Carlos Hazday

Those will come into play when the paparazzi use telephoto lenses to catch him an Owen at a nude beach somewhere. Epic lawsuits for invasion of privacy will follow.

We'll see... I don't have anything else ready to post right now, but should be able to scrape a chapter or two together before CDMX concludes.

CJ can handle the cocktail party BS, but I suspect he'd rather be watching a sporting event with his friends. I really want him to go from rags to black-tie seamlessly and be able to function in either world.

You made me realize I don't know why it's called Foggy Bottom... Google? Mr. Google?

I love her 'I'm taking no more crap from you' attitude. In some ways, that's CJ. One other reason I included the song.

The end justifies the means, comrade.

I'm seeing Hoover's secret files and Nixon's enemies list. @MyrPosted two world building summaries recently that I enjoyed. In one, he gave descriptions of the CIA and the FBI. Knowing this chapter would post today, those made me laugh. CJ and Owen had a Russian Intelligence officer and FBI and CIA agents in his apartment for cocktails. I'll bring in the Brits in soon, and Mossad in the next book.

Her father who calls her a fat bitch? You now something? Sometimes events surprise us when they come out of nowhere. Maybe it was a terrible twos tantrum, maybe it was something else. Did I make things clearer?

The chapter started with a congenial gathering and deteriorated once most guest departed. I wanted to close this one with a light scene. I think it worked.

You think Russian intelligence agents are going to worry about a little human any more than they would be concerned with large ones? They won't be distracted from their primary goal by such things. Not that the CIA, MI6, BND, Mossad or any of the other major intelligence services would do anything different.

Yeah well, I think most of the real people I've used as inspiration/reference are straight anyway. The real CJ's dating some hot Peruvian woman, but I hope it fails and he needs someone to comfort him. I have a feeling there'll be a line to volunteer.

I had them drinking cava during brunch in the suite at the Mandarin Oriental. But I may have implied they used it for mimosas before Ritch showed up.

@JACC Perfect. I've had them mention drinking Rose in the summer before and want to do it again. Mateus rings a bell but can't recall if I've tried it. You bet I'll be looking for it.

Vega Sicilia!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you. I'll check the others out too. I plan on using Portuguese, French (Champagne), Spanish, and Italian wines in that story. Kinda keeping them in line with the area. The Riberas sound intriguing. May have to check out the liquor store. A lot of the real wines (the reasonably priced ones) I've used in the story, I've tasted before, during, or after I include them. Do you have a favorite Portuguese sparkling rose? Something to sip while lounging in the sun after lunch.

Forgot these. Although CJ and Owen still fit the descriptions tying them to the actors, I've changed a few over the years. For Brad Kennedy, google Race Imboden. For Ritch, check out Dylan Sprayberry.

In case any of you haven't googled it yet...

Well hot damn! Nice way to start 2022 with an appearance from you. That line alone makes the entire song a masterpiece. particularly the way she delivers it.

I have paella inked in for Cesar's birthday dinner. Can you line up the flamenco dancers? As for wine, there's a particular Spanish one I'm trying to remember name and vintage. Not a Rioja, it was and incredible red I had years ago. Liked it so much I bought a couple of cases.

Yeah, well, nobody ever accused Russian spies of being subtle or considerate.

LMAO - I got lucky when I used those guys as initial models, except for CJ and Owen being a bit bulkier and having different tattoos, the resemblance is still there.

CJ @ 30 and Owen @ 35 (both actors are 30 in the images) As far as my stories are concerned, those pictures were taken at a vermuteria in Barcelona. Right @JACC? LMAO

HNY For CJ, I based some of his looks on Maxi Iglesias, and as both the character and the actor have aged, the reality has sort of matched the fiction. Same for Owen. I think he resembles Alexander Ludwig. As of today, both are 30, so their ages don't correspond, but I can see CJ looking a lot like Maxi does at 30 when our guy reaches that age. Check the CDMX forum thread. I'll share something in a moment.

@Howzat A long time ago @spike382 commented about one of my characters nearly piercing the 4th veil. That comment has stuck with me over the years, and I wanted to do something similar. But, of course, CJ and Owen are real and not characters. They live in an alternate reality I can tap into to write these stories. (Oh, thank goodness. The meds just kicked in.) Well, if you like the spy shit, there may be a tad more of it in upcoming chapters. I'm willing to try writing a thriller, I draw the line at romance.

Show's you haven't been keeping up with the tabloids. Queen Elizabeth's about to abdicate in favor of William. He and Kate visit the White House and CJ and Owen are invited to the State Dinner. Do I need to spell out the rest? Let's just say during their subsequent visit to America, Will and Kate end up at Everhope for chicken wings, burgers, and beer.

@scrubber6620 When CJ moved to D.C., and it was just him, Brett, and Cesar, he got a taste of what the city's cocktail party circle was, even though the fathers weren't socialites. Owen joined in when together, they rubbed elbows with politicians and wealthy individuals while CJ worked on a presidential campaign. But most of their socializing was informal, with close friends, with Harley usually supplying weed. We're back to adult cocktail parties which sort of fits with their positions and rising social visibility. Interestingly enough, I recently found out the real marine Austin's named after is considering the security sector for when he leaves the Corps. Let's see if my fictional character mirrors the real jarhead. Or is it the other way around? I haven't decided if Yevgeny was silly or cocky. After all, CJ's green and Yevgeny may have assumed helpless. Just another pretty face with money, slumming in the American diplomatic corps. Jimmy will be a recurring character. I'm not done with him or the Russian. Let's see what Jimmy has planned concerning phones and other electronic devices.