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After giving the coal a measuring squint, America a straightened and turned to give Caroline her classic winky-face fingergun combo. "I dunno, hun, was half expecting a person sized nine." And then, because she couldn't help herself, added, "Not a nine in person."

The cheesy grin turned to one of Oh no Oh gross when Melody turned away to go be fondled by the psychopath.

Harvard thankfully distracted her from either trying to intervene or just making juvenile gagging noises. "Yeah," the answer brightening her features. "You guys gonna be looking around for a place if they open it up?"

The compliment from Melody was met with a smile and a genuine 'thank you', and Caroline let her go on her way, not wanting to interrupt. America's greeting wouldn't have gotten such a thoughtful reaction - after that, she was going to interrupt anything she was doing right now.

"Really? 'Cause I knew I'd see a nine in person when you said you'd be here. No mistaking that from any angle." Though there was laughter in her tone and she was just teasing back, there remained some undeniable truth in it. As if to better her point, she shifted to one side and craned to get a different view, then sucked in air through her teeth, playfully feigning disappointment. "Ooh, nope, my mistake after all. Can definitely tell now that nine's too low for you. Forgive me, these eyes aren't as good at they used to be, but least they're still ******** gorgeous."

Not quite willing to give up on Stormy's attendance, she didn't press him for more at the moment, resolving to check the message again when she had a minute. But mixing up redheads and getting new houses were fun topics in the meantime, so she easily slipped into them.

"Mixed us up? Then we'd have a real Freaky Friday going here, wouldn't we?" She leaned back against Harvard with a wink and a nudge, and continued to ignore the hat for its inconvenience. "And I guess if we're just totally interchangeable, I'd have a nice house now too."

Lowering her voice to a more hushed tone, which was somehow meant to suggest she was being more serious, she added: "Promise I'm not gonna steal your house. But we--I do want one!" If she was ever going to stop being weird about answers that could be perceived as responding for both of them, it was not going to be today. "Wanted one since I got here, to make sure the kids from Delta had a good place to be...maybe some new reasons now. Made me want to help clean things up out there however I can. You like it out in the town?"

"Probably a lot." he said with a chuckle. "But it will be all the more fun to learn. I have had an interesting life." Shrugging off his jacket, he neatly set it aside and with a well practiced twist of his hand undid his cuff, requesting Melody's aid in rolling up his sleeve. This accomplished he set about a rather curious and careful process of putting the lotion onto his hand without the use of another hand to do so, intent and nimble as he used his knees and the missing hand to help.

"And oh I'm not quite a professional in the field but I had a lot of time to learn alternative therapies and it is very useful." he moved over to very gently set about rubbing the lotion across her skin, his touch surprisingly soft and considerate, applying pressure only tentatively. His hand was somewhat cold despite the warmth of the beach but quickly picked up her body heat instead.

"Is that all right?" he asked, still partially eavesdropping on the conversation about houses. He did not comment on how completely wrong the idea that Caroline and America were interchangeable was, considering it practically heresy.

There had been talk of a party on the beach and he hadn't exactly socialized much outside work. It also was noted that Jan was braving the Sun to go out, and he decided to do the same. If it was a bust, he could always just go free diving after.

His attire was far less simple then when he usually went to the beach. Dressed in black swim trunks with yellow accent lines on the side, sandels, and a light blue hoodie that helped partially cover his odd swirl scars, he checked his waterproof watch and stopped off at the greenhouse. He took a few peppers and onions and some rather stumpy corn (he really needed to see why they didn't grow as big) and washed them all before arriving at the beach with his bag.

The collection of people ranged from complete strangers to the worst assemblage of people around. His blue eyes walked the beach to see Horace with Okiver, making his stomach drop. Afterwards was the unmistakable white pristine image of Jan bent over some young woman and chuckling. Purple hair. It seemed like the host.

Eyes flickering away, he saw America manning a grill and a few people he didn't know. He turned and headed to the lesser evils and set his bag down in the back.

"Hello America." He said, lifting up a bag. "I brought vegetables." He refrained from saying they were from the greenhouse as people seemed to look down at local agriculture.

He looked to the two others he did not know. "Good afternoon."

He rubbed his face, wishing he hadn't gone into the sea with his glasses on. It had not been the wisest of decisions, and not his glasses were wet and he could hardly see. In this instance, it might be a blessing, however. "I'm not going to make you stay at this party thing, Oliver." He chuckled and it was perhaps only a little forced. He knew Oliver was out of his element and, while he personally thought that was a good thing, he wasn't going to drag Oliver into this misery boat if he really didn't wanna be here. Horace just had to put his game face on.

He looked at the group, noticing it had grown a bit, and frowned. Maybe it was a day for extra game face - even Melvin was here. But so was Caroline, and he hadn't had a chance to really meet her in person. The game she played on twitter with Lawrence was... odd. But then again, who was he to judge? He didn't even understand America's willingness to let Lawrence in close proximity to her as of late. Shaking his head, he headed over to the group, suddenly conscious of his bare chest. Maybe he should've worn a shirt, covered up things.

"Hey, so... I didn't die so I guess the water's alright. Hi," he squinted through watery glasses. "-Caroline, everyone." He was careful to stand far enough away that he didn't drip on anyone. "Anybody got a towel I can borrow. Lost mine." In truth, he'd dropped it on the beach somewhere and it had been a distressingly plain shade of beige. There was no way he'd find it if he couldn't even see properly.

Melody started to doze off at the surprisingly soothing process of sunscreen application. Even Lawr's question got a soft comfortable hum for an answer. Her eyes closed. That was until he suddenly stopped. She groggily shifted to lift her head slightly and looked for the source out of curiosity, eventually spotting blonde that seemed to be the source of the upset. She looked up at Lawr. "Who's that?" She was curious but too comfortable to figure it out for herself. Even more so when Lawr decided to continue, which may have resulted in a long drawn out sigh as she went limp.

America enjoyed the flirting the same way she enjoyed spilling into a particularly nice and breezy dress. It was comfortable and nice and suited her in a manner that was clear in the way she both brightened and relaxed under the light and friendly compliments.

"I'd be," she answered with genuine warmth, "pleased as anything to help you out in that. It's important," and here she has to turn away, on the pretense of grabbing some patties out of the cooler at her feet, "...for folks to have a good place here."

For a moment her voice tried to thicken, but Melvin's voice knocked whatever emotions lurking there right out of her throat. Looking up, she offered him a tight smile. "Thanks, Mel." And then, lowering her voice, "I'm not trying to start s**t here, but please don't help him do whatever he's planning with that trainee. She seems way too young in every possible way." She tilted her head toward where Lawr was turning putting on sunscreen into a massage parlor like this was a cheap ******** beach pick-up.

She added a smiling, "Thank you!" To try and be friendly and polite about it. She was trying here, okay.

The smile was turned toward Horace, Oliver, and Gretchen. "Hey folks, grab a drink. How y'all like your burgers? Got dome dogs and those little baggies of chips, too."

It wasn't a fancy sort of cookout by any means, just a very typical sort of day at the beach fare.