Silver Lining, page 4
Being completely honest with myself, I agreed to breakfast because I wanted to. I wanted CJ to come over to my lounge chair yesterday. That wasn’t like me. I’d stopped waiting for men to make the first move a long time ago. And yet I wanted to see if he would.
Yesterday, as I ate my lunch, my thoughts continually went back to him, to his turquoise stare and his wide shoulders, the same shoulders and muscular back I noticed when I entered the gym. All afternoon I’d wanted to lean away from the shade over my lounge chair and see if he was still there or if he was talking to another woman or a man.
It was a bit of neediness I didn’t recognize in myself.
Maybe it was basic, wanting to know that I was still a woman. That for a sliver of time, I wanted simple basics—a woman and a man. No knowledge of who I was, no knowledge of what I did. Just girl meets boy.
Well, if girl was forty-three and boy was…
My age was irrelevant.
Girl.
Boy.
Did I want more than that?
I didn’t. I couldn’t. My life was too full to have more.
A week of being a woman.
That was my wish.
That absurd thought made me smile. A wish was defined as a strong desire for something that is not easily attainable, something that cannot or probably will not happen.
Lena Montgomery didn’t make wishes. She got shit done.
This felt different.
Maybe for one week…I could be a normal woman, a woman with a wish.
As long as CJ didn’t have a dead-fish fetish, it was worth a try.
Why did I agree?
The simple answer was I wanted to. I chose the treadmill beside CJ to give him another chance. I almost slid into the Lena mode and made the first move. Why? Because, holy shit, when he turned my way, his handsome face took my breath away. His smile with one dimple. His hair was pulled back as it had been yesterday. I almost blurted out my name, but then he spoke, and I wanted to see where it would go.
As he spoke, I fought images of pulling the hair tie and releasing his dark mane. Thoughts of his unshaved cheeks on my sensitive skin caused my insides to twist. Thank goodness for the sports bra. My nipples would probably have been a dead giveaway.
The loofah sponge caressed my skin, filling the shower stall with the scent of my eucalyptus bodywash. Closing my eyes, I imagined CJ.
How long had it been since I’d been with a man?
It would seem as if I should recall.
I couldn’t.
I didn’t consider myself loose. I was a modern woman who enjoyed physical pleasure. The giver didn’t matter as long as they didn’t work for me. Honestly, there were a few friends with benefits in my life. Most likely the last time was with one of them. Our relationships didn’t revolve around sex. Sex was a biproduct of the relationship. Men had long had similar relationships, why couldn’t a woman?
As I stepped from the shower, I realized what I hadn’t been doing. I hadn’t been thinking about Architech, Montgomery Holdings, the giver of dead fish, or even my sister. Without more than an invitation to breakfast, CJ had accomplished what I hadn’t been able to do in months—refocus my thoughts.
As I readied for breakfast, I made a decision. This week was about resting, relaxing, and taking a break from all the balls I had swirling in the air. Jeremy assured me that Montgomery Holdings would survive without my constant oversight. That said, I knew if I was needed, he wouldn’t hesitate to get ahold of me.
The truth was I needed a break—wanted one.
A break from being the Lena Montgomery.
CJ said he didn’t know who I was.
I didn’t know him.
After smashing my lips together to coat them with lip balm, I grinned. Pitching from right to left, I watched as the flowing blue sundress with large blue flowers swung. It was like nothing I’d wear to work. The same could be said for the rhinestone sandals on my feet. I’d bought them on a whim.
The woman in the mirror wasn’t the powerhouse in the boardroom. My lips weren’t painted red, nor had I spritzed my usual Creed Royal Service perfume. With only mascara, lip balm, and cheeks pink from yesterday’s sun, I would spend this week simply being Lena.
Chapter Seven
CJ
After speaking with the concierge, I checked my phone one last time for a message from my brother. Silence. That wasn’t how it had been. We used to have two to ten different conversations in the works before I finished my workout.
Before putting my phone away, I sent one text message.
“Mom, still in Cancún. Still safe. Plan to leave the resort by myself to see the city. I’ll text later.”
A smile curled my lips. If breakfast went well and something worked out with Lena, I wouldn’t have to torment my mother for excitement. Before I left the suite, my phone rang. I didn’t need to see the name.
“Chandler Johns.” My mother’s voice was stern.
A full-fledged laugh came out. “Mom, I’m razzing you. I have no plans, none except I’m headed to breakfast.”
“Don’t do that to me.”
“I just wanted to see if you’d respond.”
“Respond,” she said, “you’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“You’re fifty-five. I don’t see that happening.”
“Did I tell you about the story on that news program, you know the one where they recreate crimes?”
I peered down at my watch. I had fifteen minutes to make it to breakfast, and I wanted a table before Lena arrived. “I’m sure you did.”
“It was a fancy resort…I don’t recall the name…”
I was beginning to regret my poke at my mother bear. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m really fine, and I’m meeting someone for breakfast. So, give Dad my love, and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Who are you meeting? Please don’t go anywhere with anyone you just met. You never know who they could be. People on vacation aren’t always real.”
That was my plan—to not be totally real. I doubted that I’d fulfill my earlier fantasies with Lena by starting off breakfast telling her my woes and regrets about becoming filthy rich. “Got it, Mom. Bye.”
Quickly, I pushed the red icon before she could respond.
Slipping my phone and wallet into the pocket of my swim trunks, I took one last look in the mirror by the door. The surfing cat tank top should probably go. That said, I didn’t pack much for this trip, really anything. Only what I could throw into the carry-on at the last second. The resort had multiple stores.
As I debated my clothing choice, it occurred to me that thinking about my clothes was something I rarely did. That was the beauty of starting your own company, no one to answer to, other than Colton. He didn’t give a damn unless we were meeting with investors or interviewing employees. Or making a deal to sell…
Fuck the surfing cat.
My t-shirt from yesterday and the clothes I wore to work out were not fit for company. In other words, they needed laundering. That left one option. On the way to breakfast, I made a quick stop at an open shop and found a greenish-blue tank with the name of the resort on the front. Since it mostly matched my swim trunks, I decided it was a win.
As the girl rang up the purchase, I stripped out of the old tank, pulling it over my head. After ripping the tags off, I slid the new shirt on. When our eyes met, she grinned.
“You must really hate that cat shirt.” She lifted her eyebrows. “I think it’s unique.”
Stuffing the old shirt into the bag the other shirt had come in, I handed it to her. “Is there any way you can keep this? I’m supposed to meet someone for breakfast.”
“It’s against the rules…” Her smile grew. “But I can hold onto it for a couple of hours. I’m off at noon. Come back before then.”
“Thank you.”
As I started to walk away, she called out, “I hope you get the job.”
My forehead furrowed. “The job?”
“Interview? Right? Otherwise, why change the shirt?”
“I guess I want to impress my breakfast guest. No job…” I’m independently wealthy. I didn’t say that last part.
“She’s a lucky lady.”
For the first time, I noticed the girl’s name tag. With a wink, I said, “Thank you, Rachel. Let’s see if she thinks so. I’ll see you before noon.”
“If the breakfast doesn’t work out…”
Hurrying to the infinity-pool restaurant, I thought about big-boob lady and now Rachel. I wasn’t used to women throwing themselves at me. That wasn’t completely true. I’d had my run in high school and college, nothing serious. The last ten years have been more work than play. Now, without work I could play, but I wasn’t interested in easy prey.
I preferred a challenge…a lioness.
Let the hunt begin.
My flip-flops flapped against the sidewalks as I made my way through the tropical resort. Whether inside or out, palm trees lined the paths. The restaurant I was looking forward to had a view of the Caribbean Sea beyond the pool. Later the restaurant would close, and the pool would open to guests.
A hostess led me to a table for two at the side of the pool. The morning sunlight filtered through the overhead veranda covered in vines with large purple and pink flowers. Large bamboo fans swirled, creating a breeze in the steamy air.
“Coffee?” a man in a shirt with the resort logo asked moments after I sat.
“Yes.”
He turned over my cup. “Are you dining alone?”
“I hope not,” I confessed.
Instantly, his smile softened, and his eyes took on a new life. “First date. You met here.”
“Is it that obvious?”
He looked at my shirt and back to me. “Last minute, you got rid of whatever you were wearing, stopped in a shop, and bought something that matches.”
I took a deep breath. “Basically. So since you seem to be an expert, how do these dates, if that’s even what it is, work out?”
He shrugged. “If this mystery woman…or is it a man?”
“Woman.”
“If she shows, I’ll give you a forty percent chance of hooking up.”
“I’m not…” My thoughts went to my fantasies. “That’s not the only reason I want her to show.”
“Who to show?”
The waiter and I both turned as Lena appeared, a breath of fresh air. With the exception of this morning in the gym, this was the first time I saw her face without the large sunglasses and hat. And I was a bit preoccupied with her presence on the treadmill to appreciate her exquisite beauty.
With very little makeup, Lena was stunning.
Her deep red hair was no longer in ringlets, but curled near her chin, and the sundress she wore hid the curves I’d seen at the pool. Yet the spaghetti straps revealed her slender shoulders and collarbone, the way the V formed at the base of her neck. Large blue earrings dangled near her shoulders and reflected the sun.
Quickly, I stood and motioned toward the other chair.
The waiter stepped in and pulled the chair back.
Hanging a large bag from the chair, Lena sat, turning her mesmerizing, soft brown gaze on me.
I answered her question. “You, if you showed, and you did.”
“I believe I was invited.”
“You were,” I said, taking my seat.
The waiter spoke to Lena. “May I get you a coffee?”
“I was promised coffee and mimosas.”
Flipping over her cup, he turned to me and winked. “Mimosas for two?”
“Yes.”
“Here are the menus.” He lowered two cardboard rectangles that I hadn’t noticed before. “I’ll be back with the coffee and mimosas.” Before he walked away, he whispered, “Eighty.”
Eighty percent chance.
I grinned.
“Eighty?” Lena inquired after he was gone.
“The high today...yes, it’s supposed to be eighty.”
“Really? I’d guess higher.”
A grin took over my face. “I can only hope.”
She took a deep breath and looked around. “It seems we have one of the best tables.”
I wanted to blurt out a thousand questions and an hour-long dissertation on myself, and yet words were escaping me. The silence settled, easing the unfamiliarity as I confessed my thoughts. “I meant what I said in the gym.”
Lena brought the glass of iced water to her lips. “Are you reminding me that you’re a predator, CJ?”
I liked the sound of my name on her lips. “If I’m any good at reading people, we have a ways to go to determine who rules in that category.”
“I’m a woman. Wouldn’t you assume it’s you?”
“Call me intrigued, Lena. My vision is better than twenty-twenty. I’m well aware that you’re a woman. I also don’t believe in assuming.”
She grinned and after taking a drink, set the water glass back on the table. “Tell me what you meant in the gym.”
“You are the woman I saw yesterday at the pool bar, the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.”
Chapter Eight
Lena
“I remember,” I said as my cheeks warmed. “I thought you might come over to my lounge chair yesterday.”
“I wanted to.” CJ shook his head. “Without going into detail, I’m here, in Cancún, because I wanted to get away. Yesterday when I arrived, I realized that I was wrong. I’m ashamed to admit I spent a great deal of yesterday wallowing. You were the highlight of yesterday, Lena. Thinking about you reminded me that life can go on. I can go on.”
“Don’t tell me this was supposed to be your honeymoon or something. No woman would leave you at the altar.”
CJ scoffed. “Since I’ve never been to the altar, the jury is out on that one. No, my wallowing was my own doing and had nothing to do with a woman.”
Our waiter arrived with two mimosas and a pot of coffee. Setting the champagne glasses before us, he proceeded to fill our coffee cups. “Have you decided what you’d like to order.”
I looked around for a buffet but didn’t see one.
“May we have some more time?” I asked.
“You’re in paradise. Take as long as you’d like.”
Nodding, I reached for the slender glass.
CJ lifted his and extended it toward me. “To you, Lena, and to focusing on the present.”
“And to you too.” Our glasses clinked before we both took a sip.
The champagne bubbles tickled my throat.
I tilted my head to the side. “Does that toast mean you don’t want to talk about what brought you here, what you were wallowing in?”
“It does.” His turquoise stare was on me. “It means the gods have shown me a beautiful woman, and I can’t turn down a gift from the gods. Real life won’t go away if I take a break.”
The gods.
“I’ve been called many things,” I said with a grin. “A gift from the gods is a new one.”
When CJ didn’t respond, I thought about the rest of his sentence.
A break.
“Is that what you want, a break?” I asked.
“What do you want, Lena?”
Sitting back, I inhaled and pulled my gaze away from CJ’s and out to the crystal blue waters beyond the pool. Returning my eyes to his, I answered, “I don’t know. As you said, real life isn’t going anywhere. I’m not accustomed to this…”
“The resort is amazing,” he said, “and pricey.”
“Yes, that’s not really what I meant. I’m not accustomed to relaxing. If I must confess, I’m a workaholic. After intervention from those close to me, I was convinced, or coerced, into booking a real vacation, a holiday away from…” I wasn’t ready to share the list.
“Real life,” CJ said, finishing my thought.
“In a nutshell.”
The menu caught my attention. Lifting it, I read the options. “Have you decided what you’re going to order?”
“It depends.”
“On?”
“Are you the carnivore you claimed to be?”
My grin grew. “My meal choice won’t give that away.”
“So, you won’t be having sausage with a side of bacon?”
I shook my head. “Not because that doesn’t sound…well, it sounds a little too much, but no, because a friend of mine convinced me to bring a two-piece bathing suit, and I want it to fit when I go back to my suite.”
“Please thank your friend for me.” Heat simmered in his gaze. “I memorized that swimsuit.”
Before I could respond, the waiter came for our orders and to refill our coffee. If we could determine prey from predator by our breakfast order, CJ would win. My yogurt and fruit with granola lacked the protein in his omelet with a side of bacon.
The style of shirt he was wearing revealed his shoulders and muscular arms. I doubted that he worried about caloric intake, especially not the way he was running on the treadmill. A giggle escaped my lips.
“What’s funny?”
“Your shirt. I just realized it has the name of the resort.”
He leaned back and looked down at the shirt, the same color as his eyes. When he looked up, his dimple was on full display. “I didn’t put a lot of thought into packing.”
“If you bought that for me, for this breakfast, don’t. I don’t care about your clothes.”
His eyes opened wide as I realized what I’d said. “I mean, I want you to wear clothes…”
As the awkwardness of this conversation continued, so did the deep chuckle of CJ’s laugh.
When my cheeks were sufficiently warmed, CJ leaned forward, his broad shoulders over the table and his volume low. “I’ve been imagining you without them.”
I wanted to say that I’d been doing the same. Instead, I narrowed my gaze. “What did you think?”
He moved his eyebrows. “About you naked? I approved.”
“I’m a firm believer in equality. If I’m without clothes…”
“I’m game.” He began to stand, offering me his hand. “Shall we?”
Leaning back, I shook my head with a smile. “You, sir, offered me breakfast.”
He retook his seat. “If I recall it was coffee and mimosas.” He waved his hand over the table. “Mission accomplished.”
