When I Saw You

by Laura Branchflower

  He opened the door, but she made no move to get in, instead turning to face him. “Thank you again for everything. The job, the Zurtech stuff, dinner.” She felt like she could cry again. He was being so nice to her, and she felt overwhelmed with gratitude and something she wasn’t prepared to label yet.

  “You’re welcome.” He lowered his head in acknowledgement. “Now get in your car. It’s too cold for you to stand out here talking to me.”

  He was right. The wind had kicked up, and it felt like icicles were forming on her bones. She sank down into the bucket seat and put the key in the ignition, bringing the engine to life.

  “I want you to do me a favor,” he said. He stepped back from the door and set down his briefcase before reaching inside his coat and suit jacket to extract a brown leather wallet from an inner pocket. “I want you to think about the women you know.” He was removing a business card from his wallet as he spoke. “Are you doing that?” He placed the wallet back in his pocket.

  “Yes.” Her hands were resting on the steering wheel as she looked up at him.

  “Do you have a pen?”

  “Sure.” She took a pen from her center console and held it out.

  He took the pen and turned over his business card, cupping it in his palm as he quickly scribbled down his cell and home phone numbers, before handing her back the pen. “Now,” he began, squatting down in the opening of the door until they were at eye level, “think how different those women are.” His eyes were intense as they met hers. “Men are the same way.” He held out his card and she took it, their fingers brushing. “All I ask is you judge me based on my behavior and not any other man’s. My numbers are on that card.” His gaze dropped to the card in her hand before returning to her eyes. “If you ever want me, personally or professionally, call me.” He stared into her eyes for several more seconds before slowly standing. “I’ll keep you abreast of what’s happening with Zurtech, but don’t be surprised if it takes a while.”

  She nodded. “I understand.” Her head was spinning as she tried to absorb the message he’d sent. He was leaving it up to her. If she wanted to see him socially she could call him, but he wasn’t going to call.

  “Good luck Monday.” He stepped back from the car. “I hope you call,” he added before closing the door.

  Lia rolled down her window when he made no move to leave. “Where’s your car?”

  “I had it valet parked,” he admitted with a smile. “I’m lazy.”

  “I doubt that.” He didn’t look lazy. She bet he belonged to a gym where everyone knew his face. “Aren’t you going to go get your car?” she asked when he still made no move to leave.

  “I will.” He pushed his hands down into the pockets of his coat. “I’m going to watch you drive away first.”

  She smiled. He was nice. He was so nice. “Okay. Bye.” She closed the window and put her car in reverse.

  He stood in the center of the now empty parking lot, watching her drive off and continuing to watch until the car was completely out of sight.

  “I almost forgot,” Tony began, dropping back into the club chair in front of Joseph’s desk. “Are you using Sam Malone for anything?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “His invoice for February, which also included a hefty balance from January, was billed to one of my accounts. I have the invoice on my desk.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Joseph said, absently rolling a pencil back and forth on his desk.

  “Just tell me the account. I’ll transfer it over.”

  “I was using him on more than one case.” His eyes focused on the pencil as his index finger rolled it forward. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Alright.” Tony put his hands on the arms of his chair and pushed himself up.

  Joseph leaned back in his chair as he watched his friend leave the room. Sam Malone had provided an update the week prior. In the past two months, the Zurtech house had hosted one to two receptions a week. Malone had taken dozens of pictures of women he identified from the B2B division and male senior executives, both local and out-of-town visitors, arriving and leaving the house at all hours.

  As the weeks passed, it became obvious which women participated in the after-party activities. Malone figured seven of the twenty B2B women he documented were working as prostitutes. These women consistently spent the night in the house, while the others were always gone by midnight. There were more clients than B2B women involved—at least that’s what Malone thought—but it was hard to determine an exact number without actually being inside the house.

  The same local caterer was used for all events, and it appeared Mike Hall was personally financing the receptions. Zurtech was paying for neither the use of the facility nor the food and alcohol consumed. Why the owner of a food-truck business with no financial connection to Zurtech was funding an operation clearly catering to their elite clients was still a mystery.

  “Mr. Craig?” Martha’s voice over the intercom broke into his reverie. “Sam Malone is on line two.”

  “I may have something,” Sam Malone said as soon as Joseph picked up the phone. “There was someone at the house at about noon yesterday. He was alone and had a key to the house.”

  “What was he doing there?” Joseph sat up in his chair.

  “I’m not sure yet. He went in for about ten minutes, tops, and then he came out. He was driving one of those big Lexuses, with fancy hubcaps and all shined up, blaring this loud music. Definitely didn’t fit into that neighborhood. I ran his plates, and his name is Marcos Rodriguez. He’s American, born in New York City. He has a record as long as my arm for petty theft, breaking and entering—that type of thing. But he’s been clean six years.”

  “Alright.” Joseph scraped his hand over his mouth and chin.

  “He’s on the payroll of Tia Tacos. Do you want me to put a tail on him?”

  “Yes.”

  “In addition to the house?”

  “Whatever it takes to get some evidence. I’m already twenty-five grand in,” Joseph said. “Also, I need you to start sending your invoices for this job to my home address.”

  Lia was halfway through Taylor’s bedtime story later the same evening when her cell phone began to ring. “Mommy, your phone’s ringing.”

  “I know.” Lia glanced down at her phone, her heart jumping when she saw the Washington, DC, exchange. She wasn’t positive, but she thought it was Joseph Craig’s number.

  “Aren’t you going to answer it?” Taylor asked.

  “No,” she said, silencing the ring. “I’m going to finish reading you this story. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.”

  As soon as she closed Taylor’s door, Lia brought her phone to her ear to listen to the voicemail. “Good evening, Lia. This is Joseph Craig. I have a question regarding Zurtech. I’ll be up until at least one a.m.”

  She closed her eyes as she replayed the message, her pulse accelerating at the sound of his deep voice. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since their dinner at Pearson’s, but he was never far from her thoughts. She’d almost called him during the initial week after their dinner, her resolve weak after spending an evening with him, but as the days passed, her determination to take a break from men grew stronger. She had been too hurt by both Ned and Eric and, as much as she was attracted to Joseph Craig, she knew she wasn’t in the right mental state for another relationship. Of course, this knowledge didn’t keep her from fantasizing about him as she lay in bed each night, visions of his dark, wavy hair and brown eyes swirling through her mind.

  She poured herself a glass of wine in an effort to calm the nervous flutter in her stomach. He had a question about Zurtech, but all she could think about was the fact she was going to talk to him again. She went about her normal evening routine, cleaning the kitchen and straightening up the house, her thoughts never far from Joseph Craig and the impending call. It was after 11:00 p.m. when she stretched out on her bed with her cell phone in her hand, her nerves muted but not altogether
gone after a glass and a half of wine.

  The phone rang several times before his voice came over the line, his breathing heavy from exertion. “Craig.”

  She closed her eyes, an image of him having sex flashing through her mind. She wanted to hang up, but it was too late. He’d know it was her. “I’m sorry. I thought you wanted me to call you back tonight.”

  “I did. Hold on for a second.” There was a long pause. “I was on the treadmill,” he said, his voice less labored.

  “Oh.” She felt her entire body relax. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “I was just finishing. How are you?”

  “Good.” She closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice wash over her. “How are you?”

  “How am I?” He chuckled. “I’m fine.”

  “I can’t believe you’re working out this late. Doesn’t that make it hard to fall asleep?”

  “I’m still a couple of hours from sleep, but it doesn’t affect me. How is Taylor?”

  “Good. She started reading. It’s amazing—one day she’s learning her alphabet and then suddenly she can read sentences. And she loves it. She wants to read all the time. The other day I caught her trying to read one of my books. I don’t think she could comprehend what she was reading, but she’s so proud of the fact she could read it.”

  “She should be. It’s a huge accomplishment. How about her mother? Is she enjoying her new job?”

  “I love it,” she admitted, and spent the next five minutes telling him about her position. “I’m sorry. I know you called for a reason, and I’m just going on and on, not letting you get a word in.”

  “No, it’s nice to hear your enthusiasm. You sound like you’re in a better place than when we spoke last.”

  “I am,” she said, knowing she was acknowledging it to herself for the first time. “I’m in a much better place.”

  “That’s good to hear.” He paused for a moment. “The reason I called tonight was to find out if you knew or heard of a Marcos Rodriguez while you were at Zurtech.”

  “I’ve heard of a Marcos, but I never learned his last name. He was Carmen’s boyfriend.”

  “Carmen?”

  “My first mentor, the one I said never worked and talked on the phone. Marcos was the person she talked to.”

  “The same woman you caught in bed with—”

  “Eric,” she finished. “Right, that was Carmen.”

  “Did you ever see him at the house in Reston?”

  “No. We weren’t allowed to bring dates to those functions.”

  “Did you ever meet him?”

  “No. Why? Why are you asking these questions about Marcos?”

  “I’m just following up on some information,” he answered, distractedly. “I have nothing definitive, but I’ll let you know when I do.”

  “Oh, okay.” She felt a wave of disappointment, realizing he was about to end the call. She wanted to keep talking to him.

  “You’ve been very helpful. I’ll be in touch.”

  She set her cell phone on her bedside stand before lying back on her bed, reminding herself she wasn’t interested in having a relationship, but unable to shake the sadness at the quick ending to their call.

  10

  “That’s Nick’s brother at the bar,” Margo Katz, one of Lia’s coworkers at Prossi Designs, announced as she, Lia and Kim Moore, another coworker, sat at a tall circular table at the Blue Iguana enjoying happy hour on the first Friday in April.

  “He’s hot,” Kim said, following her gaze. “He’s an attorney at some fancy law firm downtown.”

  “Nick’s brother?” Lia looked towards the bar. “Which—” Her words died in her throat when she saw Joseph Craig. His back was to her, but she recognized his large frame and dark, wavy hair. There was no mistaking him. She’d thought about him too many times in the months since their meeting not to have his image ingrained in her mind.

  “Hello? Lia?” Kim touched her hand.

  “Oh, sorry.” Lia brought her attention back to her table. “I didn’t realize you were talking to me.”

  “He’s hot, right?”

  “Definitely.” She took a long swallow of her Long Island Iced Tea, trying to calm her nerves as her heart beat wildly in her chest.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I recognized someone and I just—I wasn’t expecting to see him,” she admitted.

  “Who?”

  Heat came to her face. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Are you blushing? You are!” Margo teased. “Now you have to tell us. It’s an old boyfriend, isn’t it?”

  “No.” She shook her head, embarrassed they saw her blush. “It’s really not a big deal. He’s an attorney. I needed some legal advice a while ago and met with him a couple of times.”

  “Is he single? Which one is he?”

  “The tall one with dark hair. I think he’s—”

  “Oh my God! That’s Joseph Craig!” Margo gasped. “He was on the cover of Washingtonian last fall. You know him?”

  Lia’s blush deepened. “Barely.”

  “Barely means yes. How come you never told us?”

  “There was nothing to tell.”

  “He’s one of the ten most eligible bachelors in the city. He’s gorgeous and rich. You have an in.”

  “She likes him,” Kim said.

  “I don’t even know him.” Her gaze swung between the two women.

  “You do,” Margo said. “You should see your face.”

  “I don’t date. You two know that,” Lia said with no real resolve behind her words. After two drinks, she was having a hard time remembering why she continued to fight her feelings for him.

  “You can undo that ridiculous rule in about a minute. Let’s go say hi to him.”

  “What?” Lia gripped Kim’s forearm when she began to stand. “No, I’m not going to go over there. He’s probably working. It’s not like he’s alone.”

  “He’s in a bar having a beer with his friends—just like us.”

  “No.”

  “So you’re just going to let him leave without saying a word to him?”

  “How are you ladies doing for drinks?” A waiter stopped beside their table.

  “We’re…” Margo began, but then hesitated, a smile lighting her features. “She’d like to send a drink to the tall gentleman at the bar. The one in the charcoal suit and blue tie.”

  “Margo, no!”

  “A drink isn’t interrupting. It’s just saying hello.”

  “Jesus, didn’t you see her last night?” Joseph asked. After spending the day at the Fairfax County Courthouse, he and Tony had stopped to have a drink, but after a text from his girlfriend, Tony was ready to go.

  “She has theater tickets. And she wants to eat beforehand.”

  “You really have your priorities messed up. May I at least finish my beer?”

  “Mr. Craig?” The bartender set a glass on the bar in front of Joseph. “This is courtesy of the woman in the dark dress at the table beside the fireplace.” He filled the glass with scotch.

  “She knows your drink,” Tony said.

  “Apparently. Or it was a lucky guess.” He took a sip of the scotch. “Do you recognize her?”

  “No,” Tony answered after his gaze shifted to the table. “And I’d remember her. She has incredible eyes. A pale blue color I can see from here.”

  Joseph spun around before Tony finished speaking, the corners of his lips turning up when his eyes met Lia’s. “I’ll be damned.” He lifted his glass in a silent salute. “It’s about time, beautiful.”

  “Who is she?”

  “Someone I’m going to try very hard to wake up beside tomorrow morning. I’ve been after her since January.”

  “Is she married?”

  “What in the hell kind of question is that?” he asked, frowning. “When have you ever known me to go after married women?”

  Tony raised his eyebrows. “You want me to name all of—”

  “Jesu
s, you sound like Kevin. No, she’s divorced.”

  “Then what was the problem? She certainly appears interested.”

  “You think?” He glanced back at her in time to see her look away. “She’s been through some messy relationships. She says she’s done with men.”

  Tony chuckled. “Then why is she sending you a drink?”

  Joseph inclined his head. “Good point.” He smiled as he took another swallow of the golden liquid.

  “Why don’t you go say hello so we can leave?”

  “Leave? I’m not going anywhere. I’ll find my way home.”

  “I think they’re leaving,” Margo announced as she watched Tony Prossi set some money on the bar.

  Lia refused to look, not wanting to appear too eager, but she knew he wasn’t going to leave without stopping by her table. Their eyes had met several times, and the chemistry she’d experienced in his law office and then again at Pearson’s was there in full force.

  “Wait, he’s staying,” Kim continued. “Tony Prossi left, but he stayed. Oh my God, he is so good-looking. Are you sure you’re off men, Lia?”

  “Why?” This was the first time Lia had gone out socially with the two women, but she knew they were single, and on many Monday mornings heard Kim bragging about her sexual escapades over the weekend.

  Kim smiled at Margo. “That didn’t sound like a ‘why’ from someone who is no longer interested in men.”

  “She’s right, Lia. You have ‘interested’ written all over you.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “So you don’t mind if I move in on him?”

  “Not at all. Go for it.” Her eyes found Joseph’s. He was leaning back against the bar, openly watching her as he sipped at the drink she’d sent him. “No, don’t go for it,” she said, turning back to Kim. “I do mind...I mean.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I mean.” But she knew she couldn’t stomach watching a relationship develop between him and another woman.

  “Relax. I was only teasing. As much as it pains me to admit it, the man seems to only have eyes for you. He’s looked over here at least half a dozen times, and he hasn’t so much as glanced my way.”