Beach BBQ [Open]

[asharpertongue]

Levi's idea for a beach party had been a good one. After the past few weeks they both needed to blow off a little steam and Lara had taken to the idea like the proverbial siren to water, inviting all her employees and friends. Levi had put the word out at the police station and among his closer friends so between them a decent crowd was forming.

The tables lining the beach were piled high with food and drink, a DJ was already in full swing and people were drifting over to the large bonfire for warmth as the chill started to cut through the summer evening. A few of the Heart of Gold employees had brought their kids along for the festivities and a friend of Lara's was performing little glamours and tricks to keep them entertained. Large clusters of huge pillows were dotted about the beach just a little way from Levi's house and lanterns and firelight bathed the whole area in a warm glow.

Maybe Lara had taken it a little far but she liked to treat her friends and everyone could use a little R&R.

OOC: Levi and Lara's friends have been officially invited, but everyone else feel free to wander in at your leisure~.

Comments

[littleredsiren]

She laughs, ducking her head. "I don't like coming places empty handed. My family was very into what is 'proper' for a polite young woman and not supplying some kind of gift for your host is very rude," she explains.

"Come on! Let's get some then," she chirps, grabbing his hand and tugging him along. "They have burgers too, I think. If you'd prefer one of those. Hot dogs are better though, if you ask me."

[jasonwright]

"That's very kind. So what about the rest of the time when you always have exactly what everyone needs?" he teases.

Jason follows her to the tables. "Both together are even better," he suggests. It's good it looks like they have plenty of food here because Jason can put away a lot of food.

[littleredsiren]

"I don't always have what everyone needs!" she protests, taking a large container of cookies and cupcakes out and setting it on the table with the rest of the food. "I just carry a lot of stuff, just in case."

"You eat a lot," she teases, grinning at him with a sidelong look. "Good. I won't feel as bad about stuffing myself on s'mores later then."

[jasonwright]

"We probably carry very different things," he comments, eyeing the cookies and cupcakes.

"I do eat a lot, yes. Requirement of the job?" He laughs. "I'll be stuffing myself on s'mores too. And anything else they let me have. You won't have any need to feel bad."

[littleredsiren]

"Are you saying you don't carry around cupcakes? Maybe you should start. Or maybe I should start carrying around the things you carry around."

"You'd better gorge yourself then," she orders, playfully stern. "I'd feel even worse if I dragged you out here and you didn't get your fill of the food, at least."

[jasonwright]

"I think cupcakes are way more useful than what I carry around. No one needs tools."

"Oh, no worries. I worked up an appetite today. Eli might have to drag my body out of here by the end of the night."

[littleredsiren]

"Seriously?" she asks, staring at him like he just said the dumbest thing possible. "You can fix things for people. All I can do is give them a little sugar rush. I think tools are more important."

"If you eat enough, we can just roll you. Are you staying with John again tonight? Because it's all downhill to the hotel."

[jasonwright]

"You fix their emotions with cupcakes and make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Cupcakes make you feel better until you can get your construction fixed."

"He left this morning, actually. Now he knows where I am, he wanted to get back to his son. He did make me get this thing though." Jason digs in his pocket and pulls out a smartphone.

[littleredsiren]

She blushes, happily. "That's a good way to look at it, I guess. Construction is still pretty darn essential though, so don't think your tools aren't just as important."

"Aww... I didn't get to say goodbye," she pouts, then perks up when he pulls out a phone. Iris bounces, leaning over to look at the screen. "You have a phone!! Add me! You can send me pictures of Alfredo!"

[jasonwright]

"It's essential, yes. But cupcakes can help everything feel better while I fix the leaky roof."

"I don't..." he shakes his head, flipping the phone around in his hand. "I don't understand anything you just told me."

[littleredsiren]

"Okay, okay!" she laughs, holding up her hands in defeat. "Cupcakes are good too. I will keep carrying around cupcakes, just for you."

Iris looks up at him, raising her eyebrows in disbelief, then back down at the phone. "You got a phone and he didn't teach you anything about it?" she asks, shaking her head. "Want me to teach you?"

[jasonwright]

"I don't think my brother is the brightest...I mean, he's smart. Book smart, business smart, but I think he forgets the whole 'Jason's been a drifter for a ridiculously long time' thing." He nods and hands her the phone. "Please. He said he added his number. That's all I know."

[littleredsiren]

She shakes her head, showing him how to turn on the phone and walking him through adding her number. "See? It's not so difficult. And now you can call me any time you need anything. And I can show you how to text! And send pictures!"

[jasonwright]

"So this is...better than leaving notes on my bench?" He had a note left from Bonnie about his brother and now he's thinking maybe he should give her his number as well.

"What am I going to send pictures of?"

[littleredsiren]

"Much better," she snorts, shaking her head. "And faster. If there's an emergency, you can contact someone, or we can contact you, right away."

"Alfredo, duh. Or things that make you happy! Or pretty things you see!"

[jasonwright]

"Does it work out on the boat?" he scratches his head. "Maybe I should leave it at the cabin when I'm fishing. I get knocked off my feet a lot. I'll probably lose it."

"How do you take a picture again?"

[littleredsiren]

"As long as you don't go too far from land, it should work, but yeaah. I'd probably keep it off deck. Phones are notoriously un-waterproof."

Iris lets out a playfully heavy sigh and rolls her eyes, making it clear she's just teasing him. "Here. Press the button that looks like a camera. Point it at what you want to take a picture of, hold down this button for a second so it focuses, and then hit it again to take the picture."

[jasonwright]

"I'll just leave it with Alfredo to play with," he grins. Speaking of, he glances around to catch sight of the dog chasing a small group of children up and down the beach. "Maybe not."

He inspects the camera screen before holding up the phone to Iris and taking a picture of her. "Ha! I did it. Something pretty," he teases.

[littleredsiren]

"Somehow, I don't think Alfredo's going to be very good at keeping it safe and intact," she giggles, watching him run around, tongue lolling out.

The sudden movement and the shutter noise that accompanied it startles her and she freezes, blinking as her brain processes what just happened. As his words sink in, her cheeks flush and she quickly ducks her head to hide it. "Don't be silly!" she squeaks out, pretending to fix the hem of her outfit. "I meant like... flowers! Or art! Not me!"

[jasonwright]

"He's too easily distracted to guard my phone," he agrees.

"Sorry," Jason grins as she practically hides. "I'm not much of a flower or an art guy. I guess I'll just stick to Alfredo then."

[littleredsiren]

"Alfredo: Not a good babysitting candidate. I'll have to remember that from now on."

She half-glares up at him through the curtain of her hair, shaking her head at his grin. "Lots of pictures of Alfredo. And you can send them to me."

[jasonwright]

He pats the top of her head in apology. "You can take my picture if you'd like so we're square." Jason grabs a plate from one of the tables and starts piling it with food of all kinds. Most of the food on the table he's never even seen before. He doesn't ask what anything is or how it tastes--he just takes a bit of everything.

[littleredsiren]

A tiny squeak slips out at the pat and she laughs. "Fine. I think I'll do that," she grins, pulling out her phone and snapping a picture of him. "There. Now I have something equally nice on my phone. And I have a picture to put with your number."

Iris watches him pile up his food with a grateful smile, glad she'd invited him. She figured, even if he didn't enjoy the rest of the party, the food at least would keep him happy.

[jasonwright]

He smiles just a little when she takes his picture. "That's probably the first picture since...nah, never mind," he laughs. He shakes his head when she says 'picture' and 'number.' He has no clue what she's talking about, but she seems happy so he'll go with it.

Jason glances to Iris. "Are you eating anything? Or saving room for dessert?"

[littleredsiren]

Iris tilts her head slightly as she stealthily sends the pic to Kennedy with an accompanying 'WHY???' caption. "Since what?" she asks, curious but not wanting to push the issue too much.

"Ah..." She realizes she'd been staring a bit and grabs a plate, stuffing it with sweets hurriedly, fighting off a shameful blush. "I zoned out a little, sorry."