C J smiled and answered, “Not exactly. The dealership owner is a family friend, and the company gets exceptionally good prices. My personal ride might surprise you, Zoe.”
Before she could ask what it might be, they pulled into a parking lot and Zoe read the sign on the restaurant, “Matt’s.” Zoe could not see a parking space, but C J just pulled up to the front door and tossed the keys to the valet.
“Good evening, Mr. Fairchild,” the valet said, catching the keys.
“How are things tonight, Phil, busy?” C J asked.
“Extremely, Mr. Fairchild, but your reservation is always good,” Phil said as he shut the car door and pulled out of the way of the next car in line.
C J gently placed his hand on the small of Zoe’s back, just like before, and started walking to the restaurant entrance. No big surprise the hostess, a gorgeous redhead C J greeted as Caroline, smiled warmly at him. When she hugged him, that seemed like an overzealous welcome to Zoe.
Glancing Zoe’s direction, C J saw her quizzical look and simply smiled at her, “I own half of the restaurant, so she had better be nice to me, wouldn’t you say?”
Zoe, surveying the room on their way to the table, noted the elegant black marble floors shot through with dark green veining and walls covered in sage green silk. There was not an empty table in the place, but the room did not feel overcrowded. Mahogany tables with their white linens were spaced far enough apart to allow for private conversation amid the backdrop of what sounded like vintage jazz. The waiters moving effortlessly amongst the patrons lent an air of relaxation to the restaurant, which Zoe felt start to ease her tension. Many heads nodded in acknowledgement of C J as they passed, but no one made a gesture to stop their progress across the room. Zoe got the feeling this restaurant was a haven from business discussions—truly a place to unwind.
“The building used to be an old run-down mansion. Matt and his wife, Caroline, have done an awesome job of making the restaurant feel grand but inviting. I was just lucky enough to help with the financing a bit,” C J said.
Their table, a plush upholstered corner banquette, served to further isolate them from the main dining room. It was cozy, and Zoe assumed it was a great date spot for C J. Her dilemma was it gave her no choice but to sit next to him instead of across the table. Zoe had to admit this excited her, but it also set up a more personal feel to the dinner. She was fighting hard to maintain her business composure as it was.
“C J, great to see you tonight. I’m Matt and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” a tall gregarious man said to Zoe, practically appearing out of thin air tableside while simultaneously pouring champagne.
Taken by surprise, Zoe momentarily shifted to the right and her hand landed on C J’s thigh instead of the banquette seat. Trying to act cool and collected, she slowly shifted her body to the left again and placed her hand on the table. Holy crap his thigh is much more muscular than it looks, and I felt it move under my hand. Not that she had spent time picturing his thighs today, but wow that got her attention.
With as much calmness as she could muster, Zoe looked up at Matt and said, “The pleasure is all mine.”
Shit that sounded totally stupid but nothing to do now but just keep on going, Zoe thought. “Your restaurant is gorgeous and by the lack of an empty table I assume the food is wonderful too,” Zoe said.
Matt beamed at her compliment and apologized as he headed to the front of the restaurant when he saw his wife wave at him.
“Matt seems very enthusiastic about his work,” Zoe said, trying to not dwell on what had occurred under the table. Good thing my hand landed on his thigh and not a bit further over, Zoe thought.
As she looked up at C J, his eyes gleamed and all he said was, “Yes, very enthusiastic.”
It was all Zoe could do to focus her attention and pick up her champagne glass without showing any anxiety. Picking up his glass as well, C J just smiled at her. The first course arrived and that helped get conversation back on track, plus it gave Zoe something to do with her hands, as she was deathly afraid to let them leave the top of the table now. As she had suspected, the food was phenomenal, and she was honest when she told C J she thought he had made a very wise investment.
“I hope you aren’t a vegetarian, Zoe, because I asked Matt to serve us the venison tonight. What his chef does with it is incredible,” C J said enthusiastically.
“Oh no, I’m not vegetarian. The last decent venison I had was in the French countryside years ago, and no other restaurant has come close. Maybe Matt’s will top that dish.”
Zoe sobered a bit because mentioning France still brought Jean to mind. Sensing a change in her mood, C J looked at her questioningly.
“My husband, Jean, was a photojournalist. We met while I was working in France. He died in Syria about two years ago on assignment, so when I think of France I remember Jean,” Zoe said.
C J looked into Zoe’s eyes and said, “Thank you for telling me that. Most people wouldn’t have shared something so private.”
Zoe did not understand why she had felt the need to blurt out those details of her personal life but she felt better for doing so. She also had to resist the urge to lean into C J and put her head on his shoulder; for some reason being comforted by him felt like the natural thing to do.
The venison arrived at the table moments later and was accompanied by a red French wine, which was off the charts great. Zoe was amazed at how well the braised plum reduction served with the meat set its flavor off perfectly. The meal soon got its rhythm back and the conversation turned to talk of Zoe’s work and how she loved the fact that it allowed her to travel to so many different places. C J had also traveled extensively for pleasure and work, so they were able to compare notes on their favorite cities and secluded spots around the globe. As they talked and ate, Zoe could not help but notice some subtle differences between C J and the average man in the room. For one thing, he wore his dark brown hair a bit longer than them, and it had a tendency to curl just a bit behind his ears. That type of curl that begs for you to trace its shape playfully with your fingers. C J also ditched his tie at every opportunity, and Zoe felt this was a show of natural self-assurance and nothing else. C J smiled a lot, and not that fake smile that just turns up the corners of your mouth but the kind of smile that reaches the eyes. She knew she was feeling way too relaxed, but Zoe decided to chalk it up to the wine they kept drinking instead of the increased ease she felt with C J.
“So what does C J stand for?” Zoe asked as she put a bite of buttered baguette into her mouth.
“Nothing at all,” he said. “My parents couldn’t agree on whom to name me after. Clement was a family name on my father’s side and Jedidiah on my mother’s side of the family. Neither one of them could stand those names but, as a way to honor family, they just named me C J as a compromise. Believe me, they were adamant that the letters did not stand for names and no one is to call me anything other than C J. Kind of makes me stand apart from the crowd, doesn’t it?” C J asked.
That and many other things I can think of, but Zoe only said, “Yes it does.”
“Zoe means ‘life’ in Greek,” C J said, “and Alden is an old family name in the northeast. A famous boat building company, if I remember correctly.”
“You’re correct about both items,” Zoe answered.
She always steered away from talk of her family’s business as famous yacht builders because she had never relied on that wealth to open doors for her back east or anywhere for that matter.
“Do you sail or is it just the family business?” C J asked.
“I love sailing. It gives me time to be alone with my thoughts. People seem to talk less and there are no phones ringing,” Zoe said sincerely.
“I agree one hundred percent. I get some of my best ideas and inspirations while I’m away from anything connected to my everyday life including oil,” C J said.
Zoe, going against what she wanted to do, decided to change the direction the evening’s conv
ersation was headed. “C J, are you really convinced that fracking technology does not attribute to environmental concerns and push aside a needed movement to alternative sources of energy for the future?”
Looking at C J’s face, Zoe noticed his jaw harden a bit, and she thought she might have taken things too far in the other direction. Then C J laid his hand on her forearm and, as a smile lit up his face, he said, “Nice try, Zoe, but I am not taking the bait. No talk of business during dinner because that was all covered earlier today, and you’ll get your fill of it this weekend at the symposium. Exceptional food deserves undivided attention and pleasant conversation. Plus I was enjoying getting to know you. After all, isn’t getting to know the real me a good backdrop for your story. It’s good to really know your interviewee, right?”
Zoe knew C J sensed what she had been trying to do, and it irked her that her ploy had been so transparent. If he only knew how tempting it was to relax and get to know him, so to speak, C J might be a bit awed by her thoughts. Realizing C J still had his hand on her arm, Zoe relented and said, “Yes.”
Then she reached for her wine glass, effectively removing his hand from her arm. Zoe realized she was breathing again because she seemed to have stopped doing so while he was touching her.
For dessert Zoe ordered the almond cake with lemon verbena whipped cream, and C J ordered the chocolate cake, which looked fabulously rich and tempting. Seeing her eyes on the cake, C J suggested they share their choices as a token of good will. Zoe wanted to resist on the basis that this was just what a couple, or very intimate friends, might do but she relented when he said, “Go ahead and take a bite.” Zoe leaned back in the banquette with a mock swoon, just to show how much she had enjoyed that bite of cake.
“You can have more if you want,” C J said.
Zoe just grinned and shook her head in a lame attempt at protest but took another bite anyway. C J, enjoying her act, laughed out loud when she leaned back for the second time and said she could eat nothing more. What in the hell was she doing and what kind of game was C J playing at? Zoe startled herself with the thought that C J was surely used to getting any, and every, woman into his bed. Hell no, Zoe Alden isn’t going to fall into that trap. Of course, as a woman of today, Zoe told herself it was her right to enjoy Mr. C J Fairchild and just move on, as the likeliness of their paths crossing again would be slim to none after the weekend. That idea sobered Zoe a bit. Ooh she could almost envision an entire weekend of C J’s company.
C J’s voice asking, “Zoe, would you like cognac or coffee?” brought her thoughts back to the present.
“Oh, no thank you. I certainly don’t need more alcohol, and coffee might not be a good idea this late,” Zoe answered.
C J looked like he had just realized the effect the time difference between New York and Texas might have had on Zoe, and he quickly stood and held his hand out to her.
“What, no chance to haggle over which one of us will pay the check?” Zoe said.
“No, ma’am, that is one of the joys of being an investor in the restaurant. Not only is it a great place to dine, but I always avoid an argument over who foots the bill because I never get one.”
The way C J kept placing his hand on the small of Zoe’s back led her to think this was just routine for C J. In fact, Zoe, starting to come down from her thrill of the evening high, began replaying some of the conversation during dinner while she and C J navigated their way to the front of the restaurant. Before making a final pronouncement on C J’s intent, they were met by both Matt and Caroline and C J got another hug from Caroline. Zoe wasn’t sure but she thought a look passed between Matt and C J. The kind good friends give each other when they are silently approving something. Zoe looked at C J and thought she detected a bit of a glare concentrated on Matt. I am too tired and too confused by southern charm at the moment to even care, Zoe told herself. She knew that was not really the case but she would tell herself that for now. As they stepped outside to wait for the car, Zoe involuntarily shivered at the coolness of the evening.
Seeing this, C J placed his jacket on her shoulders before she could protest and smiled, saying, “Autumn evenings can be surprising in Houston. The heat of the day can give way to cool crisp nights.”
Zoe felt the warmth of C J’s body wrapped in his jacket, and she also caught the aroma of his cologne. I could just curl up in this jacket and fall blissfully into trouble, was all Zoe heard her inner voice say. Zoe was just getting the words “thank you” out as the Cadillac pulled up in front of them. Phil opened the door for Zoe as C J walked to the driver’s side of the car. Zoe knew she should relinquish the jacket, but she just leaned her head back, saw the stars appear through the moon roof and pulled the jacket more tightly around her body.
ℓ
C J opened the roof because he knew Zoe would be warm with his jacket wrapped around her, and he needed some cool air to sober his thoughts. When her hand had landed on his thigh in the restaurant, it was all he could do to stay relaxed and not react in a way that Zoe would have instantly felt. If her hand had stayed on his thigh a few more seconds, it would have been too late and the size of his interest would have been very apparent. Thankfully, Zoe was collected enough to not make a big deal out of what happened, but it was all C J could do to not grab Zoe, dash to the car and drive as fast as he could to his home, not ten minutes away. C J was no stranger to attractive women, or spontaneous sex, but he hadn’t decided on the right approach to Zoe. Her comments about her dead husband had made him glad he had controlled his sexual urges, but it also heightened his desire to just wrap his arms around her and hold her. That idea was very new to C J, and he was not at all sure he liked it. Talking during dinner had revealed to C J that Zoe was smart and accomplished in her own right. Her half-hearted attempt to make the dinner more businesslike had initially annoyed him. This was replaced with amusement because C J realized she was feeling the attraction too. As Zoe had shared his cake, he had felt her mood changing to one of more than mere interest, and it was all C J could do to not adjust his pants as he started to harden while watching her smile with more than just delight over the cake. Yes, Zoe felt it too, C J was sure. Ready to make a swift U-turn to his place, C J turned to glance at Zoe and assess how best to pull this idea off. Any thoughts of sex with Zoe stopped when he saw that her eyes were closed in sleep. Is she that relaxed around me or just that tired? C J kept driving to the Westin and pulled in the entrance minutes later.
Zoe woke up to the feel of C J’s lips lightly kissing her forehead. She noticed the Cadillac was parked and realized they were at the entrance of the Westin. Zoe was mortified that she had fallen asleep. Of all the ways Zoe had pictured the evening might end, this was not one of them. Before she could say anything, C J was around to her side of the car and opening her door. Zoe couldn’t help but stretch a bit as she stepped out of the car.
C J looked down at her and said, “The interview was an unexpected pleasure. I’m glad you let me show off the restaurant at dinner, so you can let New York know Houston isn’t backward. Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay out a bit longer tonight?”
Zoe, knowing this was her opening to the possibility of an interesting night, sighed, realizing how tired she truly was. “Thank you, C J, I loved dinner and the fact that you honestly shared your thoughts and ideas in the interview, but I am more tired than I thought and would be poor company if I stayed out tonight.”
C J couldn’t hide his disappointment. He had given her the opportunity to climb back in the car, but he had sensed that wasn’t happening tonight before he asked. As he walked back to the driver’s side of the car, C J turned, as if inspired, and flashed Zoe a very wide grin. He said, “See you tomorrow; be prepared for a special outing.”
Watching the car pull onto the street, Zoe was surprised at the fact that C J was so sure they would see each other the next day. Then she glanced down and realized why. The oldest trick in the book; she was still wearing his jacket. Zoe turned to head into
the hotel lobby, and the concierge noticed the huge smile on her face as she headed to the bank of elevators. He nodded his head in greeting, but she was so absorbed she didn’t even notice. Zoe was as happy about this turn of events as anyone.
Chapter Three
Zoe opened the door to her room and immediately felt the weight of its emptiness. She could be with C J Fairchild, wrapped in more than his coat for the evening, and no one would have known. Plenty of journalists she knew not only had affairs with the people they interviewed but they often had sex with people to get interviews. What Zoe wrestled with was whether or not crossing that line fit her professional ideals. It didn’t matter now, she thought, because she had just blown the moment. She knew all too well that timing could be everything. The interview was over, and Zoe knew she never would have let an evening with C J Fairchild color how she wrote her story, so why was she arguing with herself? The answer was personal and not professional. Life usually felt black and white to her, but right now C J Fairchild had created a gray area. Zoe had a decision to make. If she had sex with C J, could she easily walk away with no regrets? Why was she asking this question? Had she changed, or was this man so different from the others?
After the Interview Page 3