Seems like a good deal, but is it the right bike for me…?

I used to rip around on fixies many years ago and had all sorts of fun hopping around and skidding and doing wheelies in a very bike friendly city.

Now I just want something to ride with my friend occasionally on paved and light gravel paths and probably won't be doing it too often.
He's begging me not to get a fixie again and I've never owned a nice geared bike. He rides a Cannondale gravel bike.

I saw this but I'm wondering, can it take the punishment I may give it, riding like a dummy or would I be better with something more like a Kona Dew, which I also like (big fan of flat bars or bull horns).

This is about the maximum I wanna spend on a bike and tomorrow morning, I either go to the bike store or I message this seller.