(open)

[jamesthorn]

When his father said he wanted to throw a formal dinner party for Daniel and his new girlfriend Amelie Coombs, what he really meant was --- James needs to throw a dinner party for Daniel and his new girlfriend Amelie Coombs. Because his father's dealings in the affair was simply calling James and yelling about caterers and invitations and place settings. While ordinarily his father is quick to hire event planners to handle this type of thing, this is one event where secrecy is key. No one wants this mingling of sides to become public knowledge until it's absolutely necessary. His father is attempting to make nice for Daniel, but who knows if that's actually going to happen. Plus, some of his father's reputation and business dealings hinge on the fact that he's not exactly pro-witches or pro-magic, and to be seen with any of the Coombs family would be scandalous to say the least.

James understands all that, but still, the absolute last thing he cares about is a dinner party for Daniel and his girlfriend. Coombs or not. But, he does it, not for his father, but for his brother. Who knows how serious Daniel even is about this woman, but James cares about his brother too much to not help out.

That's the only reason he spends his day off running errands all over town trying to get all the last minute arrangements made. His last stop is his normal suit shop out on the northside of town. Everything's being done too late, but the family tailor always manages to squeeze them in. The one thing James does care about is the fact that Davin agreed to accompany him for the night, and so he hopes to look his best.

It's been too long since he's had any semblance of a date, but he likes Davin and he's anxious to see how the evening goes. His tailor assures him that his suit will be delivered in time for the dinner, and after paying his bill, he steps out onto the busy sidewalk. Heading in the direction of Seaside Bakery so he can grab a quick coffee, he pulls out his phone and checks through the list of errands he was supposed to finish.

OOC: Find James grumpily running all over town preparing for the Thornton / Coombs dinner party that is coming up. His father is attempting to make nice with Daniel's new girlfriend, but it's probably going to be a disaster.

Rest assured James is probably super grumpy.

Comments

[dj_esebel]

"Rule number three, wear your heart on your cheek...But never on your sleeve, unless you wanna taste defeat..." Audrey sings, nodding her head toward passersby when they drop change in her guitar case. "Rule number four...~"

Grinning, she keeps strumming her guitar, leaning back against the wall. If she does well busking like this, maybe she can treat herself to a steak or something tonight. Or convince Les to buy her one.

"Gotta be looking pure. Kiss 'em goodbye at the door, but leave them wanting more. 'Cause this is how to be a heartbreaker..."

[jamesthorn]

Technically, James is off-duty, but more importantly, there are zoned areas near the public park where these artsy types can perform. Uptown, with all its upscale shops and rich clientele, isn't the place for it, and SCPD often receives calls from the shop owners in this part of town with complaints. He pockets his phone and goes up to the woman with a frown. "Ma'am, you can't solicit here. These are private businesses," he explains shaking his head.

[dj_esebel]

"I'm not soliciting. I'm playing music with an open guitar case on the ground," Audrey replies cheekily. "I am entertaining and donations are welcome."

She smiles and bats her eyelashes before looking into the shop window. "And that's my friend in there. She gave me permission, in writing. So. Any requests?"

[jamesthorn]

Glancing into the window, James sees the store attendant helping one of her customers. He puts his hands on his hips, giving Audrey a once over, because she just doesn't look like the type of person someone would want hanging out in front of their store. Not on this side of town.

He ignores her question about song requests. "Lemme see this paper then," he says, skeptically, not believe her at all. "If you have it."

[dj_esebel]

Audrey doesn't even bother to pretend she's not showing off her rear as she conspicuously bends over to rummage through her knapsack. Smiling, she slowly returns to stand upright as she presents her busker's paperwork.

"You done frowning?"

[davin]

Okay, so. He's going on a date with James. A date which also happens to be dinner the Thorntons. The Thorntons. There's no way that his one suit is nice enough for this.

Fuck.

He's considering dropping one of his paychecks on a new suit, and getting a haircut, and maybe some new shoes. Oh god, he can't do this. He's going to be so embarrassing. He can't even pronounce his g's.

But then he rounds a corner and he sees James standing there with a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, looking adorably grumpy. Davin relaxes at the sight, a smile gracing his face as his shoulders drop from their tensed position.

Davin wanders up while James is distracted by something on his phone and plucks the coffee from his hand, taking a sip and waiting for him to react.

[jamesthorn]

James doesn't notice Davin until his coffee has already been stolen mid-sip, and he looks up, realizing he's been absorbed in this text message war with his father for the past five minutes. When he sees it's Davin, he manages a smile because it's good to see someone not pissing him off at the moment.

"Did you just steal my coffee?" he asks, pointing at the coffee in Davin's hands and he's already drinking it. "You can't steal from the police. It's really not good."

[davin]

"One thing you'll learn about me is that when it comes t'coffee, nothin' stands in my way." He takes another sip and then laughs before handing it back over. "Oh, but have an in with the cops. This super attractive officer kinda digs me, from what I hear."

He winks and blushes at the same time, smiling brightly and moving in closer. "So what's got ya lookin' grumpier than usual? Anythin' I can help with?"

[jamesthorn]

"Is that what you heard? I wonder who told you that," James grins back at him, amused, forgetting for a moment what's put him in such a foul mood this morning. He doesn't move away when Davin steps in closer to him, instead he just shakes his head leaning over to show him his cellphone screen. His inbox is pulled up and there are thirty messages from his father about this damn dinner party.

He just sighs. "Dinner plans," he explains. "I'd just rather be doing, literally, anything else. But, considering the list I had, I'm almost finished." He looks over at Davin putting his phone away. "What about you? Out shopping?"

[davin]

"I can't reveal my sources," Davin says with a laugh, just watching James for a moment. He really does have a gorgeous smile, and Davin's happy to have been able to put it on his face.

He looks down at the screen when James shows him the phone and frowns a little. He was already nervous about this party and that certainly doesn't help. He's never met the eldest Thornton, and he can't help but to feel like he's going to be little more than a young, rough around the edges mechanic in the man's eyes.

"Uh, yeah. I was thinkin' about gettin' a new suit, actually. I mean, I have a suit, 'cause every grown man needs one, I think, but I don't think it's nice enough." He's obviously a little nervous and it shows in his wide amber eyes, but he smiles. It's a lot of pressure for what's supposed to be a first date, but he can handle it. "I wanna look nice, y'know? Fit in. I know you're stressed about this an' I just wanna help make sure it goes well."

[under_the_radar]

Daniel shouldn't be surprised when he runs into a harried looking James. He knows Father has been hassling his older brother but he doesn't expect the look of death James gives him when he sees Daniel.

Daniel in turn gives him a sheepish grin. "James. Anything I can help with?"

[jamesthorn]

With narrowed eyes, James tugs Daniel by his shirt sleeve around the corner where the sidewalks are less busy with shoppers. He folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head. "You want to help me? Really? How about you not dating a woman Father hates?"

[under_the_radar]

"Sorry, not going to happen. You and Father are going to have to get used to it at some point." Daniel said, lifting his chin slightly in defiance. He didn't want his big brother to be mad at him but he wasn't about to back down about Amelie when he genuinely cared for her, for someone else for the first time in his life because Father was being an asshole as usual. "I'm asking if I can help and take some of the load. If you want me to just go back to not giving a shit, I can absolutely do that."

[jamesthorn]

James tosses an arm quickly around Daniel's shoulders. "No, you don't. You aren't getting off that easy. You realize I've had to plan every detail of this dinner, right?" he asks.

[under_the_radar]

Daniel looked at the arm on his shoulder and then up at his brother. This wasn't going to end well. "Why don't you just hire the organiser? She handled last Thanksgiving really well."

[astra_inclinant]

Mira has her loyalties: her money goes to Orchard House for any baked goods, but given that she's got an event to plan, has developed a serious unwillingness to go to sleep and isn't sleeping well when she does, she doesn't see the harm in grabbing another coffee today.

She's texting Davin one-handed, holding her coffee in the other, and shouldering her way out the door when she nearly runs into someone who is also attached to their phone.

She backs up, juggling her coffee so it ends up splashing her hands. "Aw, fuck." At least it's not all over her phone, or the very nice coat of --

-- James Thornton. Speak of the devil. She blinks at him and leans on the door to let him in. "Um."

[jamesthorn]

James doesn't see the woman exiting Seaside until he's already stumbled into her. He wasn't paying attention. Instead, he'd been texting with Father trying to decide on the appropriate dinner fare for meeting the family you despised. It had come down to seared salmon or filet mignon.

"Sorry," he apologizes. He holds up his phone with an apologetic smile. "I wasn't looking. Lemme buy you another," he offers heading up to the counter, already pulling out his wallet.

[astra_inclinant]

"Oh, you don't have to -" she protests automatically, part of her instinctively chafing at anyone paying for her. It feels a little like charity. She went to school with all these families, she's pretty sure the coffee won't be missed and that's the reason it feels itchy.

Also because your best friend's new boyfriend-thing shouldn't pay for your drinks. Or something.

But he's already at the counter ordering, and she needs the caffeine, and she sighs and grabs some napkins. "Same thing, Mira?" the barista asks.

"Yeah, thanks. " she says. "Thank you," she tells the frazzled detective, "you didn't - have to do that. Busy day, I guess?"

[jamesthorn]

Putting away his wallet, James shakes his head at Mira with a smile. "It's not a problem considering I ran into you," he says. "Busy, you could say that. Yeah." The barista places the drink she ordered on the counter, and he picks it up and hands it over. "Sorry again," he tells her.

[astra_inclinant]

She might have nicknamed him Grumpycat behind his back when Davin was at peak pine, but his smile is really cute and she warms a little from defensive don't-charity-me position. "Don't keep apologizing, seriously," she says. "It's all good, I wasn't looking either. I've got an event at work I'm supposed to be running in a week, I get the busy."

"Speaking of," she says, taking a sip of her mocha and glancing up at him, "I feel obliged to ask you what your intentions are with my best friend, etc etc."

[keirasullivan]

Carrying the newest law donations from asshole Neal Douglas back to the library, Keira let out a soft oof as someone knocked into her and sent her books flying. A someone with an amazing ass.

"Slow down hot- oh it's you. Detective Super Grump, lovely running into you as always." Keira drawled, bending down to pick up the books. "Care to give me a hand seeing as you're too busy to use your eyes."

[jamesthorn]

An apology is on the tip of his tongue, but then he sees it's Keira Sullivan and it dries up. All he does instead is grimace at her presence. She is peskily irritating, and he doesn't see how it's entirely his fault that she plowed into him.

"I actually was in the middle of something, and you ran into me," he accuses making no effort to help her with her books.

[keirasullivan]

"Was it the middle of you removing the stick from up your ass? Because is it Christmas because that surely is a holiday miracle." Keira drawled, looking up at him and rolling her eyes before forcing books into his arms. Civil duty apparently died out with the cops, should've figured. Most of them were all assholes to Sullivan's. "Carrying my weight in books, so I'm pretty sure you ran into me. You can help me carry them, civil duty and all. I'm taking them back to the library to be processed."

[jamesthorn]

James is surprised when books are literally shoved at him, and he grunts under the sudden force and weight. There are people passing by on the sidewalk because the two of them and her book disaster are in the way and blocking foot traffic, and he smiles and nods politely then turns on Keira with a sourface.

"It's not civil duty if I don't want to help you. I'm also off the clock." But there are still being books forced at him and he just kind of stands there dumbly. "Hurry up, I have stuff to do," he says crossly.

[keirasullivan]

"That's exactly what it is, you think people do duty because they want to help? Nope, that's not it at all. Besides buck up, could be worse. It could have been the stamp catalogues not the law journals, those suckers weigh a tonne." Keira replied, brushing her straightened hair out of her face before placing the last one on top of his arm full. Smiling as he stared and practically scowled at her, Keira patted him on his arm (which was you know nice for a cop) and grabbed her own books. "You actually have hobbies outside staring, scowling, and generally being a sourpuss? Huh. Interesting. So, what kind of stuff does a detective do anyway?"