be drinking?" He arches a brow.

Mariah just gives an innocent look, no one would suspect it! Then she relaxes a bit more, "Just looking out for those who don't want to go up and break out the Bon Jovi." she tells him. Then she nods, "I am, yep. Born and raised. Parents still are around and all that jazz." she admits. When he asks her about not leaving town there's a bit of a moment of debate, "This town just has a way of hooking people in and not letting go." she tells him.

The waitress saves them! "I'll take a Guinness blonde if you have it. And for the gent...." she looks to Gabriel, "One of your dark IPA's?" she asks him. "Depends on if you like sweet or strong sometimes." she smiles to that.

"What if I like sweet and strong?" asks Gabe with what is a slightly playful smile. "Such as yourself?" And yes, it is a very lazy flirt, since she walked right into that one, but he seems ready to take the easy win, nodding his assent to the waitress. Sure. He will have that, please.

"And yeah. I guess I understand that. I'm from San Fransisco, but I've been here six years, and it feels like I've never lived anywhere else." A beat. "So you seeing family for Thanksgiving, then?"

Mariah gives a bit of a thoughtful look and there's a grin, "Nothing wrong with sweet and strong. Actually a good combination. Means people won't trample over it, but are still nice." she tells him. The question of family makes her shake her head, "My parents don't really do the holiday thing. If it is taking away money for booze and other things then it's not really a priority." she shrugs. "Tried to get them both into rehab and AA, but neither will go. They say I'm...too uptight." she shrugs. "So I'll just do a small turkey day at my place and me and my dog can regret eating too much on the floor." she muses. "You? You got plans with any family?" she asks him.

A sympathetic frown when Mariah speaks of rehab and AA and her parents not going. (No, no, no.) "That sucks, Mariah. I'm sorry to hear that." Gabe reaches across the table and gives her hand a quick squeeze before he answers the question posed. "I'd love to see family, but with work, it'd be way to expensive to get a last-minute ticket to San Fransisco. So I'm here. I've got some friends on Oak that are doing a friendsgiving sort of thing, so I'll stop by there. I'm sure your dog will appreciate the turkey."

Mariah gives a smile at the hand squeeze, "At some point you kind of get the impression that your parents shouldn't have had kids. Basically what I've been going through, but making the best of it. My dad used to love the Pourhouse, but now he won't come in because I own it." she shrugs. "People have to do fifty fifty it can't be ninety five percent on one side and five percent on the other. It just doesn't work like that." she admits. Then there's a smile, "Sounds like it would be fun to go to San Fran really. And friendsgivings can be great. I hope it is a good time." she tells him. "And yes, Bruce will like the turkey." she grins.

"Yeah. No. Sometimes you've got to cut the toxic people out of your life. Just sucks when it is your parents." Gabriel continues his sympathetic smile, but then looks up when the waitress delivers their two beers. He takes his IPA and then raises it up, proposing a little toast.

"Well. To a random date that isn't turning out so bad after all. And to Hank keeping his job." (More importantly.)

"My thoughts exactly. Don't need any toxic people in my life." Mariah smiles to that. "And yeah, I still care about them and if they need doctors or anything I'll gladly be there. It's just...all the bad stuff." she shrugs. "Anyways, yes, my parents suck. I don't let it get to me though." she adds. When the drinks arrive there's a smile and she raises her glass in turn, "To not terrible blindish dates and to Hank, for being ballsy enough to post." she grins.

"Well. I get to spend my evening with a beautiful blonde, so I will need to thank Hank for his efforts," teases Gabriel when the glasses clink and he lifts his beer to his lips. "Ah. This is good. Very nice beer. Thank you very much for the recommendation, O Expert." He then tilts his head, considering. "So. What other first-date stuff should I ask? I take it no brothers or sisters?"

Mariah blushes a touch at the mention of being beautiful, "Yeah, definitely thank Hank. It's been lovely so far." she admits. Then she takes a sip of her drink before sitting it down. "I think dark IPA's are nice. It's got bite." she smiles to that. "As for first date questions, there's a ton you could ask." she grins. "And no, no siblings. Sadly." she murmurs. "Unless there's a half sibling hiding somewhere." she points out. "And you? Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asks him.

"Yeah. Two sisters. A brother. Mom and Dad. All down in the Bay Area," confirms Gabriel. "Big Catholic Latino family." He grins and takes another sip of his beer. "You want to get nachos or wings or something equally messy I shouldn't be proposing on a first date?" he asks Mariah across from him when he realizes he hasn't thought about food. "Dad's an HVAC engineer for big buildings. Mom stayed home. But let's see. First date questions. Favorite color." It's a half joke.

"Sounds like a nice chunk of family." Mariah smiles to that. "Nothing wrong with having a big family. I think it's got to be fun when the holidays roll around." she admits to that. "Oooh. You found my weakness. It's tiny chicken wings slathered in sauce." she holds up her hands in defeat. "Wings sound good so yes, if you want to split some we can do that." she grins. "My favorite color is red. What is yours?" she asks him.

"Is it lame when I say it's red, too?" asks Gabriel when he shrugs. "I don't know. You saw the henley yesterday." The selfie he sent when they were setting this all up. "It looks good." At the confession about wings, he raises his hand again, to summon over the waitress to put in an order for a mix of BBQ and Buffalo wings with ranch and blue cheese. He just covers all the bases, it seems.

"All right. Other first-date questions. What is it you do in your free time?"

"It's not lame. It's a nice color." Mariah admits to that. "And henleys are nice. They show off the shoulders." she grins to that. She then gives a smile when he orders wings and doesn't interrupt. The question of free time makes her smile though, "I like to read a bit, practice my baseball swing, take long hot bubble baths. You know, what every girl likes to do really." she chuckles to that. "And you? What do you do when you aren't being a Detective?" she asks.

The thought of Mariah in a bubble bath brings a smile to Gabriel's face, and then his brow screws up at the mention of baseball. "You a fan?" he asks, curious. "Go see some Gray Harbor Gulls games?" He names the local, independent semi-pro club. But he makes a little show of moving his shapely shoulders before he answers the question. "Garden. I've got a lawn. I've got flower beds. I've got trees. I get down in the dirt and really enjoy it."

Mariah gives a smile, "Yeah. My grandad used to take me to see games and took me to practice when I was little. I have one of his old wood bats that I keep behind the counter at the Pourhouse for when people get too rough. Only had to use it once so far." she tells him. "So if you ever want to check out a game, I'd down." she adds. There is a smile at the mention of gardening, "The bunnies and deer keep eating my little porch vegetable garden. So I gave up for the year." she laughs. "So why Gray Harbor?" she asks him.

"All right. That'd be fun," says Gabriel with a little grin. "Even if the baseball sucks, I'm always down for some plastic nacho cheese and watery beers." He pauses for a moment as the wings are deposited down on the table, and he thanks the waitress before he reaches over to snag one. "Why Gray Harbor. Well, I don't know. Felt like there was just something missing my life down in San Fransisco. Saw the job opening after I got my degree and ..." He lifts his shoulders. "Came on up and felt like something clicked. Like I belonged here."

Mariah gives a look to him and there's a smile, "Alright, when they have another game come up I'll get tickets. And nothing like fourteen dollar beer to make an evening great." she laughs. Though she sobers a little as he speaks, "You know how I said it's just a place that hooks in and doesn't let go. It's like that. That feeling." she admits quietly. "Not that it's always bad." she adds.

"Yeah. For sure. I mean, I feel like I belong here? But at the same time, there are so many mysteries to this town that I feel like I could spend my entire life looking into them and never even scratch the surface." Gabriel shakes his head as he thinks about it, reaching over to grab a wing and dig into it messily. "Oh, this is a terrible first-date idea," he laughs. But he seems to enjoy it nonetheless. "So how long has it since you've been on a date?"

"This town has a lot of weird, but if you are already part of the weird as I like to put it...then researching might be easier at least." Mariah admits. When the wings are delivered there's a grin and she sits up in her chair, placing one of the napkins in her lap just in case a blob of sauce goes AWOL. "It's a great first-date idea. Why not eat what you usually do and if you get messy...you can ask forgiveness." she muses. Then he asks when her last date was and there's a breath out, "A year. Was dating a high school teacher and he just sorta...vanished." she frowns. "You?" she asks.

Gabriel shrugs his shoulders and thinks about it. "I sort of just got back into the dating pool myself. Sort of have a friend-with-benefits girlfriend that has some dating with it." He isn't exactly sure how to phrase it, now that he thinks of it. "But. You know." A frown when Mariah says that her boyfriend just vanished. "Wow. Just ghosted? I can see how that might put you off men for a bit."

Mariah gives a bit of a smile, "Well I mean, if it's working for you then that's great." she admits. "So it's what, an open relationship or just no strings?" she asks. Then there's a chuckle, "I'm guessing he got a new job offer in another state and I can't be made at him. Just...wish I would have been told before he just left." she shrugs. "Ah well." she muses as she sips her guinness.

"Both, pretty much," says Gabriel with a shrug. "And yeah. It's new. But it's working for now, so ..." And so he seems satisfied enough with it. Indeed, there is even a bit of a smile on his lips. "But yeah. You wouldn't think someone would just pick up and go, though." He shakes his head. "Weird. But I guess that's what Gray Harbor is like, huh?" He sips from his beer then gestures. "You want another?"

Mariah gives a nod to that, "Well, good for you guys." she states with a smile. Then there's a bit of a shrug, "I tend to meet wonderful guys that we get six or seven months into a relationship and they decide that it's just not for them or they find someone with a classier career. So I'm a bit of a cynic." she laughs. Then there's a headshake, "Nah, think I'll take a coke though." she smiles to that.

"Lame. You're a small businesswoman! How is that not sexy? I think they're just intimidated." Gabriel waves for two Cokes for them to go with the wings, as he sets aside the one and goes to pick up another. "So whereabouts do you live in the city?" he wonders, curiously. "I've got the house over in Oak. My pride and joy."

"It might be. I know when I start swinging the bat in the bar it gets a lot worse." Mariah chuckles to that. She then gives him a smile, "I live right down the street from the bar. Right down on Spruce street. Means I can drag my ass home after a long night and not have to worry about if I'm driving or not." she smiles to that. "Do own or rent? I managed to buy my place. It's one of the best moments of my life." she admits with a chuckle.

"Own," says Gabriel with a similar proud smile. "VA loan. No way I am doing all that work on the yard and the trees for some landlord and not get any value out of it." He takes a swig finishing his beer just as the Cokes arrive. "But yeah. I hear you. Feels good to set down roots and all. People can't believe a police detective's got a three-bedroom house to himself, but I wanted the yard, so." He shrugs. "Worth it."

"Owning is so much better. Means if you put a hole in the wall you don't have to explain it to people." Mariah chuckles to that. "Just tell the other guys at work that you get your pick of where to sleep and it's not the couch." she muses. "Nothing wrong with being grown up about some things in life and owning is far cheaper than trying to rent around this place." she shakes her head.

"Yeah. I could rent one of the extra bedrooms or something, but I figure I like being able to come home whenever I want and watch TV in my boxers without having to worry about someone coming through." Gabriel shrugs his shoulders as he says that, preferring what he prefers, it seems. He laughs as he finishes up and waves for the check. "This was fun, though. I'm glad I texted." He uses a napkin to wipe his face.

"Exactly, you need to be able to just...veg out when things are at that point. And having people in your face in your personal space kinda sucks when it's in your own home." Mariah nods to that. "And yes, I agree, definitely fun. Thank you for texting. I'm definitely not going to murder Hank for this." she muses. Then she's digging money out of her wallet to slide over, "No paying for all of it yourself." she points out.

Gabriel considers fighting that for a moment, but thinks the better of it, digging out cash to pay for his half. He then gets up from his seat and then smiles a little. "Well. Can I walk you to your car?" he asks, gesturing. "I'll have to swing by the Pourhouse soon to make up for the loss of business from taking you on a date here."

Mariah smiles when he doesn't fight her on that. She didn't want him to pay for things. She gets up from her seat, straightening her jacket and there's a soft smile, "Sure. That would be nice." she tells him. "And I'm sure the Pourhouse isn't going to tank over this. But we'd like to see you in anytime really." she tells him as they walk.

Gabriel thanks their waitress and the host as they head out into the cool November air, and then walks on over to wherever Mariah says her car is. "So," he says after a moment as he looks down at the shorter platinum blonde. "Thanks for the fun night. We'll have to do it again sometime, maybe." He then leans down, going for the kiss. But does she turn her cheek? Such is always the question!

Mariah gives a smile as she walks out with him, a quiet note of thanks to those she passes. She finds her car, which isn't that far away from the door and she turns to look up at him, "I should be thanking you. It was nice to get out and meet a new face. And make a new friend." she smiles to that. When he leans down for the kiss though she does give him the cheek, "We will definitely have to get together again." she tells him in a quiet tone.

Gabriel seems more than fine with the cheek and gives her a quick hug, pulling away. "Pleasure is all mine, Mariah," he says with a wink as he pulls away. "Stay safe out there! No murdering!" A point at her in faux accusation as he heads for his car, a plain 'ole Civic. Because he might have a house. But he doesn't make /that/ much.