The idea of meeting Cole and somehow not pounding his face in didn't seem very high. But it was obvious that Rosalie was trying to sing the man's praises, and coupled with his still fresh guilt over his argument Ileana, he knew he was losing this battle. "Yeeaah. Maybe," he conceded slowly, drawing out the words as he felt his high ground slipping. "What's he like? You know, besides 'nice'?" He wasn't sure if he really cared to know what Cole was like but he was making an effort.
He laughed over her careful description of Los Angeles. "It's something else," he countered quietly. He happened to like it plenty, but he knew he was almost alone in that fact. Even among those who lived there. The nudge on his foot made his smile slant into a smirk and he lost himself momentarily, his moment unfortunately interrupted by the emergence of the waiter. Rosalie deferring to him made Stefan shift uncomfortably for a moment before skimming down the drink list in front of him. White wines were his usual dinner preference and he ordered a bottle of pinot grigio for the table, hoping Rosalie wouldn't object too much.
"I'm sure you could make a pretty compelling argument in favor of New York," he assured her, trying to find that easy flow of conversation once more. "Never had much of an opinion about Paris but you make me want to go there sometime." Preferably with a guide, and if she happened to be named Rosalie, even better. "But I travel for a little of both. Work and because I like it. It's what I'm used to." He hesitated for a moment for usually he would leave it at that. There wasn't much reason to delve into the hows or whys of his life but she had been honest and open with him so far. Only right to return the favor.
"Grew up in a traveling circus. Yeah, I know," he laughed easily. He had heard ever variation of every exclamation when he told people that, which was why he didn't tell it too often. Already he was beginning to regret his confession, knowing it could start to work against him and all his efforts to exude wealth. Still he wasn't ashamed of her heritage of upbringing so he could take whatever reaction she had in stride. "It's probably not what you expected. But it taught me how to live on the move." Among other things. "That's how I know the Grigores, actually. Grew up with her sister Esme for a bit." If Rosalie had been at Bellum for a while she probably at least knew about the elder sister. "Then she moved on and Ileana came to stay with her dad and that's how we met. Stayed on board with the caravan until I was eighteen then took off on my own too. Been working on the road ever since." Of course he wasn't exactly going to tell her what it was he did. Circus kid was one thing. Life as a grifter was another.