marti-garcia - Tumblr blog

[marti-garcia]

Marti knew Rowan was married. She knew he was a professional acquaintance and that nothing good could come from whatever was happening between them. The problem was that Marti Garcia didn't quite give a damn about either of those facts. All she cared about right now was how good this felt, and how it had the potential to feel even better if she played her cards right. And Marti, bless her, always played her cards right. "Oh? You want a little more? Greedy boy," she said, following it with a small tsk-tsk. It was the physical contact that nearly broke her, his knuckle grazing her arm just enough that she couldn't miss its presence, but immediately wanted more. "I've never liked self-control," she confessed, moving a hand to brush her hair over her shoulder. "It's just so dull. I prefer to take what I want, when I want it, as often as I want it."

Mixing business and pleasure was a messy game to play. There were certain things that should have been completely off limits to him. Marti was one of them. But Rowan was a selfish guy. His curiosity about her burning in his mind. The way each flirtation was laced with sarcasm. Making it feel like at any moment she could flip the script on him. The way that she moved like she knew that he was hooked on every turn of the head, every step. He was a confident guy. Went for what he wanted. He wanted her, but she had control of the leash that he and his desire for her was hooked on. "And what if I haven't?" He hid his pleased smile with a drink when she locked the door. Aching just to pull her in the moment she was in front of him. To feel her against him. Instead, he stood up, making that space between them even smaller, a knuckle just brushing down her arm. "You sure you want to give that permission? Do you know how much self-control I have to use every time I'm around you?"

[marti-garcia]

Marti finished off the drink in her hand, flagging the bartender to get another. "Men are pathetic like that," she hummed. "They see a beautiful, talented woman and think to themselves, 'You know what she needs? Me. That'd really make her day.' And frankly, we don't. We never need them, especially not women with as much to offer as you." She'd never wanted to be the kind of woman who settled, but once she had and it blew up in her face, Marti made it a point to remind just about every single man she knew just how much she didn't, in fact, need them to be happy. The perks of being bisexual, perhaps, but Marti didn't care to dwell on the cause, only that it was fact.

"Let me steal you away, then!" Marti had tried, of course, to bring her friends under her father's label over the years, if only so she could work with them. It was different with Gemma, she knew the dynamics of family and business mixing as well as anyone, but she didn't stop subtly suggesting Gemma leave them. "What on earth has poor Maggie done to warrant your mother's harassment now?" She laughed at Gemma's statement, not even pretending to buy the serious expression. If anyone understood how much fun it was to poke the bear, it was the blonde sitting across from her.

"Did I say you needed them?" Gemma asked back evenly. "Still, more followers and exposure never hurts," She teased, her voice pitching up in the end like a song. She wrinkled her nose at Marti's description, about to open her mouth and object and point out that her career did not depend on those things, but instead decided to drop it. "Ew gross - that is not my idea of fun," She stuck her tongue out. "A bunch of gross men thinking I owe them something is not what I need." She laughed. Her love life was an absolute trainwreck as it was and somehow, Gemma only continued to make it more and more complicated no matter how hard she tried to unravel it.

Rolling her eyes, Gemma shrugged. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't working with my label period. Although my mom has been easy on me lately- she's got it out for Maggie about who knows what." She said. That was usually how things tended to go, although Gemma knew before long something would happen to throw a wrench in her own peace and happiness - that type of thing never lasted long. At Marti's sentiment about her father, Gemma faux-gasped. "What? Piss off your parents? Oh I could absolutely never," She said, holding her expression serious until the last second. Fucking with her parents was exactly what Gemma did.

[marti-garcia]

"That is one of my favorite things about you, darling, you're always in the know," Marti said, pointing at Georgia with a wink. "Ew, him." Marti stuck a finger in her mouth, miming the motion of making herself gag. "Honestly, I don't mind, drinking on the lawn is exactly where I am meant to be right now, I think. It feels a bit divine on its own, really." She took a long gulp from her beverage, smiling to herself. "That's the good stuff." Turning her gaze back to the brunette beside her, Marti hummed. "Okay, so do you want me to wing woman for you, or are we in a 'girls only' kind of vibe tonight? Marti Garcia is at your service."

"Well, it started with me, being myself." She started, red flag number one, "and I was clearly minding my business," which mean eavesdropping, which she thought was usually fun, no one she ever knew, being nosey was apart of her everyday repertoire. "And maybe everyone else's--" she expanded, "and I don't know if it was some sort of divine intervention or what, but they start talking about you know who--" she made it a habit to not mention her ex-boyfriend's name, even if it'd been years. It was different breaking it off with someone the world decided to love, and a constant salt in the wound, "and well, obviously, ya girl don't react well to that because I am an insane idiot. And so here we are, drinkin' in the lawn."

[marti-garcia]

Marti took Colton's hand with no hesitation, glad he'd offered it instead of her having to take it on her own. It was the little things, really. "I did, and I knew you would, you give off major babygirl vibes." She didn't add a single bit of explanation, because really, she didn't need to. Marti quickened her step to keep up with Colton, nudging him with her hip as she caught up to him. "Well at least you're finally aware of the desperation vibe you give off, it's really something I've been meaning to bring up." She was teasing, of course, and she knew Colton would get that. Somehow they were always on the same page.

Colton was quick to wrap up what he was doing and grab his wallet and keys from his work station before he got to his feet and offered his hand to Marti. "Did you just call me babygirl in Spanish? And why did I like it so much?" He chuckled and slid his fingers between hers as he led them from the shop and outside into the early evening air. "Come on shorty, don't make me drag ya along." He was already tugging her by the hand though, leading her down the street towards the commotion where the street fair began. "I'm starvin' and the minute you said chili my body went into desperation mode so we better get our happy little asses over there to fill up."

[marti-garcia]

Marti nodded at the blonde's choice, setting the other wine back on the shelf. Pausing, she looked at her to see if the girl was trying to be funny, or just naturally doing so. "You're funny, I like you," she admitted, pointing a finger at the girl. "In my defense, he wasn't even that good. If I'd known the sex would be disappointing, I wouldn't have wasted my time. I think, truthfully, I'm halfway sending this as an apology for the bad lay she's dating just as much as the fact that he's a cheating son-of-a-bitch. Why do women stay with men like that, anyway? Please tell me you're not dating a man like that, you're much too pretty for bad sex."

Being thrown into conversation with people she doesn’t know is something Chloe has become a nature at — It’s hard not to, after all these years of pretending to remember names and faces you saw in passing, ones that seem to remember everything about you. The person next to her seems to be a genuine stranger, and given that she didn’t immediately ask for Chloe’s autograph or mention music — The blonde lets out a breath she wasn’t aware she was holding. Regardless, it's an odd question to ask a stranger, but she's heard worse. A brow arches as the woman in front of her continues, holding up two bottles of wine. “That one, definitely.” She points to her left hand, a bottle of red wine. “Wannabe suburban moms love red wine. At least, mine does.” She ignores the tightness in her chest at the mention of her own mother. “As long as it’s not in a box, and has a pretty label, you’re in the clear.” Chloe points out with a nod, before scrunching her nose. “Or, well, not quite as high on the shit list. I’m not sure there’s any coming back from that.”

[marti-garcia]

Marti could make friends anywhere, that wasn't new. What was new was her spending too much time alone at a bar, which was why she'd struck up conversation with a complete stranger. "Absolutely none," she replied, turning her body toward the woman. "His only skills include milking a good woman for all she's worth and falling into bed with just about any other woman who will give him the time of day. Plus, there's a gross amount of autotune going on here, his lyrics were trash before they got a songwriter on, and truthfully, anyone who takes more than twenty-six runs through a bridge should be fired."

Album wrap parties hosted by the artist and their management team were wild affairs. Emilia got to meet so many people, get so many names on her potential roster, and eat food she could never afford outside of a work function. They were exciting. But there was something so fun about the small celebration the technical team had. The tradition Emilia's usual crew were a part of was drinks at the first bar they could find, and everyone bought at least one round that night. After one of the songwriters bought everyone shots of patron, it was Emilia's turn to get the pitchers of beer.

She had been waiting by the bar when someone spoke to her. Glancing at the woman sitting on the stool she was next to, she raised an eyebrow. "A Twisted Sister, huh?" Emilia didn't need another drink. Butt hat sounded intriguing. But what sounded even more intriguing was the drama unfolding before her. "No talent huh?" She couldn't hear the song too well, but the beat sounded familiar. "Why'd you say that?"

[marti-garcia]

Marti had always looked up to Brenna, and she was more than glad her cousin had returned to Nashville. Home base, as it were, because spontaneous lunch dates didn't work as well when you had to catch a flight across the country. Instead, Marti was able to pop into the woman's office whenever she wanted, and it was especially helpful on days like today.

"It might be," Marti said, a devilish grin sneaking onto her face. "Of course it's going viral, it's true. If Papá thought nobody saw it, he wouldn't be trying to find me and squash me like a little bug." Marti threw a glance over to Brenna's door, pausing momentarily to see if she could hear her father's familiar footsteps. The coast seemed to be clear, at least for now. "Besides, everything I touch turns to gold. It runs in the family, I get it from you, after all. If he didn't want me to be so successful, he should've made me stick with guitar lessons when I was seven."

The best part about working in LA for so long was the almost complete lack of family drama. Between the distance and the time change, Brenna had somehow managed to, for the most part, stay out of the day to day family squabbling. Of course anything more dramatic than a hangnail somehow always found its way to her, dragging her back in — but for the most part, she'd been able to send calls to voicemail, dodge e-mails and deal with it all when she was good and ready. Now, being back in the heart of things that was nearly impossible. If it wasn't her father breathing down her neck about work it was her mother up her ass about being old and single. And if it wasn't either of those things it was her cousin using her office as a war bunker.

Today it's the latter. And honestly, out of all possible options, Brenna would choose that.

Brenna clicks her tongue at Marti, feigning disappointment or annoyance at her when the truth couldn't be further. While she's usually a woman of very little patience, Marti has always been an exception to that, sitting closer to where a sister or a best friend would in her heart rather than a cousin. "Is this about the tweet?" She asks, leaning back in her chair. "Because personally I thought it was great. And it's going viral." Of course, her own father had nearly blown a vein over it and Brenna had to check it out for herself, looking for any fires she might have to put out. "Mostly in a good way. He should be thanking you."

[marti-garcia]

Being a nepo baby had its perks, but one of the best ones was staying in touch with the Applause Family, as she so lovingly termed them. Carson West was one of them, and Marti had loved spending time with him in recent years. To spot him in the artist lounge wasn't unheard of, and Marti found herself squealing and bouncing happily over toward him. Marti tugged Carson into a hug before grabbing her own water, turning quickly to the pool table. "Prepare to be dominated, West. I have been practicing, and you're going down." She hopped up on the edge of the table and watched Carson rack the balls. "Please tell me something good, something amazing, like that you've fallen madly in love with a sexy fireman and he's got an equally as sexy sibling for me to toy with."

Closed Starter For: @marti-garcia Location: Artist Lounge at Applause Records

Carson had been supposed to meet his dad for lunch, but the meeting had gone long, so Christine, his dad's assistant, had told him to go and hang out for a while. Applause took care of its own, so it wasn't uncommon for people to hang out in one of the lounges between meetings and recording sessions. He wasn't only glad to not be alone, but especially glad to see a familiar place. "Hey hey, is that Marti freaking Garcia? What's up, girl?"

He had a big smile on his face as he greeted her. The mini fridge was stocked with snacks and drinks, so he grabbed a bottle of water on the way in. "Whatcha up to today? Working on the next Billboard Top 100 hit?" He headed over to the pool table and starting to set up the balls, cocking his head. "Too busy to pass some time with me? I'd put some money on it, but you probably have way more of that than I do."

[marti-garcia]

"Darling," Marti said, drawing it out as she leaned forward onto her elbows, tucking her hands beneath her chin, "I don't need your followers. My career doesn't depend on how many men slide into my DMs or how many women buy my merch and stream my songs." She shook her head, laughing softly to herself. "I for one think you should take up the 50 year old men, they probably have money and require far less effort. You could probably have a whole string of 'em throughout the country, just letting them buy you pretty things while you sneak off to your boy toys." She was never going to be the one to encourage anyone to settle down.

"Congrats to you," Marti said with a wink, "but I'll probably fade into the background since I didn't produce it. Before long, they'll have moved on to whoever you are working with over at your label. Honestly, I'd make my profile private to avoid the mess but I like pissing off my father far too much."

Gemma rolled her eyes when Marti begged. "Okay, but do you not also benefit from having like - a ton of followers?" She asked, raising one eyebrow as she sat across from her in the lobby of the Ace. "Also, maybe they just saw you on my story and are trying to figure out a way to talk to you, not me," Gemma teased, taking a sip of her drink. She was joking - she would never want Marti dating anyone who slid into their Instagram DMs anyway. "I hate to break it to you though, but most of the fans who want me to reply to them probably are like... 50 year old men or live in Texas," She said with a shrug. Social media was kind of annoying now that she actually made music, but it was nice that from time to time she could go days without even looking at her accounts and trust that Emilia would manage them for her.

"I have terrible news," She confessed around the rim of her glass, "I have a single coming out in like...ten days or something, so good luck to your inbox." Gemma giggled, knowing being someone's friend in real life came with a slew of social media consequences, mainly a lot of random followers and commenters.

[marti-garcia]

Marti knew there was something to Colton, a darkness that lingered under the playful banter they shared that she saw and feared, only because it reminded her a little too much of her own shadow of sadness. She knew that together, they could avoid feeling anything painful or dark or remotely scary, and that was why she consistently found herself hunting him down. "I've never once been accused of being a bad time," she said, throwing a wink his way as she stool up from the stool she was resting on. "Let's get out of here, mija, I need some good ol' chili in my bones real bad."

"Babe. With all the damn tourists in town for the street fair I have plenty of business. Don't you worry about me and money I could be makin'." He chuckled and set down the sketch he was working on. Marti was exactly the kind of girl Colton needed in his corner, she was fun and flirty and always reminded him of why he was still pushing through his sadness on the hard days. "See this is why I love you Marti. You never let me down." He laughed and shoved his supplies back into the drawer at his desk. "You wanna get outta here and go fuck around at the fair? We could still make out just maybe at the chili cook off instead of the oak trees."

[marti-garcia]

Marti knew in the moment Rowan said the words 'I like it' that she wanted to do just about anything this man would come up with. She wasn't necessarily the type to care so much about what a man wanted, but she found herself craving more of Rowan's praise. She lifted the glass in her hand once more, draining it entirely before setting it on the nearest flat surface. Making her way to the door, Marti flicked the lock closed with the kind of grace that came with confidence. She turned back to face Rowan, taking slower steps back toward him than she had moving away. "As if you haven't seen enough to prove it," she teased right back. When she found herself standing in front of him, Marti fought every urge in her body to pull him close, wanting to soak in the tension a moment longer. "Just words are boring, so why don't you show me something, Dashner."

There was this pull to her that was undeniable. The playful banter that was backed up with genuine assertiveness. Her confidence was just as alluring as her natural beauty. He liked a woman that made him keep up and there was something about Marti that he sensed he would be doing just that. "A girl with a power trip... I like it." There was a subtle smirk on his lips as he took another drink. He felt like he was towing a line of being subtle and yet making it clear there was nothing professional in why he wanted his time with her to linger. "And you just want me to take your word on that? I think I'm going to need a reason to believe it." His eyes stayed on hers, a playfulness leaving a spark in them. "I'm not much of a telling guy," he leaned back on the ledge. "Just words are boring."

[marti-garcia]

Marti looked at where Georgia had fallen, checking to make sure she didn't hit her head, before lifting her own margarita to her lips. "I wouldn't say stupid," Marti replied with a hum, "more like prone to bad decisions from time to time." She leaned back on one elbow, looking at Georgia more closely. "But what, exactly, are we referring to this time? I'm high as a kite and my memory is shot."

who → @marti-garcia where → street fair, in the lawn or at a place she can plop down. idc

"I don't know why or how I became a god damn idiot, but I think I just, I don't know, was made like this." She sighed as she took an impromptu fall in the grass unceremoniously next to her friend, the margarita in her hand splashing a bit out with the gesture, but like the feral girl she was, she filled what'd been spilt with the flask in her back pocket, no harm, no foul. "Have I always been stupid? Have you just been lying to me for years?"

[marti-garcia]

"Yes, that one," she said as she rolled her eyes. Colton was an artist, and Marti loved his work, she just hadn't been able to commit to actually putting a permanent piece of art on her body yet. "No, no, I'm paying you for your time. I mean, you could be making money right now if I weren't here, so it feels like the right thing to do. A little bit like prostitution, but still the right thing to do. After all, strippers and sex workers are artists, too, right?" She winked at Colton before humming and tapping her lips thoughtfully at his offer. "Actually, I know you're joking, but I never turn down coffee but I also never turn down making out with a stud of your caliber."

"Oh, you mean the tattoo I've sketched for you about a hundred times already?" Colton smiled as he leaned over his work station, his focus on a sketch for someone who was actually planning to get it done this week. He didn't mind Marti backing out every time, the idea of having a permanent tattoo on your body was a little scary to some folks and he didn't ever pressure anyone to do something they weren't ready for. "How many times I gotta tell you that you don't need to pay for a consultation for a tattoo you and I both know you ain't gettin'?" Colton looked at his receptionist incredulously. He had told the kid to quit taking Marti's money. "You wanna get a coffee or somethin'? Take a walk in the park and then makeout under the oak trees?" He teased.

[marti-garcia]

"I missed you, too," she joked as she stepped into his office. Placing the bag of food on his desk, Marti raised a brow. "Are you feeling okay, Tio? You just said I shouldn't spend money, and we all know that is the one thing I am the best at." She sat down across from him and started unpacking the box, placing things on the prospective sides of the desk for them each. "Besides, Papa is never opposed to expenses that involve family time," the twinkle in her eye at the mention of her father's love for their family was subtle, but present like usual. "Why can't a niece just come visit her loving uncle for lunch? You know I'd tell you if I was actually on the lam. Maybe I just want to make sure you're getting enough food, you look haggard."

Some are bound by blood or the secrets they keep,  but the Cabrera family — or at least Ramon — looked to love and said let this be the thing that binds us.  It was one of the few things that could satiate that constant gnawing,  love and other drugs.  “¡Ay dios mío!¹”  Its an adverse reaction to the relentless little shadow perched in the doorway,  she had not barged and yet Ramon still found himself partially disconserted at her sudden appearance.  A beat to facepalm,  perhaps to wipe the substance from his nose. “Someone’s gotta put a bell on you, kid.”  Still,  a half-moon grin creeps across visage,  nothing could deny his self-professed favorite niece a seat at his table  (well,  his desk.)  “That steakhouse down on 4th Ave?  Hell,  you oughta’ hide anyways spending that kinda money on your poor ol’ uncle.”  Head cants,  even if Marti weren’t ducking from his brother it raised a certain lingering suspicion.  “You sure you don’t need anything?”

[marti-garcia]

There was something incredibly attractive to Marti about a man who didn't feel the need to establish himself as the dominant one, the prize to be won. She hated men like that, and usually gained far too much pride from making them fall apart. Instead, she found herself softening slightly toward Rowan, even though she was already very interested in the man. "I certainly can, and often do," she added with a wink. Marti's gaze fell to the glass meeting Rowan's lips before she took a small sip from her own. "Because I'm not like other people, Rowan. I am an exception." She made her way over to sit on the couch in the studio, keeping enough space between them that it could look professional if someone were to barge in. "I do love a little intrigue, that's for sure. But not too much. Tell me, what's the most mysterious thing about you, Rowan Dashner?"

When he first started this job, he was smart about it. He kept his fun out of the office, so to speak. But the truth was there was too much temptation around him, and Rowan never really knew when to cut things off. Marti was one of those temptations that he was all too keen to give in to. "I've got no doubts about that, Garcia. You could put any man in their place." He thanked her as she handed him the drink. "Oh yeah? What makes you think you deserve any exception?" He tilted his head as he looked at her, bringing the glass to his lips for a sip. "Plus just to take any mystery out of it... Now what would be the fun that?"

[marti-garcia]

↦ closed starter  / @gemma-devereux ↦ location: choose your own adventure (pick a bar idc)

"I understand that you're really soaking up that Instagram thing and all those hottie musicians sliding into your DMs," the woman said with a sigh, setting her phone down. "But please, make it stop. The amount of guys that hit me up after you post a story with me in it asking me to get you to reply to them is seriously cramping my style. I mean, if I wanted a cowboy, I'd have my pick but they're so predictable, you know? They all want 'America's Sweetheart' anyway."

[marti-garcia]

↦ closed starter  / @ramcabrera ↦ location: ascent real estate

Marti leaned against the doorway of her uncle's office, never one to need an invitation to enter but still respecting the man enough not to barge right in. "Hola tío," she said, her voice sugar sweet as she lifted a bag of takeout in her hand. "I thought you might enjoy a little lunch with your favorite Garcia child." Their family had always been relatively close, with them all in the same city, but she was especially fond of her uncle Ramon. "I brought your favorite! And before you ask, no, I'm not hiding from Papá. Not today, anyway."