First Class to Portland (8 page)

He opened the bathroom door and stepped into the steam.
Janie was in the shower. He pulled back the shower curtain and she was washing
her hair. He watched for a moment and then reached out and ran the backs of his
fingers down her back. She twisted to look at him and smiled.

“I’m going to go run in the gym.”

“That would explain the outfit,” she grinned.

“Men don’t wear outfits!” he scoffed. “Order breakfast and
I’ll be back in a bit.”

Janie smiled and nodded and turned back to rinse the shampoo
from her hair. Matt watched the suds run down her back over her ass and down
her legs. She truly had no idea how beautiful she was. And she was all his and
he was not going to fuck it up again.

*****

Janie had used a washcloth and toothpaste to brush her
teeth. She had loosely braided her hair and had applied mascara and blush to
her face, the only makeup she had in her purse. She was sitting on the sofa,
dressed in a hotel robe, talking to Tyler on the phone. She had missed their
text the night before telling her they had arrived at their grandmother’s
house.

“Please pick up after yourselves,” she begged. “And I have
something to tell you,” she added. “I still have to talk to the realtor today,
but it looks as if the house has sold.”

“Seriously?” Tyler replied. “That was super fast.”

“Yes, it was. I’m not sure what’s going to happen but all of
yours and Adam’s stuff may get put into storage until I can find a place to
move to. Katy has offered me to stay with her for a bit if I need to, but I
won’t be able to take much with me.”

“Mom, just do whatever you need to. Adam and I are fine with
whatever. That’s kinda cool and kinda sad, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Janie agreed.

The door opened and Matt walked in, hot and sweaty. Janie
grinned and pointed to the phone. He nodded and headed for the bathroom.

“So, we need to make plans for your birthday, huh?” Tyler
said.

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Forty-three isn’t a big milestone or
anything. I’ll probably just stay in.”

Matt overheard her and smiled. He would never have thought
she was forty-three. She wore her age incredibly well.

“I’m sure you have much better things to do than hang out
with your mother on her birthday,” she laughed.

Her birthday!
The realization of the conversation dawned
on Matt. She was having her forty-third birthday.
When?

Her purse lay on the table behind her and he quietly stepped
into the room and grabbed it, returning to the bedroom. He found her wallet
inside and opened it, not proud he was rummaging through her private possessions
but desperate to find her driver’s license.

May 20th, he read.
That’s this Saturday! Fuck! I’ll be
back in New York!

Matt replaced her wallet and snapped her purse shut and laid
it on the bed
. I’d better come up with a plan,
he decided.

*****

After Matt’s shower and breakfast, Janie called her realtor,
Amanda, and officially accepted the offer made on her house. It was
bittersweet; so many good memories, but that’s all that was left. She was very
excited for the next chapter of her life, especially now that Matt was a huge
part of it. Amanda wanted her to swing by the office and sign the paperwork and
then she just had to wait for the home inspection to be completed and the house
was as good as sold.

“But my car is here,” she frowned, as she and Matt were
preparing to leave together.

“We can get it later,” he laughed, as the valet pulled in
front of them in his Lincoln rental car.

Matt opened the door and she slid in the front seat. “But
you have no idea where we are going,” she continued.

Matt tipped the valet and jumped in the driver’s seat.
“That’s why they made a navigation system,” he pointed to the GPS on the
console.

“Ok,” she conceded. “We are going on the I-5 south to the
I-205. Then take the second West Linn exit.”

Matt maneuvered the car into traffic and made his way
through downtown Portland. “You know, I come here about twice a year,” he said.
“I’m not a complete stranger to your city.”

“What business do you have here?” she asked.

“A couple of high-rises and a few malls. When the real estate
market crashed a few years ago, we were able to scoop up some really good deals
here. We were fortunate to not have been hit hard in the recession. Mark was
amazing locating some really good acquisitions in the northwest.”

“Is he running things for you while you’re here?”

“Actually,” Matt confessed, “I have made him a partner. He
now owns thirty-five percent of MEL Holdings.”

“Wow!”

“And you were the reason why.”

“What?” Janie was shocked. “How?”

“Well it started at the Yankees game. When you were asking
Mark about working for me, I realized that I have never thought of him as an
employee, always a partner. But I started the company and when the legal entity
was all set up it was just me. But not long after, Mark started working with me
and I never really thought about it. And then when I was going to…well, when…
anyway, I decided that if I wanted to step back a bit I needed to make it all
official, so the papers were all signed last week.”

Janie was confused, but didn’t ask any questions. “That’s
amazing. You’re amazing.”

“No, just ready to start a new chapter in my life.” He
reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips. She smiled as she watched him
kiss her palm. It sent shivers down her spine.

“Which exit?” he asked.

Janie navigated him to the realtor’s office and they pulled
in the parking lot.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll just wait here for you,” he
grinned.

“Hmmm. Probably a good idea. We might just avoid a nasty
catfight if you’re not around,” she giggled.

Janie jumped out of the car and ran into the office. Matt
took the opportunity to call Angela while he was alone.

“Yes Angela. All is good here.” He grinned at his secretary
who never, ever got involved in his personal life until now. He guessed she saw
the real thing in Janie too. “I need you to book a ticket for Janie on the
return flight with me on Thursday please. No. One way. And there are a couple
of other things I need you to do too.”

A couple of minutes later he’d hung up the phone and Janie
came out of the realtor’s office, Amanda at her side. She was talking to Janie
but when she looked up and saw him she turned and waved, tilting her head and
smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Matt frowned and reached across the seat and
opened the passenger door for Janie. She climbed in and slammed the door shut.

“So it’s really going to be like this for me all the time?”
she whined.

Matt laughed. “I only have eyes for you, Janie Anderson!”

*****

Matt and Janie pulled up in front of her house. They had
decided to visit the Japanese Gardens and Janie wanted to get changed first.

“I’ll just wait out here,” Matt offered as he put the car in
Park.

Janie tilted her head as she turned to him, forehead
wrinkled.

“First off, we won’t ever make it to the garden if I come
in,” he winked. “And, if I was to be perfectly honest, I feel a little
uncomfortable being in your house.”

“Why?” she asked. “Not big enough for you?” she laughed.

Matt was serious. “No. It was the house that you shared with
your husband and, I don’t know, it feels kind of weird being there.”

Janie nodded. She had shrugged off the same feeling the
other night when he was there. But she had pushed it aside and chalked it up
the difficulty of the situation.

“Okay,” she smiled. “Should I pack a bag then?” her eyebrows
rising.

Matt grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. “Definitely!”

“Ok, be right back.” Janie jumped from the car and ran to
the garage door. She punched in the code and the door opened. Janie ran inside
and into the house.

Matt watched her go in, thrilled that she wanted to stay
with him while he was in town. He checked the text from Angela that had
appeared on his phone.
Yes!
The upcoming weekend he had planned was all
falling in to place. Now he had to get Janie to agree to come to New York with
him.

Matt put the phone in the middle console of the car and walked
into the garage. There were several boxes stacked in a row, the top one open.
Matt looked inside and found an old photo album. He picked it up and flipped
through the pages. There were pictures of little boys, obviously her sons. They
were playing Little League and Pee Wee football and there were school pictures
too. He saw pictures of a young Janie and he smiled.
She hasn’t changed a
bit.
And he saw photos of their family; in front of a Christmas tree,
studio portraits, casual shots of them all squeezed on the couch. They all
looked very happy. Matt stared at the pictures, the realization hitting him
like a tidal wave that Janie had been very happy with Robert. They looked like
the perfect family. She had what he had always wanted but didn’t realize it
till right at that moment.
I want this
, he thought.
I want the
beautiful wife and the kids running around, don’t I?

Matt hadn’t known a tear had escaped until it fell from his
cheek and hit the page of the album. He wiped his face with the back of his
hand and closed the album and replaced it in the box. He slowly walked back to
the car, trying to understand the desires that had just hit him straight on and
noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. There was someone behind the
bushes at the side of Janie’s house. Matt strode across the lawn to the edge of
the house. He found a man crouching in the flower bed. Matt grabbed him by the
shirt and slammed him against the siding of the house in one quick shove.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?” he
spitted out, teeth gritted, fist clenched.

“Whoa, hey, I’m Danny. I’m Danny, Janie’s neighbor. Who the
hell are you?” he shouted, trying to free himself from Matt’s iron grip, but to
no avail.

“Why are you slinking around her house?” Matt was not
letting him off the hook.

“I, ah, thought I saw a rat so I came over to investigate,”
he mumbled.

“Yeah, I saw a rat too,” Matt shoved him into the house. “I
don’t want you sneaking around Janie’s house. Got it?”

“Matt!!” Janie yelled.

He turned to see Janie running across the grass. “Do you
know this asshole?”

“Matt! Let him go! It’s just my neighbor, Danny.”

Matt released his hold on him and stepped back. “Got it?” he
glared at Danny.

“Got it,” Danny sneered and stepped over the flowers and
walked back to his house.

“What was that all about?” Janie asked, watching him go.

Matt took the bag from her and entwined his fingers in hers.
“Where is your bedroom?” he asked.

Janie’s mouth opened wide and Matt realized she
misunderstood him.

“Which window is your bedroom?” he clarified.

Janie pointed at the one right in front of them. Matt’s
heart sunk. Danny was a pervert; he got off on watching unsuspecting women in
their homes. He had been watching
his
Janie! He felt ill and pissed off
he had let him go before he beat the shit out of him.

“Janie,” his teeth were gritted. “Don’t let him anywhere
near you if I’m not around. I don’t want you within fifty feet of that motherfucker.
And keep your curtains closed!”

“Matt! I have known him for years. He’s harmless!” Janie was
stunned at his outburst.

“Please, Janie. Do as I ask.” He pulled her hand to his
lips.

Janie was terribly confused, not understanding what had just
happened, but she nodded and he looked visibly relieved.

*****

After returning to the Hotel Monaco and unloading her bag,
Matt and Janie had dinner in the hotels’ restaurant, The Red Star Tavern. Matt
usually ate there when in Portland; the food was great and it meant he didn’t
have to leave the hotel. But it was Janie’s first time. He loved the way she
studied the menu, weighing her options.

Grinning, he watched her eyes travel down the list and then
back up. She looked over the menu and caught him gazing at her, his eyes
twinkling.

“I am captivated by you Janie. Even reading a menu you turn
me on.”

Janie blushed and lowered her eyes back to the choices in
front of her. “What are you having?” she asked, changing the subject.

Matt chuckled and read his selection in front of him. “Strip
Loin.”

“Hmmm. That does sound good,” she agreed. “I can’t decide
between the spinach salad and the duck breast,” she frowned.

“That’s quite a contrast,” he smiled. “Well we can always
come back tomorrow and whatever you don’t choose tonight you can have then.”

“Eat here tomorrow too?” she asked.

Matt nodded, “If you would like.”

“Ro…we rarely ate out. I am not used to this,” she tried to
smile.

“You can say his name, Janie. I accept that he was your
husband for a long time. It’s okay to talk about him if you want.”

Janie couldn’t believe her luck having found this incredible
man in front of her. “Thank you Matt. I never want you to feel uncomfortable.”

Matt reached for her hand and caressed it with his thumb. “I
am confident that I am your future, Janie. Your past doesn’t make me
uncomfortable.”

*****

After a leisurely and delicious dinner, they returned to
Matt’s suite. Janie had been sure to pack some of the little treasures she had
picked up at Victoria’s Secret, hoping that Matt would appreciate them.  She
exited the bathroom after changing, a little nervous in her selection.

Matt was sitting on the edge of the bed untying the laces of
his shoes as her feet came to stand beside him. His eyes gradually lifted,
appreciating the view. She stood in front of him wearing a black silk slip
nightie that barely covered her behind. The bust was tight and plunging and had
a small satin bow at the bottom of the V. She wasn’t wearing underwear.