"You haven't talked a lot about your friends back in Boston, Maura. Why don't you tell me about them?" JR waved a waiter down for another glass of wine.
"I'd much rather hear something about you, JR. I would hate to take up the entire evening with talk about myself." Maura smiled gently at the tall, sandy blonde haired man in front of her.
"You know, down here it's proper for a gentleman to let a lady speak her piece first, but, since you're asking, I'm in the business of buying and selling art."
Maura's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're an art dealer?"
His smile widened. "That's right. It's my family's business. We've been in the trade for almost four generations now."
Maura dimmed almost slightly. "Almost four generations? I'm afraid I don't understand that statement."
"My sister's youngest is looking to get into the business. She's a sharp girl, very intelligent," he smirked at the blond, "Not so much unlike a certain doctor I've just recently become acquainted with."
"Oh, I see," Maura could feel a blush creeping up her neck. "That's very kind of you, JR."
"No, ma'am, that is simply the truth." He nodded his head as if to punctuate the statement.
Maura glanced down at her glass of water and closed her eyes for a moment. "What's the name of your family's business?" She ventured a glance up to see him smirking over the rim of his glass.
"JRH International."
Maura's head shot up and her eyes widened again. "The JRH International? One of the largest art dealers in the country? I can't tell you how many pieces I've bought from you over the years. They are always of the most exquisite taste and amazing composition." She shook her head as if it might arrange the data now flowing through it into some semblance of order. "So, you are Jason Randal Hurst IV?"
"That's what my business associates call me. Well, they do and my momma when I'm in trouble." He chuckled at himself. "Personally, I'd rather my friends stick with calling me 'JR'." He winked at the doctor.
"Well, I…" Maura's phone rang. She made an apologetic face as she checked the Caller ID. It was the Boston PD. "I'm sorry, JR, but I must take this call; it's the Boston Police Department." She made a motion to stand, but stopped when he waved at her to stop.
"I understand. I'll just go take a long trip over to the men's room. I'll be back in a little bit." He gave a small tip of his head to her as he walked by on his way out of the room.
"I'm impressed, Rizzoli. For a pizza place open when the zombies start coming out, that was pretty good." Jude nudged the detective in the arm with her shoulder as they walked to Jane's car. "How'd you find this place?"
"Maura and I always wind up working late, and I don't always want to eat her health food junk. Normally, we just go to her place to eat if it gets too late. I don't really eat at my place. Actually, I don't really cook," she smirked at the woman walking beside her. "Anyway, I looked around for some place we could both find something we liked that was open late enough." She shrugged. "This place fit the bill."
"Really? What does Dr. Isles usually get?" The sparkle that had been in Jude's eyes all night seemed to dim a bit. "This doesn't really seem like her type of place." She flinched when she saw the hard look Jane was shooting her across the top of the car. "I mean, you know, she seems more like the caviar and champagne type than beer and pizza just based on what I know of her reputation and what I've seen around the office."
"Oh, well," Jane opened the door and plopped into her seat with a sigh and waited for Jude to settle in on the passenger's seat, "Maura's unique, you know? I asked her once why she was slumming with us when I know for a fact she could have been a Fairfield."
"Of the Fairfields?" The redhead looked both impressed and frightened at the same time.
"Yeah, them," Jane shrugged and started the car.
"What did she say?"
"She didn't. She showed me. We went to this thing." Jane motioned with her hand as if to brush the explanation away. "Anyway, I get it. She's not really slumming. She likes my world, and I guess she likes seeing me make an ass of myself in her world, which I do on a pretty regular basis." The brunette chuckled to herself.
"You two seem close." Jude shifted in the seat and leaned against the door.
"Yeah, well…"
"Damn it." The doctor's hands ran over the pockets of her coat. "I'm sorry. I just realized that I've lost my cell again." She jerked around, trying to feel around in all of her pockets. "Crap! I think I left it at the office. Do you mind swinging by the station? You know there'll be hell to pay if I get a call and don't answer it."
"Yeah sure… it's only a couple of blocks anyway. Besides, I need to make a phone call."
"Isles." Maura had a feeling she knew who was on the other end of the line, but she wasn't one to do anything based off of assumptions.
"Maura, it's Jane."
The blonde swallowed hard. "Yes, Detective? Is there something I can help you with?"
"I… are you okay? You were here, and then you weren't. I didn't know… I tried to call you earlier. Did you get my message?"
She closed her eyes. Why did Jane have to be so… Jane? "I'm well, thank you. Did you call for a specific reason or to socialize? I can't imagine you need my expertise at the moment. I understand Dr. O'Connor is a very experienced medical examiner."
"Yeah, she's okay. We went to the ballpark together tonight…"
"You went out on a date?" Maura's back straightened and her eyes hardened.
"Well… no, it's not like that. She had tickets and no one to… look, Maura, can we please talk?"
"Now is not really a good time, Jane. I'm on vacation, and I'm at dinner with someone."
"Wait a minute, are you on a date?" Maura didn't respond. "Maura, are you?"
"We met on the plane. He's a very nice gentleman. He owns a well-known art dealer's company."
"Art dealer? Well-known? Wait a minute… he? Maura, what the hell is going on?"
"Language, Jane." Despite herself, Maura couldn't help but give a small smile. Some things never change.
"No way, you tell me what's going on, or I'm coming down there." Maura flinched at the crack she heard in the detective's voice.
"You don't even know where I am. How would you come to where I am when you don't know my location?" It was typical of Jane to be spur-of-the-moment and fool-hearty. That's why Maura always made the plans when they went out. Jane, she noted to herself, always forgot something in her excitement to make the plans. The doctor smiled to herself again.
"I'm a detective. I can find you."
"Jane, you broke up with me, not the other way around. I'm free to do and to see whomever I please." She threw her head back and closed her eyes. "Why are you calling me, Jane?"
"I don't know. I was talking to Jude about you and…"
"You're already on a first name basis with her? That didn't take long."
"Maura…"
"What do you want me to say, Jane? I left Boston to get away from you, and here you are calling me. I don't know why I answered the phone. I assumed it was you as soon as I saw the number."
"You don't like to make judgments based on guessing."
Maura gave a humorless chuckle. "That is true." She sighed and looked down into her water glass. Jane always knew her so well. "I assume she's attractive to you then? Tell me, Jane. I want to know." Why was she doing this to herself? She shook her head. For the first time in a long while, Dr. Maura Isles didn't understand what was going on inside her own head. It was frustrating and disconcerting.
Jane gave out a groan of frustration but answered the question. "She understands and likes baseball and beer… she cusses and doesn't correct me when I do. She's cute, she's smart, she's coming this way. I have to go. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you or interrupt whatever it was you were doing. Lo… goodbye, Maura."
The blonde's head jerk a little as she heard the receiver click on the other end of the line. She took a few deep breaths before she closed her phone and placed it back in her bag.
"All done?" JR came around the table, a big smile still playing on his face. "That took longer… hey now, you don't seem happy as I left you. Everything alright?" He sat down across from her and reached for her hand. She let him take it.
"I… well, no." Maura pulled her hand away and clasped both hands together in her lap. "That was my… my," she shook her head and tried to keep the tears from escaping. "I'm very sorry, JR. I don't mean to be poor company."
"It's alright," he pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and offered it to her. She took it and dabbed at her eyes. "I don't mean to be blunt, but was that your ex?"
"What would make you say that?" Maura handed the handkerchief back.
"You said back on the plane that you were alone 'unfortunately'." He shrugged. "Between that and the comment you made to your voice mail that prompted me to talk to you, I just assumed you had an ex. Seems like he upset you quite a bit. I know we just met, but you're welcome to talk to me about it. Restaurant doesn't close for another couple of hours anyway."
"Yes, that was my 'ex', as you put it, and, yes, I am quite upset. However, I think I may have brought this particular pain upon myself. Though I did not break off the relationship, I have a feeling that I may have been incorrect to assume that the relationship is actually over." She frowned. "Also, I'm afraid I miss her terribly."
JR ran a hand through his short cropped hair. "Well, that explains that."
Maura looked up with a puzzled expression fighting with the sad one on her face. "What do you mean?"
"I don't like to call myself a ladies' man, but I normally do pretty well. By now, I'd normally be… well, let's just say I'm not where I thought I would be by now." He chuckled. "Don't get me wrong. I've really enjoyed your company tonight. I'm glad I met you, but tonight just wasn't what I was figuring it was going to be." She shook his head. "Tell you what, why don't I take you back to your hotel, and you can tell me about her over room service? My treat?"
"Are you certain? I don't want to be any more of an imposition…"
He stood up. "I'm positive. Besides, this night is about shot anyway. Might as well help a friend in need." He offered his arm. "Ready?"
"Hey, who was that?" Jude bounded into the squad room.
"Nobody," Jane shook her head and stood up. "It doesn't matter. Want to come to my place? I got a few beers in the fridge and last couple of new episodes of Law & Order: SVU recorded."
Jude shot Jane a grin. "How can I say no to an offer like that?"
Okay, do we still hate JR? ... that's what I thought... PS, don't forget to feed me my crack