[ text message ] ➨ malia davis
thomas: hey, free for lunch or a coffee meeting within the next couple of days?
thomas: i got news for you
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Xuebing Du
Not today Justin
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Misplaced Lens Cap
DEAR READER

ellievsbear

Love Begins
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@thomasxastor
[ text message ] ➨ malia davis
thomas: hey, free for lunch or a coffee meeting within the next couple of days?
thomas: i got news for you
cleohalliwell:
It’s peculiar that Cleo flattered their way past the receptionist, although fashion will get anyone anywhere, and even managed to bribe the assistant. They suspect the latter portion of her plan was pure luck upon their arrival. First, who would say no to a random individual giving you a fifty-dollar bill? It’s particularly pocket change to her as they keep money for unpredictable moments that may unfold. Secondly, taking responsibility for your task by delivering to one of the company faces after receiving the said fifty-dollar bill. People might as well call her an unexpected miracle worker ─ or Oprah of the Astor Group. However, the latter may never come into play after today because their appearance on mainland California comes and goes in waves in the last couple of months. Alas, it would’ve been rude and unladylike (Evelyn’s words, not Cleo’s) if they didn’t show face to their lifelong friend.
And here they are, proceeding with the impromptu plan they crafted, making time to check in on the other. Every part of the blonde forgot the quip that existed on his behalf. It’s not like she thought of him as lifeless or not having a fun bone in his body, but in retrospect, these corporate figures tend to be….. well, boring. So to see him throwing back the punches, as he’s aware of the kind of personality and intimidation Cleo has upon people, makes them beam like a child on Christmas morning ─ even impact the nonexistent crease of their eye corners at the moment. For the first time in forever, the blonde stands in an expression that people beg to see more of.
“Thomas, I’m always nice!” The words come out in a menacing bark, retrieving the authoritative tactic they frequently wear upon nobodies. “I gave her fifty bucks.” Rather than accepting the act of kindness, she shifts before an inquisitive brow shoots toward Thomas. “It is nice, right? To give a random person money?” She pauses for a moment. In typical Cleo fashion, silence gets crushed by an action before wandering around the quaint, modernistic office in observation. It lacks warmth and desire to come into work ─ at least from their perspective, given the nature of her office in Catalina, there’s an overabundance of life in the four walls. But she’s not here to critique though it comes first nature.
Turning on their Gucci heel, her azure optics focus upon her friend as she begins to narrow the distance. Surprisingly, Cleo’s calm and collected externally but, in reality, becoming a marshland. “You know, I came here to talk to you about something, and before you interrupt, it’s not about your love life.” Though, with the lack of romance in their life, it doesn’t mean she isn’t happy or wanting to hear how it’s going for others. It’s just not the kind of conversation these friends will have this afternoon. So shoulders pinned back, hands intertwining themselves, deadpan words begins: “How much do I have to beg you to have a guest appearance on Saint Catalina’s revival?”
-
His brows knit together at her question, and he did not bother to answer upon that first statement. Nice, yes. Still, it did not make her presence any less intimidating, even Thomas sometimes forgot the full power of Cleo's effect, although always quite amusing to watch. “Yes, I mean is what we often call charity.” He says, gathering some of the papers that were laying on his desk and put inside the folder Cleo has bought along with her. A few signatures here and there, then he was done. “But,” he turns around to pour a glass of water before taking a seat on at the leather couch in the living space of his office. “not when you give them money for personal gain or in exchange for something... then, that’s just bribery.” It was just a playful a joke, of course. One that made Thomas’ lips curl upward into a smile, and not because he has clean his schedule for the rest of the week with the excuse of helping a friend, he was sure did not need one.
But of course, he imagined Cleo’s visit wasn't without a purpose, not one of this magnitude and in the middle of the day during working hours. At first, he imagined it had something to do with her own company, it got him hopeful for a minute, Thomas’ was not one to lie and say it hasn’t crossed his mind to bring his friend as an asset to his portfolio ─ especially now, and operating at this side of the country. “Well ─,” he raises a finger in the air but lips who were partially open to carry with the rest of the sentence, shut and curled into a sly smile when they mention his love life. Not that there was much to say, a date, an ex-girlfriend, some other dates and that was it. Yet, the last thing he expected to roll off their lips, making Thomas’ expression change completely, at the mention of the old reality show. “A lot.” It was his instant response, almost like a reflex. He could have said ‘no’ straight ahead, but he did not want the risk of the conversation to end so abruptly. “You know I’m camera shy, and the idea of seeing you beg for something is also amusing.” He explains. “I’m looking forward to seeing what I can get from this deal. Do I get my own trailer? Free Starbucks? Golfing cars to get to shooting spots? Hooking up with one of the old crew members? That’s good TV.” Apparently, he forgot the basics. The first rule of negotiation? Never tell them what you want.
gabbylivingston:
Starter for: @thomasxastor Where: Thomas' penthouse, Astoria - NYC When: March 15th 2021, 6pm
Gabby wasn’t even sure of what she was doing right now. Right before Thomas and her had agreed on dinner, he had been up and down, from New York to Los Angeles and back again. It had been impossible to arrange a date for dinner. He had asked if she was available tomorrow night, but what he hadn’t known was the fact that she was already seated first class on a plane from Los Angeles to New York - where Thomas was at that very moment - close to landing, to surprise him. She was cursing herself for doing something incredibly stupid, for something as simple as dinner. She was going to make it a lot more than just dinner this way and that was the last thing she wanted to push upon him. But she had made the flight to the other side of the country already, she was already at his hotel and she was nervous as hell as she asked the man behind the desk which room was of Thomas Astor. The man had been a little wary but he had given the number in the end.
The elevator ride was one that went by way too quickly and it took a moment before Gabby knocked on the door of Thomas’ hotel room. But when she finally did, the nerves became worse and only stopped the moment that the door was open and she was looking in Thomas’ face. “So hi, I hope you’re ready for dinner tonight instead of tomorrow.”
-
Rarely, he raises his voice or gets frustrated to the point of losing his calm during a negotiation, but this was something else. The conversation was far from coming to an end or even an agreement point, even after two hours have past since their first started. “This is ridiculous.” He says under exasperated sigh. It was Thomas’ last appointment of the day and as he hopes, the last one he has to deal in New York for awhile. Oddly, he is longing to get back to the other side of country for more than just a day or two. "— Well, if you are going to screw me over, then at least have the decency to buy me dinner first." He speaks to the phone laying on the table with the speaker on before he is forced to pick it up, even the doorbell caught him by surprise.
Confusion fell upon his features before he was able to wash it over and put a smile on his lips instead, when he answers the door. If Gabby hasn't pointed that they were supposed to, indeed, meet tomorrow and not tonight, Thomas could have believe he perhaps have missed an entire day on his schedule and was ready to apologize for forget their date. “Simon, let me call you back, alright? It seems like you won’t be buying dinner after all.” Thomas doesn’t wait for his associate to answer and ends the call, stepping aside to invite his new company inside his penthouse. “I don’t have any reservations for tonight but I’m sure we can arrange something, and if not the restaurant downstairs is fantastic.”
SPECIAL DELIVERY TO: @teresahazen
LOCATIONS: Teresa’s apartment
DATE & TIME: April 22nd around 9:46 pm
To change something on Thomas' agenda meant to change an entire chain of appointments and things that were millimetrically thought out within days in advance, yet there he was making a detour on his way to buy six boxes of pizza close to the Columbia campus before head back to Catalina. It was a perk not to have to give people an explanation, especially when Thomas himself wasn't one to eat out his planned meals. Six, two of Tereza’s favorite, and a few more in case he is walking on more than just her and possible roommates. It was a terrible idea, to pay a visit unannounced, in the middle of the week and in what will be late at night on the opposite coast.
Unexpectedly, he used the six hours flight to put the rest of work aside and rest being able to fall asleep for the biggest portion of it. Easily, he fell asleep as soon as the plane took off, only waking up to the flight attendant asking him to prepare for landing. A little more than six hours, from a plane to a helicopter and then, to the car and Thomas was back to Catalina, but this time he wasn’t going back to his apartment or to his mother's house — but he did a quick stop, pizza night without beer, and maybe those gross frozen creams called ice creams wasn’t pizza night. Peharps, it was also the time to text Tereza and at least, let her know he was about to arrive at place.
[ sent 9:40 ] thomas: open the door.
"I don’t do magic... yet,” he speaks with a slight nod as the door opens. “I do, however, own an airplane and just happen to be coming back from New York. It may not be as fresh, but I bet it taste as greasy and badly as you remember.”
cleohalliwell:
SPECIAL DELIVERY TO: @thomasxastor
LOCATIONS: Astor Group Offices ─ Los Angeles
DATE & TIME: April 19th around 3:30 pm
There’s one thing about owning a business: sleep is a rarity, especially the further one indulges in opportunities to become a household name. The lack of sleep is evident upon Cleo’s painted features as the blonde halts their steps to observe themselves in a building’s floor-to-ceiling windows in the glistening afternoon in Los Angeles. It’s a particular choice to study themselves, let alone groan aggressively at the slight smearing of mascara in the last twenty minutes, as people on the opposite side of the aperture can witness what she’s doing right now. Still, there’s no other location nearby because Cleo promised not to stray too far from their manufactures office and the plethora of topics they still have to endure to finalize when the sangria comes out ─ which is targeted for the end of May.
But the coincidence of this abrupt stop to check upon their appearance is the significance of it all: Astor Group. Instantly, a lightbulb goes off in their conscience, wondering if they’ll be able to make a rapid dash and unexpected visit on a friend ─ loosely and by association to Teresa. So why not try out their luck? After all, their mascara smears are no longer in existence as the bleached blonde always keeps a travel-sized Charlotte Tilbury concealer in their purse. Without any further hesitation and collected composure, Cleo waltzes down the path of the concrete sidewalk to the entrance to Astor Group Offices, ready to show up unannounced and fashionably, might they say.
After sweet-talking the receptionist with their choice of vintage Chanel, they managed to get permission to go up the lofty elevator, in which they were promptly greeted by a zip of assistants nearby. The fact they even got up here is most of the blonde’s plan. So, rapidly, she has to improvise, which luckily spots a slouched brunette hurrying past in the direction toward Thomas’s office, or so they suspect at this point. After little-to-no interrogation, slipping the brunette a $50 bill to get out of here, taking the documents in their possession as they waltz down the corridor to her friend’s office. A knuckle knocking against the hefty wooden door and a half-second of waiting out of common courtesy, she enters into space with a broad beam and mischievous, dancing brows. “Thomas Astor, you should be careful about the kind of security you have…” A tanned hand begins to wave the folders in their hand, only to set them down on the corner of his desk as lips purse. “.. because I convinced one of your assistants to hand this off to me like I was some higher-up, and she fell for it.”
-
The biggest contrast between Wall Street and Los Angeles is, perhaps, the humidity (of course, there are more, just not enough time to absorb and mention). In truth, Thomas has been crawling up the walls, flying back and forth between the two coasts, on top of having to get the location for the Astor Group running while their new headquarter on this side of the country is just on the paper. The constructors, the engineers, the architects, the projects, he had it all but what was missing was the tiny little detail of the land. How difficult can it be to find a place he could build on? And it could not be anything previously seen, as his grandfather and the board are constantly reminding him, to the point in, which he can, at this point, affirm, to hear their voices in the back of his head.
‘The Los Angeles’ headquarters must reflex and preserve the grandeur and the tradition on which this company was built upon while aiming to reach for the new influx of clients with a more diversified portfolio.'
Easy. Yet, he could not complain since he asked for this, right? The long hours put on now will pay off in the long run. New York doesn’t feel like home as it used to be, or if it ever did anywhere else. Truthfully, the closest Thomas has ever felt of being homesick to a place was from the island in Catalina and by doing all of this, the man could have a shot of having that feeling again. After all, part of his family was still there just like some of his friends (and a certain someone as he recently discovered). It felt right, but it did not mean it'd be any less easy.
Thomas passes on the green light message to the reception, to clear access, not that, whatever it was the two were talking probably wouldn’t have worked too, but he would not let that spoil the fun. In fact, the man will probably not even tell his friend and let her have this one. Since it was only a mere minutes before Cleo was coming to his office, he asks his secretary to hold his calls unless they are urgent and put any other mere of importance on a hold for at least a couple of hours. One thing, he was going to admit, Cleo Halliwell just gave him the perfect excuse to take a breath for today, and, maybe, for the rest of the week if he was lucky. Use this as a valid excuse to work from his phone in his recently rented apartment on the Island.
“Please, tell me you were nice, she is a temp and just got here.” He says with a fake gasp, pressing the bridge of his nose. “I can't afford to be left without an assistant.”
gabelivingston:
LOCATION — HALLWAY OF THEIR FLOOR (?). WHEN — MARCH 14TH. AROUND 2PM. CLOSED STARTER FOR THOMAS ASTOR.
Gabriel was restless, as usual, and Sundays seemed to only worsen his state of mind. He hated them. It wasn’t that other people were too busy for him, but the idea of bothering them just because he couldn’t sit still, didn’t bode well with him. He had thought about taking the kids from Georgina’s hands and take them for a walk, to the zoo, or maybe the aquarium, but his sister was a busy person and surely needed the weekend to spend some more time with her children— the thought alone made him let go of the idea.
He knew, as he laid there with his foot in constant movement even though it was not on the ground, that he only had one option left. Thomas. He would need to be slightly more insistent if he wanted the man to provide him with some company, but if there was one thing Gabriel could do with ease, was just that. He quickly got up on his feet and didn’t even bother shrugging on his jacket or even make himself presentable, there were only the two of them on that floor and with bare feet he walked up to Thomas door, knocking with his good hand. “Thomas, are you there?” He called out, praying that he would be. ( @thomasxastor )
-
The carry-on bag was sitting in the middle of the living room with the rest of his stuff still packed in boxes all over the newly rented apartment when he stumbled past to get through the door. Thomas has just arrived back from yet, another trip to New York, and was ready to the possibility to have to leave again in the morning or, in the very least, spend the next week in Los Angeles. It was visible, the exhaustion in which he was, both physically and mentally; today of all days, he just wanted to be, maybe pop upon a beer and catch up with whatever it was on television. For a second, the consider to ignore the knocks on the door but the voice on the othr of it made him reconsider his choice. “Don’t tell me you are out of sugar or something?” He jokes, hoping is nothing out of the sort, because between the mess of unpacked boxes and the empty takeovers trash. Thomas is almost certain the only thing he has in the fridge is a six pack and water.
[ text message ] ➨ baby livingston
thomas: about that dinner, you are free tomorrow night 7pm?
[ text message ] ➨ hazen
thomas: what if i told you i have nyc pizza with me right now?
#the fact that he literally cannot say no to her (7/?)
𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. @teresahazen
dolorom:
LOCATION › a bar in avalon. TIMESTAMP › march 14th, 2021. 9:15 pm. NOTES › open starter for @catalinastarter. 0 / 5.
they’d been outside the bar, about to enter, when it’d all seemingly gone awry. or perhaps the tension among their small group, having built up throughout the day’s festivities, had reached its breaking point. a vibrating strand stretched so taut it’d finally snapped, leaving the woman alone, enraged, and in tears. why couldn’t her siblings and herself get along? in a haze, her mascara likely beginning to run, oblivious to whatever bystanders may have witnessed the siblings’ altercation, dolores watches her sister, her brother and his girlfriend stalk off toward the marina. and though she’s fuming and feels a slew of swear words coming on, dolores lets out a groan before heading inside.
she’s storming toward the restrooms, tears still brimming in her eyes, and doing her best to navigate the crowded establishment. it’s karaoke night: something that might’ve been fun if her evening hadn’t been ruined. somehow, she supposes, she should’ve known it would turn out this way. meeting up with her siblings had almost always been a disastrous pursuit and, to make her odds doubly worse, she NEVER had good birthdays — celebrations always went downhill one way or another. the thought saddens her even more so, and just as her lip’s about to tremble someone steps back the very moment she steps behind them.
the collision sends her reeling toward the floor, balance already off from the handful of bars she’d hopped around to before, and dolores feels the tiara atop her head lose its place. it, along with the phone in her hand, clatter away in opposite directions. another groan then — frustrated — as she lets out, ❛ fucking of course. ❜
-
No one told him this was Karaoke Night and he has successfully managed to skip aside and laid against the bar counter, enjoying the show from afar — it was in everyone's best interest that he does so. Thomas could carry a tune, string a few chords on a guitar and risk the piano, but all of that has been done in the safety of a room where he would never allow himself to pass the embarrassment to expose himself to judgment. He was already planning his scape route, an Irish goodbye, leaving without having anyone notice you or whatever it was they did, but as he steps back, he feels the collision of his body with someone else. Of course, again, the pleasure of spreading his beverage to the ground, even though this time it was mostly his fault and to his luck, not a drop has gone to his clothes.
The man turns around, quickly to check the damage but only to find the girl reeling towards the floor, and for a second he is left without reaction before he kneels to help her recollect her phone. “Forgive me, I was trying to leave without being notice but I guess I just help to cause a scene instead.”
teresahazen:
It tickles, when he closes the space between the two of them and his hand lands on the small of her back. As if his fingertips were pure fire, the touch does not only leave her skin burning through the fabric of her dress — it sets her alight. If his presence isn’t distracting enough in its essence alone, Thomas always finds a way to occupy her every thought. Consciously so or not. There’s goosebumps running down her back, all while she mimics the faint smile that paints his features. “It’s been more than four years since I’ve been back, and I am still a little surprised myself,” she concludes, her sentence ending with a sigh. Teresa, wide-eyed and barely eighteen years of age, couldn’t wish for anything but to get away from this very place. She still remembers the inherent urge to experience independence, explore her talents beyond the confinements of Catalina Island. She never felt more free than the moment she boarded that flight to New York, hands trembling with excitement as much as fear (flying still did that to her). She didn’t imagine she would even return, not of her own accord at least, but fate has its way of surprising you. That fact was proven time and time again, the man right by her side serving as the perfect example. “I actually don’t mind it as much. Being here makes me feel a little more grounded again, I guess. It sounds a little stupid, maybe, but it’s just — by being here I think I am doing better than I have in a while.” And those words couldn’t ring more true. She can’t deny the fact that sometimes there’s still a lump in her throat as she walks past an old family friend, or someone drops her mother’s name in conversation. Not even time could make that any easier. Still, she has Catalina, and many of the familiar faces around the island, to thank. For their patience, for their bits of wisdom and advice that sometimes she doesn’t ask for but desperately needs.
She doesn’t know what she expects him to respond. Busy, that is likely the straightforward, meaningless answer that he serves everyone who asked out of courtesy. She hasn’t ever seen him speechless, though. “It’s okay to not know how you feel about everything,” she responds, quietly, yet in attempt to put him at ease. She doesn’t know if she succeeds, after all she finds it hard to calm her own jitters, but she hopes he knows nonetheless that he can always be that honest with her. Regardless of the events of the past, regardless of the fact they may not have spoken for the longest time. “Do you have time to figure out how you feel about it? I mean — are you staying here a while, or do you have business elsewhere soon?” A wedding, perhaps. She doesn’t want to explicitly say those words, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about them.
-
And again, as if they were involved in that private little bubble of them as soon as Thomas claims the seat next to her, taking a sip of wine but still paying close attention to every word that tumbles past her lips. His attention was undivided, he did not even mind if his mother or Oliver were prying behind them with curious pair of eyes and ear — they were safe. Because there was more to be spoken than the words, like the way his lips turned into a blissful smile when Teresa says she has been better than she has been in a while, grounded and maybe happy? That made his heart flutter? Again, maybe, if there were such thing, a foolish concept of a teenager dream or of a once upon a time history, then yes, Teresa Hazen made his heart flutter. Yet, a voice in the back of his head was ready to jump and remind that, maybe, it was just cause they had turned into the best decision to be apart and that being apart made it better, for both of them. “It’s not stupid if it makes you feel on a better version of yourself.” He admits in a husk voice. “That’s all I - that’s all we ever wanted for you.” Thomas couldn’t be selfish and say this was his to claim, or a victory to count, still hurts the last two times they saw each other wasn’t the best memories he carried of them and he would much like to replace them with better ones. Yet, he could not have been grateful to have Teresa with him in San Francisco, after the whole fiasco of Conrad’s death.
“Are you really going to marrying Amelia?” Those words, his response still hunt him to this day. It should have been right there that the man had disclosure the information that he no longer, had the intention to marry someone he was nowhere to feel the same as he once felt, of what love is supposed to be like.
“ — I moved here.” Thomas finally admits, the words uttered in a more quickly and uneven tone than he expected. He was surprised his mother hasn't broken the news to her yet, he has to take a quick look over his shoulder to see if the woman is shoulder to be found before his eyes fall back into his company. “I’m opening a new head office for the Astor Group in the West Coast, in LA to be more specific and since I’m not really sure I can pass as a 90210 character, I decided it was better to stay in Catalina and take the back and forth fly from the island to the city.”
avahalliwell:
Catalina was a stark contrast from New York City, away from the hustle and bustle, known for its secludedness even when the mainland across the ocean grew too busy for anyone’s liking. Even as Ava returned to the island initially for a safe haven, it most certainly helped to see friendly faces around, that she did not have to stubborn bear her burdens on her own.
“Should I consider myself lucky that the Thomas Astor is making me a drink right now?” Ava teased, a brow raised as she watcher her friend poured out her drink with confidence. “How did you convince the bartender to let you go behind the bar?” She couldn’t help but ask, the sight of Thomas before her was different in comparison to their time back in New York City, although that seemed like an eternity ago. “That’s true. But aren’t you getting tired of the hotel food yet? If you’re sticking around for long, there’s plenty of nice places here.” Nothing against the Atwater, but she wondered if he would feel more at home had he found somewhere to settle in. Her gaze fell to the drink before her, before reaching out and bringing the glass to her lips, taking a sip from it. “Oof,” She coughed slightly, before her smiled broadened into a grin. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”
♔
“I’d not use the word lucky, honored? Maybe.” A pair of seafoam hues narrowed as he glanced towards the opposite side of the bar to the man organizing the glasses, previously (trying to) teaching him the art of bartender. Maybe her question was one to remain unanswered or maybe it was true and he was getting too comfortable around the hotel, yet he gives her a sightly shrug of the shoulder. The food isn’t as bad too, and he can order out and he has his mother’s house to rescue him in times of need but just as he is about to part his lips and let the words roll out, he prevents himself to do so. Instead, a chuckle falls off when he gets her reaction after the first sip. "Absolutely,” he utters, in a tone of foreign confidence. “but please, still put a get a big tip for the bartender, his lessons were great and I had an absolute amazing time messing the drinks up. He deserves it.”
maliaplayer1:
Who: @thomasxastor Where: Can Boix in Ventura When: March 9 at 1pm
“I just want my fucking company to myself. I don’t understand what the huge problem is.” Malia said, frustration lacing her words. It was named Davis Gaming Company after all. It had her name on it! Everything that it profited should be hers. Of course, she had needed investors in the beginning. It wasn’t easy to be a woman starting a company in her early twenties. Bank loans were outrageous and refused her before she could even put her application in. She didn’t have her family’s money to fall on because she was still raising her little sisters and they were never rich. Tommy had cut his family off after they said negative things about Malia and their upcoming marriage at the time. There were no resources for Malia to pull on at the time so she had to take the money the Astors had given her after reviewing her business proposal and proving herself to them.
It was twenty years later now, and Malia felt as though she had earned full ownership of her company. If only they would release their shares to her and she would own one hundred percent of her business. It would be something to pass on to the twins when they were older. She wasn’t sure if they would want it. Maybe Tahlia. Tahj was so wrapped up in being like his dad that he probably would go into law enforcement in some way, shape, or form. She wanted them both to have the option though. Something they could own if they wanted it. “I’ve offered them royalties for the rest of time itself and they still refuse my proposals. What the hell am I doing wrong, Thomas?” she asked as she cut into her short ribs and took a few bites.
♔
And this, is was why he wasn’t looking forward to this meeting. As he takes a long gulp from his water, letting an exasperated sigh passes by his lips when she voices him his question, he feels the little pang on the back of his head for yet not coming to a solution to this issue. Partly, it greediness, but it also came with the terms of not giving the best counter-argument to want to get rid to one lucrative asset. One that did not involve his personal feelings towards the owner.
“Absolute, nothing,” he assured her. If this was anyone else, the conversation would be going very different and those words would never come out of his mouth but this was not anyone, this was someone he’d consider a friend and Malia’s business was the first pitch he brought to the table when he was just a kid pleading for a seat at the adults table. Back then, Davis Gaming wasn’t one of the most valuable assets under Thomas's management nor a good flux of income to its remaining shareholders in the Astor Group, and that included one Howard Astor ─ Thomas’ grandfather. Howard was the biggest buyer and if he did not flinch, not even an inch, no one would follow (and in this case they were right to not do so when the company remained a lucrative one). “I know it’s frustrating but what if I ask you to trust me, would you?” It was in his best interesting to have them sell, to keep the royalties and send the money to the private investments of the family, especially after their last acquisition and one that Thomas plans to use as bargain to give Malia and the twins, what they deserve. “We may just need to have to get on a plane to New York, soon.”
Adam Huber photographed by David Higgs for Vulkan Magazine
bobbicarm:
Bobbi shrugs hopelessly at Thomas’s prompt for more about the music and poetry she’s written. “What is there to say? I’m still writing love songs about people I loved when I was twenty-seven. The only new life material I’m working with is a dead mother. Still the same old crippling insecurity and endless depth of loves that never panned out.” And Thomas knew that all too well. She was a cavern of love that never seemed to go anywhere. All being dumped into people that either didn’t deserve it or weren’t right. As much as she wanted them to be. Only now she was dealing with her failures and her grief and in truth, it put a new light on a lot of her past loves.
But she presses herself against the counter and holds her glass close to her lips when Thomas speaks of his life. She smiles about his PhD, but it fades when he gets to the rest. Engaged? And then not. She doesn’t plan to let that one slide but of course, the death of his father pulls at her most. She knows it’s not really cause for condolences, given the man’s nature. She puts her glass of wine down, crosses her arms over her chest, and looks at his with a serious curiosity. “I mean, Christ, I go for two years and you live an entire lifetime.” Exactly what she was afraid of. He was getting on without her. “What exactly is this mess you’re fixing of his?” She just hoped Thomas wasn’t being forced into something that made him extremely unhappy.
♔
“Love songs are what makes the world goes around, Bobbi.” He says with a shrug, almost sounding like Oliver when he repeated those exact words to a young Thomas back in his younger days. And he was right, or at least he had a very good argument to back up his point. To Oliver, everything was a love song, but that was a concept that Thomas himself could not begin to explain, perhaps if you throw a few numbers and talk about how much you can monetary on it, then he can go on but not on the artistic view that his step-father was coming from. The other half of her sentence, he did not exactly know how to point, Thomas did not know her mother even if he stood there while his friend burry the woman and the endless depth of loves that never seems to go anywhere? Well, that was something else. “ — or something like that. Something Oliver used to tell me.” He adds.
The mix of emotions that passed on her features for a total of a few seconds with the revelations took a chuckle to come from his lips, hoarse and deep sound and even a bit amused when Bobbi questions the nature of said mess. “It’s a good one, I’m seriously considering selling the rights of my life history to one of those Hollywood screenwriters to make a movie out of it.” It was supposed to be a joke, he even adds a sarcastic tone too but his lips remain a straight line. “I have a half-brother, which would be okay, right? If your parents are a normal divorced couple and your father is a fucking sociopath but — Conrad dies and just put the fucking entire will in my name as me being his only heir and executor. So, there am I at my engagement party, and this guy calls to tell me, a great dream of mine comes true, he is finally gone, and probably my nightmares are over but no, I have to fly to fucking San Francisco to deal with his wife and son. Of course, I did not want anything from him but I could not just say that, I had to go there and met his new family, sat there and watch them and be at the funeral.”
avahalliwell:
Knowing it’d been a while since the pair caught up with each other, Ava made it her mission today to seek out Thomas while she happened to stumble across some free time after work. To her dismay, her dear friend still had no permanent address on the island, but rather, she found herself turning into the familiar car park once again. As patrons filed in and out of the building on this Friday night, the brunette was on her way to the reception before she caught a flash of familiar brown locks before changing direction towards the bar instead. A poised brow raised as she approached the bar, the corners of her lips arched into an amused smile as he greeted her. “Thomas Astor,” She greeted back. “I would’ve never thought you’d take on bartending. But I’ll take a gin and tonic.” She took up an empty bar stool before him. “You know, I think you’re making yourself far too comfortable here.”
♔
One thing he needs to admit, it’s nice to see familiar faces all around the island and more than just a few acquaintances here and there. Catalina had a sense of something that he doesn’t can quiet describe, as much as he loves New York, is was different and it was a different comfort to stay in the island, going on in a different pace.
"Neither have I but back in college I was very good at it, of course back there it was simpler than preparing a gin and tonic — ” He smiled shyly, holding a finger up in the air before turn back to gather the right amount of each and pour in the cup for her. “And I’m starting to think that too, but is no that bad. I have everything I need a phone call away and besides, a great restaurant and bar just downstair. Is not that bad, not that bad at all.” But not ideal, he should add, in truth, he was growing tired of the view of his room. “I don’t think this is great.” He admits with a laugh, looking down at the drink in the front standing between them, maybe a bit much a gin then tonic and missing those right adornments.
gabbylivingston:
Gabby shook her head and motioned with her hand when Thomas offered her the words that many had said to her in the years before already. “Don’t be, I’m okay with it.” Okay, she was far from okay with it. But that was not something that she was going to tell him or anyone else for that matter. She was happy that they could talk about something else than what had happened to her and in her life. Talking about things that bothered her was not a strength of hers at all.
The brunette smiled up at the man walking next to her when he corrected her on it being the anniversary of his parents. The smile faded off her face, an expression of surprise appeared on her face instead. Gabby had not seen that coming. “You are moving here?” She repeated, not being able to hide the surprise in her voice. But there was also a bit of joy hearable in her voice, she was only hoping that Thomas would not catch that. “So I will be seeing more of you in the future then, I guess?” And she had been unable to hide the hopeful tone in her voice as well.
♔
He wasn’t on to dwell over events, if he did perhaps he would have gone insane by now or worse but there were also situations in which the case, maybe, invest a little better and not supreme the emotions could have made him go distances. Gabby Livingston was one of those, but that were subjects intersecting itself and perhaps a note to the notepad of a therapist that Thomas would never consult. But yeah, he got it, so he moves on to the next topic just as she wishes. And it seem to be better that way when he caught an expression of surprise upon her features, but not that it indicates a bad one.
“Yes.” He keeps it simple, why go further into saying he has moved already and was living in a hotel for months? And the difficulty of finding himself a decent house or one he likes enough to decide upon? Because, again, yes, he is moving and it seems to be permanently (he knows it wants it to be). “Well, I’m still a very busy man and get to go back and forth from LA, here and sometimes New York but yes, so don’t get tired of me okay?” And there it was again, a smile at the corner of his lips. “If you are free at any time, I’d love to finally get you to dinner.”