As he began to work on the wine cork, her dark eyes couldn’t help but linger on him a little longer than would be deemed acceptable for two friends. “I’ll take wine over flowers and chocolate any day, just so you know.” Letting out another chuckle, she caught his gaze again, giving him a little wink. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend the evening with. Good friends, fancy wine, pizza… I’ve got all I need right here, right now.”

Location: Rose's Gym

August was always trying to stay fit since he liked to keep busy and like a good looking body. He had just finished lifting some weights and he was going to grab a paper towel and some cleaner to disinfect the equipment he was using. He had seen someone who was grabbing some cleaner themselves and he pulled an earbud out of his ear, “It’s nice to know there’s other people out there who want to keep the place clean and stop spreading germs.” August mentioned to the other, smiling a bit not even sure if they had heard him.

Turning her head as she heard someone next to her, she let out a chuckle at their words. “Great minds think alike, as they say.” Shrugging, she turned to look at the taller figure. “Some people just lack basic decency these days… it’s sad. You’d think these people would be raised better than that.”

"I'm not supposed to take bribes," Dom began, reaching into his pockets. "But it's also contraband, so technically it's more like confiscating. And Sophie's at a sleepover for the night, so..." He held out his hand, showcasing the item he had stashed. "Care to join?"

As the man spoke, his words intrigued the older woman immensely, a perfectly sculpted brow raising as he pulled an item out of his pocket — a small but perfectly rolled joint. “Oh god!” She laughed, utterly flattered for the offer… being a few years off sixty, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d smoked pot. It would’ve had to have been at least… 35 years prior.

“Sure, why not?” There were no work obligations that needed to be dealt with the next day, so why not indulge this once for old time’s sake? A drag or two wouldn’t hurt. “I’ll warn you, it’s been a loooong time since I’ve smoked, so I may be a little rusty.”

New Years Eve started out promising enough. Felipe had even made an attempt at dressing up for the occasion. Not enough to spring for a tie, but enough to comb and style his hair for once instead of relying on a hat. The party itself average but it was the company that had made the outing worthwhile. He'd spent most of the night by Julie's side, drinking and dancing. It took one dance break and getting caught up in conversation with another friend, about soccer of all things, for him to look over and see her getting comfortable with someone else.

Maybe it was the loud music making her lean in as they spoke or maybe he’d gotten his signals cross. Either way, she was single and free to do whatever she wanted and he was too caught up in his head to do anything about it. Uncharacteristically so. While other times he found it easy to dive head first into courtships, thought out or not, their shared history complicated things. He almost lost her friendship once and he wouldn't risk losing it again for good. He’d tread the waters and that was enough for now. Felipe had he slipped back into their old rhythm without hesitation. Still, he found himself unable to ask her how her night had ended.

With the wiring finally done he finished drilling in the mounting plate and placing the light sconce back on the wall, “I don’t know about you but I could use a break.” He began packing up his tools in the worn out tool bag, “Do you want a coffee or anything?” He gave the giant thermos by his feet a light kick, “All I’ve got on tap is black but we can go out and pick something up real quick.”

“A coffee sounds amazing, actually. How about we go out and get something? I’ll buy. It can be my way of apologising for separating from you during the New Year’s Eve party.” It was unintentional, of course, but by the time she’d freed herself from the eager man and went back inside in search of Felipe, she was informed by their friends that he’d decided to call it a night. Still, she felt guilty… the intrusive thought that he could possibly be upset at her ate away at her over the days that followed.

Knuckles knocked a quiet and timed rhythm against the wooden bar top as he silently turned over the facts of his current case. The amount of money they were willing to shuffle out for information was a red flag, but not enough for him to turn them away. Unlike most requests, this one had came tied off with a bow, giving him more than most could supply. It made the job easier in a way, but it meant he'd have to get closer than usual too.

The male's hand paused against the wood as an entire pizza was placed before him on a platter big enough to feed at least four people. His mistake? He'd ordered two whole pies. "You hungry?" He spoke before turning slightly to the person at his side. He wasn't much of a people person, but if he wanted information, it meant going out on a limb. "Ordered two thinking that I'd have enough for a few meals, but I think I bit off more than I can chew." A joke, but he barely showed any signs of self-made amusement.

where: outside of aleria bakery & cafe

Stuffing the last of her simit into her mouth, Hazal tossed her trash before walking out of the bakery and into the cold weather, causing her body to shiver. She had forgotten all about how low the temperatures could get here, and now she was remembering yet another reason why she had loved France so much. Who the hell could even function in the freezing cold like this? None of her wardrobe was fitting for this murky weather, and she was in need of a...well, she couldn't call it an upgrade since the fashion here didn't come close to what she was accustomed to, but she did need clothing better suited for the conditions here.

Taking her phone out to try and locate the nearest shopping center on her GPS, she noticed someone coming right her way and decided that it might be better to just ask an actual person, especially if they were a native and could point her in the best direction. "Excuse me!" Hazal called out as they came closer. "Sorry to bother you, but is there a centre commerciaux — shopping mall — around here? It's been ages since I've been in this quaint little town so I'm a little lost, and inappropriately dressed for the Midwest weather, so I could use some advice." She admitted before her green eyes trailed over the person's attire, trying to gauge their sense of style. "Where do you shop?"

Once exiting the café, she gave a few polite hellos in passing to familiar faces along with those who weren’t exactly familiar to her — but they most certainly knew who she was… something that came with being a news anchor. Being on people’s televisions everyday made them think they knew her, but she didn’t mind it in the slightest.

Just as she was about to pull out her phone from her purse, a woman’s voice caught her attention. It took her a few seconds to realise the stranger was, in fact, speaking to her before she looked up, offering a smile. “The mall is two blocks down the street. I’m actually heading that way myself if you’d like to walk with me?” She replied, her hands signalling directly across from them.

When questioned about where she shopped, a light chuckle left her lips. “Honestly? These days I haven’t had much time to go shopping at actual stores, I usually opt to shop online for convenience’s sake. But we do have a Zara and a Macy’s I believe? We also have Walmart and Target but you definitely don’t look like the Walmart kind of woman.” In fact, the unfamiliar beauty looked as if she just stepped off a runway — the type of ethereal beauty that would grace the covers of Vogue. “There’s also quite a few lovely little boutique stores, if that’s more your thing?”

Days off always felt like a godsend — not having to worry about hustling to the studio at an ungodly hour, deal with less than pleasant co-workers and not leave until it already got dark out. Julianna made sure to savour these days; relax, get outside and enjoy the beauty of the town at this time of year. Despite the freezing temperatures, winter brought a particular loveliness that didn’t come with the other seasons.

As she strolled through the streets briskly, her mind on a particular someone with each step, all until the sound of another voice close by captured her attention instantly.

Taking advantage of the fact there were no check ins for that day, Felipe set to work on a list of chores that morning -- first thing being making himself a giant thermos of coffee. Luckily, they've been spared from the heavy snowfall so far which made clearing what little there was off from the front pathway less of a hassle. He hadn't noticed Julianna's car pull up at first as he shoveled away. The holiday season had kept them busy enough with work and their respective families making her visit unexpected, but never unwelcome. After their greetings he insisted she wait inside while he finished up, pleased to have her company for a while.

Back inside he took on the next task of replacing a lighting fixture in the common area as they caught up, Felipe wasting no time in bringing up a truck he had seen a couple of days earlier. The 2006 GMC Sierra had been sitting curbside, a for sale sign that had immediately caught his attention, on the back window.

“It’s a little beat up, but nothing that can't be fixed." He made his way off the stepladder, digging his phone out and pulling up the pictures he had taken. He handed it over, allowing her to swipe through them as he stood by her side. . A missing bumper, mismatched fender. Dented hood. All cosmetic issues he wasn't too concerned about. "It's a lot beat up actually," he admitted with a laugh, a smile lingering as he gazed at her. Leaving his phone with her, he returned to the step ladder to finish the light.

“I’m going to go test drive it later, like around four? If you're not busy." Julianna always had an open invitation when it came to joining him for run-of-the mill errands and this was no exception. "I'd love to get your opinion on it...But also, I'm going to need someone else to drive the other truck back if I do end up getting it."

Although, what had transpired that evening was something she’d rather forget — the man she was madly in love with kissing another woman. The sight of it stung as fiercely as a bee sting, leaving her feeling not only disappointed but also embarrassed for even thinking she’d ever be the one he’d kiss at the stroke of midnight. How foolish she was.

Still, that didn’t stop her from heading over to Serendipity B&B — nothing could ever stop her. Seeing him was the highlight of her days, something that kept her going even on her hardest days, she’d never be able to stay away from him. He was her peace, her light… even though that was something she didn’t make known.

Pulling up at one of the familiar establishments parking spaces, the dark haired woman emerged from the black BMW, she made a beeline for the front door, stepping inside the front office, unable to stop the impending smile from curving at her lips as she laid eyes on Felipe. He was so unbelievably handsome; he made her heart flutter everytime she was with him without fail. It was a difficult task to keep her attraction and adoration hidden, but she tried her best, praying to god that he didn’t catch her making heart eyes at him.

As he began to speak to her, her eyes lit up, immediately quirking a brow once he brought out his phone, scrolling through pictures of his potential new ‘baby’ — she loved seeing him get excited about things, knowing how much he loved trucks and fixing them up. “I think it’s a great buy — knowing you you’ll be able to fix it up really nicely.” She nodded, the smile not wiping off her face for a second. “Luckily for you, my afternoon is all free. I’d love to come with you.” It wasn’t the truck that was her reason for tagging along, more so the fact that she would take any chance to have one on one time with him. She chased it like it was a high; she simply couldn’t get enough of it.

“So… how’d you pull up after the party?” She asked curiously, her question a shameless attempt to pry into how his night ended… particularly if it ended with the woman she’d seen him kissing. Of course, she’d never ask that outright, despite the overwhelming temptation that was eating at her.

who: anyone

"So, imagine this - you're on a plane with a sedated Lion. Moving it to a different location. What would you do if that thing woke up?" Santiago's mind currently being distracted by a random Tik Tok he had seen from one of these transports and it made him wonder. Hence now why he was asking for someone else's opinion. "The whole crew would be screwed. I would have a parachute on me in case I needed to bust out of there before I was it's dinner." The response holding a few chuckles afterwards as the scenario played out in his mind.