His irresistible grin caught her off guard. She knew the rituals that men and women used to meet each other. But this guy had perfected his art. He was the kind of man a woman could fall for hook, line and sinker, she thought as she fought back a smile and stared at the stranger. “Do I know you? Normally, I don’t talk to strangers.”
He reached behind her ear and magically produced a half dollar. “Well, maybe if I introduce myself we will no longer be strangers,” he said. Did you know somebody once said happiness is not for the frail of heart? In any case I guess I just want to enjoy my day, have a little fun today and see what being polite will do for me today. By the way my name is Ramsey Montgomery.”
The old magic trick he used broke the ice and made Janeshia smile. She was delighted with how he’d broken the ice. Not to mention she still loved that old trick. “Okay, in keeping with your quest to be polite today. My sincere apologizes for being rude earlier. My name is Janeshia. Janeshia James,” she smiled.
“You are very beautiful Janeshia James,” he said tilting his head and looking over the rim of his glasses. He smiled. “See I’m not crazy, just a gentleman who happens to love admiring a pair of very fine green eyes on a beautiful woman?”
Janeshia fought back a smile. “Oh, how lovely. I thank you for the compliment.” She cleared her throat. “You know Lana Turner once said a gentleman is simply a patient wolf.”
She shrugged. You could tell a lot about a man by the way he carried himself. She checked him out. This man was intelligent, handsome, sexy and very well educated. He was something else too. He had the kind of face she liked looking at.
His smile grew wide. He leaned his eyes over the rim of his sunglasses to get a better look at her. “Ah, you’ve got me there,” he said. His eyes were as exotic as his voice. His voice had a strangely distinct accent.
“So Mr. Montgomery?”
He interrupted. “Please call me Ramsey,” he smiled.
“Okay then Ramsey. If you don’t mind my asking, what’s your accent?”
He chuckled. “It’s kind of weird huh? It’s vaguely French with a slight London, Bronx flair. I kind of moved around a lot as a kid.” He smiled. “I like your accent. It’s Californian, huh?”
“You’ve got me there,” she said nodding a smile. He’d broken the ice in the, “getting to know a person better”, ritual. He had another point in his favor. Maybe they could find some common ground. She thought.
“Do you work around here?” They both said simultaneously.
“Ladies first,” he said.
She studied him. He had a nice smile. “No, my best friend does. I’m waiting for her now.”
“Unluckily, no I don’t work around here,” he said. “But I wish I did so that I could see you more often.” As he spoke his eyes fixed on hers. He could tell what she was thinking. “You’re wondering what I do for a living right?”
Janeshia nodded. “Yes, that was going to be my next question.”
“Well my undergraduate and graduate degrees say I’m a highly trained Engineer. But if you look at what I currently do, then you’ll probably call me a professional sitter. I sit on the board of directors at several venture capital companies. In fact, I just left a meeting,” he gestured at the building in front of them. “That’s why I’m sitting here trying to unwind. I have another one this afternoon.”
“Impressive,” she exclaimed. “That’s the same building my best friend works in.”
Ramsey cleared his throat. “Do you work nearby Janeshia? I mean what do you do?”
“Yes I work; I can see that’s what you were asking. I’m a director at the Silicon Valley Making a Difference Foundation. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”
“Oh, yes I have,” Ramsey’s eyebrows rose. “That’s the reason you looked so familiar to me. I attended the Gala event last year with a good friend. Impressive! If you don’t mind my borrowing your word,” he chuckled revealing his beautiful smile.
His compliment made her blush. She quickly added without knowing why. “I like giving back and helping others.” Her thoughts raced. “I must be getting desperate. This man gave me a compliment and now I want to tell him my hopes, my dreams and my telephone number. What’s come over me? I like him.”
Ramsey ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Janeshia, do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Is there someone special in your life? Like a say a husband or a boyfriend maybe?”
“Why?”
“Because, pardon the old line, but you are the kind of woman I’ve been looking for. I believe I could fall for you hook, line and sinker.”
Janeshia shyly smiled and raised her brow and let her eyes wander back to Ramsey’s face. She was just going to answer him. When she looked past his face and saw the woman walking towards them. Her shoulders tensed.
“Janeshia, are you ready to go to lunch?” Larissa London’s voice called out.
Larissa London was Janeshia’s best friend. As usual she was dressed in a stylish high-powered attorney’s suit. She was slender with good bone structure, a head full of brunette hair and rich deep tan complexion. She was also a lawyer who had a knack for spotting men who were losers and liars.
Janeshia’s gaze traveled to Larissa’s shining bright eyes. She always felt like a social outcast compared to her best friend Larissa.
Janeshia looked back at Ramsey. But there was nothing she could do to shield him from Larissa. Her spine straightened. Quickly she said. “Look Ramsey, I need to explain my friend...”
Larissa whistled out loudly. “Whew! I smell money! And he’s tall, handsome and a hunk of a man!” She sniffed the air hard. “Oh, I believe I smell a CEO.” She said checking him out over the rim of her sun glasses. “Janeshia who is this?”
Janeshia went to open her mouth.
Larissa looked him up and down. “Oh, never mind. I’ve seen you before. You have a board meeting in my building. You’re Ramsey Montgomery, right?”
“Yes,” Ramsey said rising and extending his hand.
“Well Hello Ramsey, I’m Larissa London, attorney at law,” she said in a breathless tone.
“We were just talking,” Janeshia nodded. “I mean not about you Larissa, but that Ramsey has a meeting in your building.”
Janeshia stood and stared between her best friend and Ramsey. She figured at any moment Larissa was going to start interrogating Ramsey on his intentions. She braced for the worst.
Larissa and Ramsey glared at each other like two old rivals.
Finally, Larissa breathed out. “So, you seem to have all your own hair Ramsey and no grey. And you don’t look like you’re balding yet.” She paused. “You know a little grey hair means you’re more trusting. I’m guessing you’re not married. Are you in the market? For a dating I mean. Ah…Well at least you’re being a CEO means you’re not a serial killer. Can’t steal their money if they’re dead huh, got to keep them alive” Larissa chuckled.
Janeshia was quiet. She never felt so embarrassed. She checked her watch. “Well…Ah we need to get going.”
Larissa nudged Ramsey. “Come on I was just joking.”
Finally, Janeshia spoke up. “Larissa shouldn’t we get going? It is your lunch hour.”
“Yeah, I need to get going too,” Ramsey murmured. “Janeshia, it was nice talking with you and your friend, Larissa,” he said as he slowly backed away.
Janeshia nodded and glanced his way.
He stopped abruptly looked back at her. He smiled softly and nodded before he turned and walked off.
Janeshia waited until he was out of earshot. “Larissa, how could you? That was rude even for you.”
Both friends watched Ramsey’s back as he walked out of view.
Annoyed and disinterested Larissa spoke. “I don’t know why I did that. There was just something odd, familiar and strange about him. He reminds me of someone, I can’t place it right now, but I will,” flickering a glance at her friend. “You like him, don’t y
ou?”
“What?”
“I can tell by that look on your face Janeshia.”
Janeshia bit her lip. “I really like him. I hope to see him again.”
Startled by her friend’s revelation Larissa turned and studied her friend. “He has strange eyes. Don’t be so trusting of a man with strange eyes.”
“He doesn’t have strange eyes,” Janeshia said. “I think he has wonderful eyes, plus he’s handsome. And he’s got smooth words. I love his smooth words.”
“Smooth words you say,” Larissa rolled her eyes. “You know; I wonder if Jack the Ripper was as smooth as silk right before he slashed his victim’s throats.”
Janeshia shook her head. “Stop being so morbid Larissa. I can tell you were impressed by the guy. You must admit the guy has character. He oozed it.”
Larissa shook her head. “He oozed CEO character, that’s not real character; that’s a cross between a banker, an accountant, a clown, and a maniac depressed alien from another planet. But I don’t think it was his real character,” she placed a hand on her friend’s arm. “Come on, let’s get going, your cousin Greystone James called after I hung up with you. I told him I was meeting you for lunch and he insisted on joining us.”
Chapter 6
The character of a man…
The modern setting, Venetian plants and terracotta ceiling of the Citrus Restaurant at the Hotel Valencia at Santana Row added to the uplifting atmosphere.
The party of three friends sat on the patio just past the bar area on the second floor.
Janeshia had trouble concentrating. Her mind wondered repeatedly back to meeting Ramsey Montgomery.
Greystone James slowly sipped his glass of wine and studied his cousin. “So Janeshia, your buddy Larissa told me you have a date tomorrow with Walker Perreault. He finally got you to agree to go out with him. Is he the reason for the smile on your face?”
Larissa snickered. “Right now, Janeshia’s mind is on one of the most powerful venture capitalists in the valley, Ramsey Montgomery,” her expression was arrogant. “The man who wears the mask,” she spits out his name venomously.
Greystone James almost choked on his wine. “No kidding? We are talking about that Ramsey... The Ramsey Montgomery?”
Janeshia sneered at her two friends and took a bite of her salad.
“The one and only. You know he has a board meeting in my building.” Larissa shrugged and took another sip of her drink. “Say Greystone, why don’t you fill your little cousin in about the man?”
“Damn, Janeshia doesn’t have a clue?”
Larissa shook her head. “Sorry to say it Greystone, but she doesn’t.”
“Well it may come as a shock to you cousin. But Ramsey’s got a pretty bad reputation as a powerful, ruthless player in the venture capitalist game.” Greystone cleared his voice. “Not to mention. I think he’s a social climbing antisocial kind of guy, if I do say so.”
“What else do you think about the guy Greystone?” Larissa asked.
“Huh, I don’t know, I heard he can be cold and unforgiving. He never shows any emotions, no kindness, nothing,” Greystone said grimly.
“Well, he was very nice to me Grey,” Janeshia studied her cousin astonished. “You know I have a system for studying people that’s nearly fool proof?”
“Yeah, well reading a book entitled how to read someone in 30 days does not count,” Greystone said firmly. “Oh yeah. I just recalled something, let me tell you cousin. I heard this story about a girl Ramsey dated a few years back. He was engaged to her as a matter of fact. But for some reason he called it off. She refused to give him back the engagement ring. And he hired a team of lawyers and forced her to give him back the ring and pay his attorney expenses.” He hesitated. “The guy can be as cold hearted as they come.”
Larissa grimaced. “Or an absolute lunatic. Dating or even knowing Ramsey is risky business.”
Janeshia looked up in astonishment. “So, what you both are saying is that Ramsey is way over my head. Well, I think the two of you are wrong. Besides, the guy has not committed a crime. All he did was make sure he got his engagement ring back. He probably paid a lot of money for it.”
Larissa glanced at Janeshia and shook her head “See what we’re up against Greystone. I told you she needed help in the love department. Walker finally got her to agree to go out on a date with him and now she’s trying to sabotage it by pretending to be interested in another guy.”
“Is that so?” Greystone shook his head. “You’re quite sure my cousin is attracted to Walker?”
“Yes!” Larissa tilted her head. “She could never be in love with a cold-hearted guy like Ramsey Montgomery. Besides, I’ve seen the way Walker looks at her. He gives her that look of love at first sight and now they get to have their first date together.”
“Come on Grey. Don’t listen to Larissa. You know the attorney in her always embellishes the truth. I have a meeting with Walker that happens to be occurring while we are having dinner.” A slight frown showed on her face. “And where do you get that “love at first sight” junk Larissa? The only reason I agreed to it in the first place was because I wasn’t paying attention at the time Walker asked me.”
“Hmmmm, like how you’re not paying attention right now to our telling you who the real Ramsey Montgomery is?” Greystone sighed.
“Exactly like now!” Larissa exclaimed.
“Stop it Larissa. At least I don’t date married men,” Janeshia said bickering like a sibling.
“I didn’t knowingly...” Larissa glanced at Janeshia with a rueful smile. “Okay I lie. I did date a married man. But in my defense how was I supposed to know he was married? He didn’t even have a ring shadow or even a slight discoloration on his ring finger?”
Greystone cut in. “No ring shadows? Of course, you couldn’t tell the guy was married.”
Larissa shrugged and piped in. “I did threaten to tell his wife when I found out he was, remember? I set the guy up to go straight.”
Janeshia let out a chuckle. “Yes, you did a major job of embarrassing the guy; I’ll say that for you. I’m still laughing at how you just happened to have lunch with the guy when, Mildred Pearson, the brilliant divorce attorney walked by. And she pretended she remembered the guy from the fund raiser gala. She made such a fuss about knowing the guy’s mother in law and threatened to tell on him if he didn’t rethink his adulteress ways.”
Greystone tried to keep from smiling. “Ladies quit trying to change the subject,” he complained. “Now Janeshia, what happened to all of that business savvy you learned in college? You’re telling me you let Walker ask you out on a date. But it isn’t a date.”
Janeshia put down her wine glass. “Well, I never said Walker asked me out on a date. As usual cousin, my best friend has put that idea into your head.”
“I assumed it was a date because, when you called, you said you had a date,” Larissa nodded.
She swore under her breath. “What I said my best friend…Oh never mind. Maybe I did say something like that. But what I really meant to say was that when Walker asked me, I wasn’t paying attention. Otherwise I never would have agreed.”
Greystone interrupted their bickering. “Yeah, I’ve had that happen before to me too. That’s how I ended up dating my last girlfriend. By not paying attention. I walked smack into her and we ended up dating. In fact, I think it’s the best way to meet a person worth dating, don’t you think?”
Janeshia took a sip of her wine, “Maybe it is for you Grey, but when it comes to Walker it doesn’t work for me. Even Tonto had way better social skills with the ladies than Walker will ever have. And being private alone with Walker wouldn’t be a date. It would be an ordeal, a very painful ordeal, just like having major surgery without an anesthesiologist present.”
“Oh Janeshia, that is such a cruel thing to say!” Larissa said.
“Ferociously cruel!” Greystone echoed.
Larissa leaned on her elbow. “I’m sure if you gave Wal
ker a chance, it could be one of those sweet innocent encounters that turned into a wonderful long-term romance. Walker is intellectual and smart. He’s mature, funny and loveable in a geeky sort of way. And he’s such a sweet man. The kind of man that’s ready for the settling down,” she said waiving her hand. “That’s how real love greets you in a guy like Walker. The guys I meet never end like that. My guys are always the kind you just want to have hot sex with. If you can believe it, it seems that’s all I can attract.”
“I believe it!” Greystone and Janeshia said simultaneously. The two cousins laughed out loud together.
Larissa looked at them both disapprovingly. “For reasons you two romantic simpletons will never understand, I use sophisticated sensitive female radar of discernment before I agree to date someone. That’s why I date so infrequently. Now I have sex a lot because that’s an easier thing to do. A guy just has to get my heat sensor levels up,” Larissa snobbishly said.
“And I’m ready for a good romp in bed.”
Janeshia laughed and shook her head. “Oh, how I know that to be true!”
Greystone choked on his glass of wine. “Wait a minute you two. As I recall, we were not taking about a moment of passionate sex. We were talking about dating. And the kind of dating that leads to marriage.”
“Oh, please Greystone! Women know men don’t do anything but talk about sex when we’re not around,” Janeshia joked. “Besides, you have had these conversations with Larissa and me before. Don’t act so snobbish now,” Janeshia joked.
“Janeshia is right. Besides, we are talking about good clean sex and I use a condom always,” Larissa giggled.
A reluctant smile appeared around Greystone’s mouth. “You two ladies are still lucky I have lunch with you,” he said lifting his glass in a toast.
The Three friends laughed together.
Janeshia sat down her glass of wine. “Grey, if we were talking hypothetically, and speaking of a man’s character,” she shrugged embarrassed, “Which one would you feel had a better character, Walker and Ramsey?”
The Proposition Page 4
