The Singles Table (Marriage Game #3)(33)

The plaintiff shot out of his seat and took two steps to the side, hands in the air. “I got it. I got it.” With a jump he grabbed the football and held it up, victorious. His smile faded as he stared at the stunned crowd, clearly realizing what he’d just done.

“Objection.” Plaintiff’s counsel glared at Zara. “What was that?”

“I believe it’s called a Hail Mary pass.” Zara smiled at the judge. “No further questions.”

Jay’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he slipped out of the courtroom. Damn shame. He could have watched her all day.



* * *



? ? ?

Three Pesos was not the kind of place Jay usually went for quiet conversation. The upscale Mexican restaurant and saloon was a sensory overload of Mexican decor, music, conversation, and rich mouthwatering scents. Cacti and succulents, fake chili peppers, sombreros, baskets, and woven blankets were stuffed into every alcove and piled high on every shelf. A collage of Talavera plates juxtaposed with paintings of Mexico and faded prints of old Mexican films covered one yellow-stuccoed wall.

They joined the mix of suits, tourists, and casual diners in the booths. The focus at the bar was a vast lineup of mescals, but Zara had ordered a Mexican mai tai in a tall painted glass. She’d taken her hair down after settling her case and removed her suit jacket to reveal a sleeveless red top, the neckline dipping down to the crescents of her breasts. She wore a silver dragonfly necklace with a blue enamel center that sparkled in the overhead lights, and somewhere between the courthouse and the restaurant she had added a matching clip to her hair. If not for the fact she had brought her laptop to the restaurant, she could have been his date for the evening. The thought was not unpleasant.

“I watched your trial,” he said when they were settled. “I was surprised the judge allowed such an unconventional strategy.”

“I saw you lurking in the back.” Zara grinned. “I wouldn’t do that with any judge. Some of them are real sticklers for the rules and he rightly sustained opposing counsel’s objection. My purpose wasn’t to get his actions on the record. I wanted them to settle, which they did. They asked for an adjournment before the judge gave his judgment, and we got the offer we were hoping for.”

“Congratulations.” He appreciated the strategy behind the risk as much as the win.

“I’m in a celebratory mood. Be warned.” She pulled out her laptop, raising her voice over Vicente Fernández’s “Volver, Volver” playing over the tinny speakers.

Jay quickly whisked her glass out of the way, silently congratulating himself on averting a near disaster. In fact, he’d managed to keep her path clear all the way from the courthouse to the restaurant, walking slightly in front so that she could talk without having to worry about anything in her path. He felt a sense of pride at keeping her safe, like it was something he’d been born to do.

The waiter came by to take their orders. Zara chatted briefly with him, learning more about his life in a few minutes than Jay knew about most of the staff in his office. She made people smile, he realized, her genuine interest in people breaching walls he could never cross.

“I’ve put all my notes into my ‘Find Jay a Match’ document,” she said, peering over her laptop. “I have a few more questions about the kind of woman you’re looking for.”

“Ask me anything.” He sipped his drink, letting the bittersweet liquid linger on his tongue as he settled back in his seat.

“Active or not active? I’m guessing active since you’re a sports nut and look at you. Muscles all over. Not an ounce of fat. You’re a man who looks after yourself and I’d say you would like someone who values fitness, too.”

“I guess—”

“Travel or no travel? I’d guess travel because you were in the air force. You don’t take a job like that if you’re a homebody, and if you travel, you’d want a partner who travels, too.”

“Yes, but—”

“Working or stay-at-home?” She didn’t even pause long enough to let him talk. “I’d guess working. You’ve had two careers and built your own business. I think you’d appreciate a woman who is independent, educated, and can contribute to the family finances . . .”

She trailed off when Jay shook his head. “You’re forgetting that I’m just looking for something casual. My mother asked me to make an effort to find a partner and I’m curious about who you think would be a good match. But I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. I’m not interested in anything long-term.”

“Sorry. I got carried away.” She grimaced. “I’ll scratch the next question, which was about kids.”

“I’ve never even thought about kids.” But he had. As a boy, he had wanted what his friends had: the noise and chaos of a big family. Birthdays with so many people they spilled into the yard. Weddings so huge they needed a giant venue. Aunties and uncles and cousins who would be there no matter what. He loved his mother, respected her choices, and was deeply appreciative of everything she had done to give him a happy childhood. But sometimes he had felt painfully alone.

“I know this is probably premature because we’re still in the fact-finding stage, but there is someone I think you should meet.” Zara opened her purse and pulled out a card. “My father is an artist as well as a musician, and he’s showing a new collection next Monday at the Indra Roy Gallery. I thought of Indra right away when we made our deal. She’s smart, elegant, and sophisticated, and her gallery was just elected to membership in the prestigious Art Dealers Association of America. She’s everything a workaholic, Economist-reading CEO could want. You can drop by any time after seven. If she doesn’t suit, it’s no harm, no foul because she won’t know that’s why you’re there.”