Here's the first part of an old sequel I dug up to my revisionist look at "Fatal Vows" that was written in the 1980s. It's had a little work but for the most part, is the same. Again, don't own the characters just borrowing them then and now.
I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading.
Two months later…
Matt exited the elevator with Uncle Roy into the lobby of his elaborate and stylish headquarters. The spacious suite merged a state of the arts professional office with a cozy bachelor pad. Much better for mixing business with pleasure, Matt always thought, with a lot less time spent stuck on the city's congested streets and freeways trying to get from one to the other. The women he dated loved hanging out there especially in the bubbling spa and the parade of women going in and out of the building over the years lit up more than a few gossip columns.
Thankfully, the paparazzi that sometimes pursued him had better prey to chase today and he and his uncle had been able to come into the building unaccosted by the usual mob of obnoxious men flashing cameras in their faces. Hopefully that meant that the media's interest in his aborted wedding two months earlier had finally died down.
He pulled at his tie, hating the damn things and eyed the Jacuzzi with longing. His muscles screamed for relaxation after hours spent cooped up in a sedan conducting a stakeout with his uncle providing a running commentary on a recent film festival he had attended.
Any time spent soaking in the soothing waters would have to wait after he cleared his desk of some paperwork that had piled up in the past several days.
Matt looked around the impressive setup that he surrounded himself with while he both worked and played, as always happy with its design. His suite had been featured in the pages of several interior decoration magazines for its innovative decorative scheme.
The fax machine sat next to the wet bar and he had installed both a gym and the aforementioned Jacuzzi in the suite for relaxing and unwinding after a busy day. And Baby, his pride and joy shared space with his elaborate entertainment system.
Chris looked up from her desk when she saw both men.
"You have a ton of messages," she said, handing Matt slips of paper.
"Thanks Chris," Matt said easily.
"And you have a visitor waiting for you in your office," she said.
"What about C.J.," Matt said, "Is she back yet from that business trip?"
"Her flight's due to land at LAX in about 20 minutes," Chris said, "She'll pick up the helicopter there and arrive here pretty soon."
"That's good," Matt said, "I called the hanger and the maintenance team said they'd finished patching up the bullet holes and it's ready to go."
Roy headed towards the wet bar, his favorite spot.
"Matlock, can I get you something?"
"How about a gin and tonic," he said.
Roy nodded and made him one, watching his nephew the entire time. He'd been worried about him since Elizabeth had left him at the altar and he'd gone off to Tahiti with his best friend to mend his broken heart. Not that he had been worried about that but he had hoped his nephew would have benefited more from his retreat to a tropical island. Far from being rested and relaxed when he returned, Matt had thrown himself back into his work. Great for business but what toll was it exacting on his personal life?
Roy feared he would soon find out.
Taking his drink, Matt headed towards his office ready to kick back and sort through the pile of papers. C.J. would be dropping by with the helicopter soon enough and perhaps they would then head out to dinner at one of their favorite restaurants to catch up on each other's lives. Since returning from Tahiti, the two had barely seen each other. Matt had been buried in his caseload of investigations and C.J. had been flying all over the country taking depositions on some legal battles they were gearing up for involving several clients. He missed having her by his side and wondered if she felt the same way.
Matt opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw a woman sitting in a chair making herself quite comfortable in his office. She appeared familiar to him but he couldn't quite place her. That wasn't all that surprising because he encountered a lot of beautiful and stylishly dressed women in his line of work and in his social life. Still, he thought he should remember…
"Hello, do you have an appointment," he asked, taking off his jacket and draping it over a chair before sitting at his desk.
She looked indignantly at him but the flirtatious look in her eyes belied her demeanor.
"Don't you remember me?"
He looked confused as he tried to remember where he had crossed paths with her. Something about her face…It wasn't until she pulled a small silver flask out of her purse that her name came to him in a rush.
"Ginger…"
"That's right," she said, taking the cap off the flask before drinking from it.
"You were at my wedding."
"Your almost wedding," she corrected, "Friend of the bride."
"Elizabeth," he said, nodding, "How is she?"
Ginger rolled her eyes.
"Do you care?"
He frowned.
"Of course I do," he said, "What kind of question is that?"
Ginger smiled coyly before taking another sip from the flask. Matt thought he smelled vodka.
"She's doing just fine on her own," Ginger said, "Oh she was a little heart broken when we headed off to Mexico for a couple of weeks of fun and frolic but she's done a lot of thinking since then and she's ready to make some changes in her life."
"That's…good," Matt said and he meant it, "Change is always healthy."
Ginger leaned forward and after resting her elbow on his desk, placed her chin on top of her hand. She studied Matt intensely in a way that made him feel a bit uneasy.
"So what have you been up to," she asked, "Been quite busy from what I read in the columns."
"You can't believe everything you read," he said, "The truth is that since we got back from Tahiti, I've been buried in work."
Her eyebrows shot up.
"So you had company on your trip to Tahiti," she said, nodding, "Of course you didn't go on your honeymoon alone. I imagine that you took some pretty young thing with you or several to keep you company."
"I invited my business partner," he said, "It's one of her favorite places."
"Now that's interesting," Ginger said, "You must have had a fabulous time."
Matt paused looking at his glass.
"We…did actually," Matt said, "It rained a bit but the weather the rest of the time was great."
"So what did you…do?"
Matt narrowed his eyes.
"You're asking a lot of questions."
"Oh, don't act coy with me," Ginger said, "Tahiti is one of the most romantic places in the world, the beautiful ocean, the breezes, the scenery…"
"We had a great time," Matt said, "Saw the sights, ate the food, listened to the music and spent a lot of time talking like we always do."
Ginger harrumphed.
"I'll bet," she said, standing up with her flask still in one hand.
"Is there a specific reason why you're sitting in my office," Matt asked.
"Ah yes," she said, "I heard you got back and I thought maybe if you had some time free, you'd go out with me for a drink."
He eyed the flask.
"It seems you already have one," he said.
Her brow lifted.
"Oh yes of course," she said, "and you have a gin and tonic. We're all set and can get straight down to business."
"I've got a lot of work to do," he said, gazing at the pile of documents and folders sitting on his desk.
Ginger shook her head.
"Tsk, tsk," she said, "All work and no pleasure makes Matt a dull and tired man."
He sighed as she curled one of her fingers and beckoned to him. Flask carrying aside, Ginger oozed sexiness and he knew he should feel attracted to her but she just didn't do it for him.
"Ginger, I don't think…"
She approached him, touching his mouth with her finger.
"You talk way too much…"
She sprawled herself on his desk, pushing papers off of it. He watched them float gently to the floor, wondering if he'd ever be able to sort them out again.
"How strong is this desk anyway," she said, reaching for him.
C.J. picked up her luggage from the baggage claim after she landed and headed off to the hanger where the helicopter was scheduled for a pickup. She loved flying the bird whenever she had the chance. It allowed her the chance to remove herself from the chaotic din of living in L.A. and realize how small a piece L.A. was of a much larger world when she flew above it rather than being caught in the middle of it.
She hit the bathroom first and looked in the mirror. Her makeup still looked fresh and her hair, well it's nothing a dab of conditioner wouldn't fix. She felt so sleepy after she had left the final meeting to make her flight that she had napped on the plane. She ran her fingers through her hair and then flipped it back, deciding that looked better.
The helicopter waited for her on the tarmac in front of the hanger almost like a long lost friend. She talked to the mechanics and then prepared it for takeoff so she could fly back to their office in Century City. As busy as she had been the past few days, she still had work at the office to catch up on closing out some accounts involving their investigative agency. Business had been booming after she and Matt had returned from Tahiti and had gotten back in the swing of things. As usual, more cases than they could handle landed at their office. Chris told them when they had returned that phones had been ringing off the hook.
Even after the nap, she still felt exhausted and her muscles ached deeply. Perhaps when she got to the suite, she could soak in the spa for awhile to loosen them up. Disappointment struck her as she remembered that she hadn't reviewed the spreadsheets from last week. Everything else would have to wait until she had completed that.
She adjusted the controls after climbing into the bird and the rotors began spinning slowly at first and then faster. She put on her headphones and finished the preflight check, smiling to herself.
Matt felt Ginger's arms wrap around him as she tried to pull him on the desk.
"Ginger…"
"Shhh, don't say anything," she whispered, putting her finger on his lips again, "Just enjoy the moment."
And he almost did because after all, she was sexy and vivacious and well…his desk could handle it. But something stopped him from responding back. He pushed her off of him, when she tried to kiss him.
"I can't…"
She sat up frowning.
"Why not," she said, "We're both footloose and fancy free, aren't we?"
He shook his head.
"Is it because you're still getting over your breakup with Elizabeth?"
He said nothing.
"Honey, I can assure you that there's nothing wrong with the two of us…well having some fun," she said, "You're so handsome and sexy. I'm beautiful and at the moment, available. We could have ourselves a real good time without even leaving your office."
Matt considered the officer but he had to turn her down.
"You are very beautiful and what you're offering is very tempting," Matt said, "but I'm not interested and I'm very busy catching up on work."
Ginger looked perplexed.
"Which is the greater problem for you because I could help you with both."
He shook his head.
Her lips turned down into a pout.
"Why not?"
Because his thoughts had turned to someone else and everyone else came a distant second.
"I…"
Suddenly, somebody knocked on his door.
"Who is it," he asked.
"It's me Matt," a familiar voice said.
Both Matt and Ginger looked at each other.
Elizabeth?
"Come in," Matt said, sitting back in his chair and reaching over to pick up the papers which fell on the floor.
Ginger planted herself right back in her chair and took a much needed sip from her flask. The door opened and in walked Elizabeth with a huge smile lighting up her face which was framed by tight curls a deep shade of auburn. She looked trim in her dress over which she wore a loose sweater.
"Hello Matt," she said, simply.
He noticed that she looked more vibrant than the last time he'd seen her.
"Hello Elizabeth."
"It's been a while," she said, looking for a place to sit.
He got up and found her a chair buried under investigative manuals.
"Just over two months," he said as she sat down.
Elizabeth flashed Ginger a look.
"Ginger, what on earth are you doing here?"
Her friend shrugged.
"I thought I'd check up on your ex-fiancé and see how he's been doing."
Elizabeth ran her hand through her hair and looked at him.
"He seems to be doing just fine," she said, "You look great, Matt."
He smiled.
"So do you."
She nodded.
"I've been keeping myself busy," she said, "I got a new job working at a clothing company in San Diego and been really busy since Ginger and I got back from Mexico."
"It's been very busy here during the past couple of months," Matt said, "More cases than C.J. and I can handle."
"How is she Matt," Elizabeth asked.
He paused, surprised that she asked.
"She's doing fine," he said, "She's due back on a business trip she's been on."
Ginger rolled her eyes.
"They went to Tahiti together," she said.
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly and her smile dimmed but she hid it well.
"Oh…that's nice," she said, "Did you have a good time?"
Matt looked at her.
"Yes we did."
"Oh," she said, "That's nice. What did you do?"
"They did sightseeing, ate great food and talked a lot," Ginger said.
Elizabeth nodded.
"That's really good," she said, "You look great Matt."
"You already said that," Ginger reminded her.
"Well, he looks like he's taken good care of himself."
"Why wouldn't he," Ginger said, "Men like him bounce back well after the disappointments in life especially with their friends to help them."
Matt thought Ginger was very entertaining to watch but he wanted to know why Elizabeth had walked through his office door and back in his life after two months. And he always believed in getting straight to the point.
"Elizabeth, it's good to see you," he said, "but why are you here?"
She paused and Matt sat wondering what her answer would be. When she had left him after the wedding had been canceled, he thought that was it, that he would never see her again. But here she was, standing right in front of him. As if she had never walked away.
She smiled softly at him.
"Matt, I feel really badly about the way I handled things on our wedding day and even before that," she said, "I've had a lot of time to think about it and I've got something to say to you."
Matt sat there waiting, his heart in his throat.
C.J. angled the helicopter so that its landing would be smooth on the helipad, just outside the penthouse suite. Skillfully, she brought the bird down and began to shut the engine off. The daylight began to dim as the sun moved closer to the horizon, but the heat of an L.A. summer still baked the air. Much better to face than the humidity that she had been enveloped in the past week while away on business. Hopefully, the drier climate in L.A. would invigorate her and remove her fatigue which had clung to her for a couple of weeks.
She climbed out of the helicopter after gathering her luggage and headed towards the suite, hoping that he would be working in his office. She had something to tell him.
"So what did you want to tell me," Matt asked, expectantly.
Elizabeth looked at Ginger for support first before focusing her attention on him. But Ginger had taken another sip from her flask, watching the both of them.
"I don't know how to put this, but…I missed you Matt," she said, "Honestly, I was miserable the whole time I was in Mexico. All I could think about was you and how you looked when I told you I couldn't marry you."
"Elizabeth, I'm okay," Matt said, "I've had some time to think about it too."
She looked at her hands, taking a deep breath.
"Matt, I want us to start over again," she said, "and forget that day ever happened."
Her request for them to get back together floored him. He reached for his gin and tonic and took a slow sip to collect his thoughts. Did he just hear her right? She wanted to pick up where they left off as if nothing happened?
"Elizabeth, I…"
The door opened and there stood C.J. holding that guava juice that Roy fancied and she had acquired a taste for since he had moved to L.A. She looked tired but beautiful in her three-piece gray suit, with her dark hair falling around her shoulders. Her soft dark hair which framed her face, one he had known since childhood. He looked at her a moment taking her in and she looked at him quizzically.
"Are you okay Houston," she said, and then she took on the company around him, "Elizabeth…Ginger, what are you doing here?"
She tried to hide her shock but she felt pretty sure the other two women had seen it.
"Hi C.J.," Elizabeth said, "We were back in town and we thought we'd drop by," she said, "We were thinking of inviting you both to dinner."
Ginger looked at her friend, startled but quickly recovered.
"Yeah…what she said…I know a really great restaurant that just opened."
C.J. looked doubtful.
"I'll have to take a rain check," she said, "I just got back from a business trip and I'm pretty tired. But Houston, you should go."
Matt looked at his business partner looking for any signs of concern but she just smiled at him.
"C.J., why don't you come along," he said, "It will be a good chance to relax and catch up on how your trip went."
She rubbed her eyes.
"Houston, it's not polite to talk about business during a social engagement," she said, "Besides, this will give the two of you a chance to catch up."
"We need to catch up," he said.
She started to say something and then shook her head.
"I'll give you the highlights of the trip tomorrow," she said, "and Chris is working on the report tonight."
"Come on, it's just for a few hours," Matt said.
Ginger shrugged.
"If she doesn't want to go…"
Elizabeth smiled at her friend.
"Of course she does," she said, "We'll have a nice time. I want to find out everything you've been up to."
C.J. looked at Matt and then finally nodded.
"Okay, dinner will be great."
Elizabeth smiled again and stood up.
"Good then," she said, "We'll meet you at the Karmic Garden at seven."
She embraced him and kissed him on the cheek.
"See you then."
Matt and C.J. watched the two women leave his office.
"I'm going to take my things home and get changed," she said, going to get her luggage. He helped her with it.
"I'll walk you to your car," he said.
She nodded and then started walking. He fell in beside her as they headed towards the garage after getting off the elevator.
"It was certainly interesting to see Elizabeth again," C.J. said as they walked to her car.
"It was a surprise," he said.
C.J. looked at him thoughtfully.
"Maybe this will be the opportunity to get closure with her," she said, "or to start over again."
"C.J…"
She shook her head and kissed him on the cheek.
"Remember what I said."
She got into her car.
"I'll see you at the restaurant."
And then she was gone.
"So you're really serious about getting back together with him," Ginger asked as she and Elizabeth walked to their cars.
"I think he's receptive to giving us another chance," Elizabeth said.
"Are you sure about that?"
Elizabeth gave her a funny look.
"What are you saying," she said, "That he's not interested in getting back together?"
Ginger paused.
"I didn't say that," she said, "I just don't think you should assume anything."
Elizabeth pursed her lips.
"I know it might take some time," she said, "but I think it will work out for us."
Ginger looked doubtful.
"He seems to me like he's moving on," she said, "I don't want you to get hurt."
Elizabeth shook her head.
"Matt would never hurt me," she said, "I was the one who hurt him when I called off the wedding. A huge mistake on my part."
Ginger sighed, losing patience.
"Why do you want to get back with him," she said, "After what happened at the wedding with that lunatic reporter showing up…"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"That was C.J.'s past coming back to haunt us," she said, "not Matt's."
"Is there really any difference," Ginger said.
Elizabeth wrinkled her brow.
"What are you getting at?"
"You told yourself you couldn't handle his life," Ginger said, "and all the danger and unpredictability that came with it."
Elizabeth nodded.
"I did say that," she said, "but I think I've learned that I can deal with it."
"Are you sure," Ginger said, "because you were in hysterics at your own wedding."
Elizabeth sighed.
"That was months ago," she said, "I've had time to think about what he and I could have had if I'd just been able to put my fears aside."
"He's not going to change," Ginger warned.
"I know that," Elizabeth said, "and it's not fair to ask him of that. I should just accept him for who he is and love him for it."
Ginger studied her friend carefully.
"Do you?"
Elizabeth ran her hand through her auburn curls.
"I…do," she said, "I should, if I intend to get him back."
C.J. didn't unpack her bags but went straight to the shower. After a day spent traveling, she couldn't think of anything she needed more except to pull back the covers in her bed and go to sleep but she had dinner to get through first. She wished she hadn't caved and accepted the invitation but she had been shocked to walk into Matt's office and see Elizabeth sitting there as if she'd never left.
She knew that could only mean one thing and that was that Elizabeth had second thoughts about leaving her fiancé and wanted him back. And if Matt wanted to marry Elizabeth after all, C.J. knew she could do nothing more than wish him well. When Matt knew what he wanted, he went after it with single-minded determination, letting nothing and no one stand in his way. She learned that pretty quickly herself.
After C.J. got out of the shower, she changed into more casual dress and slipped on some more comfortable shoes. She combed out her hair in front of the mirror, thinking about her business trip. She had worked hard for the past month spending time in various cities with little time to enjoy their sights and now that she had returned to L.A., all she wanted to do was unwind. She had thought the time spent in Tahiti relaxing and enjoying herself would have warded off the fatigue she felt now. She shook her head, wondering why that had popped in her mind. What happened in Tahiti was best left there. That had been their mutual decision but living with it had proved to be more difficult than she thought.
Suddenly, she heard her phone rang and she left the bathroom to answer it.
"Hi C.J. what's been going on?"
C.J. smiled. A close friend from way back in college, Gracie had a way of getting to the point quickly. She lived up in the Bay Area where she had started her own business and had been trying to get C.J. to visit her for a while.
"I just got back from a business trip and was hoping to relax…"
She heard Gracie clucking her tongue on the other end.
"What have you talked yourself into doing now?"
C.J. sat on her bed.
"Going out to dinner with my best friend and his ex-fiancée."
"Not the one who left him at the altar?"
"The very same," C.J. said, "She walked back into his office and I would guess she wants to be part of his life again."
"Meaning pick up where they left off?"
"I think so."
"How do you feel about that?"
C.J. paused.
"She really broke his heart," C.J. said, "and now she is just stepping back in like it never happened."
"How does Matt feel about this?"
C.J. tried not to think about that.
"I don't know but we're all going out to dinner," she said, "and she's bringing along an old friend."
"That sounds cozy," Gracie said, "Why don't you just ditch this crowd and come up and visit?"
C.J. felt tempted but…
"I just got back into town," she said.
"So what," Gracie said, "You can hop on the next plane up here or better yet, take a road trip and get away ."
C.J. sighed.
"I'm too tired to stay awake on the road," she said, "Besides, I've got a ton of work to catch up on since I've been traveling so much."
"Didn't you just go to Tahiti two months ago?"
C.J. rubbed her eyes.
"Yeah I did…so?"
"An exotic tropical island filled with sun, sea and relaxation didn't seem to rub off on you much," Gracie noted.
"I'm back to work now," C.J. said, "and very busy in the real world."
"So you coming up to Frisco or not," Gracie asked.
C.J. looked at her watch. She was running late.
"I'll think about it," she said, "I'll talk to you later."
She hung up the phone, and then picked up her purse before heading off to the restaurant.
Roy watched his nephew finish up some of the paperwork in his office. He had been working on it for several hours, catching up with the administrative side of his business he usually avoided. Roy grabbed his glass of juice and went to go talk with him.
"I thought you were going to dinner," Roy said, watching Matt stacking some files together.
"I just have to finish up these files," Matt said.
Roy sipped his drink thoughtfully.
"I never knew you to be so enthralled with clerical details," he observed.
"I've fallen behind so I'm catching up," Matt said, "Chris is handling the lion share of it."
"What about C.J," Roy said, "Doesn't she usually handle the spreadsheets?"
"Uncle Roy, she looked tired after her trip so I said I'd do it," Matt said.
Roy paused.
"Something on your mind Matlock?"
Matt looked up from his work pile at his uncle.
"Besides catching up on this backlog, not much."
"You've been preoccupied since you got back from Tahiti," Roy said.
Matt wondered what his uncle was getting at.
"I've been busy. Business has been booming with all these clients coming in."
"Keeping busy makes it easier to forget," he said.
"Forget what?"
Roy studied his nephew.
"You had two women come into your office this afternoon," he said, "Your former fiancée and her best friend and they didn't walk in together."
"There was a reason for that."
Roy nodded.
"So I gathered."
Matt raised his brows at his uncle. Roy sipped his drink again.
"Your fiancée is interested in getting back together with you and her friend's just interested."
Matt sighed.
"Something like that."
"And then C.J. comes back from her business trip…"
"What does she have to do with this," Matt said.
"Maybe nothing," Roy said, "Maybe everything."
Matt shot his uncle a look and the older man just shrugged.
"C.J. has been traveling a lot."
Matt opened another folder on his desk.
"Collecting depositions for a couple of cases," he said, "which were very important."
"I'm sure they were," Roy said, "and she got them done like she always does."
Matt pushed the file aside.
"Yes she did," he said, "and she's back home."
"And now you're heading out to dinner with three attractive women," Roy said.
Matt narrowed his eyes.
"What are you trying to say?"
His uncle looked at him as if surprised and then took another sip from his glass.
"That it should be a most interesting evening."
C.J. pulled up at the restaurant and handed her keys to the valet. She walked up to the entrance and bumped into a young man. He grabbed her arm.
"C.J., is that you?"
She looked up and saw Jason, a detective with the police department.
"Jason, what are you doing here," she said.
"I'm meeting someone," he said, then laughed, "I finally got a night off from work."
"I just got back from another business trip," she said, "I'm meeting Houston and his former fiancée and her friend for dinner."
"That sounds potentially dangerous," he said, "Are you going to be all right?"
She patted his arm.
"It's going to be fine," she said, "Just a group of us catching up."
"We'll if you need my help, just signal," he said.
She laughed and then suddenly, felt a wave of dizziness. He grabbed her arm again.
"Are you okay," he said, concern suddenly in his voice.
She nodded, her cheeks flushing.
"I'm fine," she said, "I just haven't eaten all day."
"Then make sure you get a good meal here," he said, "It's good to see you."
She looked up and saw Matt walking in the door. She smiled at him and he walked over to her.
"C.J., did you just get here?"
She nodded.
"I just ran into Jason," she said, "We were catching up."
"He actually took a night off?"
"I can't believe it either," she said, "It must be a woman."
"What makes you say that," Matt asked.
She smiled.
"It has to be something important to keep him away from all that overtime," she said, "or someone."
They talked to the maître `d and followed him to a booth in the corner. After they sat down, they ordered drinks. They sat quietly together for a moment, deep in their own thoughts.
"You look very nice tonight," he said.
"So do you," she said, sipping her water.
"They should be here any minute," he said.
She nodded.
"You still feeling tired?"
"A little bit," she said, "I'm sure it's jet lag."
"Do you want to take a couple days off," he asked.
"No, I'll be fine," she said, as the waiter brought their drinks.
"At least the deposition part of the process is finished."
She looked at him carefully.
"Houston…"
"What?"
"Why did you want me to come to dinner here tonight?"
He read her face.
"I thought it would be nice if we caught up," he said, "It's been a while since we have sat down and talked to each other."
"But I think your fiancée…"
"Ex-fiancée," he corrected.
"I think she wanted to have a chance to talk with you alone," she said.
"She invited Ginger," he said, "and you."
"I guess there's safety in numbers," she said, "I think you should spend time talking with her, just the two of you."
He leaned forward.
"There's nothing to talk about," he said, "She spoke loudly at the wedding when she walked away."
She looked away.
"There's everything to talk about," she said, "This is something you need to do to go on with your life whatever it is you decide to do."
He watched her flip her hair back off of her shoulders and closed his eyes.
"C.J…"
She looked past him.
"They're here," she said.
He turned around and saw Elizabeth and Ginger walking toward them, both wearing elaborate outfits and big smiles. C.J. wondered again why she had dressed more casually but she had just wanted to feel comfortable after a day spent flying.
Matt got up and seated them.
"Sorry we're late," Elizabeth said, "We got stuck in traffic."
"It's dreadful in L.A.," Ginger agreed, beckoning the waiter over to order a drink.
"It's good to see you made it," Matt said.
"I've heard lovely things about this restaurant," Elizabeth said as the waitress returned with the menus.
Ginger looked across at C.J.
"So you just got back from a business trip," she said.
C.J. nodded.
"Just wrapped up the last of some depositions needed for a case," she said, "I'm glad to be back home."
Ginger played with her napkin.
"I'm sure that it must be exciting flying around and seeing different parts of the country."
"It might be if I had anytime to see the sights," C.J. said, "but it's all work from dawn until dusk."
"Surely, you have enough time to get out and socialize outside of work," Ginger said, sipping her glass, "That's an integral part of every business trip I take."
C.J. could only imagine.
"Not for me," she said, "I usually take the work back to the hotel and spend my time with room service."
"I'm sure a woman like yourself can find a way to be entertained," Ginger said, "Business trips are excellent opportunities to meet men."
C.J. laughed.
"I wouldn't know," she said, "I'm too busy working to even look at them."
"Nonsense," Ginger said, raising her glass, "No one could ever be too busy to have some fun."
"Then you haven't known many lawyers," C.J. said.
"Oh come on," Ginger said, "a young attractive woman like yourself must have men beating down her door."
C.J. shook her head.
"Why is my social life and whether or not I have one so interesting to you?"
Ginger shrugged and took a sip of her drink.
"It's just idle curiosity," she said, "There's no reason to take it personally."
"Ginger," Elizabeth said, "Why are you hitting her with the questions? This is supposed to be a social occasion not an interrogation."
"Well what else are we going to talk about," Ginger said, "I'm trying to liven things up."
Elizabeth sighed.
"Why don't we just let them tell us what they've been up to since…we last saw each other?"
"Boooring," Ginger said, "That will last all of about 10 minutes and then we'll have to start discussing politics or religion."
Matt and C.J. just looked at each other. Elizabeth just smiled and looked at the menu.
"Maybe we should order," she said, "Is everyone ready?"
She called the waiter over.
"The fish is excellent," Ginger said, "but the calamari is to die over."
The thought of either made C.J. feel queasy.
"I'll just have a bowl of the soup of the day and a side of bread," she said.
The waiter finished taking orders and then left them.
"So who wants to go first," Ginger said, snapping a bread stick, "How about you Matt, what have you been up to since we last saw you?"
He just looked back at them.
"I've been very busy…once we got back from Tahiti of course," he said, "Business is really picking up."
"That's great Matt," Ginger said, "I mean a strong, handsome man like yourself running around and solving all these crimes…"
"The police solve most of them," he said, "Finding missing people and property is my specialty."
"That must be exciting," Ginger said, "I imagine you meet a lot of interesting people."
"Sometimes…"
"We do," C.J. said, "Never a dull moment."
"I can imagine," Ginger said, "I imagine you meet up with a lot of unsavory characters as well."
Matt smiled.
"Sometimes…"
"And some beautiful and very sexy women…"
Matt looked at C.J. and she just shrugged.
"After all, that's how you met Elizabeth here," Ginger continued, "on one of your cases."
Matt looked down at his glass.
"Ginger…," Elizabeth said, "I'm not sure we should take this trip down memory lane."
"Why not," Ginger said, "It's all water under the bridge and we've all moved on."
Elizabeth sipped from her wine glass.
"Maybe we should talk about something else," she said.
C.J. looked at her watch, wishing she were in bed asleep.
"Let's talk about our respective vacations then," Ginger said, brightening up.
"You mean our trip to Mexico," Elizabeth said.
"Yes, and Matt and C.J. can talk about what they did in Tahiti."
C.J. began trying to think up an excuse so she could leave the dinner party early.
"I already told him I had a miserable time in Mexico," Elizabeth said, "so what else is there to say?"
C.J. looked at Elizabeth, surprised.
"I of course had a blast on the Mexican Riviera," Ginger said, "But Elizabeth here spent most of the time in her hotel."
"Were you sick," C.J. asked.
"Broken hearted," Ginger said, "After all, she had just canceled her wedding."
"It wasn't all that bad," Elizabeth said, "I did go out to take in the sights after a few days and enjoyed myself."
Ginger rolled her eyes.
"She had lunch on the beach twice," she said, "and one drink on the balcony of our hotel suite."
"I was fine," Elizabeth said, "I just realized that I didn't feel like running away from myself and hiding my real feelings about what had happened."
Their food arrived and they dug into it. Matt looked over at C.J. who ate her soup.
"Is that all you're eating," he said, "You can have some of my fish if you like."
She grimaced.
"Keep that away from me," she said, picking up a piece of bread and dipping it in her soup.
Ginger brightened, as she picked apart her lobster.
"So how was Tahiti again?"
Matt looked up startled and C.J. kept stirring her soup.
"Was it as lovely as I hear," Ginger continued.
"It's very beautiful there," C.J. said, "The island's wonderful and the people are very nice."
"So what did you do," Ginger asked.
"We… went sailing and diving," C.J. said, "and hiking."
"That sounds…athletic."
"It sounds like a good way to spend a vacation," Elizabeth said, "What else did you do to pass the time?'
"We listened to music and ate at different restaurants," Matt said, "and went out deep sea fishing."
"That sounds like a romantic holiday if I ever heard one," Ginger grumbled.
"Ginger, they went on the trip as friends," Elizabeth said, "Why are you giving them such a hard time?"
"I'm just being sociable," Ginger protested, "I mean if I were spending some time on a beautiful tropical island with a man like Matt, I could just think of a better list of things to do…than fishing."
C.J. looked down at her soup. Elizabeth's smile quavered and Matt adjusted his tie.
"I see I've stopped the conversation once again," Ginger said, "I was simply being honest. Who would not spend some time in paradise with a man like him and not want to, well get to know him better."
C.J. looked at her watch.
"Look at the time," she said, "I've got to go. I have a really early day tomorrow."
She started to get up. Matt looked at her.
"Are you sure you're going to be all right?"
She smiled at him and nodded.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said.
He watched her go.
Ginger looked at Matt and Elizabeth and raised her glass.
"So what should we talk about now?"
C.J. passed the bar on her way out and bumped into Jason.
"You already leaving," he asked, "Dinner went that well."
She sighed.
"It's been a long day," she said, "and I have to get up early tomorrow."
"Why don't I buy you a drink so we can talk before you leave," he said.
She thought about it then nodded. She did need to do some unwinding before she got home. If only to recover from that dinner she had just sat through.
"I'll have a club soda with some lime."
He nodded and putting his arm around her led her to a table.
C.J. looked behind her at the dining area as they ordered their drinks.
"I thought you had a date or something," she said.
He shook his head.
"She got paged on an emergency," he said, "She's a medical resident."
"Sounds exciting," C.J. said, "but a very busy life."
"Her and me both," Jason said, "It makes it very difficult to have a relationship."
She smiled at the wistfulness in his voice. In all the time she had known him, he had never had a relationship that lasted long.
"Does it matter enough to both of you?"
He nodded, sipping from his glass.
"Then you'll make it work," she said.
"What about you," he asked.
She frowned.
"I've been too busy," she said, "and life's just been so complicated."
"How so," he asked, "Does it have anything to do with your dining card tonight?"
C.J. looked at her glass.
"Matt's ex-fiancée, Elizabeth, dropped by his office today with her best friend, Ginger just out of the blue."
Jason leaned forward.
"Is this the first time he's seen her since the wedding that wasn't?"
C.J. nodded.
"She took off to Mexico with Ginger after she and Matt broke it off," she said, "I'm not sure why she's back but I don't think it's a social call."
"You think she wants to get back with him?"
C.J. fingered the rim of her glass.
"Maybe she's had second thoughts about canceling the wedding," C.J. said, "She did really seem to love him and he loves her. She broke his heart when she decided she couldn't marry him."
"It would never have worked out if she didn't accept how important his career was to him," Jason said, "That's what two marriages have taught me."
"It must be tough to be married to a cop," C.J. said.
Jason agreed.
"If women can't accept that danger is just a part of the job, it's tough for a marriage to last," he said, "and I think that will be true in Matt's case as well. It's just too much a part of who he is."
"It's hard to see him go out and risk his life," C.J. said, "Sometimes it's scary when you think something's happened to him and you're waiting for him to tell you that everything's okay. But I would never try to change who he is just to sleep easier at night."
"Being a friend to someone in a dangerous profession is different than being engaged or married to them," Jason said.
C.J. blinked her eyes.
"I realize that," she said, "but I think an important part of loving someone is accepting who they are and not trying to change them."
"It can be really tough to remember that at times," Jason said, ruefully, "but I'm trying with Lisa even though I hardly ever see her."
"I just don't want him to get hurt again," C.J. said.
"He's a big boy C.J.," Jason said, "He can take care of himself. But what about you?"
"What do you mean?"
Matt sat and listened to Ginger talk about some of the adventures she and Elizabeth had during the trip that they had taken to Mexico after the wedding had been called off. He looked at his watch several times.
"Well, that was certainly an exciting side trip, wasn't it Elizabeth," Ginger said.
"I suppose," she said, "Every beach seems the same after awhile."
Ginger frowned at her friend's lack of enthusiasm.
"Granted it's not Tahiti, but it's the next best thing," Ginger said, "What do you think Matt?"
"It all depends on who you're with," he said, thoughtfully.
Ginger raised her brows at him.
"He's not only handsome, he's wise," she said.
Matt smiled, unsure of what to say. Ginger certainly was on her game tonight. He wondered not for the first time what she had up her sleeve.
Ginger looked at him and Elizabeth.
"Listen, I think I'll mosey on to the power room," she said, getting up, "I'll be right back. Stay out of trouble, you two."
After she left, Elizabeth shook her head.
"I love my friend but she wants to be the life of the party when she drinks," she said.
"She sure loves to talk," Matt noted, "Not that it isn't interesting but she's nonstop."
"That's her in a nutshell," Elizabeth said, "But she's a great friend."
Matt raised a brow remembering her flirtatious attitude in his office.
"Yeah," he said, sipping his drink.
Elizabeth hesitated.
"I'm glad she left us alone for a few minutes," she said, "I've wanted to talk to you."
"Elizabeth…"
She took a deep breath. `
"I've wanted to say this for a long time."
"We've already said everything that needs to be said," Matt said, "and then you walked away."
"Matt… just hear me out," she said, "I want to apologize for how I acted during our wedding. I'm sorry if my actions hurt you."
"You did what you thought you had to do," Matt said, "You were right about me. I work in a dangerous job that I love and I never would have been happy living another life."
She shook her head.
"No, I was wrong," she said, "I thought I could never accept your livelihood and the dangers associated with it. I didn't think I could ever sit home at night waiting and worrying for you to come home from this job of yours."
"My career is dangerous sometimes," Matt said, "and even though I take precautions, a day might come where I don't come home."
She ran her hand through her hair.
"I know that and it's scares me but losing you scared me more," Elizabeth said, "I love you."
Matt looked up, stunned.
Ginger moseyed over to her favorite place in any establishment, the bar and saw C.J. sitting with a handsome well-built gentleman. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked on over to their table.
C.J. saw her coming and tried to not roll her eyes. Jason saw her expression and looked up at Ginger.
"I thought you'd left," Ginger said.
C.J. smiled.
"I ran into an old friend," she said, "We've been catching up."
"Who's your friend," Jason asked.
"I'm Ginger," she said, extending her hand, "and who are you?"
He took it.
"I'm Jason," he said.
She sized him up and smiled.
"How long have you two known each other?"
Jason and C.J. looked at each other.
"Since she moved out to L.A.," he said, "We met at a crime scene."
"How…interesting," Ginger said, "You two…weren't…"
C.J. shook her head.
"We're just good friends," she said, "Jason's one of Hoyt's best detectives and his girlfriend's a medical resident at a trauma center."
He shrugged.
"I still have my fantasies but that's all they are."
C.J. laughed while taking a sip of her drink.
"So what are you doing here," she asked, a bit wary.
Ginger's eyes sparkled.
"I left Matt and Elizabeth alone so they could catch up," she said, "She had some things she needed to say to him."
C.J. looked up at Ginger.
"That's good," she said, "I'm sure he's got some things to say to her as well."
Ginger narrowed her eyes.
"You don't have any problem with that?"
C.J. shook her head.
"Why should I," she said, "Houston's my best friend and your friend broke his heart. If he needs to talk to her to get some closure so he can move on with his life, I think that's a good thing for him."
Ginger folded her arms.
"What if she thinks canceling the wedding was a mistake," Ginger said, "What if she wants him back?"
C.J. looked at her puzzled.
"He's not giving up the agency for her," she said, "If she's interested in getting back together with him she's going to have to accept that it's an important part of his life and she said she couldn't."
"She's past all that," Ginger said, "She's probably telling him that right now."
C.J. looked at her glass.
"She hurt him a lot when she called it off," she said, "Is she sure she wants to pick up where she left off with him and hurt him all over again?"
"What's it to you," Ginger said, "Are you always this overly protective towards him?"
C.J. sighed.
"I care about him," she said, "and I don't like seeing him get hurt."
Ginger pulled up a chair and sat down.
"He's a big boy, C.J.," Ginger said, "And grown men can take care of themselves."
"I know that," C.J. said, "I just think Elizabeth shouldn't set her expectations too high."
Ginger raised her brows.
"That sounds like a warning," she said.
"Just some advice," C.J. said, "but it's not up to either one of us, it's up to them to decide where they go from here."
Jason listened, confused.
"I thought the wedding was called off," he said.
Ginger gave him a slight smile.
"Perhaps it was only delayed," she said, "I think despite what happened, they still love each other."
C.J. looked away but not before Jason caught something in her eye. Something that hopefully Ginger had missed. He knew the woman was baiting his friend. What he didn't know was why C.J. was allowing it to get to her.
She forced a smile.
"If that's the case, then they'll work it out," she said, "I only want what's best for him."
Ginger watched her carefully.
"I'm sure you do," she said, "and if they decide to remarry, I'm sure you'll be at his side."
C.J. rubbed her eyes, feeling weary.
"Of course I will," she said, "Even if I think he's making a mistake."
"And how would you know that," Ginger said, "or are you injecting your own feelings into the situation?"
"Of course not," C.J. said, "I only want him to be happy."
Jason looked from one woman to the other.
"What's going on here," he asked.
Ginger looked at him,
"My friend Elizabeth is trying to work things out with her fiancé…"
"Ex-fiancé," C.J. reminded her.
Ginger rolled her eyes.
"So that they can get married and live happily ever after…"
Jason looked at Ginger, doubtfully.
"Have you ever been married?"
"Twice," she said, "what does that have to do with anything?"
C.J. rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"Ginger, I think you're jumping ahead here a little bit," she said.
The other woman studied her carefully.
"What's the matter with you," she said, "If this is what Matt wants, why can't you be happy for him?"
C.J. just looked at her, trying to keep her temper in check.
Matt blinked his eyes.
"Matt, didn't you hear what I just said," Elizabeth said.
"I did."
"Aren't you going to say anything?"
He just looked at her a long moment, not sure where to start.
"Elizabeth…"
She raised her hand.
"I know, this is got to be a shock for you," she said, "but I just had to come here and tell you how I feel."
"This is a surprise."
"I know Matt," she said, "but I couldn't stay away any longer. I had to see you."
"Well, you're here," he said.
Elizabeth looked at him carefully.
"Well what do you think about what I just told you?"
Matt looked at her quietly, his mind slipping away to another time and place.
"I don't know."
It happened so fast that afterward C.J. wasn't sure which event triggered the sequence that was to follow. Jason and she saw the man standing by the counter at the same time while half listening to Ginger continue to wax on about how she was sure that Matt and Elizabeth would work their issues out and get back together. C.J's mind began to wander and her eyes drifted around the bar. That's when she saw him.
She nudged Jason.
"Doesn't that guy look familiar?"
He shifted his attention away from Ginger and looked where C.J. had focused her attention. He saw a man of medium height and build with blonde hair fidgeting by the bar.
"Yeah… come to think of it," he said.
"I don't know where I've seen him but I know I have," she said.
Ginger looked at the both of them, seeing that they were no longer paying attention to her.
"What's the matter," she said, "I'm not boring you or anything am I?"
C.J. shook her head.
"We're looking at that guy over there."
Ginger checked him out, licking her upper lip.
"I see what you mean," she said, "He's pretty hot looking if you like blue collar."
C.J. ignored her.
"Do you think he's done something wrong," she said to Jason, "Is that where you've seen him?"
"I don't know…"
He got up and C.J. tried to follow him.
"You two stay here," he said, "I'm going to take a closer look."
The blonde man walked with his drink towards a woman sitting in a booth. She looked up at him, and C.J. thought she saw a startled look flash in her eyes, before she smiled. Jason walked up to the gentleman where he sat.
"Excuse me…"
The man and his companion looked up at him, expectantly.
"What do you want," the man said.
"I couldn't help but notice that you look familiar to me…"
The man flashed a look of annoyance, layered over another emotion.
Fear?
"I get that a lot," he snapped, "Now if you'll excuse us. We're busy here."
Jason put his hands up.
"No harm no foul," he said, "I could be mistaken."
The man nodded as if considering that and then his eyes wandered past Jason and crossed paths with C.J.'s. His eyes widened.
She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to remember.
"Excuse me," the man said, "I have to make a phone call. I'll be back."
The woman nodded and he left the table. As he walked past Jason, he saw a flash of silver near the man's waist line. So did C.J.
"Jason, he's…"
Jason nodded at her and followed the man. The man noticed him and turned around to confront him.
"What are you doing following me," he said, "Are you a cop?"
"Why do you say that," Jason asked quietly.
Ginger watched what was unfolding.
"What's going on," she said, "Why is your friend following that man?"
"I don't know," C.J. said, not wanting to alarm Ginger enough to set her off. She got out of her seat and followed Jason. Suddenly, the man turned around and pulled his weapon on both of them. C.J.'s eyes widened in shock and Jason seemed stunned as well.
"Take it easy man," Jason said.
The man waved the gun at them and they stood and looked back at him, trying to think of what to do next.
Matt sat at the table with Elizabeth trying to come up with the right words to say to her if only he could figure out exactly what they were. She kept looking at him, expecting him to give him the answer that she wanted and he didn't think he could. He had loved her, maybe he still did but he had begun to move on with his life. Still he didn't want to hurt her.
She must have seen something in his expression which betrayed his thoughts.
"Matt, what's the matter," she said, "I know what I said must be a shock but certainly there must be some way you can allow me to make it up to you."
He looked at her, knowing it wasn't that easy. Complications had arisen since they had last been together though he wouldn't exactly call them that.
"I don't know what to say Elizabeth," he said, picking up his glass.
"At least think about it," she said, "That's all I ask."
Suddenly, he saw a waiter run past him.
"What's going on," he asked the harried employee.
The guy didn't stop.
"There's some commotion in the hallway near the bar," he said, "Two guys and a woman."
Matt turned to Elizabeth.
"I'll be right back," he said.
She just looked at him as he took off towards the bar where he saw Ginger.
"Oh Matt," she said, "You missed all the excitement. There was this man and both C.J. and her male friend followed him as he was leaving but I think he has a gun."
Matt's eyes widened.
"C.J.," he said, "What was she still doing here?"
"She was having a drink with this cop."
Matt nodded.
"Jason," he said, "So you saw them go towards the hallway?"
"After the man," Ginger said.
He grabbed both of her shoulders suddenly.
"Do you know why?"
She shook her head, taken aback by the expression on his face.
"I think she knew him from somewhere."
Matt sighed and left Ginger, heading towards the hallway. He reached for his gun, hoping that he wouldn't need it.
The man pointed his gun at both C.J. and Jason.
"You can't stop me from leaving," he said.
"We're not trying to," Jason said, mentally trying to count the seconds until he could reach for the weapon he always carried. Lisa didn't like him packing on dates but Lisa wasn't here.
"She's looking at me funny," the man said.
C.J. shook her head, and then out of the corner of her eye she saw him approach.
Houston.
Her heart froze and she started to shake her head slightly. The man looked up at Matt and fired his gun, startled. Twice. She watched as Matt fell to the floor seemingly in slow motion, his hand reaching for his side. The man looked stunned as if he couldn't believe he fired his gun and took off. Jason pulled his own weapon and sprinted after him. C.J. ran to Matt's side.
When she knelt beside him, she saw that blood smeared his shirt.
"You're bleeding," she said.
He grimaced from where he lay on the floor.
"It's not bad," he said, "I can barely feel it."
"You're going to have to lift up your shirt."
He looked up at her.
"Don't you think this is something we should do in private?"
C.J. sighed.
"Not funny," she said, "Now lift it up so I can see how bad it is."
He did as she asked and she saw a wound bleeding copiously from his right side. She looked around for something to stanch the flow.
She looked up to see Elizabeth standing next to her, the blood drained out of her face while Ginger ran from across the room.
"What the hell just happened," she said.
C.J. looked up.
"One of you call 911," she said, "He needs an ambulance now."
"C.J…" Matt started to say.
"The paramedics are on their way," she said, her hands on his chest, "Jason's going after the guy."
Matt raised his head.
"Alone?"
"He called for backup," C.J. said, "Hopefully he called in for medical help because everyone here's too busy gawking at you to make the call."
"I'm fine," he insisted.
C.J. looked at the blood streaming from his side and tried to keep her own fear in check.
"Yeah right," she said, looking up at Elizabeth who hadn't moved, "Get me a towel or two, anything to press on the wound."
"Okay, how bad is it," Matt said, sounding weaker.
She looked but it was difficult to tell. Finally, someone got her a towel and she pressed it against his body but the blood soaked through fairly quickly. She closed her eyes briefly and prayed that the paramedics would hurry.
Suddenly after what seemed like forever, some paramedics rolled up with a stretcher. C.J. hadn't heard the sirens. She allowed them to move in and take over, but she held onto his hand.
"What's his BP?"
"130/ 70 but it's falling," one paramedic said, unstrapping the gadget from his arm, "Heart rate over 120."
"Do you have any allergies, Mr. Houston," someone asked him.
"No."
"Any prior medical history?"
"I've been shot a few times," he said.
The paramedics looked at each other.
"He's serious," C.J. said, "He's a private investigator. It comes with the job."
One of them nodded and then reached for some gauze.
"C.J…" Matt called.
"I'm right here," she said, "I'm not going anywhere."
Elizabeth backed away from the scene, clutching her hands. Ginger pulled out her flask.
"Want some?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"He's going to be all right," Ginger said, "A big strapping man like him isn't going to be stopped by a bullet."
Elizabeth had watched the emergency unfold quietly but then started to lose it.
"Why does this always happen," she said, "Someone is always trying to shoot him."
"You know it's his line of work," Ginger said, "It attracts dangerous people of all kinds and sometimes you get burned as they say."
"What if he dies?"
"He's not going to die," Ginger said, "He's answering the paramedics' questions. That's a good sign."
"He could still die," Elizabeth said, watching them work, "despite every effort to save him."
C.J. watched the paramedics work on trying to stop the bleeding, as they prepared to put him on a stretcher to take to the hospital.
"I'm not leaving him," she told a paramedic who didn't argue with her. As she stood up, she saw Jason.
"Did you get the guy," she asked.
He shook his head.
"I chased him into an alley and lost him," Jason said, "He hopped a fence."
"I'm going with him," she said, "I'll give my statement later."
He nodded.
"How is he?"
"They think the bullet just missed him," she said, "but they still got to sew him up and prevent infection."
"Another scar to add to his collection," Joseph said, dryly.
C.J. had to smile at that despite the gravity of the situation. Both she and Matt had their own collections of scars from their livelihood but neither would give it up to do anything else.
She turned away from where her thoughts were taking her and walked up to a paramedic.
"I'm riding with him to the hospital," she said.
The paramedic just nodded, in no mood to argue with her. Two of them rolled the stretcher towards the ambulance. C.J. started to follow but not before telling Elizabeth and Ginger the name of the hospital where Matt would be taken.
She stepped up in the ambulance and found a spot in the cramped space to sit beside him. He reached for her hand and she found his, holding it tight all the way to the hospital while the paramedic worked on him.