Author's Note:

Hello everyone just a quick note to say thanks for all the great reviews and encouragement. I'm happy you all are enjoying this story all mistakes are mine since I have no beta. Thanks for joining me in this journey. Enjoy your weekend.

Chapter 8

This was about to get good. Me and Will went to the foot of the stairs to eavesdrop on the heated conversation that was about to take place upstairs.

I looked at Will and said, "Why don't they both get their heads out of their butts and realize they aren't happy with anyone but each other. I swear for a top notch private investigator and a Harvard trained lawyer they are so clueless when it comes to love. Also why did CJ go into the second door? She was sleeping in the first bedroom and I was going to take the second door but she said the guest room was the third one."

Will looked puzzled, "Nope Matt's bedroom is the first door CJ's is the second door and the guest room is the third door why?"

I smiled, "Why is my sister sleeping in Houston's bed? This is interesting, I can't wait to ask her and find out."

Will laughed.

"I like you Carol, you got my cousin's and CJ's number. I don't understand why they fight this. They've seen each other fail in other relationships but theirs has endured so much and has only gotten stronger with time. I wish there was something we could do to get them to finally admit how they feel."

"You're on. Operation Hooked Love and Sinker is now in play. We need to do our own investigation and see if there is a chance our two star crossed lovers are really ready to take that step into the unknown door called relationship."

We heard Houston banging the door and growling at CJ, asking her who Bruce was and how she never talked about him and didn't they tell each other everything.

Will snorted, "I know he doesn't tell CJ anything about his "distractions" that's what she calls them. Why should she have to tell him about hers?"

We heard CJ yell through the door that the subject was closed and she never asked about his personal life and why was he so interested in hers, she told him she was taking a shower and she would talk to him later.

It looked like the conversation was closed. We scrambled back to the kitchen as Uncle Roy was putting the last omelet on the plate.

"You two get an earful from those two? Courting was never this difficult back in my day."

"Courting yeah that was back in the horse and buggy day's right dad?"

"Keep it up William and see if I don't put you over my lap."

Carol laughed and Will backed away.

"Dad, would you like to help us? We are strategizing on how we are going to get those two upstairs together. It's obvious they can't do it themselves so we are going to assist. I know Matt cares for CJ. I just don't know why he doesn't act on it."

I agreed.

"I know CJ she cares for Houston. But she's been led down this path so many times and I think she's accepted in her mind that she's not good enough for him and not what he wants in a woman. Which is a bunch of hogwash. I think she's too good for him, I know I'm bias. I also know deep down he is the man for her. She's loved him since they were kids. She just has to not be afraid to go out and grab what you truly want and give love a chance if you don't than what's the point in living."

"Here, here well said Carol. Now Dad want to be a part of Operation Hooked Love and Sinker?"

"I would like nothing better but there are a lot of factors in play for one I don't think CJ's fully has dealt with her being taken and now with Jake it might be overwhelming for her so I suggest we tread lightly or we might spook both of them."

Houston came back to the kitchen and sat down on a stool lost in his own thoughts.

"So Cowboy I'd thought you'd be happy that I got that info for you? Why the long face?"

Will and Uncle Roy stopped eating and watched Houston. I poured him some more coffee into his cup and started to feel bad for him. He looked miserable.

"Carol, who's Bruce? Come on, I know she tells you things she doesn't tell me, is this guy worthy of our CJ?"

I smiled, "he's a nice guy. As a matter of fact he was here last night."

"Wait what? In my house! He came into my house?" Houston got up and knocked the stool over. Roy went over and picked it up and sat him down with a stern look and mumbled a bull in a china shop.

"Cuz calm down let's get all the facts before we go out looking for the guy."

Houston was not calming down just by his reaction, he was acting like someone that wanted to be more than friends. I baited him some more seeing if I could get him to open up and maybe see if he was ready to take their relationship to the next level.

"He was quite charming, a great dancer and so much fun. He's Arron's friend, a guy I had met some time ago who asked me to go out with him but I said I couldn't leave my girlfriend behind. So Aaron came to the beach with Bruce while we were walking Beast. Mr. Beast wouldn't let him get to close so he only got to see CJ from afar and he was totally smitten you should have seen him asking me questions and I told him she was the total package brains and beauty."

"You're right she is the total package and anyone would be lucky to have her. Did she have a good time? She really was looking forward to your girl's weekend. I'm glad she got to let her hair down and let loose. So was he a gentleman he didn't try anything she's still a little fragile and I worry about her and you know if he wasn't she wouldn't tell me. I just want her to be happy again, that's all."

I was starting to feel bad but I knew I had to get to the bottom of this if Operation Hooked Love and Sinker was going to be successful I had to dig deeper.

"I'm not sure what happened. They stood here while Aaron and I walked on the beach and when I got back she was upstairs in your room."

He gripped his coffee cup and I thought it was going to shatter, "In my room? My room? What were they doing in my room? CJ has her own room. Why did she have a man in my room? This is just great! Peachy even. I'm not hungry I'll be back."

He got up and started for the door. "Mattlock the Piranhas are out there why don't you cool off and not make a scene I don't think you want to go out there you're already upset."

"I'm not upset I just need some air, come on Mongrel I'll take you for a walk and you can make a path for me."

Beast ran up to him with his leash and they walked out the door.

Will and I looked at each other and in unison said "He's hooked."