by Tina Martin
“I got it, Giovanni.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got bigger muscles, baby. Watch this,” he said, reeling it in at a steady pace and when the line was finally out of the water, they saw a small fish on the hook. “Look at that. A small bass. This little guy has to go back in the water. Shall I take it off the hook or would you like to do the honors?”
“You do it.”
“How’d I know you’d say that?” After he tossed the fish back in the lake, he said, “Okay…you still have the worm on the hook, now cast it again.”
“You sure you want me to.”
“Yeah. Do it.”
Jojo rested the pole over her right shoulder then when she brought it forward, she pressed the button to cast the line.
Giovanni clapped in the background and said, “Bravo.”
“Whatever,” she said, smiling.
Chapter 13
Later in the evening, close to eight, Giovanni showed Jojo around his house. A massive main room was opened to the gourmet kitchen and living room with a fireplace. He showed her the master suite, a guest bedroom downstairs and the two up. Then there was the finished basement with a pool table, treadmill, weights and a wet bar. All the lake-facing rooms provided a spectacular view of the Fontana Lake. Above the garage was a separate studio apartment that he used for his home office.
“What you think?”
“I think this is a lot of house for one person.”
“It is.”
“But it’s lovely. I like the way you have it furnished.”
“Thank you. Maybe one day I’ll get to see yours.”
Jojo clammed up, didn’t say a word in response, and instantly, Giovanni could feel it. While he was at her house last week, she never once invited him inside. The back porch was the only place she’d welcomed him.
“So, what are you doing tomorrow?” he asked when they were back standing in the kitchen again.
“Don’t know. Why?”
“Was going to ask you to stay for dinner tonight,” he said looking at his watch, “But it’s already after eight…way past your bedtime.”
“Ha, ha, ha…I go to bed at nine on weekends, for your information,” she joked.
His smile widened. “So, can you stay?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“What we’re having.”
“I ordered some barbecue plates from Bryson City Barbecue.”
“Ah…Bryson City Barbecue…haven’t eaten there in a long time.”
“You know they deliver now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, which is good for me because that tiny restaurant of theirs is always crowded.”
“True.”
“Food should be here any minute now.” And just then, the doorbell sounded. “Looks like I talked them up.”
“Be right back.”
Jojo looked around, admiring the kitchen, the granite countertops and shiny, tiled floors. She wondered if he did his own cleaning or hired a cleaning service. Probably a cleaning service.
“Mmm,” he said stepping inside the kitchen with two carryout bags. “Smells delicious.”
“Dang. How much did you order?” she asked.
“Enough for three people. I got another chick coming over,” he said with a smirk.
“Oh, well, I’ll take my plate to go,” Jojo said.
“You know I’m kidding.”
“Yeah. I figured the extra was for you, considering you eat like there’s no tomorrow.”
“I have a high metabolism.”
“Then why do you work out so much? You’re one of the lucky ones.”
“I work out to keep my muscle mass. After we eat, I’ll show you my abs so you can see what I’m talking about.”
“Um, no thanks. Keep your abs to yourself,” she said, sitting on a barstool where he set the containers.
“For you, Ms. Bannon,” he said, placing the food container in front of her.
“Ah, the aroma.” She unwrapped a fork and tasted the pulled pork barbecue.
“Is it like you remember?” he asked.
“It is.”
He sat down, opened two trays. He had the pulled pork and another tray of beef brisket. “So, how long have you and Kierra been friends?”
“Since high school. She was the only support I had after the—”
“The what?”
She’d come close to telling him about the fire. How had she let her guard down?
“Um, nothing. Kierra’s a good friend. I trust her. Do you have any friends outside of your brothers and sisters?”
“Not really. My circle is pretty small. Most times, people only want to hang with me because of my name…because of who I am.”
“I see, but for some reason, I thought you liked that celebrity attention.”
“What makes you think that?”
She shrugged.
“No. Tell me. I’m not letting you off the hook on this one.”
“Okay. Because you’re handsome, you dress nice…you kinda come across as flashy. Like, you didn’t have to give me a tour of your house, but you did.”
“Yes, as a courtesy. I wasn’t trying to brag. I was just showing you where I live. Outside of my sisters, you’re the only woman that’s ever been here.”
Like I’m going to believe that, Jojo thought.
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
Jojo looked over at him. “No. I don’t.”
“It’s the truth,” he said, looking at her. The fact that she didn’t believe him bothered him and he didn’t understand why. “I’m thirty-two, single, no children. I like to run, burn calories, eat, laugh and I suck at being a district manager.”
Jojo looked at him sideways. “What are you doing?”
“Letting you get to know me so you don’t perceive me like everybody else does.”
She grinned. “But I already know those things about you.”
He grinned. “Especially the part about my job, huh?”
“You’ll learn the job, Giovanni. It just takes time. That’s all. Before long, you’ll be a pro.”
“Like you.”
She smiled.
“Just so you know, I’m reimbursing you for every dime you spent on the lodge.”
“No. Don’t do that,” she mumbled with a mouth full. “I don’t want it back.”
“Too bad because you’re getting it back. I wouldn’t be the man I am to keep it.”
“But—”
“You’re getting it back, and do not argue with me about it.”
Her eyes squinted. “You’re just naturally rude, aren’t you?”
“Why do you keep saying that? I’m not rude. I’m doing something nice for you. Look at this—bought dinner for you, saved you from boredom today…” He grinned. “How’s that rude?”
“It’s just the way you say things sometimes that comes across as rude.”
“Would you rather I whisper to you instead?”
“Oh, now here comes the sarcasm.”
He laughed. “I can’t win with you, girl.”
Jojo giggled.
___________
Close to midnight when he walked her to her car, he said, “So, anyway, tomorrow is Sunday.”
“Very good, Giovanni. Tomorrow is Sunday,” she said with a hint of mild sarcasm.
“I won’t see you tomorrow.”
“Is that a problem?” she asked, nervously fidgeting with her car keys and looking away from him. Dang. The moon was doing something amazing to his honey-colored eyes. Even the shadow against his face was adding to the appeal of him.
“It is.”
She giggled. “Why?”
“Because I kinda like having you around. You balance me out.”
“How so?”
“Well, since we’ve met, I’ve laughed more than I have in a long time.”
“Honestly, I think I have, too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yep.”
“Then
maybe we can do this again, sometime,” he said.
“Maybe.”
He took a step closer to her and Jojo’s body locked up. What was he doing? Was he trying to kiss her? She wasn’t sure, but she sure was tense. Then she felt his arms around her – those same strong arms that had locked around her when they were fishing earlier. And while he pulled her close to his chest, she took in his masculine smell, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. Her knees could buckle under the strong clutch of him.
“Have a good night, Jojo,” he said, holding her even tighter while his chin rested on a bed of black hair.
“You, too, Giovanni.”
“Squeeze me.”
“What?” she said, tickled.
“Squeeze me. You just got your arms around me, but I don’t feel you squeezing. Come on. Squeeze.”
“Okay. Let me give it a shot,” she said, tightening her arms around his muscled torso. She could feel his muscles through his shirt, along with the intoxicating heat of his body, almost as if he wasn’t even wearing a shirt.
He released her and said, “Thank you.”
She held his gaze. “Why are you thanking me?”
“For a good evening. I know it must’ve been a mind-boggling decision for you to come over here.” He nibbled seductively on his bottom lip.
Jojo looked away from his gaze and said, “It was, but I had a good time.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
For a moment, neither of them said a word, then Giovanni made a move to reach for her car door.
Once she got inside, he closed the door behind her, then watched as she started the car and drove away.
He smiled, because he knew his connection with her was much more than their work at the lodge. More than friends. He didn’t want to kiss his friends. Didn’t feel vibes and desires when he was with his friends, but he felt them with her. A woman he said wasn’t his type had, in a week’s time, become the woman of his dreams.
Chapter 14
Over the course of the next week, Giovanni’s bond with Jojo grew into a beautiful connection. He kept up the friendship front only so she would feel comfortable around him. He liked her being her natural self. She would probably be a nervous wreck if she knew she was the source of many sleepless nights and cold showers for him. The woman who had an inferno raging inside of him every time he laid eyes on her. He couldn’t recall a woman ever occupying his mind, body and thoughts like she had. And he hadn’t even touched her. Not yet, anyway.
She’d been by his place to fish again, too, and this time managed to hold on to the fishing rod without tossing it in the water. Giovanni gave her a congratulatory clap.
He had dinner at her place once, surprised that she’d invited him over. He’d invited her to dinners at his place several more times and just yesterday, he’d gone to her house to help her paint the table she’d been working on. Turned out beautiful.
Most times when they were together, they didn’t talk about the lodge. They talked about personal things. He confided in her about the trials and tribulations he had to endure when he found out what his mother had done. He told her about being in and out of trouble as a teenager. And he told her how he viewed any relationship he had with a woman as temporary, probably due to the pain from being abandoned by his mother.
She shared some things about her sister with him – good memories that brought a smile to her face, but she wouldn’t talk about the fire. That’s what he wanted at this point. He wanted her to trust him enough to confide in him, the same way he had confided in her. But, seems she wasn’t ready just yet.
___________
Today, after much convincing by Giovanni, she finally agreed to go to Smoky Mountain Lodge with him. He sat in the driveway at her house, watching her lock her door and walk towards the car. Behind a pair of silver, aviator pilot sunglasses, he tried to pretend he hadn’t noticed the way her hips sashayed from side-to-side in the black pants she wore. She had on a pair of nude sandals that matched a thin blouse. With her hair done up in a bun and small, silver hoop earrings, she looked much younger than twenty-eight.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said when she got inside of his car.
“Don’t call me that.”
“I will call you that. It’s true. You’re beautiful.”
“Oh, stop it. Let’s go before I change my mind. I’ve been nervous about this all afternoon.”
“Why?”
“Just am.”
Riding down the highway, he watched her left leg bounce up and down, her way of relieving nervousness. He placed his right hand on her thigh and she instantly stopped.
She looked at him. “It’s my thing. I do this when I’m nervous.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about, Jojo. I’m sure everybody will be happy to see you again.”
“Yeah. You’re right,” Jojo said, feeling his hand grow hot on her leg. She looked at him again while he changed lanes and glanced in the mirror. He smelled good, dressed in a dark gray suit. He even looked like he’d gotten a haircut since yesterday. The man had delicious written all over him.
“FYI, I fired Kevin,” Giovanni said.
“You did what!”
Giovanni removed his hand from her thigh to grip the steering wheel. “I fired him.”
“Why?”
He glanced at her and back to the road. “What do you mean, why? He was a slacker. He had you doing all the work while he received all the pay.”
“But—”
“No buts. As a part of my reorganization efforts, I’m getting rid of people who don’t do their jobs. Point. Blank. Period.”
“But—”
“That’s business, Jojo. You didn’t think I would keep him, did you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know what I thought.”
He pulled up in the fire lane at the hotel, shut off the engine and said, “It’s not your fault, so I don’t want you to think that. Okay?”
She nodded.
“Ready to go?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not ready.”
“Come on…need you to show me how this computer system works. Kenton should be here already.” He opened the door, then walked around the car to open her door.
Jojo felt knots in her stomach at the thought of going back inside of the hotel. The fire brought back too many bad memories. Granted, the place had been renovated, but she still remembered the loud fire truck sirens blaring. There were three fire trucks the day the fire happened.
“Jojo.”
She blinked, looked up at Giovanni.
“It’s okay.” He reached for her hand. “Come on.”
She grasped his hand as he helped her out of the car. Then they walked inside together.
“I was just about to call you, man,” a guy said, who Jojo thought had to be Giovanni’s brother, Kenton.
“Jojo, this is my brother, Kenton. Kenton, this is Joelle Bannon, the woman I told you about…that used to work here.”
“Oh. Hi, Joelle. It’s good to put a name to a face.”
“It is.”
“Giovanni talks about you so much, I feel like I know you already.”
Jojo smiled warmly, glanced at Giovanni, then back to Kenton. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, too, Kenton.”
“Giovanni says you know the ins and outs of this computer system.”
“Yes. I’ll be glad to show you.”
“Perfect.”
It was just like she never left. Jojo walked Giovanni and Kenton through how to check in a guest, how to search for hotel availability, cancel appointments, order soap, shampoo, lotion, toilet paper and Kleenex for the rooms. Then there was the matter of ordering cleaning supplies and sending employee timesheets to corporate for processing.
“Wait…you sent in the electronic timesheets, too?” Kenton asked, eyebrows raised.
Jojo nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“I thought only managers had that kind of access?”
“Jojo had Ke
vin’s login information,” Giovanni said, answering for her. “Apparently, he had no shame about letting her do his job.”
Giovanni examined Jojo while she worked because he knew how hard this was on her. He saw the way her hands trembled from time-to-time and her voice sounded weird. He knew her well enough to distinguish a change in her voice. In her mood. She looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack. Only thing was, she’d try her best to do what she had to do and get out of there. Still, he didn’t want her to feel overwhelmed.
“Jojo, I need you to come with me for a minute,” Giovanni said. Not giving her time to ask questions, he said, “We’ll be right back Kenton.”
“All right, man,” Kenton said.
Jojo followed him to the indoor swimming pool room, the location of the fire. According to the investigation, the fire was caused by a faulty, outdated pool heater. But the room was repaired now, looked good as new and he wanted her to see that before they left.
With a dry throat, Jojo swallowed hard. Her jaw twitched.
“Looks good, right?” he asked her.
“Yeah. Looks good,” she said stiffly.
“Are you okay, Jojo?” he asked, standing directly in front of her. He wanted to stroke his finger along the side of her face, pull her close to him and assure her that she could get through this. He needed to be her confidant…her tower. The person she ran to when she needed help. He wanted that role in her life. He didn’t know why, but he did. “Jojo?”
“I’m fine, but I can’t be in here any longer,” she said, backing away from him.
“Jojo—”
“I can’t, Giovanni. Can you take me home?”
“Jojo—”
“Please,” she said softly.
He frowned. He didn’t like the sound of her pleading with him. “Sure. You don’t have to beg. I’ll take you home, sweetie. Let me tell Kenton, okay.”
“Okay.”
__________
In the car, she was quiet, bouncing her leg up and down again. Her breaths were rushed. Panicky. Giovanni was surprised she made it for two hours at the lodge, and she probably would’ve stayed longer had he not taken her near the swimming pool.