the screw up.

"No shit." Marin called from somewhere underneath the sign that had taken over the majority of her body. She'd never been known to use money very wisely, not had she been known to sleep in the odd hours of the morning, so, instead she was often scrolling Facebook marketplace or other bidding sites in search of the most unhinged things to purchase. Last night's purchase had been no stranger to that. At two seventeen in the morning she'd driven three hours to some place to pick up this ten foot neon sign with the word PETTY in bright, neon orange letters from some dive bar - one called 'Petty's Place' to be exact - and had driven three hours back when she'd arrived at home, determined to get it to her house above Uptown Books where the sign would add character to her outdoor sitting area. Though she hadn't considered how annoying it would be to get this thing out of public transportation - she really needed to look into getting a car of her own - or up the small stairs that would lead her to the area in question. So, as the other asked if he could help she'd nearly cursed at him on the spot. "Unless you see a tiny girl struggling with giant metal signs on a regular basis around here I think it's safe to say that yes I need help." @mateoxtorres

Mateo took in the sight before him. The woman was practically underneath a giant neon sign. He could not say that he had ever seen anything like it before, if he were being honest. And as a bar owner, Mateo had seen a lot of shit in his time. "Nope, can't say I do." Mateo answered her as he moved closer to her. He looked for a beat, trying to find the best place to grab it. "Here," he began, "let me take it." He figured that would be easier than trying to maneuver with her holding onto it as well. "Where you tryin' to take it?" @marincole

Mateo picked up his son, placing him onto his hip. "How old?" He couldn't tell from the angle he had, but it had been a long time since he he was keeping track of anyone in months for an age. "Teo here," he adjusted him on his hip, "is about to be two years old." A fact that he couldn't quite wrap his head around. The young boy was getting anxious in his arms and he moved to set him down. Teo took off toward the park and he kept his eyes on him the whole time, though he was speaking to the other. "He's on the move, again. I swear he never sits still since learning to walk." @nolanxmurray

"I just get scared sometimes that you will get tired of me. Or meet someone else and this, whatever we are, will end. I know there are things in our lives that are vastly different and I know I'm not special because of the world I came from or really anything about me. I don't have any skills or college degree. And after everything with my parents, I don't have money to my name." She shrugged, feeling herself getting emotional. "I bring nothing to the table. And I know sometimes I can be stupid or irritating. My ex knew that and so he fooled around behind my back." Tears lined her eyes and her lips quivered as she talked. "So I'm just scared that you'll see these things. You'll get tired. You'll meet someone else. And I hate that I've grown attached to us when I don't know if you even feel the same. I just know I don't want to lose you." She sniffled and looked away, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry." @mateoxtorres

Mateo didn't say anything, even after she spoke. There was something about the way that she was looking at him. As if her mind was contemplating releasing something. And then, she did.

As the words fell from her lips, Mateo did nothing but listen. He was lucky that he was holding onto a plate because he knew otherwise his hands would be curled into fists at his side. And not because of her, but because of the way other people had made her feel. As gruff as the man could seem, his heart was bigger than he ever let on.

Then came the tears and Mateo was setting the plate of food on the table in an instant. He crossed the distance that was between them and cupped her cheeks into his calloused hands. His thumbs ran along her cheeks, catching stray tears that she had missed. "I'm not goin' to get sick of you." Mateo told her. "You think I care if you came from money and got none? Or don't have a college degree." He shook his head before meeting her gaze once more. "I dropped out of college. Bartending and construction are the only thing I know. I've only got a savings account because I went out on my own at eighteen. Those skills came from having to survive." Mateo told her, keeping his voice as soft as he could. "I'm not goin' to tire of you. I've been fallin' in love with you." @marixdominguez

One thing Gia had begun to learn about this town - besides how many children seemed to be around here; something had to be in the water - was just how accommodating everyone was. Not that it was a rare occurrence back home in New Orleans, but, people were less likely to help a stranger there than they had been here. Something she truly admired about this tiny place; everyone seemed to want to help and therefore even if the male couldn't help her fix her car, she was sure he knew someone that could.

As she sat at the bar, fingers tapping the bar top as her eyes scanned the menu before she asked him his recommendation she shook her head at his question. "No." she paused. "I love a good spice, but, no restrictions, allergies or even foods I don't like." she admitted. Considering it had been her and her sister for the majority of their lives caring for themselves, Gia would say she had a bit of a sophisticated palette, or more so a palette that had tried plenty enough foods in her life time. She'd try nearly anything at least once. "I've heard the fish tacos at this place are amazing, but, I'm not sure it was here but in Kismet." @mateoxtorres

Mateo nodded his head. It was easier when people didn't have restrictions or allergies, but he wasn't someone that turned people away because of such difficulties. He had become quite the cook and the rest of his cooking staff were more than skilled to accommodate any sort of restrictions, allergies and what not. "The fish tacos here are my favorite right now. They're more in season, if ya will." Mateo continued, punching the fish tacos into the computer. "Those will be up soon." He told her before meeting her gaze once more, "What can I get you to drink?" @giacalloway

"I like the way you think." she nodded. "However, how do I know you won't tell me you can't fix my car or at least won't fuck it up if I decide your food is terrible?" she questioned, looking at the other. She knew where he was coming from, didn't want to be bias just because he did something nice but how did she know that it didn't go the other way around? "You know what, doesn't matter." she shook her head, already backing up a few steps towards the front door of the bar. "I'll trust you." Something she didn't do a lot, but, something about the other gave Gia the impression he were an honest man. Likely blunt, but honest. It was only once she were inside she felt herself adjusting to the lighting difference, making her way towards the bar she'd found near the back. She placed herself directly on the seat in the middle and waited for the other to return, eyes glancing at the menu in the mean time. "I was going to pick something, but, I want to know what you'd recommend." she paused, placing the menu down and folding her arms. "Give me whatever you'd eat here, or at least what you'd recommend someone to try. And whatever beer is your favorite too. Let me judge truthfully." @mateoxtorres

Mateo chuckled with the counter question by the woman. He was getting ready to tell her that people were true to their word here, but then she said she was going to trust him anyway. "Alright." He said with a nod of his head, heading back toward the pub to open up the door for her. While he had not always been the man that stood before the young blonde today, he had been given a second chance by the former owners of Wingman's Pub and his shop mentor all those years ago. They had given him a chance to turn his life around and he vowed to never go back on his word. He'd yet to break that promise to himself and wasn't going to start today.

Stepping inside after her, he followed behind her, only a few paces behind as she took a spot at the bar. He rounded it, standing in front of her as she picked up a menu. It wasn't unusual for Mateo to be asked his recommendations, especially by those that hadn't been there before. "You got any allergies? Diet restrictions?" That had been a question Mateo learned to ask over the years. @giacalloway

The cooks that her parents had, was a phrase that Mateo still wasn't used to. They came from different worlds, entirely. Yet, they had met in the middle. When she started working at Wingman's Pub, he hadn't expected much out of her and despite people thinking he was an asshole most of the time, he had a soft spot for people looking for a second chance. Mateo's gaze lingered on Mari, watching as her face fell in the faintest of ways. Only for a beat. "Hey," he set his place down, "what's wrong? Is it somethin' I said?" @marixdominguez

"I was thinking Kismet Park. I booked a reservation for the pavilion but I can cancel it if you don't think that's a good place to have it." He knew that she was giving him more involvement and that it came with trust. He didn't want to fuck it all up. That was what he was often worried about being a father. "Don't worry about any of that." Mateo said, sitting down in front of his drink that Nel had placed out for him. "Thanks for this," he said before continuing, "yeah, a cowboy would be fun. I'm no fan of clowns honestly." @nelxruiz

"Business owners always amaze me." she sighed, focusing on the bar and then back to him a moment later. "I don't know how you guys put up with the people like me that show up and then leave very drunk after causing a scene." Not that she was one that caused a scene; she was known to be a partier where she could be but she wasn't exactly one that would consider herself a problem. Though this was Gia she were talking about; she'd been told she were a menace before. "I already know you have some of the best food and drinks in this place than." she stated, even if she hadn't made it out here yet. "But no, not exactly." she shook her head. "I've been in town for about six months, give or take." @mateoxtorres

Mateo studied the blonde woman as she spoke. He didn't know her, but there was a part of Mateo that could see her causing a scene and then leaving. Intentionally, or not, that was still to be decided. "I'd like to think so but I know that makes me biased." He shrugged his shoulders, "Well," he looked at the woman's vehicle before he turned back to the bar. "How about we test your theory on havin' the best food and drink and then we can take a look at your car. Then it's not biased for when I hopefully fix it up and then you eat and say that just because I helped you out." @giacalloway

"Yeah?" His brow raised curiously in her direction when she mentioned cooking for him. "I ain't the best cook but I've learned a few things over the years from the cooks at the pub." He handed off a plate to her, "Lots of things you do surprise me but never in a bad way." His admittance fell easily from his lips. "You are full of them, the surprises that is." Mateo's lips twitched with a smile. "But I promise I'm not complainin' about that or you. Not ever." @marixdominguez

"I think that's the one thing about being a parent we all as a collective group of people can agree on." Dakota nodded. Sure, no parent wanted their kids to be sick or get some sort of terrible heath problem, but, Dakota knew that aside from that, the one thing all parents could agree on was that they dreaded the day that their kids began questioning if what their parents had done had been genuine. "It's my biggest fear, right next to losing them." he nodded. "So I try really damn hard not to think about it; and it helps that I have a support system that reminds me every day just how great of a dad I am. It's why I try to do the same with my friends." he admitted, nodding towards Mateo to indicate he was talking about him specifically. "I'm just happy that yeah, we seem to have some time before those days roll around." he nodded. "I'm fortunate that I don't have to co-parent but I know Wyatt and Nel are both great people. I've worked with Wyatt on a few cases and that was enough for me to know what kind of people he surrounds himself with." Dakota nodded. "I'm glad you were one of the fortunate people that got a great hand in the co-parenting department." @mateoxtorres

Mateo nodded his head along to the words Dakota was saying. The thought of losing his son kept him up at night, in ways that he never imagined possible. "Yeah, it's good not to think about it. The what ifs in life are never good to think about in the first place." Mateo knew that from experience, time and time again. "That's always nice to have." He had one, a small one, but that's how he preferred to keep his personal life. Dakota was one of the few newer people he'd been letting into his thoughts. "Me too." He nodded his head, "They are great parents. I've got no worries with them." How could he? Nel had found a man that was better than he could have ever imagined being and that was what made him happy for her. What made him happy that Wyatt chose to stay even when the baby wasn't his. "I appreciate you, man, really." @dakotawhawkins

Gia nodded, taking a step to the driver's seat and pressing the button that did in fact pop the hood of her car. "It was smoking a little bit down the street. I pulled over and gave it a look but I didn't see anything that looked wrong." she stated. "So I continued and drove here and now it's making this weird sputtering sound." she exhaled. "I'm not sure if it's fixable but -" she shrugged. "Thanks for looking at it regardless." Truthfully, Gia knew she should probably just invest money in another vehicle instead of fixing this one, but, the convenience of having a car that was already paid off often blurred her vision. "This your place?" she questioned. Not for any reason aside from the fact that felt like a common occurrence in Kismet Harbor; people had a tendency to own places here. "I've always adored dive bars like this one." @mateoxtorres

A smoking vehicle was never a good sign to Mateo, but he kept that thought to himself. She had at least pulled over to check it out, even if she hadn't known what she was looking for. Mateo figured that was better than some might have done. "Yeah, not a problem." He told her with a slight nod of his head. Keeping busy with his hands was something that he did because he enjoyed it. His gaze shifted to the bar behind him, "Yeah, I've owned it for a few years now." He answered as he looked back to her. "Take it you're new to town?" @giacalloway

If anyone understood what he'd wanted when becoming a father and how important it was to make sure you're doing right by your children, it was Dakota. His own parents hadn't been terrible; if you took out the part where his dad tried to manipulate the entire family to believe things that weren't true and the fact that they divorced, though that would never be something he considered a 'keep away' from children as sometimes it was the only option for everyone to be happy. But even with parents as good as what Dakota would consider his, there were things he didn't want to do with his own children, though even then he wasn't perfect. "I just hope they know that everything we've ever taught them is for their own benefit." Dakota sighed. "I think it's the only thing as a parent we can really control." he spoke, nodding slowly. "Just know that if you ever need that confidence boost, man, I'll tell you you're doing great every time. Just like moms, us dads have to stick together too." @mateoxtorres

"I'm afraid for the day that it starts to get questioned, y'know?" Mateo's lips thinned in thought. "We were all teenagers once and listening to our parents was not high on the list of things I liked doin' before I had more free will and freedom, let alone when I did." He shook his head, "I just know there will be somethin' that we don't get along about and hell, it might just break my heart." The admittance fell from his lips well before he had thought it through. Clearing his throat, he gave the other a smaller smile. "Though, I guess I got chunk of time before I start really worryin' about that." "Yeah," he nodded his head, "I've met a few more days, so it's nice to have that kind of support. Especially co-parenting. Adds a whole different layer of complicated and Nel and Wyatt are great people." @dakotawhawkins