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“It sounds like a plan,” she answered.
“The best I can come up with.” J.D. unbuckled his seat belt, stood and stepped into the aisle, making a path for Shae. She opened the overhead compartment and reached for her bag. “Here, let me help you.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and shifted her out of the way. Something intense flared between them when he touched her.
Stunned, he stood like a statue, gazing at his hand. Shae’s sweet voice snapped him back into the real world.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I…it…it,” he stammered. Inhaling a deep breath of calming air, J.D. forced out, “It’s the least I can do.” He felt lightheaded from the emotions swirling inside him. The hours they had spent together had made him realize that he wanted to get to know this woman better.
Shae smiled her thanks and shifted out of his way as he pulled the bag from the white shelf and handed it to her. “Thanks.”
J.D. pulled his black laptop bag from the shelf and secured it on his shoulder. He cupped her elbow. “Let’s get out of here.”
“I’m ready.” Shae accompanied him past the flight crew. J.D. studied her profile as they made their way down the ramp. She was a beautiful woman and he didn’t plan to let her walk away without getting her telephone number or address.
He steered her down the ramp and into the boarding area. They entered the airport side by side.
Inside the airport, J.D. halted, taking a minute to acclimate to his surroundings. Different city and airport, but the same routine. Commuters hurried up and down the walkway, pulling luggage after them, talking on cell phones while they searched for their boarding area. “Come on, let’s get our luggage.”
Several passengers from their flight rushed by J.D. and Shae as they strolled toward the baggage claim area. At the baggage carousel they stood together, silently waiting.
The Asian lady who had caused such a ruckus on the plane shuffled past J.D. and Shae, stopping a few feet beyond them. Seconds later a small group of Asians rushed up and greeted her.
“Mei-Mei,” an auburn haired woman called, wrapping her arms around the older woman. “You made it.”
Each person took a turn hugging Mei-Mei. The tall, male member of the group asked, “How was your flight?”
Mei-Mei’s lips pursed and her forehead wrinkled into a frown. “They wouldn’t let me alone.”
“Why not?” he quizzed.
A serene, knowing expression spread across her face. “I said the blessing prayer over and over for a healthy boy and that Miho wouldn’t have much pain. They wouldn’t let me continue after I got on the plane. They said I was upsetting the other passengers.”
One of the women patted the older woman’s hand and said, “Don’t worry about that. Those people do not understand our customs.”
“You are right.” Mei-Mei asked, “How is Miho?”
“Miho gave birth to a nine-pound boy. His name is Henry.”
Overhearing this, J.D. felt heat burn a path up his neck and into his cheeks. He really didn’t intend to eavesdrop on their conversation, but the group was so close that he couldn’t ignore them. He supposed he should step away, find a different spot to wait, but he was curious. So J.D. stood near the Asian family and acted as if he didn’t hear them. Curiosity forced him to continue to listen.
The young man offered his arm sympathically, “We received our blessing. Thank you, Mei-Mei, for all of your help.”
Hugging the tiny Asian woman, the midnight-black-haired woman asked, “How long can you stay?”
“Until Miho is ready to return to her work.”
“Wow! That long?” One of the young woman rubbed Mei-Mei’s arm. “Great!”
J.D. turned to Shae and found her staring back at him with her mouth hanging open. She grabbed him by the arm and quickly drew him away from the family. “Good grief! I can’t believe it. I thought she was in pain. Instead, she was praying for a healthy baby.” Shaking her head, she giggled. “Amazing!”
Glancing back at the woman and her family, he smiled. “That it is.”
Their conversation was interrupted by an orange light flashing and an intermittent beep, beep, beep coming from one end of the baggage carousel. Bags shot from the opening onto the rotating carousel. Within minutes, J.D. had retrieved their luggage.
“Is someone coming to pick you up?” J.D. asked.
“No. But don’t worry. I’m going to take a cab.”
“There’s no need for that. I’ll give you a lift.”
Shae’s gray eyes widened in alarm. Biting her bottom lip, she took a step away from him and pulled her purse snugly against her side. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m fine,” her voice shook as she spoke.
She’s apprehensive, he thought. A dart of anxiety shot straight into his heart. That was the last emotion he wanted her to feel for him. Shae doesn’t trust me. Why should she?
Running a hand over his face, J.D. softened his voice. “Look, I’m not some mad rapist or killer. Other than my problem with flying, I’m an average guy.” Maybe if I show her that I am a decent man it will alleviate her fears. All he wanted to do was spend some additional time with her.
Removing his wallet from his back pocket, J.D. flipped to his driver’s license. “See, that’s me. All I’m offering is a ride to whatever location you choose.”
Her eyes shifted between the picture, then his face. “Why?”
He raised his hands in an act of surrender. “Because you’ve been so compassionate. I want to return the favor. The least I can do is make sure that you get where you’re going. I mean, it’s my turn to do something nice for you.”
Her brow wrinkled as Shae evaluated the truth of his words. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, studying him.
J.D. held his breath, silently praying she’d accept his offer, which might possibly open the door to a future meeting, maybe even a date. After what seemed like hours, but was in fact no more than a few tense seconds, Shae spoke. With the air of someone who had just thrown caution to the wind, she replied, “Thanks. I appreciate the help.”
“No, thank you.” J.D. grinned broadly at her. Until Shae had said “yes” he hadn’t realized how worried he was that she might reject him. Sure, he found her beautiful, but there was so much more that he wanted to learn about her.
Now that they were going to be spending a bit more time together, J.D. was concerned Shae not believe he was a coward. “I want to thank you for helping me during the flight.” He let out a sigh of relief, then turned to her with an expression of embarrassment on his face. “I kind of acted like a big sissy earlier. I’m sorry. That’s not me in the normal scheme of things.”
Placing a warm hand on his arm, Shae offered him an encouraging smile. J.D.’s skin tingled on the spot where her hand rested. “Don’t be concerned, I understand. I’m glad I was able to help.”
His embarrassment vanished. He felt his mood lighten. This woman was amazing.
Shae watched J.D. stroll toward long-term parking while she waited at the curb with their bags. She shook her head and giggled. Who would believe that after less than twenty-four hours away from home she’d be so frivolous? What was happening to her? she wondered. Why would she agree to get into a car with a complete stranger? You know why, a voice whispered in her head. She agreed—because she felt something special going on between them. Feelings that she wanted to explore.
Shae knew that her mother would be on her way up to God if she knew her only child was putting her life in jeopardy this way. But J.D.’s gentle face and expression pushed its way to the forefront; she believed J.D. when he said all he wanted to do was pay her back in some small way for all her kindness.
J.D. zoomed up to the curb in a black Chrysler Cross-fire. After he stored their luggage, the couple headed for the Downtown Marriott on Michigan Avenue. Forty minutes later he brought the vehicle to a halt in front of the hotel. Instantly, the valet and bellboy approached the car.
He popped the trunk, got out of the car and removed Shae’s belongings. Immediately, the bellboy placed her bags on the cart and started for the entrance. J.D. tossed his car keys to the valet, helped Shae from the car and led her into the two-story lobby with a hand at her elbow. He waited while she completed the check-in process and followed her up the elevator to the penthouse, halting outside the suite’s entrance.
“What do you have planned for dinner?” J.D. asked.
Shae shrugged, nervously turning her key card over and over in her hands. “I’ll order from room service.”
“Don’t do that.” He moved a step closer. The warmth of his body penetrated the layers of her clothes. “Let me take you out for dinner.”
Her heart rate accelerated and a rat-a-tat-tat continued in her chest as she considered J.D.’s suggestion. Up to this point, everything had gone well. He had been a perfect gentleman. There were no accidental touches or intrusions into her personal space. Had he been setting her up for a major seduction? Was she pushing her luck by trusting him one more time?
Shae closely examined his handsome face. Albert and Vivian Weitherspoon’s warnings came flying back. “You have to be careful,” they always advised. “Remember,” her mother would add in her special tone that always made Shae feel like the village idiot, “there are people that prey on wealthy young women as trusting as you are.”
All her life Shae’s parents had warned her about the pitfalls of allowing people to get too close to her. Mommie and Pop had continually reminded her of her social and financial status as the daughter of a wealthy man. Her father constantly harped about her girlfriends, boyfriends and the university she attended; he was especially harsh about her boyfriends. Albert Weitherspoon managed to find a problem with every male she’d ever brought home. The poor souls weren’t serious, didn’t show respect, were too silly or too old. Unless he hand chose the guy, no one was ever good enough for Albert Weitherspoon’s daughter.
Yet, Shae had always fought for her own choices. Moving to Chicago was an example of that. This was her life. The life she chose. Now, a handsome young man was asking her out.
“Look, if you’re still worried, we can leave a message at the front desk so that they know where we’re going for dinner and what time to expect you back.” J.D. added a disarming smile. “Please?”
It was time for her to take charge of her life. She needed to stop worrying about what her parents thought. “All right, I’ll go.”
A big grin slowly spread across his face. “What time would you like me to pick you up?”
“Why don’t we get together at six? That’ll give me a little time to relax,” Shae suggested.
“It sounds great. I’ll see you then.” Hesitating for a moment, J.D. reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “You won’t regret it.”
Shae shoved the key card into the door slit and turned the door knob when the green light flashed. She moved into the suite’s hallway and took a quick glance over her shoulder. J.D. stood, waiting at the elevator.
She was going out with a person she had met on a plane less than four hours earlier. Smiling, Shae shut the door after her. She hadn’t been in town for an hour, and already she had a date.
Chapter 4
At 6:00 p.m. Shae opened the door to a freshly shaved and showered J.D. Casually dressed, he looked great in a camel-colored V-neck sweater, a coffee-brown crew-neck T-shirt and rust-colored trousers. White sneakers peeked from beneath the hem of J.D.’s pant legs.
Shae grabbed her bag and headed out the door, trying to push her concerns about the evening from her mind. She clutched the strap of her purse and studied her dinner date, hoping she wasn’t making a major mistake. When J.D. turned away, she regarded him with somber curiosity. Who was J.D. really? After all, they had only known each other for a few hours.
They took the elevator to the lobby, detouring to the reception desk where Shae gave the clerk her door key card. Before leaving the hotel she instructed the woman behind the desk, “If I get any calls, you can tell them that I’m at dinner and to please try again in a couple of hours.”
Flashing Shae a dazzling smile, J.D. cupped her elbow in his warm palm and they strolled out of the Marriott into the sixty-degree weather. Cars, SUVs and busses zoomed by as they made their way along Michigan Avenue.
He stopped in front of a mud-colored brick building sporting a cloth red-and-white striped awning; small, white tables with umbrellas lined the front of the building. J.D. opened the door and guided Shae inside. The mouthwatering aromas of oregano, tomatoes and garlic instantly greeted them.
A chubby man with midnight-black hair slowly waddled from behind a counter. The waiter shifted his large bulk between the tightly packed rows of tables, making his way to the door. “Table for two?”
J.D. nodded, then turned to Shae with a look of dismay spreading across his face.
Shae touched his arm. “What?”
“I just assumed that it was okay. That’s not always true. You might have allergies or problems with milk. Who knows, you may not like Italian food,” J.D. said. “It never occurred to me that you might not like pizza. I wanted to take you to someplace where you would feel comfortable and safe. I figured you’d be a little tired after the flight and wouldn’t want to go someplace glitzy where we had to dress up and be on our best behavior.” J.D. waved a hand around the restaurant. “This seemed a lot better.”
Smiling, Shae patted his arm reassuringly. She wasn’t the only person worried about their date. “Relax. Everything is fine. I love pizza.”
They followed the waiter to a quiet section of the room. A white-and-red checked vinyl tablecloth covered the tiny square table. Two very shiny wood chairs faced each other from across the flat surface.
J.D. helped Shae get comfortable at the table, then slid into the opposite chair, flashing his companion a beguiling smile. “I know it doesn’t look like much. Trust me, this place makes the best deep dish pizza that I’ve ever had.”
“What do you like on your pizza?”
“Meat,” he answered quickly. “I like pepperoni, sausage, chicken. Meat.”
Frowning, the nurse asked, “What about vegetables?”
“That works for me,” J.D. replied nonchalantly.
Together the pair studied the menu before finally selecting a Meat Lovers’ Deep Dish Pizza. Shae added mushrooms, olives and green peppers and an antipasto salad. J.D. ordered a carafe of Lambrusco wine.
All of her adult life, her father’s business associates and the men in her social circle had tried to impress her, hoping to get closer to Albert Weitherspoon. It was nice to be appreciated for herself. Here she was out on an ordinary date with a person who didn’t know or care about her background or her connection to Prestige Computers.
Linking her fingers, Shae rested them on the tabletop; she intently studied the man across the table. “This is nice. I’m glad you convinced me to get out of the hotel. To be honest, I probably would have stayed in my room until the first day of work.”
Grinning, he teased, “See, I’m having a positive effect on you already.”
“Yes, you are.”
The waiter returned with two long-stemmed glasses and a carafe of red wine. He filled each glass before strolling away on short, stubby legs.
J.D. lifted his glass and touched it to hers. “Here’s to new beginnings.”
Smiling, Shae repeated, “New beginnings.”
Shae leaned back in her chair and sipped her wine, enjoying the sweet and fruity flavor. Watching her date closely, she decided to ask the question that had been on her mind since they’d met. “J.D., what do you do for a living that makes it necessary for you to fly all over the country?”
He smiled, swirling the wine in his glass. “I’m a sports agent.”
Surprised, her eyebrows lifted. “Really? What does that mean exactly?”
“I represent new talent in the industry. Most of my clients are basketball players.”
Impressed, Shae asked another question. “Are you allowed to name names?” She giggled, then admitted, “I probably wouldn’t know who they are, anyway. I don’t keep up with sports.”
“The people I represent are new talent. You wouldn’t recognize them. Most are on the college circuit and are seeking an opportunity to move to the pros. It’s my job to help them make that transition. That’s why I travel so much. Part of what I do is make sure there’s a good match between player and team—then I coordinate things with the NBA draft. I have to see how they play, then talk to the teams that might be interested in making an acquisition.”
Nodding, Shae queried, “Is that difficult? Do your clients have any idea where they want their careers to go?”
Everything feels so awkward and stiff. She smiled, thinking, But that’s how it normally is on a first date, until we settle down a bit.
He leaned closer and grinned, “Most times, no.”
Laughing, Shae said, “I imagine that makes things difficult for you.”
“Very,” J.D. agreed, taking a sip of his wine. “They all believe they belong on the top professional teams. Most times my clients have only played in high school and then for a short time in college. Very little pro ball. When I tell them they have to work at their careers, they give me plenty of grief. Kids don’t understand that you have to build a career.”
A smile lit up his face and made J.D. appear younger and more carefree. Shae tapped a finger across her lips. “Once you acquire new talent, how do you market them?”
J.D. reached for the carafe and carefully topped off both of their glasses. “The biggest problem I have is new clients who don’t understand the building a career thing. No one becomes a superstar overnight. I try to explain that it’s like being a movie star. Actors begin their careers with small roles. As they develop a reputation, they move to better, more ambitious roles.”
“Does that work?”
