Here's the latest installment of this older FF story. Thanks for reading and thanks for the comments! It's kind of strange but the 1980s was a whole 'nother decade.

Matt put in a quarter and called her hotel number.

Elizabeth had just returned from getting her nails done and after laying out one of her new outfits, she sank on the bed to take a nap before she had to get ready for dinner. She had woken with a start and noticed she was running late.

She looked for Ginger who was out on the balcony reading a magazine and drinking Scotch.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Ginger looked up at an irate Elizabeth.

"You needed your rest for tonight," Ginger said, "You have plenty of time to get ready for your dinner date."

"I don't know if I'd call it a date," Elizabeth said, "I'm just hoping that Matt's had some time to think over what I said and can give me his answer."

Ginger stretched her arms.

"Ah, the good old fashioned ultimatum," she said, nodding approvingly.

Elizabeth folded her arms.

"It's no such thing," she said, "I just want to know where we stand."

Ginger shrugged.

"Fair enough," she said, "but you'll know that depending on whether or not either of you is still standing by the end of the evening."

Elizabeth shook her head.

"Ginger…"

"You know it's the truth," Ginger said, "And you know that's why you had a makeover today."

Elizabeth raised her hands.

"Enough Ginger," she said, "I have to get ready."

She walked back into the hotel room when the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Elizabeth, it's me."

Her face brightened.

"Oh Matt, I was just thinking about you."

"Look I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, but things have been busy on my end."

"That's fine, I don't need to know the details," she said, "I'm just glad to hear from you. Are we still on tonight?"

"Of course," he said, "I haven't forgotten. I'll pick you up at seven."

"Where are we going,"

"A Cajun place downtown in Hollywood," he said.

"Sounds great," she said, "I'll be ready."

Matt hung up the phone, shaking his head wondering how he was going to break it to her.

Elizabeth hung up her phone, thinking it's now or never.

C.J. and Gracie parked their car and went into the crowded club, to find some seats preferably away from any windows. A waiter came by asking them if they wanted any drinks. Both decided after their exciting day to just stick to club soda in case they had to react to any emergency in a hurry.

"I heard this band at home," Gracie said, "They're awesome."

C.J. leaned back in her chair trying to relax and unwind after being shot at earlier.

"You know he just acts like that because he cares about you," Ginger said.

C.J. rubbed the back of her neck.

"I know that," she said, "But I got shot at. He got shot. There's a difference."

Gracie folded her arms.

"You two are so stubborn," she said, "You'd give anyone fits who tried to take care of you."

"At least he's out having a quiet dinner with Elizabeth instead of chasing some bad guy."

"I wonder if she's made her move by now," Gracie surmised, "or is she waiting until dessert."

C.J. tilted her head.

"She can't force him into anything he doesn't want," she reasoned, "If it works, then it's because he wanted it to work."

Gracie shook her head.

"You have an amazing attitude about all this," she said, "If it were me, I don't know if I'd handle it so well."

C.J. felt her frustration growing.

"I just want what's best for him," she said, sipping her drink.

Gracie just looked at her friend.

"Like I said, you're a better woman than I am."

Matt picked up Elizabeth and they left with an admonition from Ginger to not stay out too late. As they pulled into the restaurant, a valet came up to take his car and they both walked inside the restaurant, which Elizabeth told Matt had received four starred reviews from the food critiques for its excellent cuisine and atmosphere.

They sat down and ordered some food.

"Pretty nice setting," Elizabeth said, "It reminds me of my last trip to Mardi Gras."

He smiled.

"Yeah, C.J. and I had a case involving a missing heirloom that took us out there," he said, "One of the strangest cases we ever handled."

Her smile froze. Only 15 minutes spent in the restaurant and he already started talking about her.

"That sounds nice," she said, as the waiters brought them their food.

"It's certainly been an eventful day."

She looked up and noticed he seemed tired.

"I can imagine," she said, "but it's like that for you every day, isn't it?"

He sighed.

"Mostly, but I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's," he said.

She shook her head, trying to keep the trepidation out of her voice.

"Matt, those snakes could have killed you today," she said, "I don't know sometimes how you can look back on days like this one and value them so much."

"Elizabeth, I'm here and I'm fine," he said, "and everything turned out on that case the way it should. The bad guys got arrested, our clients got their property back and no one was hurt."

She played with her napkin.

"Don't you ever worry that you won't come back home at all one day?"

He paused, looking into his drink.

"Sometimes," he admitted, "but that's true of anyone in any profession."

"Not entirely Matt," she said, "Maybe for police officers and fire fighters. People who risk their lives on a daily basis but for most people, they don't face danger like you do."

"It's what I chose to do with my life Elizabeth," he said, "I like helping people. That's the way my daddy raised me."

Elizabeth sipped her drink.

"Do you enjoy the danger?"

"I like the excitement sometimes," he said, "but not the danger. It just comes with the job."

She digested that for a moment, that there was a difference between the two.

"Elizabeth, I told you that I couldn't give up my life," he said, "and that hasn't changed. It's too much of who I am."

"What if C.J. asked you to give it up?"

He looked startled.

"Where did that come from?"

She shrugged.

"I'm just wondering," she said, "If she asked you to give your job up tomorrow to marry her, would you?"

He was taken aback.

"We're not getting married," he said, "We're friends."

"But if you were, would you do it?"

He paused.

"She would never ask me to give it up," he said, "She loves it as much as I do."

Elizabeth leaned back in her seat.

"Maybe that's what it's all about," she said, "Maybe I'm asking the wrong question here."

C.J. and Gracie enjoyed their meal and relaxed as they listened to the music.

"This is great being out at a club," Gracie said.

"Didn't you own one once?"

Gracie laughed.

"It's not the same," she said, "When you own a club, you're too busy running it and bossing everyone around to enjoy the musical acts that you hire."

"Houston would love this band," she said, "and he could certainly use the relaxation."

C.J. started to close her eyes then she caught some movement across the room.

"Damn, it's her."

Gracie looked around and saw Ginger talking to the bar tender.

"How did she wind up here?"

C.J .shrugged.

"I don't know, but I hope she doesn't see us."

Alas, too late for that as the vivacious Ginger made her way across the room towards them.

"Hi there," she said, sitting down with them, "Imagine running into the two of you."

"Imagine that," Gracie said, "I guess L.A. isn't all that big after all."

Ginger snapped her fingers to call for a waiter.

"I just love music, don't you," she said, "and L.A. has so many great clubs."

The waiter came by and took her order. She asked for a Scotch on the rocks.

"Can I get you anything," she asked, "I brought my plastic tonight."

C.J. looked at her own club soda and lime. At the rate she was pouring them down these days, she should be the national spokeswoman for this drink. Gracie ordered a sparkling wine and some chips. Ginger helped herself to them.

"It's really great to get out and unwind," she said, "Beats spending the night in my hotel by myself."

"I don't think that should be a problem," Gracie said, "I'm sure your roommate will be returning soon."

Ginger sent her a frosty look.

"I don't think so," she said, "I think she's busy with Matt right now."

"I don't think he wants to marry her or even want to sleep with her," Gracie said, "He's probably just trying to let her down easy."

C.J. looked at her friend puzzled.

"Gracie, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to listen to these great musicians but Ginger here, is trying to make a point here although I'm not sure what it is exactly."

Ginger shook her head.

"I'm just pointing out the obvious," she said, "and that is that Elizabeth and Matt will be heading down the aisle again."

Gracie guzzled her drink.

"Oh that's good because I missed the first debacle and I want to have a second chance to catch it."

Ginger put her drink down and folded her arms.

"Is that supposed to be a joke dear?"

Gracie shrugged.

"I guess you could call it that."

Ginger turned to C.J. who just sat there nursing her soda and watching.

"Would you like to contribute anything?"

C.J. just looked at the both of them.

"I think you've both hit all the main points," she said, "I'm listening to the music."

"Oh come on," Ginger said, "You've slept with the guy. Surely, you have something to say about it."

C.J.'s mouth hung open. Ginger knew she hit pay dirt and continued.

"Yes you did, when the both of you took off on the honeymoon that he originally was supposed to be going on with his bride," she said, "and when he was weak, you seduced him."

"What?"

Ginger nodded.

"Only the next day or two he decided he didn't want you after all," she said, "So you got bitter and you're now sitting here jealous of my friend and the happiness she's trying to have with her fiancé."

Gracie ordered another sparkling wine.

"Ex-fiancé," she corrected.

C.J. rubbed the bridge of her nose, not sure who irritated her more at this point.

"My relationship with him is none of your business," she said, "If you're trying to bait me into participating in this train wreck of a conversation, you're wasting your time."

Gracie sized up Ginger.

"I'm guessing it's you who are jealous," she said, "because you probably made a play or two for Matt and he turned you down flat."

A waiter came over to where the women sat.

"Ladies," he said, "some of the customers are complaining about the noise from your booth. You know people come here to relax and listen to the music not tune into a love triangle playing out."

Ginger huffed and swallowed down her Scotch.

"A love triangle," she said, "You've got it all wrong. I never made a serious play for the guy. It was just me, him and some hard pieces of furniture and I couldn't let a perfect opportunity go to waste…"

Ginger put her hand over her mouth. C.J. and Gracie looked at her.

"Maybe I should have kept that to myself," she said.

The harried waiter just threw up his hands.

"Ladies, you're going to have to cool it or we'll have to get the bouncers to show you the door."

Gracie shrugged.

"I don't know why she's trying to pick a fight here with my friend here," she said, "and now she's accusing her of trying to seduce her friend's ex-fiancé when people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

The waiter thoroughly confused by now just walked away. C.J. just shook her head and sipped her soda.

"So what is he like," Ginger asked.

C.J. just looked at her blankly.

"What?"

"Is he any good," Ginger pressed.

C.J. just looked back at her wishing she were anywhere else but here.

"Matt…did you hear a word I said?"

He blinked his eyes and looked at Elizabeth who looked back at him, concern flashing in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I was just thinking about something from earlier today."

She put her chin on her hand and watched him.

"Like what?"

"That I left Uncle Roy to handle the invoices."

She reached out for his hand and took it in hers.

"So what," she said, "He can handle it. I thought we were going to forget about your work for a while."

Matt grimaced. The references to his work grated on him, almost as if it were some sundry detail that needed to be shuttled to the background. He didn't see it that way and was proud of what he had accomplished with his investigation firm. He knew she didn't mean anything by it but it still bothered him.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth," he said, "I know I promised you that and I meant it."

She smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

"I know it's important to you," she said, "but I just wanted to have you all to myself for a little while."

Guilt filled him because he hadn't been good at not thinking about work and that wasn't the worst of it. He hadn't been honest to her about his feelings towards her.

"Elizabeth…"

The waiter brought them dessert and put their plates in front of him.

"Oh Matt," she said, "I love crème brulee."

She sampled it.

"Oh this is lovely," she said, with a sigh.

Matt just looked at her, wishing he could be anywhere else.

C.J. and Gracie waited in line for the restroom.

"I'm sorry about that back there," Gracie said.

C.J. looked at her friend.

"It's not your fault," she said, "Ginger just gets on my nerves."

Gracie chuckled.

"I don't think she can help herself."

C.J leaned against the wall.

"Maybe," she said, "but what happened between Houston and me is none of her business."

Gracie looked at her sideways.

"You're obviously sensitive about it," she noted.

Her friend rubbed her arms.

"I don't think so," she said, "What we had was nice but it was a holiday thing."

Gracie broached the topic gently.

"Did he tell you that," she said, "or did he have anything to say about it at all?"

"He agreed," C.J. said, "We both believed it was for the best."

"And now?"

C.J. paused.

"I'm not so sure," she said, "That time I spent with him in Tahiti was the best time I ever had in my life."

The line inched closer.

"Maybe he's sitting somewhere thinking the same thing," Gracie said.

"He's sitting somewhere with Elizabeth and maybe Ginger's right…"

"Get your hands off of me you thug," a woman said.

Both C.J. and Gracie looked up and saw Ginger pulling away from an older man with a leather jacket. He kept pulling her in the opposite direction. She kicked him in the leg and he let her go.

C.J. sighed.

"It looks like she's in trouble," she said.

Gracie shrugged.

"Let the bouncers handle it," she said.

C.J. looked around the crowded room.

"I don't see them."

Ginger kicked the man again.

"You bitch," he yelled.

"What did you call me," she demanded.

C.J. left the bathroom line and walked up to the man grabbing his arm.

"Maybe you should just let go of her and walk away," she said.

The man just stared down at her.

"Who the hell are you," he said.

"Someone who thinks you need some adjustment on how you treat women."

He tried to grab her and she dodged him, before grabbing him and slamming him down on the ground. Naturally, that's when the bouncers showed up.

"Did you see what she did to this creep," Ginger said, "That will teach him."

The man tried to grab her leg and pull her on the ground. She tried stamping on his foot, but C.J. reached down and bent his arm back until he yelled.

"Let me go," he yelled.

"What are you doing," another voice yelled.

C.J. looked and saw that several police officers had arrived and were pulling her and Ginger off the ground. Ginger positively purred.

"Oh officers, thank goodness you came to help…"

The officer pulled her arms behind her and handcuffed her. They grabbed C.J. and handcuffed her while the bouncers helped the man to his feet.

"Did you see what these women did?"

Ginger exploded.

"What we did," she said, "What about what he did to me?"

"You'll have to tell it to a judge," one of the officers said gruffly as he and the other officer pushed her and C.J. outside to their squad cars.

Gracie came running and stood helpless as the other two women were led away. She made eye contact with C.J. who looked exasperated.

"Whatever you do, don't call Houston," C.J. said.

"I'll take care of it C.J.," Gracie said, "Don't worry about a thing."

Elizabeth finished her dessert and noticed that Matt hadn't touched his plate.

"You weren't hungry," she said, "or are you worried about C.J.?"

He looked up at her surprised.

"She just had someone shoot at her today who could be looking for her right now," he said, "I'd feel better if I called her to make sure she's okay."

"She and her friend went to that jazz club, don't you remember?"

He nodded.

"They must still be there."

Hopefully having a great time, he thought.

"I'm sure they're having a lot of fun and that they're safe and sound," Elizabeth said.

He nodded again.

"You're probably right."

C.J. and Ginger sat together in the holding tank at Parker Center in downtown Los Angeles, waiting to be processed with about a half-dozen other women.

"Are they…"

C.J. looked at the scantily dressed women sitting on benches looking bored.

"Ladies of the night," Ginger finished.

C.J. looked at her testily.

"I don't know," she said, "Why don't you ask them?"

Ginger shook her head.

"They might try to accost me."

C.J. just shook her head and wrapped her hands around her. Suddenly a familiar face walked by.

"Jason is that you," she said standing up.

He did a double take.

"C.J. what the hell are you doing in there?"

She sighed.

"It's a long story," she said, "I'm trying to figure out who to make my one phone call to."

"Why aren't you calling Matt," he asked.

She shook her head.

"I don't want him involved in this," she said, "He's got enough on his mind and he's out having dinner with Elizabeth."

"The ex-fiancée," he guessed, "What happened?"

Ginger saw him and jumped up.

"I remember you from the other night," she said, "You're a sight for sore eyes."

He studied her.

"You're…Ginger," he said, "The friend of the woman Matt nearly married."

She put her finger up.

"They might still get married."

His eyes narrowed.

"Really," he said, "Because I ran into him earlier today and he didn't mention anything about a wedding."

C.J. rubbed her forehead.

"We're not supposed to be in here actually," she said, "A regular was roughing up Ginger and I tried to help her…"

He smiled.

"And you tried out those moves that I taught you," he said.

She nodded.

"They worked very well," she said, "too well I think."

"I'll see what I can do to help you," he said, "I'm sure this can get all cleared up."

"Thanks Jason," C.J. said.

"Matt, did you want to come tonight," Elizabeth said.

He looked at her and saw the distress in her eyes.

"Of course I did," he said, "I've just got a lot on my mind. It's been a chaotic few days."

She softened.

"I know that," she said, "It's just that I dressed up special for dinner tonight and got my nails done…"

"You look very pretty tonight," Matt said.

She frowned.

"But not beautiful?"

"That's not what I meant," he said, "I…"

A waiter walked up to the table with a telephone in his hand.

"What is it," he said.

"You've got a phone call from a woman named Gracie," the waiter said.

Both Matt and Elizabeth looked at each other. Matt felt apprehension tighten his chest.

"You'd better answer it," she said.

He picked up the phone.

"Gracie, what's going on," he said, "Is C.J…"

"She's fine Matt," Gracie said, "Well mostly, actually she's in jail."

Her words stunned Matt. It took him a moment to respond. Elizabeth just looked at him.

"What happened?"

"She was trying to help Ginger…"

"Ginger," Matt said, "What was she doing there?"

Elizabeth looked at him confused.

"Matt…"

He ignored her focusing on the phone call.

"They took her in for that," he asked incredulously.

"She and Ginger were both arrested on disturbing the peace charges."

Matt sighed.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," he said.

C.J. sat quietly in the cell waiting for news on when they would be released. Ginger sat for a while and then got up and started pacing their area of the cell for the umpteenth time.

"You might as well sit down," C.J. said, "You make me tired just watching you."

Ginger glared at her.

"I can't," she said, "What if we go to prison?"

C.J. snorted.

"For this," she said, "Don't worry, Jason is going to get us out of here."

"I hope he does," she said, "I've never been to jail before."

C.J. shrugged.

"I spent a couple days in jail once," she said, "but I had amnesia so I don't think that counts."

Ginger looked fascinated despite herself.

"How awful," she said, "What did you do?"

"I ran into a bad sheriff who was running a local brothel right out of the jail and he tried to force me to go along with it."

"Oh my goodness," Ginger said, "It sounds like a bad B movie."

"The reality was much worse," C.J. said, "but Houston never gave up looking for me and he busted the operation almost singlehandedly and everyone's in prison now."

Ginger studied C.J. thoughtfully.

"He would do anything for you," she said, "even risk his own life."

C.J. nodded.

"I'd do the same for him in a heartbeat."

"But you're not together," Ginger said, "Right now, he's out with Elizabeth."

C.J. shrugged.

"It doesn't matter to me," she said, "as long as he's happy, that's what I care about."

Ginger folded her arms.

"I don't believe you," she said, "I think you're trying to get your hooks into him."

C.J. laughed at the other woman.

"Hardly," she said, "If I were, he wouldn't be out with Elizabeth right now, would he?"

Ginger started pacing.

"I hope at least she's having a good time."

Watching her pace made C.J. tired.

"Why are you so invested in whether or not she and Houston get back together," she said, "That's their business."

Ginger stopped moving and sat down again, looking at her nails.

"Because he makes her happy," she said, "Elizabeth hasn't had the best luck with men."

"I'm sorry about that," C.J. said, "But Matt's a good man and as long as she treats him well, I have no problem with her."

"That's what she's been doing," Ginger protested.

"I'm not finished," C.J. said, "She has to respect his right to decide what is important to him in his life and just accept it."

Ginger paused.

"You mean his right to get beat up and shot at in a day's work," she said, "That's a difficult thing to ask. I mean, I'm cool with what he does and he's as sexy as hell when he's doing it but Elizabeth's got a different temperament."

"Matt's heart is in his detective work," C.J. said, "It's a major part of who he is and no woman who loves him is going to force him to change for her."

Ginger didn't miss a beat.

"Like you?"

C.J. sighed.

"He's been my best friend most of my life," she said, "That's never going to change."

"Not even after sleeping with him?"

C.J. glared at her.

"Like I said, my relationship with him is none of your business," she said.

"Even if it's in the past tense," Ginger said, "Come on, we're two women stuck sitting in this god forsaken jail with nothing really to pass the time."

"My life isn't going to serve as fodder for your entertainment," C.J. said, "So find some other way to amuse yourself."

Matt entered into the police station with Elizabeth tailing him. Gracie sat in the lobby and when she saw him, she rushed up to him.

"Thank goodness you're here," she said, "I haven't been able to see them since they came in."

"Don't worry," Matt said, "I just ran into Jason outside and he's trying to expedite the paperwork to get them released. There's no criminal charges that have been filed against them."

"So can we get them out of there," Gracie asked.

"It might take a little while but they won't have to spend the night," Matt said.

Gracie shook her head.

"C.J. didn't do anything wrong," she said, "We waited for some bouncers to help Ginger and none came. Some biker guy was groping her and trying to pull her out of the club."

Elizabeth's eyes flashed.

"Is she okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Gracie said, "She was sure trying to stir things up when she first arrived. I think she hit a bar or two before she showed up."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, "She acts out sometimes but she means well."

"I thought C.J. was going to punch her at one point," Gracie said.

Matt's eyes narrowed.

"Why would she do a thing like that?"

Gracie hesitated.

"Ginger likes to push people's buttons and she was trying to pry into C.J.'s relationships with men...namely one."

Matt's mouth hung open.

"I…see."

Elizabeth looked between the two of them wondering if she were missing something.

"What's going on here," she said.

Matt sighed.

"We have two ladies we have to spring out of jail."

"Before they kill each other," Gracie added.

C.J. sat on the bench in the jail cell when Jason came back.

"I think you'll be released pretty soon," he said.

She nodded.

"It will be great to get out of here and go home," she said.

He glanced at Ginger.

"It's safe to leave the two of you together isn't it?"

C.J. smiled.

"Just barely," she said, "No, we'll be all right."

Ginger watched him go.

"He's quite well-built," she said, "though I think he needs to stop dressing down."

C.J. laughed.

"He's an undercover officer," she said, "You can't really expect him to stake out a drug deal in a tuxedo."

Ginger shrugged.

"I guess not," she said.

"Better leave him alone," C.J. warned, "I'm sure that some of those defensive moves he's taught me, he's taught his girlfriend."

"Oh I didn't intend to go after him," Ginger said, "Just to look at him."

A police officer jangling keys came to release them from the holding tank.

"Are you coming to release us officer," she said, "Did someone pay our bail?"

He just looked at her.

"There wasn't any bail," he said, "The charges were dropped."

"Oh how nice," Ginger said, "Now who do I see about filing charges against that Neanderthal in the club?"

C.J. shook her head.

"Ginger, let's quit while we're ahead, okay?"

"That thug pawed my silk shirt," Ginger said, "How am I going to get restitution for it?"

C.J. eyed it critically.

"There's nothing wrong with your shirt," she said, "but you can stay and argue with the watch commander about the charges. I just want to get out of here."

She followed the officer to the waiting area and saw Matt, Ginger and a weary Elizabeth waiting there. She closed her eyes, willing her best friend to disappear. She had not wanted him to know about this disaster. He stood up when he saw her.

"C.J., I'm glad that you're okay," Matt said.

She looked at him, smiling slightly.

"Why wouldn't I be," she said, "I think you should be concerned about Ginger. She's worried about her silk shirt."

Elizabeth stared at C.J.

"I'm sure it was a very traumatic experience for anyone," she said.

Elizabeth went to find her friend. Matt took C.J.'s hand and they sat down.

"Something about a brawl in a night club?"

C.J. looked at Gracie.

"What did you tell him?"

Gracie shrugged.

"That you went and tried to rescue Ginger from her ill-fated hookup with some guy," Gracie said, "What else would I tell him?"

C.J. just sighed, wanting to get out of the stifling confines of the police station and go home.

"Why didn't you want me to know about it," Matt asked.

C.J. looked at her hands.

"Because you just got shot a few days ago and you're trying to get your relationship with Elizabeth back on track," she said, "I don't want to interfere with that."

Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"C.J., you were in jail," he said, "What do you expect me to do?"

"I'm sorry about everything," she said, "But we're safe and sound now and we got sprung so you can get back to doing whatever it was you were doing."

"Not until I make sure that you make it safely home," he said.

She put her hand up.

"I can make it home on my own," she said.

He sighed.

"C.J., why won't you let me help you?"

She felt exasperation fill her.

"I don't need your help Houston," she said, "Elizabeth is waiting for you."

C.J. stood up and looked at Gracie.

"I just want to get out of here," she said, then looked at Matt, her face softening, "I know you came because you're concerned and thank you, but everything's fine now."

He looked at the unsettled emotions on her face.

"I can see that," he said, getting up to search for Elizabeth.

Gracie watched him go and she and C.J. left the station.

"Why are you pushing him away," she said, "All he wanted to do was help you."

C.J. shook her head.

"He's been doing that a lot lately," she said, "He's got his own life to lead and he's trying to work on rebuilding a relationship with the woman he was going to marry."

"You're a part of it," Gracie pointed out, "and I think if he wanted to marry Elizabeth, they'd be flying off to Vegas in his fancy jet if it came to that."

They got into C.J.'s car. She put her head on the steering wheel.

"How did everything become so damn complicated," she asked.

Gracie furrowed her brow.

"I don't think it's that at all," she said, "I think you're making it more difficult than it has to be to avoid dealing with some personal issues."

C.J. turned to look at her friend and turned the engine on.

"I'm not avoiding anything," she said, "I just don't want to get in his way."

Gracie raised a brow as they rode down L.A.'s streets.

"Did you worry about that when you two hit the sheets in Tahiti?"

C.J. hesitated.

"There wasn't any reason to because he and Elizabeth had split up," she said, "I never knew that she would come back into his life."

"Would it have made any difference if you did know?"

C.J. almost bit off Gracie's head but then thought about it.

"I'm not sure," she said, "Maybe not."

"You would have slept with him anyway," Gracie said.

C.J. turned on a side street.

"When we were dancing on the beach, he kissed me and it felt so wonderful but I stopped him before it went too far because I didn't want to be…"

"A rebound," Gracie said, "What did he say to that?"

"He told me he wanted to be with me and not anyone else," she said, "Then he left and went back to the bungalow and told me he would be waiting for me if I changed my mind."

"Which you did."

C.J. nodded.

"Tahiti's such a beautiful, romantic corner of the world," she said, "I figured whatever would go on in Tahiti…"

"Would stay in Tahiti," Gracie said, "So you went back to the bungalow."

"And he was waiting," C.J. said.

Matt and Elizabeth took Ginger back to the nightclub to pick up her car. Elizabeth turned to Matt.

"I'd better go back with her," she said.

He nodded. She kissed him on the cheek.

"We'll talk tomorrow," she said, "We keep getting interrupted and you still haven't given me an answer."

He drove back to the beach house alone, mulling through the evening's events. C.J.'s words rankled on him because she had a perception of his relationship with Elizabeth which was so off-base but when he thought about it, he couldn't blame her. He had a lot to say to Elizabeth too but circumstances interrupted every attempt he made to tell her that he didn't think he wanted to marry her. That realization saddened him a bit because he had been so excited about their wedding only several months before. But a lot could change in even a short amount of time, he had discovered. And he had to deal with this growing between himself and C.J. Whenever he tried to talk to her or help her, she kept pushing him away.

Tomorrow, he had to have a talk with his ex-fiancée and tell her before she invested anymore of herself in trying to rebuild something that had been lost. Then he had to figure out what to do about C.J. if he could find the right words.