asharpertongue | Beach BBQ [Open]

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~.

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Joel ducks his head, grinning as he tries to imagine himself whirling around some fancy party in a tux with Spencer. He looks up, trying to find his boyfriend and when he spots him talking to someone not that far away, he simply watches him for a moment.

"I don't know if I can or can't dance," he admits, still smiling, almost surprised by how easy he's found talking to Essie. Being around people has gotten easier in general since Spencer walked into his life and changed everything, but it's still rarely easy for him. "But I'm not sure my date would want all eyes on us in any situation. We're not very... this town likes to talk. He's been a rumour mill for years and I'm just the creepy bookstore owner. It's nice to be invisible sometimes."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring things up." Essie squirmed a little on her towel, feeling bad. Following his gaze, she looked over at the man she presumed was his boyfriend and she marked him in her head. Not to single him out, but to make sure she was nice to him. She knew what it was like to have a town talk about you, Grandy had kept her away from town almost completely so the few times she did go in, she'd felt the stares, heard the whispers. She didn't even care what the rumor mill was about, it was just a crappy way to have to live your life.

"Do you mind if I still come to the invisible guy's bookstore sometimes? I'd like to see it sometime when it's not sopping wet."

"Oh, no," he assures her, shaking his head. "It isn't... it doesn't bother me. And if you're in town long enough, they're all stories you'll hear eventually. It's usually better to hear them from the source, isn't it?" So long as people are good to Spencer, he's fine with them knowing the things that are said about them. So long as they're good to Spencer, he doesn't care.

When she asks if he minds if she comes to the store, he smiles again. "I wouldn't mind at all. I'd like that. I don't have many regulars besides Lara. And Spencer these days."

"Then it's a standing date. If I buy a house here, I'll need to fill it with books." Essie knew she could just have a room or three of Grandy's books shipped out, but it would be nicer to get her own. And maybe she could get a better look at some of those older books she'd seen. With permission, of course.

"And once I've done that, I'll tell everyone how awesome your shop is and fill it with people."

Beach BBQ [Open]

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