Chapter 22
They had lied.
When the Tv Crew came through the elevator doors, a woman and a man walked in. She introduced herself as Jaime. She let us know she was here to set up for the interview and that Buzz was the sound guy and would be assisting her. I asked about Charlie Reynolds and she looked at Buzz and said he wasn't coming. He had called in with food poisoning.
I looked at Uncle Roy.
We had agreed Charlie Reynolds would be doing the interview now he wasn't doing it.
She handed me a Fax paper it had the questions we had sent over. Now they were literally all crossed off and new ones were added, all having nothing to do with how CJ and Beast had found Jake in the trash can but about her abduction and what she was doing at my beach house that late at night. I asked where the footage we had been promised. She looked at Buzz and said she had no idea what I was talking about.
I crumpled the paper and was about to tell them to get the hell out.
Uncle Roy grabbed my arm and nodded his head.
"Let me and Maureen handle this nephew, you will only give them fuel for their fire. If you want to pursue something with CJ then let us do the talking. They will see right through you and will try to ask her inappropriate questions and I don't think CJ has time to bail you out of jail this Sunday afternoon."
I rolled my eyes, I grabbed the phone and called the news station but was told that Steve Mitchell was in a meeting. I yelled at the person on the other end that she had better find him and have him call me within the next 20 minutes.
Nothing was going right. I looked at Star holding Beast and looking around and I motioned her to go outside with me.
"What's up Boss Man?"
"Okay first you can't call me Boss Man around these people they will have more questions and I don't want to get you tangled in this mess. Your cover story is that you are my neighbor's daughter and Beast has taken a liking to you and that's why you are here, you're his best friend and doesn't want to go anywhere without you."
She smiled and nodded, "Did you hear that Beast you're my best friend in the whole world boss man just made it official."
She gasped and covered her mouth "Damn sorry Houston I promise that will be the last time while the piranhas are around."
I gave her a hug, and Jaime came out and asked where we wanted to have them set up. I didn't say anything, just walked in to find out if Steve had called. Maureen, Will and Uncle Roy were writing out new questions.
"Don't worry Houston we will get this straightened out no one is going to rattle my sis. They don't want to mess with me or our family."
I kissed Maureen on the cheek and thanked her. The elevator dinged and in came someone I did not expect.
Ashley Jacobs.
My past was coming back to haunt me.
It had been years ago when I dated her. Ashely was new in town and she was a beautiful blond, blue eyes and I was smitten. She was great to have on my arm when I went to fancy Hollywood type parties I took her to. But this distraction lost its appeal after a while. She started to be a little too clingy and wanted me to drop everything and take her away or take her on shopping sprees. When she started to show up unannounced at my house and started to hint on when she was going to move in. It was time to cut my ties. If only it was that easy. I had hated confrontation especially when it came to my distractions.
I had started to avoid her calls and thought she had gotten a clue that I wanted nothing more to do with her not wanting to clean up my mess and hope she'd understand. The next time I saw her she made a scene at a party I had taken CJ to as my date.
Ashley started screaming at CJ and threw a glass of red wine on the beautiful white dress she was wearing. She had no clue why Ashley was angry and I had to fess up and tell her what I had done. She shook her head and took a cab home avoiding me at work and dodging my calls, till I went to her home and literally threw myself at her feet and begged her to forgive me for not telling her about Ashley.
I was a dead man and had no one to blame but me and my past self.
I cursed, Will looked up to see Ashley.
"Wow! That does not look like Charlie Reynolds. Why did you cuss Cuz?"
I looked at Will and it hit him "What no, ah Cuz! Please tell me she's not one of your past distractions."
Maureen and Uncle Roy looked up, Maureen narrowed her eyes at me and looked at Ashley and me then rolled her eyes but continued to write out questions but with more force then the poor pencil could take. Uncle Roy shook his head.
Ashley saw me and gave me a smile that any other time would have had me take it as a challenge. But now I was in love with someone else. All I felt for Ashley was nothing. She looked the same all made up for a party with a dress that was a little inappropriate for an interview. This was the person they thought was going to interview CJ. Over my dead body.
She saw me and walked right up to me and gave me a hug.
"Houston oh my goodness how long has it been. You have not changed one bit. I believe you look handsomer than the last time I saw you. Have you been working out? I swear you can take any girl's breath away."
She put her arms around my neck and kissed me.
I jumped back and gasped.
"Hey Ashley, why are you here? What happened to Charlie Reynolds? Steve promised us he would be doing the interview and where's the footage? I don't see him or the tapes."
She took off her jacket and her dress was backless and showed her assets. She was on a mission and I was her target. She put her hand on my arm and looked at me with those big blue eyes and shrugged.
"I don't know what you're talking about Matt, they gave me this assignment and I'm here to do an interview with your secretary CJ Parson's about her finding a baby with her dog."
I took her hand off my arm and tried to keep my cool. She would not bait me into saying something that would be used against CJ.
"First CJ is my partner and Vice President she's been for years. Second, you better get your boss on the line pronto."
She put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chest.
"Oh that's right she's your partner in your private investigation hobby. Like I told you sugar I don't know why you're asking for news footage or why Charlie Reynolds isn't here. I have no ideal what you're talking about. I was just given this assignment. I could have been at brunch with this New York Executive that says he has a spot on primetime news. So I think you should be nice to me and expect you to make it worth my while."
I started to count in my head like I had seen CJ do. I didn't see Ashley coming straight at me. She tried to move by me and intentionally rubbed her breast against my chest and I tried to step back but the bar was in the way she reached and I grabbed her hand.
I snapped, "What are you doing?"
She came close and started to whisper in my ear, "What's wrong Matt, I'm only trying to use your phone right by your side. Am I making you nervous? Are you remembering our past encounters in that hot tub? It has lots of memories for me."
I looked to my side and the phone was there. I followed her gaze to the hot tub and couldn't recall what memories she was remembering. I let her go and moved out of her way. I looked at Will and waited to see if she was going to do as I asked.
She winked at me and started to dial the phone.
Will came up to me and whispered, "you got a problem she is literally undressing you right in front of us. She doesn't care who knows it and that little show right now I think you're in trouble. Maureen is about to throw the hammer down and Dad is going to blow a fuse. You need to figure this out before CJ comes up."
I rubbed my eyes with my hand wondering why God had decided to mess with me at this moment. Just when I knew what I wanted in my life it was slipping through my fingers. It felt like a no win situation.
"Will we need that footage and we will get someone else to do the interview. She can't be the one to do it. Ashley and CJ had a run in at a party years ago and it did not end well. I know when CJ sees her it will trigger that and I can't have her be upset." I whispered to Will.
My past was rearing its ugly head and I would have to cowboy up and take care of it. I didn't tell Will it was over me and it was Ashley that had the problem not CJ but I needed at least 1 ally on my side. I felt a hand on my butt and jumped into Will.
Will pushed me back and Ashley grabbed my arm and laughed.
"You used to like when I did that to you Matt. Oh I called Steve, he's in some meeting so why don't we go out to the terrace and talk? We can go over the questions and maybe if you're good I'll let you take me to lunch for disturbing my weekend."
Uncle Roy and Maureen looked at me. If looks could kill I'd be dead twice over. Maureen handed me the paper with the questions and walked towards CJ's office. Wanting nothing to do with Ashley.
"Ashley let me introduce you to my Uncle Roy and my cousin Will and the lady that just lest is a friend of CJ, Maureen."
She came up to both Uncle Roy and Will and started to gush all over them.
"Oh my goodness are all Houston men so handsome. I am one lucky girl to be standing by three gorgeous men. But I'm still partial to you Matt but your Uncle might be able to steal me away. Oh and where did Marlene go? Is she a secretary like CJ?"
I was done being nice. I was about to tell her to go when Uncle Roy shook his head. He took her hand and started with the charm.
"Well my dear thank you for the compliment I might take you up on me stealing you away from my nephew. Maureen, she's a lawyer. A damn good one and I think you should try and call your boss again. We had a verbal agreement and if he isn't willing to come through with our terms we might have to cancel this interview."
Ashley smiled and shrugged her shoulders and flipped her hair.
"Like I said I was asked to come out here to do an interview. I don't know any of the particulars since I'm not familiar with this story. But, I would think she would want to get the story out there. If the baby's mother is having second thoughts she might come forward to claim her child. Unless your partner is being selfish and doesn't want to help the poor baby out. I'd do everything in my power to help that poor defenseless child."
Will was about to blow. I grabbed his arm and mouthed no.
I knew what she wanted and I was going to give it to her. I looked at Uncle Roy and he knew what I was about to do and shook his head. I closed my eyes and turned around and hoped CJ didn't decide to come up at that moment.
"Darling I think I am more handsome then these two and are you trying to break my heart again by trying to get me jealous that's really naughty of you."
She smiled and came up to me and took my hand.
"If I remember Matt you liked me naughty. But you are going to have to convince me why I shouldn't just date Will or your Uncle Roy instead I bet they'd call me every day and take me out and do everything I asked them to do."
I smiled, "Honey I am going to do everything in my power to win you back. Sugar, would you like a cup of coffee or how about some wine and we can go out to the terrace and go over the questions and then maybe will call Steve and find out what happened to the footage that you were supposed to bring."
She smiled and said champagne.
This felt wrong but I had to bring out the cowboy charm and make her think she had won and had me where she wanted.
Little did she know I wanted nothing to do with her but would have her believe that I was putty in her hands and she could manipulate me into believing I would do anything for her. I would get that footage and as soon as we had it I'd kick her and her crew out of my building.
Uncle Roy came over to us and played along. "Champagne sounds like a great ideal Mattlock I think I have a vintage bottle that I have been saving for a special occasion and I think having this lovely lady here on this day is just the occasion."
Will looked at both of us in shock he had not caught on that we where playing Ashley. He said he was going to start setting up the tv monitors and players for us to use. He walked away.
"Uncle Roy I can call you that since we might be family one day." She looked at me and I smiled and took her hand and kissed it.
He popped the bottle and poured her a glass and handed it to her. "I'm still hoping we will be dating soon my dear and I definitely don't want you to call me Uncle."
She laughed out loud and Star came into the office. She saw me holding Ashley's hand and stopped. I tried to motion her out but Beast decided to walk in with her and seeing someone new went straight into attack mode.
He growled and Ashley screamed.
"Oh my God what is that monstrosity is this the hero dog he's ugly."
"Hey watch your mouth lady, that's my best friend." Star walked up to her and held her ground. Uncle Roy placed a hand on Star's shoulder and she kept staring.
"Ah my dear let me introduce you to Star. Star this is Ashley Jacobs from the news station. She's the daughter of Mattlock's neighbor."
She smiled but it wasn't genuine.
"You live next to Matt on the Ranch wow your family must have just as big a spread as he does do you have a lake like he does. Oh Matt do you remember the lake and the late night skinny dipping we did."
Star stared at me and went back to Ashley with a look of disappointment. If this day couldn't get any worse. I was going to have to tell her about my playboy past and hoped she'd understand that was behind me.
"You lived on a Ranch? I thought you lived at the Beach all this time."
Ashley's eyes popped open, "You live at the beach now Oh Matt when are you having me over is it by the marina? I bet it is and you must have a boat. We can go to Catalina for a weekend. Oh, I am so happy I came today. So let's go outside and talk about these questions and this footage you keep bringing up."
She pushed past Star and Beast was not happy, he continued to growl and I told him to stop. He whimpered and laid down. Star crossed her arms across her chest, "Hey don't yell at my friend and B. aah Houston I need to talk to you now."
Ashley turned and placed her hands on her waist and started to tap her foot wanting me to follow her and I would have to and brush past Star.
"Why don't you talk to Uncle Roy? Us adults are going to go out and have a little chat. We will be right back. Darling let's sit outside and go over those pesky questions and see when you are free to come to my beach house."
The look of disgust nearly killed me from Star and she muttered they were right.
I knew who they were and prayed that Uncle Roy would tell her what I was doing. I needed to defuse this now and I needed that footage and if I had to make Ms. Jacobs believe I'd do anything she asked then so be it.
We sat down and she told her crew to give us a few minutes.
She started to come closer to me and gave me an eye full. She made sure she had my full attention and I smiled and took her hand.
"I should really be upset with you Matt, the way you let your secretary come between us we had something special and then she stepped in and messed it up. I thought I was over you but seeing you again just brought all those feelings up again. I know you remember I can see the way you look at me. I could have been mean and dropped all types of unsavory rumors about you but I decided not to but I might not be so forgiving next time so I have a couple of questions that I want to ask CJ."
I kissed her hand. "You're right I was just thinking why did we stop dating and I can't think of a reason why and you've only gotten more beautiful than the last time I saw you and yes I do remember the hot tub and the lake those were some fun times. So let's go over the questions and then we'll go out for a bite to eat just you and me."
"Oh I knew you'd understand and see things my way. So one question everyone is asking is why she was there so late in the evening. Some sources stated you two were arguing and she ran out the house and stumbled across the baby. Is this true?"
"This is off the record so I'm just letting you know, she was house sitting for me and watching Will's dog she was doing me and Will a favor."
She smiled, got out of her chair and sat on my lap, put her arms around me and started to play with my hair.
"Oh so CJ was like the help, just doing the job you asked her to do so there isn't anything romantic going on between you right?"
I remember all the long kisses CJ and I had shared. Holding her while we slept in the same bed and feeling at peace. I knew Ashley wanted to know if me and CJ had crossed our line and not for lack of trying but we had not taken that final step.
Before I got to answer Ashley grabbed me and kissed me just as CJ came out to the terrace.
"As soon as you're done please respond to her. I can't wait to hear the answer."