“Nope.”
“Listen, man,” J.P. continued, “I’ve found a way to gain quick access to information on newly condemned commercial properties. Quite often, I can pick up some good deals by making an offer to owners who just want to dump the property fast. Remember Wynola Dickson? She’s one of the managers in the Housing Compliance Department.”
“That old hag that’s been after you for years?” said Ron. “Man, how can you even think about it? You gon’ get yourself killed. You know she’s open for some play with you. And that crazy husband of hers knows it too. I wouldn’t even mess around with that. Find another way. Do it the way you been doing it. But leave that alone.”
“Who are you to be giving advice on being careful? If I recall, you’re the one always having to leave with your pants under your arm.”
“That’s me,” Ron answered smugly. “I can handle that. You can’t.”
“And how you figure I can’t?” he asked, then chuckled. “You’re right, I’ve gotten too old for that kind of stuff. And you have too. My mind won’t even flow that way anymore.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Anyway, as I was saying, I had an appointment last week to talk to Wynola about hooking me up with some leads. Man, she had me and Herbert sitting there cooling our heels for almost an hour waiting for her.” He shook his head disgustedly. “I didn’t appreciate wasting our time like that, but I’m glad I went, because two good things came out of it.”
“What?”
“I met an interesting woman while I was there—sort of. That’s one. And the other is that I found out I can’t deal with Wynola. When we finally got in to see her, she didn’t have any interest in discussing business. All she wanted to talk about was what’s happening on the social scene, and of course she was in her element, flirting with both of us. I tried to steer the conversation back to why we were there by telling her that I didn’t want to take up her time. That all I needed was for her to direct us to the right source to get a list of condemned commercial buildings that are scheduled to be demolished. She just waved her hand, and said, ‘oh honey, I can help you with anything you need.’ I knew then I would have to find another way. Heck, I was so frustrated when I left her office, I was ready to wring her neck. It was a big waste of valuable time.”
“What do you mean you sort of met an interesting woman?” Ron asked. “Either you did or you didn’t.”
“See! I knew you were going to pick up on that! You didn’t hear anything else I said.”
“That’s me, man—what can I say?” Ron answered, smiling broadly and spreading his hands.
“Anyway!” J.P. continued, ignoring him. “I’m going to avoid Wynola from now on. I’ve already found out from talking to some of the inspectors on the street that I need to talk to a guy by the name of J.C. Winters. They say he can give me whatever information I need. So I’m going to start going to those abatement hearings they have whenever I can. This Winters fellow is the person who handles those hearings for the city. That’s where I could use your help. You could attend those hearings for me.”
“Nope!”
“Well, man, just go with me to the one next week and meet this guy. That way, if I ever need you to attend one, you’ll know what the deal is. We don’t have to go to all of them, just often enough to keep up with what’s newly condemned. Come on, man! You owe me that much. And if you don’t, I’ma tell Mama. Pop just full of talk, but Mama gon’ get a stick after your behind sooner or later. You know that don’t you?”
“Now, you know you wrong for that,” Ron said with a chuckle.
“Whatever it takes,” J.P. replied with a non-apologetic grin. “The next hearing is Thursday at ten. Come by the office around nine Thursday morning and we can ride together. Sometimes parking is a hassle.” Shaking his head, Ron got in his car and drove away.
Thursday, J.P.’s reaction was almost comical when he walked into the room where the hearing was held. The beautiful, professionally dressed woman presenting the city’s case was none other than the lady he had seen and had such an unusual reaction to in the reception area that day, and again in the restaurant the previous Friday. But the most shocking surprise was that this woman and Jaci Winters were one and the same.
Ron didn’t have to be told that this was the woman who had captured his brother’s attention. He watched with amusement as J.P.’s eyes seldom left the woman, taking in everything about her. He acknowledged his brother’s good taste in women and wished he had seen her first.
J.P. was so captivated that he gave up any pretense of following the progress of the hearing and gave his full attention to her. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, was about five-foot-five, and the navy blue business suit she wore did little to hide her well-proportioned, curvy body. Her flawless honey-toned skin looked smooth enough to eat and her hair was a tantalizing enticement. The thick, reddish-brown tresses hung in soft curls that begged to be touched. Her eyes captured his attention again. Could those mesmerizing green eyes really be natural, not tinted contact lenses? And those legs! Big, shapely, and slightly bowed at the knees—he almost salivated. J.P. was definitely a leg man.
“Hey, man,” Ronald said, giving him an elbow jab in the side. “You better catch your eyes before they fall out of their sockets. And while you’re at it, grab your tongue, too, cause it’s almost dragging the floor.”
“That’s Jaci Winters! That’s the person I need to talk to.”
“I thought you were turning this thing over to me? You said you didn’t have time,” Ron teasingly reminded him.
“Well . . . I might be able to find a little time here and there,” J.P. said. “We’ll see how it goes.” He turned his eyes back to the woman.
“Those inspectors were right about her,” he whispered to Ron. “She obviously knows her job well. These owners don’t have a chance.” They watched as Jaci calmly but firmly responded when the disgruntled property owners tried to dispute the evidence presented against their properties.
“She has excellent PR skills doesn’t she?” J.P. continued to praise her. He admired the way she stood her ground, refusing to back off on the incriminating evidence she had gathered. She presented the information in an organized and straightforward manner, giving the number of times the buildings were found in violation, producing pictures of the violations, and in many cases, showing signed statements from neighbors concerned about the unsafe buildings in their neighborhoods. The owners were well aware of the violations, but they still resented being brought to court about them.
“She is good!” he said as he watched owner after owner lose, but leave appeased, as she expertly offered recommendations and solutions that provided a win-win outcome for both the city and the owners.
“That woman’s got you sprung, brother,” Ron said, a gleeful smile on his face, as they left the building. “Man, I never thought I’d see the day. But I just saw it. The big tree in the forest has toppled.” Ron laughed at his own statement. “What are you going to do if she’s not interested? Or what if she’s married?”
“She’s not wearing a wedding ring,” J.P. answered as fear filled him. “If she were married, she’d be wearing a ring. No man in his right mind would let a woman like that walk around without a ring. Naw. I’d be willing to bet, she’s not married.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
“Well, what kind of angle are you gonna use to get to her?”
“I don’t know, man,” J.P. answered irritably. “But I’ll figure something out.”
As soon as he had a chance, Ron told Big Pat about the woman that had J.P. in a spin. “You need to go check her out, Pop. This woman has Junior’s nose open wide enough for an eighteen-wheeler to pass through it. And he don’t even know if she’s married or not.”
“How does she look? J.P. ain’t worked up over no ugly woman is he?”
“Oh no!” Ron answered. “She’s all right. In fact, I may have to give him a little competition.”
Big Pat gave Ron a hard look. “I kn
ow you don’t mean that. There’s plenty women out there. Go find your own.”
“Just joking, Pop, just joking.”
J.P. had attended several hearings before Big Pat decided to tag along and see what the situation was for himself. He knew J.P. hadn’t missed a hearing yet and hadn’t uttered one complaint.
“Uh huh!” Big Pat said when they entered the room, and J.P. headed straight for Jaci to say hello.
“What was that ‘uh huh’ supposed to mean?” J.P. asked suspiciously, when they found seats and sat down.
“Oh. Nothing. I’m just here observing, you know.”
All during the hearing, his dad watched him, while J.P. watched Jaci. He noticed everything. Her interactions with the hearing board and the property owners were guided by an unquestionable knowledge of city ordinances. She orchestrated the smooth flow of the hearing from beginning to end. The more he saw, the more he liked. The more he liked, the more he cautiously searched for flaws and chinks in her armor. Common sense told him that nobody was perfect.
He had introduced himself to her and her coworkers after attending a couple of hearings and explained his purpose for attending. She had proven to be a great source of information by providing him with an updated listing of condemned buildings on a regular basis. She was friendly, but not overly so, remaining professional at all times.
At first this was a little unsettling because J.P. was accustomed to women falling all over themselves to get to him. He was encouraged, however, after he saw her firmly rebuffing the attentions of other men who blatantly came on to her. He observed her covertly throwing business cards and slips of paper with hastily scribbled phone numbers into the trash and concluded that she was definitely not on a manhunt. For some reason that fact impressed him. He was tired of empty-headed women whose only goal was catching a man. Somehow he didn’t think she fit that mold, but he really wanted to know what made her tick.
“Okay,” Big Pat said as they walked to the garage after leaving the hearing. “Want to tell me about this woman who has you all hot and bothered?”
“What are you talking about, Pop? What woman?”
They reached J.P.’s SUV, got in, and headed back to the office. Big Pat gave him a scathing look. “Now you know, I wish you wouldn’t try to snow an old man. Son, I been over that road before.”
J.P. couldn’t do anything but smile. “So that’s why you decided to tag along today. Ron opened his big mouth, and you just wanted to spy on me.”
“You know anything about her? Is she married?”
“Nope, don’t think so. I’ve been watching her for a while, and yes, I’m definitely interested in her. I just haven’t figured out how to get through that professional armor she wears. I’ve watched a whole lot of other guys try to talk to her and get shot down.”
“Ump! You must be slipping. The J.P. I know, with the reputation he has for being a connoisseur of women, wouldn’t even have a problem. Unless . . .” Big Pat hesitated as a thought crossed his mind. “You know, she may be a switch hitter—not necessarily interested in men.”
J.P.’s mouth fell open and his blood ran cold. He hadn’t even considered that. “Don’t even go there, Pop! I’ve watched her dealing with both men and women. If that were the case, I would have noticed a difference. She relates to everybody the same way.”
“These days you have to be watchful for everything, son, and that’s not always easy to spot. Just keep your eyes and ears open and be careful. You’ll find out what you need to know. I’m anxious to see how the great lady’s man is going to handle this myself!” Big Pat chuckled, thinking he couldn’t wait to tell his wife about the woman. “Just your hesitancy in approaching this woman tells me how important she could be to you.”
J.P. grunted. “The reports of my great success with women have been greatly exaggerated. I’m not nearly as notorious as people think. Being a single, well-to-do businessman in this city makes me a target for women of every description. And frankly, I wouldn’t be a man if I hadn’t indulged a little, but honestly, Pop, I’ve been tired of that lifestyle a long time.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Big Pat answered thoughtfully. “Every man eventually reaches that point. If he’s the right kind of man, that is. Some, like me, get there at an early age, while others are old men before it happens. The important thing is to get there at some point, and sadly, some never get there. It’s a tragic thing for a man to live his whole life and not know how good it is to love and be loved by a good woman.”
J.P. nodded his head affirmatively. “I want what you and Mom have. A life of commitment to each other. Sharing, loving, and working together, serving God together, going on vacations and just experiencing life together. You raised us up to be reasonably productive adults, and Lord knows I don’t know what I would have done if ya’ll hadn’t been around to help me with Patrick. It’s taken me some time, but I now appreciate what you have together and it’s definitely what I want for myself.”
“Well, what are you waiting on? You’re not still licking your wounds over Vivian?”
He gave his dad a dirty look. Vivian, J.P.’s ex-wife, had left him for an older, wealthier man when his son, Patrick, had been a toddler. “Heck naw! That’s way behind me. But like I said, I want the right woman. One who wants the same things I want. I’m nearly forty-four years old, and I’ve already wasted too many years. I don’t relish the thought of one fruitless relationship after the other, or spending the rest of my life alone. It’s finding that elusive woman that’s proving to be a challenge. Most of the women I meet these days turn me off. If they’re not fickle, fake, and immature, they’re hard, calculating gold diggers. Some of ’em are just plain old, low down, and dirty. But whatever group they fall into, they seem to lack the desire or the ability to build a meaningful relationship, and they all leave a bad taste in my mouth.”
“So what makes you think this woman is any different?”
“I guess it’s the way she carries herself, and some quality or trait in her that reaches me on a level that no woman has touched before. Every time I see her I want to touch her, kiss her—something! Beyond that, I can’t pinpoint what it is, and it’s driving me crazy! Usually by this time, most women are throwing themselves at me. But beyond being helpful, she hasn’t. That intrigues me. And there’s nothing funny about her either. The man in me wouldn’t react to her this way if she weren’t all woman.”
Big Pat laughed, enjoying his son’s distress. He had waited a long time to witness it. “Yep. That’s how I felt about your mother when I first met her. She had me crazy, too.” He laughed again, remembering, before saying, “Well, I’m sure the woman realizes you’re interested. Maybe she’s just smart, biding her time just to string you along a little.”
“No,” J.P. answered thoughtfully. “Frankly, I don’t think it’s even occurred to her that I may be interested. And anyway, I don’t think that’s her style. Since she’s not an easy woman to approach, I’m a little stumped, but believe me, I’m just waiting for the right opportunity.”
“Well, son, whatever you do, pray about it. Let the Lord guide you. That way you’ll know you’re moving in the right direction and won’t be making a mistake.”
“Yeah, I’m doing that, Pop.”
Jaci
Two weeks later, Jaci hurriedly gathered files and placed them into a portable filing cabinet, while she laughed and talked with her coworkers. Relieved that another hearing was behind her, she noticed frowningly that a few people were still mingling around the large room.
“These stragglers must really be pleased with the decisions they got on their properties,” she whispered to her assistant, Gloria. “They act like they don’t even want to leave.”
The hearing had been reasonably uneventful, and that always made Jaci breathe a sigh of relief. The worst-case scenario would be to present incorrect information at the hearing and cause the city to lose the case. Some owners would stoop to any level to discredit the city’s case in hopes
of holding off the demolition of their condemned buildings. Her years of experience had taught her that some inspectors couldn’t be trusted to provide correct information. So, she and her staff worked extremely hard, checking and double-checking facts, to assure that their information was as accurate and up to date as possible.
It was Thursday and the end of her four-day, ten-hour-per-day workweek. She sighed tiredly as she mentally went over all that she needed to do on her days off.
“Hey, Jaci,” Bill called from across the room where he was stacking chairs. “You’re in a hurry to get out of here today. You must have big plans for the weekend.” He knew Jaci usually stayed at work while everyone else rushed out.
“As a matter of fact I do,” she said. At their surprised expressions, she continued, “I have yard work and house work to do. I promised my cousin I would help her move, and I still have to get somebody out to look at my roof. It’s at the point where it’s got to be replaced, which I’m definitely not ready for. There’s no telling how much it’s going to cost, so I gotta look for a way to earn some extra money. Yeah, I need to be outta here real quick today.”
“No date?” Gloria asked slyly. “I can’t believe you don’t ever have a date, Jaci. Frankly, I don’t think you’re telling us everything.”
“Ha! When do I have time for dates? Or better yet, who do I have to date? Girl, you know there are no men out there.”
“Uh! Uh! There are men all around,” Bill threw in. “You just refuse to notice them.”
Jaci again said, “Ha!”
Their lighthearted bantering continued as they worked to put the room back in order and prepared to leave, all the while cutting their eyes at the two remaining men still in deep conversation and evidently in no hurry to leave.
Seasons Page 5