Chapt. 10

Claire grabbed her purse and turned her office lights out, pulling the door shut behind her as she stepped out into the hallway. She turned and started to walk toward the lobby area when that deep, not quite southern, drawl stopped her.

"Running out on me?"

Claire turned and smiled at the huge man walking her way. "Absolutely not, I keep my engagements sir. I was simply going to wait in the lobby."

He laughed then and said, "So prim and proper huh? Well, I'm hoping that you're hungry cause I am starving."

Nodding she reached into her purse to search for her keys. "I guess I can follow you to wherever you want to go."

"There's that or you can just ride with me and I'll drop you back at your car after we're done. I promise I won't bite, or kill you, or anything like that. Scouts honor Claire."

She hesitated, unsure if that was a good idea or not. After a heavy silence she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, I guess that works."

He led her out to his car which was actually a pickup truck, and that surprised her for some reason. The black Chevy Silverado sat on what appeared to be an eight inch lift and had dark windows. The tire wells were studded with black grommets and the whole thing gave off a very redneck feel. She wondered if she'd be able to get in the seat. When he walked her around to the passenger side she noticed the side step and was thankful that he wouldn't have to physically help her into the jacked up truck. He opened her door for her, something so southern and gentleman-like that it stopped her for a minute. She was not used to that in a man. Stephen had been kind hearted and loving but he wasn't the door opening kind of guy. This was a nice change.

Joe closed her door and then walked around the back of the truck to climb behind the steering wheel. Cranking it up, he turned the radio down before it could blast her eardrums into oblivion.

"So, I thought that we could head over to International and grab a bite at Bahama Breeze. I love that place, they have great variety and the freshest food."

"I've never been so I'll have to trust you."

"You've never been? Oh my Lord you are missing out on heaven in your mouth. Just wait, you'll see." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he put his turn signal on and took the left hand turn. She was adorable he thought. The freckles on her nose brought out the red in her hair, and the honey flecks of color in her green eyes. He wondered if she understood how damn cute she was, and if she would think it offensive that cute was the word that came to his mind. Some grown women just didn't want to be cute.

Fifteen minutes later they were pulling into Bahama Breeze and he hopped quickly down from the driver's seat to rush around and open up her door. He held out his big hand to assist her down and when she placed her small hand in his he noted that her hand could get lost in his. "Right this way ma'am," he said, smiling and closing the truck door.

When they were seated and drinks were delivered she smiled at him. He made smiles easy. "So, tell me about you. Who is it exactly that I'm working with?"

"Well let's see. I was practically born into this business, even if it wasn't what I dreamed of doing as a kid. My whole family wrestles and yet they never expected me to go into and always encouraged me to do what made me happy."

"It is nice to have such a supportive family. What did you originally want to do and why aren't you doing it?"

"I wanted to be a big football star. I was signed at Georgia Tech and made some big impressions there. I got injured though and that was that. No more football, so I turned to my second love."

"How does your girlfriend feel about your choice of career?"

Shadows flashed in his eyes and he looked down. "There is no one so it isn't any big deal." He took a drink from his glass of water and said, "There used to be someone but that's a distance memory. I have contact with her only for my daughter."

"You have a daughter? How old is she?" Claire loved children but knowing she never would have one that could call her mom, birthed from her body, had been a bitter pill to swallow.

"Six, and already a diva in her own rights. Here, this is her. Jolene. We call her JoJo for short though."

"She looks like you. She's precious Joe. You're very lucky."

"Yes, I am. She's the saving grace I need sometimes. So, tell me about you. No boyfriend to be jealous of you being out with some guy from work?"

She vowed to herself that she would not let the tears fall as they tended to when speaking of Stephen. "No, no one. We split up last week actually. Ended an engagement that had been going on for three years. Stephen just got tired of waiting on a wedding I guess." She sighed heavily, thankful the tears didn't tease her lashes. When the food was brought just then she was beyond grateful. She didn't want to continue this line of talk but he was obviously not ready to let it go. "He had to of been insane to just walk away from you. You seem like a great woman."

She shrugged, trying to not think of how Stephen had left her. It was still far too fresh. "It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to see him at work weekly."

"Oh. He's one of us huh?"

"Main roster guy, but yes. Stephen, Sheamus, however you wanna refer to him I guess. Look, its still pretty much a raw topic. Can we not discuss it?"

"Of course, I'm sorry Claire. I really am."

"It's okay, really. So what about you? Ever married? Got yourself a girlfriend?"

He laughed his low and full laugh. "I do, I think I told you about her. She' about 4'3'', about six years old. I know… I know. I'm robbing the cradle with this one." He laughed some more and Claire could not help b ut to laugh with him. "Seriously though, her mom and I were high school sweethearts. Ended up engaged and then when football didn't pan out and I got into this, well, she'd heard the stories of being in a relationship with a wrestler. She didn't even give it a chance and bailed."

"I'm sorry, that's horrible. Of course I've always thought real love could get through anything."

"Yeah. What about you? Ever been married?"

With a sigh she nodded. "Yes, unfortunately. I was married to Logan Maxwell for far too long." She could tell that his eyes registered the name immediately and knew that the name probably brought to mind the media whirlwind when Logan was arrested three years prior when he had nearly killed her.

"I used to love to watch him play. He was awesome on the field. Then what, three years ago, he got arrested for attempted murder of his wi… oh. Oh no, you? Claire… I'm sorry. I am so sorry." He reached out and let his hand rest on hers, probably with no thought to it at all.

"It's okay, really. I mean, then of course it wasn't, but looking back it's made me who I am. Thankfully I kinda like me." She smiled and laughed a bit. "I don't really let him affect me anymore."

"I can see that," he said softly. He was watching her as she ate. She was truly a beautiful and strong woman. Seeing that she was almost finished eating, as was he, he scrambled for an idea to extend the night. He wasn't ready to drive her back to the performance center just yet. He wanted to get to know her just a little more. "Hey, um, have you ever been to Downtown Disney? It's just right up the road and it's open later than the parks, more adult feel."

She shook her head. "No, no I haven't."

"How about we head down there? Walk around and see what's there."

"I think I'd like that actually." She smiled up at him, not realizing that she was blushing, and not knowing why on earth she was.

The server brought the check then, sitting toward Joe. Typical, Claire thought. Always assume that the man was paying, or that a man and a woman dining together were actually there together and not just acquaintances who required separate checks. She started to call the server back over to correct the issue by asking for separate bills but Joe held up his hand.

"Let me get this, my treat okay?"

"You really don't have to… but okay." Was she really enjoying a man's company? A man who she'd just met? A man who wasn't Stephen? Her cell phone went off then and she looked down seeing Matt's number.

"Hey you, thought you'd be finished up with work long ago, you coming home tonight?"

She smiled. He was used to her making the long drive home nightly, occasionally staying overnight if work ran late. Those nights always came with a phone call though. "I think it may end up being a hotel kinda night. I'm actually out with a guy… Joe. We grabbed dinner, now we're heading toward Downtown Disney."

It took a minute for him to get back to her. He replied with an emoji raising an eyebrow. "A date? Do you like him? How's it going?"

"It's not a date, far from it Matt, but it is going well. He's really nice, a good guy. I'll message you later okay?"

They were almost to the car when her phone alerted her to his text. "If you kiss him I want full details woman. Now, forget the past and the ones who have cleared out. Focus on now. I love you."