Lost and Found part 12B
CJs mind wandered back to the first time she had met Houston as she told her friends all about it. She hadn't been looking where she was going if she was honest, her mind was buzzing with the news that Carl, her boyfriend for the last eight months, was moving to Washington as soon as his degree was completed. She was happy for him as she could see how excited he was to get the opportunity to walk right in to a really great job, albeit his Uncles firm, but still it was too good an opportunity to miss up on so she was genuinely pleased for him. But she would miss him, he was funny, warm, kind, he made her feel special, something a lot of her previous boyfriends hadn't done. He had told her that as soon as she finished her degree next year he could sort a job out for her to, as he wanted her to be with him, and whilst she was flattered, she had also felt a little flutter of nerves at the idea of a man planning her career for her, is that how it would be in their private life to?
So many questions, which was why she has accepted the invitation of a week long break at Lake Taho instead of going home to her Uncles Ranch as she normally did every holiday. "Oof, watchit!" she had muttered as she collided with a very solid male form. She had looked up, looking straight in to the most beautiful warm brown eyes she had ever seen! The owner of those eyes stammered and apology claiming to have been admiring the view, CJ had looked over to the direction he had been facing and spotted two semi clad nymphos, and she had felt an odd disappointment that he was as shallow as all the other men their age. But as he had turned beet red and stammered he was looking at the scenery she had felt herself smile and relax, she believed him, and had no idea why!
After a some what rushed introduction CJ had gone in her cabin to pour some juice for herself, after all she had done the driving to get them all here early and as the others were all down by the Lake already she had come back to sit on the porch and relax a little while. As she walked out to take her seat she had spotted her new friend still staring over, and had felt butterflies in her tummy as she waved back at the shy, and good looking man. From the corner of er eye she watched as he went into the cabin next door, and sighed as she wondered what she was doing, she had a boyfriend, how could she be so easily distracted by a stranger! She picked up a magazine and flicked through it, trying to distract herself from her many concerns, just for a little while, but the glossy had features on how to plan your future, or how to spot a potential husband, and her own personal favourite, ten ways to please your man! "Ugh!" she sighed as she threw the magazine across the porch, jumping slightly as she heard a soft voice behind her
"Crossword buggin ya?"
She smiled as her new friend stepped on to her porch. "Somehow don't think you could help if it was!" she raised an eyebrow half expecting some sort of argument, smiling in delight when instead he had laughed.
"You're probably right about that, get the feeling you are one smart cookie!"
"You got that right Texas!"
"That's Houston m'am, in case you forgot ma name already!" he grinned and wiggled an eyebrow at making her giggle delightedly. "Now, I guess you're wonderin' why I'm here right?"
CJ tilted herhead before saying, "I'm guessin' it's not to borrow a cup of sugar!"
He smiled and her heart fluttered, positively thumping out of her chest as he met her gaze with those warm eyes of his. "No Ms Parsons, not sugar. You see, a certain beautiful young woman who I bumped in to a while back, told me she could ride, and if I was to call on her sometime, then she might join me on a bit if a trek. Well…it's sometime!"
CJ grinned as she sat up straight. "Aren't you rushing things MR Houston, you just got here!"
He blushed a fraction and muttered. "Don't believe in letting something special slip away, we only got a week, aim to get to know you a whole lot better in that time!"
Her eyebrows shot up, but instead of being angry as she would normally at such a proposition, her stomach muscles tightened and she swallowed as she realised how excited she as at that the thought . Get a grip, she told herself, you don't know this guy, and what about Karl? What about him, the dark side of her nature whispered back, he is moving away soon, you think he is really going to be faithful to you then? Besides, look at this guy, he is seriously cute!
"So", he muttered, suddenly looking nervous, "you feel like coming riding with me?"
She knew she should say no, that would be the right thing to do, the sensible thing. But, just this once CJ was tired of being sensible, and every instinct told her she could trust this guy, and so with a slow smile she stood and walked towards him slowly. "Sure, why not!" she told him as she drew level, "just let me get out of this bikini…"she paused as she saw his eyes widen, "and into my riding gear ok?"
He swallowed and nodded, watching her as closely as he could as she slinked into her cabin to change
After an hours riding the two of them were sitting by the edge of the Lake, their horse tethered as they sat and drank some of the cool beer Houston had packed. The afternoon was hot so they had found somewhere shaded to sit and . They told each other a little about themselves and the friends they had travelled with. They had been startled to discover they were practically neighbours, well for part of the year. "I live with my paternal Granparents" CJ had told him, "But every holiday and as many weekends as I can manage I head to my Uncles Ranch, I love it there ya know"
"Uh huh. My daddy owns a big company, and he is trying to teach me the ropes of that, but the big house we live in isn't as important to me as the Ranch we run!" Houston had said with a big grin. "I couldn't care less if my pop left his company to anyone else, but I sure do intend to run that Ranch one day!"
CJ smiled at him as she lay down on the grass. "Know whatcha mean. I itend to get my law degree, if only to really annoy my mom and her folks! But somehow, I can see me heading back to my Uncles place one day and taking over for him!"
"You don't get on with your mom?"
She sighed. "Our relationship is…difficult!"
"How about your pop?"
"Dead, when I was a little kid"
Houston closed his eyes and lay back beside her, automatically reaching for her hand. "Sorry!" he whispered
"It's ok" she said softly, "it was a long time ago. I can't really remember him, and my mom didn'r keep photos around! She shipped my two big brothers off to military boarding school, but her folks wouldn't pay for me to go to boarding school…thank God! Mom did a lot of travelling, partly with her job, and partly with her succession of new husbands, her parents didn't want me around so I wound up living with my dads folks, which is kinda cool, except they're kinda old ya know! Mu Uncle offered to take me in full time but as he isn't married my moms folks wouldn't allow it, but they couldn't stop me visiting. I love that part of Texas!"
"Which part?" He sat bolt upright when she told him. "No way!" he gasped, "Your Uncle…his name Nathan?"
"well yeah…how d'you know that?"
Houston chuckled. "Cos his Ranch back onto ours, the River is one of the boundaries!"
She sat up and blinked, her eyebrows suddenly shooting upwards. "Houston!" she said softly, "shoot…you're Bill Houstons son? The richest guy in the County!"
"~In the State actually, but lets not count dollars here! This is wonderful, we're neighbours…how about that!"
CJ grinned. "Yes…how about that!"
"Wow!" Houston breathed as he lay back on the grass next to her, once again reaching for her hand
CJ giggled "So rich boy huh? What's it like having a gazillionaire for a daddy? Did ya het a Ferrari for your 16th?
"Nope!" Matt grinned, "I got a pickup that broke down more often than I care to mention, but for my 18th I bought myself a Ferrari!" I earned it though, working at the Ranch and at dadas company I got paid a wage, saved up and bought my dads vintage Ferrai off him, am still paying off the loan ~I had to take for the rest of the money, ok so the loan was off pop not a bank but I still can't miss a payment!"
"He's tight fisted?!"
"No, he just thought I should learn the value of money ya know! Not to hang back and wait for things to drop in my lap, earn my way through life, the way his daddy taught him. ~I tell ya CJ, part of me wants to step away from my daddy altogether, start again like every one has to, earn my own place in life…so one day instead of people saung to me are you Billhoustons son, they'll say to pop so your Matt Houstons dad! But hey, a man can deamright?"
"Why is it a dream?"
"Huh?
"Why is it a dream? It can be a goal ya know. I mean, me and my friend Julia, we're both studying law, we have a goal to open our own law firm and help those who really need it, but it is gonna be a struggle ya know. We have to qualify, then intern to get experience, then pass a bar exam to be able to practice criminal law…"
"And all this while planning on running your Uncles Ranch?"
"You gotta set the goal high Houston, make it tough so that every time you move one step nearer you've really achieved something special! I dunno if Julia and I will get our own company, just like 'I didn't know if I could cope with a double degree…"
"What?" A double?"
CJ grinned. "Yup, I spent so much time explaining my boyfriends business studies to him that I decided to add it to my law degree…figured it would be useful for Julia and I if one of us understood business law, another string to our corporate bow so to speak! I caught up real quick to, I can read text books and understand them, don't' really need to have any extra teaching, but I wanna be the best and there is always more to learn and…"
"Woah, woah there…you really are smart, and driven!" Houston laughed
"Sorry! I'm not that driven really, it's more a case of wanting to do the best I can, not leave a job half done…"
"Tenacious!"
She chuckled. "I guess. And I get bored easy, have to keep busy one way or another, so I study! Plus there is the added bonus of being able to prove my Grand dad wrong, woman aint worth educating I think was the phrase he used when mom asked if he would pay for me to go to boarding school . best thing the male chauvinist old buzzard ever did for me!"
Houston pursed his lips and nodded. "Families huh…can't choose them can we, so gotta make the best of 'em!"
"Your familes ok right? You and your dad?"
"We get on just fine, when he is around! He works a lot, travels, business meetings when he is at home. The older I get the less he spends time with me, says I'm a man and don't need him around, that he has taught me to be independent, and he has, and I'm grateful, and I know he loves me…but sometimes a son just needs his daddy to say he is proud of him, to say he loves him…and I can't believe I'm saying all this to you!"
CJ grinned. "I was thinking that to, I have told you things I've never told anyone else! Only my best friend Julia knows about my mom and her parents, she lives next door to my Grandparents were I was raised so I got to know her the day I moved there, I can tell her all my secrets…but I don't even think my sorority sisters know I have two brothers, or that my mom is a serial bride! Yet here I am, spilling it all to a cute guy I just met!"
"Cute?"
"Huh?"
"You think I'm cute?" Houston smiled as raised himself up on to his elbow to look at her
She smiled and closed her eyes before sighing and telling him, "OK, so I think you're cute, and you're a real nice guy…but…"
"But?"
She sat herself up and ran her hands through her hair. "I have a boyfriend Matt, and I don't cheat. Even if we are on the verge of breaking up…I won't cheat on him, sorry!"
He pursed his lips again and looked down at the grass before saying quietly, "Any law about you making new friends?"
She looked at him and smiled. " None that I know of!"
"And you're the legal expert!"
"Oh absolutely!" she giggled, "absolutely!"
He swallowed slightly, wondering if he could handle being just her friend, but decided she was too special not to risk it. "So, this boyfriend, wanna tell me about him?"
They had spent more than three hours talking and riding before heading back to the stabloes, as they walked back to their cabins Houston automatically wrapped his arm around her waist, it felt so normal and comfortable that CJ didn't do a thing to remove it, in fact she stepped nearer to him, aware of the way her heart fluttered, telling herself it was just because he made her feel safe. They spent every day of their week together, going to the local bar with all their friends, with Houston rescuing CJ time after time from his cousin unsubtle advances, they went riding again, went swimming and climbing, went walking around the Lake and shopping together in the local tourist hot spots, but most of all they talked and talked. At the end of the week Houston found himself dreading the last day, he didn't want her to leave, he didn't want to lose her. He had given her his phone numbers about five times and made her promise to ring him as soon s she arrived safely back at college, he had also made her promise to ring him every couple of nights just so he could make sure she was ok, and if ever…EVER she needed anything she was to call him.
AS CJ loaded her case in the car she had turned to him and given him a half smile before reaching out and stroking his cheek, he had reached out and pushed a stray lock of hair off her face.
"You know somethin' Miss Parsons..you're somethin' real special, and dontcha ever forget that, ok?"he whispered in her ear as they hugged goodbye
She gently kissed him, barely skimming his lips but sending a jolt of electricity right through him. "You to Cowboy, you to"
He walked her to the drivers door and closed it as she clicked her seat belt in to place, impulsively he leaned in the open window and planted a gentle kiss before muttering "Ring me, ok?" She had nodded before turning the key, putting the car in drive, and slowly pulling away. He stood and watched until the car had vanished from view, jumping slightly as his cousin said softly "That the one who got away?" Houston nodded a fraction, waiting for his cousin to tease him, instead Will patted his back and whispered, "there'll be another time Matt, you'll see!"
And of course there had. CJ had rung him as promised to say she was safely home. She had rung a week later to say her and Karl had split up, he had driven over to spend the weekend with her, sleeping in one the empty bedrooms as her sorority sisters had travelled to New York for a concert. He had taken her to dinner, and spent all night talking and laughing with her, he had held her as she cried, telling him she was scared she wasn't really capable of love that she was too logical to accept such a thing, and too independent to ever want to share her life with anyone. He had laughed gently at that and told her she wouldn't be crying over her and Karl splitting up if she didn't care so much and she had a big heart so whether logical or not she was always going to be capable of great love, and one day, when she was ready, when the time was right, she would meet the man who she could share her life with, a man who could share with her not control her "Someone like you!" she had whispered before drifting off to sleep in his arms. He had studied her as she slept, and an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness flooded through him, a sensation he had never experienced before, as he stroked her hair from her face he wondered if he had been right to say they were friends, is this why he felt so differently around her than any other woman? Sure CJ was sexy, he couldn't miss that, but he didn't really talk to woman he dated, just charmed them, showed them a good time, spent some quality time with them getting what he needed and then moved on. But with CJ it was different, he didn't want to move on, but he didn't know how to stay unless it was just like this…friends!
Months drifted by, they rang each other almost every day, sometimes just for a few minutes to say everything was ok, sometimes to spend hours on the phone with one or both of them needing to sound off. CJ had started dating again, this time firmly committed to not being committed, and all Houston knew was that she was just having fun. Houston was dating to working his way through the last of the cheerleaders before his college football career came to an end. CJ was the first to hear he had been head hunted by professional football teams, and was impressed but could tell from the way he was talking that he was not sure. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" he had asked after telling her the news
"I ddon't know!" she answered. Julia has asked if I'd like to go ski-ing with her and her folks, and my Grandparents have asked if I would like to go with them on a trip to Florida!"
"Your moms folks?"
She had laughed. "No Houston, they barely tolerate me if mom invites me for Christmas!"
"So the folks you live with are going to Florida and leaving you behind at Thanksgiving?"
"Not leaving me behind, I've been invited to! Though ski-ing sounds better!"
"How about your Uncle, any chance he would let you come to the Ranch?"
CJ paused. "He has asked me, thought he was being polite, he normally has to put up with me every holiday!"
Houston chuckled. "Then please don't let him down this year ok? And you and he are invited to our house for dinner, dad is dying to meet you"
"Oh yeah?"
"It seems I talk about you a lot, so he is curious!"
"He knows we're just friend right?"
"THAT'S why he is curious!"
CJ had giggled and thought for a minute or two." OK", she said eventually, "you gotta date cowboy!"
The first Thanksgiving had been wonderful, CJs Uncle and Houstons dad had got on like a house on fire, sharing old war stories as well as old Cowboy tales. CJ had noticed Houston go quiet when the two older men reminisced about their time in the trenches, and a small alarm bell had rung out. Bill Houston was as charming as his son and CJ liked him immediately, her shrewd eyes not missing his reaction when ever Matt made a sharp comment, something that had shocked her as she had never seen that side of him before. As she and her Uncle had left to go home, Bill had gently kissed her hand and told her "I can see why my son cares for you so much Miss Parsons, you're a remarkable young lady!"
She had blushed as she smiled back and said. "And I can see why your son is so special, he has a wonderful example to follow!"
The older mans eyes had twinkled a he mouthed " Thank you"
The next morning CJ had gone for a ride, heading down to the boundary river, not surprised to find Houston already there. "Wanna tell me what's goin' on?" she asked as she dismounted and walked over to were he sat
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. CJ, there is a war goin' on…young men being drafted, lives being ruined, and I'm sitting here with the world at my feet wanting for nothing, it's not right!"
"Houston?" she felt the knot of fear in her stomach
"Will and I had a friend, a couple of years above us at high school, played football with us, coached us…a good kinda man ya know, with the heart of a lion. He got drafted, just like that…we found out last week he was killed in action, just two months after getting out of training"
"I'm sorry!" she whispered her uneasiness growing
"He married his high school sweetheart as soon as he got the draft note, six months later he is gone and she is left alone and pregnant, wondering how she is gonna cope whilst the like of me and Will sit in College wondering which football team to play for, or which car to buy with our first pay cheque…,I sit in my fathers house and look at everything that's there for me, I haven't done a thing to earn it all CJ, not a damn thing! But I will, you'll see, even dad will be proud of me!"
"What have you done?" she gasped.
Houston lifted his head proudly as he turned to face her. "Will and I are enlisting, done deal. We signed up before Thanksgiving. Soon as College is done we have two weeks to ourselves, then off to basic training!"
"Oh God!" she had felt her world tilt and reached out to grab on to him, partly to steady herself, partly to keep him close
He had sat very still as she clung to him. "You know I'm right!" he asked softly
She nodded but couldn't find the words
"I'll tell dad before I go back for next semester, maybe your Uncle would keep an eye on him, they seemed to get on!"
"I'll look in on him to Houston, when you're…away"
He had smiled at that and rested his head against hers. "Thanks CJ, what would I do without you, you're m best friend!"
The two weeks before Will and Houston went to basic training had been spent at the Ranch, with CJ staying at her Uncles bit more or less living at Houstons house. She had encouraged Bill to join them o a couple of days out riding, and had watched as father and son talked and laughed together, she had been there when Will had confessed to being scared and had held his hand before driving him to the airport to spend the last week with his own parents, Roy and Flo. Bill hadn't been able to face taking Houston to the airport the last day and had made an urgent business trip the night before, patting Houstons back as he left the house, his eyes glistening with tears, as he had climbed in his car to leave he had turned and looked straight at his son and said. "I love you Matt, you hear me, and I'm damn proud of you…but just you come home ok"
"Yes sir" Houston had whispered, grateful to have CJs arm around his waist to support him.
CJ had driven him to the airport, they had stopped and had lunch on the way, and he had presented her with a necklace, a small simple diamond on a silver chain. He had fastened it on and she had held his hands on her neck as she whispered "I'll never take it off!"
As he had gone to walk through the departure gate she had held his hand and whispered. " You once said we can't choose our families…but you were wrong. You mean more to me than my own brothers…you, Will, your dad…you're my family now ok? So, just you come home cos I don't wanna lose any more family!"
They had hugged, and before he could stop himself he had kissed her, and felt her respond. His eyes wide as he stepped back, his heart thumping. "I love you!" he stammered
"I know!" she grinned, before letting go of his hands and watching as he walked away. "I love you to!" she had whispered to herself before turning and walking away
Less than a year after Houston had been sent to 'Nam and CJs life had changed. Her plans had come crashing down when the night she celebrated her double degree her best friend had told her she wouldn't be opening that long dreamt of law firm, she had been so tired the last few months…passing out twice…and now they knew why, she was dying, her life plans cruelly cut down before her. And CJ had been devastated, but had vowed to do anything she could to help Julia realise whatever dreams she wanted. Julias family were wealthy, after their initial grief at their daughters diagnosis they to had supported her choices. So, CJ had put her Business degree to good use and had bought out a small finance company that the owners were retiring from, she got a good price, and used the money left over from Julias parents fund to buy a small plot of land. Julia had five houses built before the end of the next Spring, and had used her own finance company to arrange mortgages for five low income families to move into the new property. With the money she had spare she had bought out the homes two of them had left, with CJ negotiating with the local authority for planning permission to demolish the ramshackle buildings and build three new homes in there place and the waste ground behind them. From there Julia had started to lend money to low income families, enabling them to improve their own homes or take mortgages on new homes and away from the rat traps they had been renting. It was interesting work and CJ knew how much Julia enjoyed it, but as her company grew and her horizons broadened so CJ felt restless, this was Julias new dream, not hers. So, with regret, CJ had stepped back, promising she would always be there when needed, but telling Julia she needed to find her own path. Houston had written to her, supporting her decision and encouraging her every move.
She had interned with F. W Bailey in her last year at college, and wandered back towards criminal law, working for the DAs office before being head hunted by big private firm in Dallas. The cases were mainly civil crimes, fraud, embezzlement, but it opened up the world of technology to CJ who loved digging into the cases and the amount of information she could find on line. She had been working on a major fraud case, defending a pompous executive manager against charges of falsely reporting profits in order to win a big contract, it was boring, the man was guilty, but it would land a lot of money for the firm, so CJ had dug and found a loophole for them to use, it was to be her first time leading the case in court, when she got the telegram she had been dreading, and had walked out in the middle of one of her most important meetings. "You do this," her boss had warned, "and you'll never practice law in this city again little girl, d'ya hear!"
CJ had narrowed her eyes at him, tossed her hair back and through gritted teeth muttered "Fine!" before turning in her heels and walking out. She had gone home, packed a case and driven all the way across the State to get home to Bill. And to Houston.
She had stayed more than a month, watching as her friend struggled to pull is life back. She had slept in the room next to his, taking it in turns with Bill to go in and comfort him after he had woken from a nightmare. She would sit with him and talk, many a time waking up next to him the following morning. One day, over breakfast, he had looked at her and asked, "So you gave up your job for me huh?"
"Wasn't my thing, just paid the rent!"
"Paid well?"
"Yep, but I was losing the will to live there!" she regretted her choice of words immediately biuy knew better than to try and take them back
"So, what do you think is your thing?" he asked quietly, deep in thought
She gave a slow smirk. "A challenge. Something, exciting, something unique…something I do because I enjoy it!"
"You liked working for Julia!"
"Yes, but it wasn't exciting exactly, and it was Julias life, not mine…I want something I can be proud of, something I've…"
"Built? Started from scratch?"
"Well, yeah!"
Houston had reached over and took her hand. "CJ, I learnt some business savvy from my pop, and I have some ideas of my own about starting from scratch, not sure I can do it alone though. CJ, will you help me?"
She looked at him puzzled. "Help you?"
"I wanna start a fresh, wanna build something. Set myself a goal. Somewhere nobody knows me, somewhere I can just wipe the slate clean. I got money saved, and I inherited some when I turned 18, I invested it….got another lump sum when I turned 21, invested that to…so I have a starting point, just need a partner, someone I can rely on…a friend!"
She chewed her lip. Part of her wanted to say no, it was his dream, not hers…yet suddenly she knew that this was exactly what she wanted, exactly what she had been searching for, and she had felt a small shiver of excitement run through her. "Ok boss, what's your plan?"
"Ever been to Los Angeles?"
She shook her head
"Me neither!"
