Chapter Eighteen #2
“For now, it is.” Iris glanced at her watch.
She and Matt hadn’t made plans to meet for lunch today.
Maybe she should call to see if he was interested in meeting up with her somewhere.
She pushed aside the decision she’d made just that morning not to see him again until this weekend.
He was a season ticket holder, and they would be attending an LA Rams game on Sunday.
He had suggested dinner and a movie for Saturday, but she hadn’t told him if she would go.
Starting out, she felt they shouldn’t overdo anything.
“I have to prepare for my ten o’clock meeting, Pam.
Give Dillon and the kids my love, and I will chat with you later. ”
“Will do.”
Within minutes of Iris disconnecting the call, her cell phone went off. She saw that the caller was Matt. It was as if her thoughts of him had conjured him up. “Good morning, Matt.”
“Good morning to you, Iris. Have you made plans for lunch?”
“No.”
“Would you go to lunch with me today? Alton’s Sandwich Shop has good selections.”
“Sounds lovely. I know where it is and can meet you there.”
“I’d rather pick you up, Iris. I’ll call when I’m on my way.”
She smiled. He was definitely old-school. “Okay, and I’ll be waiting in front of the building.”
“Alright.”
After disconnecting the call, Iris leaned back in her chair. Already, she had noticed how different things were with Matt compared to Karlton and Warren. And she liked it.
* * *
“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Matt said, when Iris slid into the car seat.
He tried not to notice the flash of thigh beneath her dress.
He hadn’t needed to see that to get turned on.
He had been aroused the moment he’d driven up and seen her standing there looking good enough to eat.
Pleasure had rushed through his body at the thought.
“Not at all. I timed it perfectly after receiving your call, Matt,” she said, buckling her seat belt. “Thanks for the invite to lunch.”
“You’re welcome. How has your day been going so far?”
“I had three appointments scheduled for today. I’ve met with one this morning and the other two are this afternoon. What about you?”
“I started a new case and will use this week to collect the facts by interviewing witnesses, scheduling depositions and requesting legal documents and such.”
“What kind of case is it?”
“My client was arrested for embezzlement, but he claims he’s innocent. He believes he was framed.”
“By whom?”
“A member of the corporation’s executive team. My job is not only to prove his innocence but also to expose the real guilty person. Or to put enough doubt in the jurors’ minds that they don’t feel sure he’s guilty.”
“Sounds like you’re going to be busy for a while.”
“Somewhat.” And to make clear he knew how to handle his professional life and his private life, he added, “But I will never be too busy to spend time with you, Iris.” Her expression was unreadable. Had she hoped that he would be? If that were the case, he would have to change her perspective on it.
“I guess you heard we were back in the Wagging Tongue today,” she said.
He lifted a brow. “Why?”
“Candy Sumlar gave a statement. Evidently, she thinks our interest in each other is nothing more than a publicity stunt.”
“She actually said that?”
“Yes. She figures that’s what it is because there’s no way you would prefer me to her.”
“Well, she will soon discover just how wrong she is about that.”
“I agree.”
He was glad she did. “I thought I’d ask you now before your schedule gets full.”
“About what?”
“Going with me to the Scott Motorsport charity event in January. Bronson Scott is a good friend of mine. One of the companies that Dominic and I own together is a sponsor.”
“I know Bronson. He’s a friend of Quade’s. I recall seeing him at Cheyenne’s birthday party,” Iris said.
“We all got to know each other when Quade and Dominic married into the Steele family. Do you think you can go?”
“When is it?”
He gave her the dates.
“I don’t recall having an event planned for those dates, Matt, but I’ll check my calendar to verify and let you know. Thanks for asking me.”
“There is no other person I’d want to ask, Iris.”
* * *
Iris enjoyed spending time with Matt from the first. Whether it was walking around that Saxon Hotel the night they’d met to escape him being overwhelmed upon finding out he was Sid Roberts’s son, to him helping her escape Westmoreland Country during the gender reveal preparations, to them sharing meatloaf sandwiches for lunch at her place, to spending a hot weekend together.
She truly enjoyed his company. He had selected the ideal place for lunch, too.
Alton’s Sandwich Shop wasn’t crowded, and they served the best sandwiches with fries and iced tea.
“You were hungry, I see.”
Iris glanced over at him and saw the mischievous grin on his face. She looked at his plate. It was just as clean as hers. “So were you, and need I remind you that I got half a sandwich, and you got a whole one.”
“Duly reminded. Have you decided if you want to go to dinner and a movie Saturday night?”
“I don’t want to dominate your time on the weekends.”
“Are you saying that because you don’t want me to dominate yours, Iris?”
She could tell him yes, that was it, and that would be the end of any discussion.
He would accept when she turned down some of his dates.
However, for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say that.
Bottom line, she liked spending time with him.
Doing so helped her worry less about Garlan and whatever was going on with him that she didn’t know about.
Garlan had called her that morning and said he had tried reaching her Sunday night.
She’d remembered at some point she had silenced her phone while she and Matt had been tumbling between the sheets.
Of course, she hadn’t told her son that.
She told him she had been out on a date with Matt.
He seemed awfully pleased about it. That made her wonder if what she’d told Matt was true, about her suspicions that Garlan was behind Shauna’s matchmaking.
“Iris?”
Upon saying her name, she realized she hadn’t responded to his question.
“No, Matt, that’s not what I’m saying.” And since she wasn’t ready to get into an in-depth discussion of how much time they spent together, she said, “I have no problem spending time with you, and yes, a dinner and movie is doable for Saturday night.”
He smiled and then winked at her. “You won’t regret it.”
An uneasy feeling passed through her. Was he expecting more than dinner and a movie?
Perhaps another sleepover at his place? If that was what he figured, then he was mistaken.
It wouldn’t be happening. Granted, she had thoroughly enjoyed the past weekend with him, but the reason she was so lustful was because she had desperately wanted Matt, and she hadn’t made love with a man in almost a year.
“Ready to go?”
“The waiter hasn’t brought our check,” she said, glancing around.
“He knows to put it on my running tab.”
“Oh? You know the owner?”
“Yes. I represented Alton when a prominent developer tried to take this land because he saw the sandwich shop as stiff competition for the one he intended to open in his hotel. The one on the corner.”
“You won the case, right?”
“Right.”
She smiled. “I’m glad.”
He stood and extended his hand to assist her from her seat. Accepting his hand, she nearly moaned the moment they touched. Tingles rippled through her, and from the fog of desire she saw in his eyes, she knew he had felt it, too.
He led them out of the restaurant. Neither said anything, and she wondered if, like her, he was looking forward to the weekend. Hadn’t she decided moments ago what wouldn’t be happening with them this weekend? Why, now, was she thinking just the opposite and looking forward to it?