Chapter 4

"Holy Shit, Zoe." Abby practically screamed it as Zoe walked into Rodrigo's."I mean, holy fucking shit! You look like you walked off the cover of Cosmo. Did anyone know Zoe could look this fucking hot?"

Zoe walked up to their usual table on the outdoor patio at Rodrigo's to find Abby, Lexie, and Kelli already into their second pitcher of margarita's. Zoe had been expecting some kind of reaction from the girls on her new work attire but after the day she had she was hoping for something a little more low key.

"Boss-lady was right about that outfit, there isn't a guy in this city who wouldn't rent an apartment from you now. Is that why you were late? Were you making out with a client in the penthouse or something?"

The girls broke into fits of laughter at Lexie's comment. Zoe laughed too, hoping that she wasn't blushing as much as she thought she was. They were right to laugh, Zoe thought. The idea of Zoe hooking up with a random client was far-fetched. Or at least it was until about an hour ago. The image of him flashed through her mind. She could almost taste his salty skin and his memory made her ache in a way she had not felt before.

But that wasn't Zoe. Zoe was all professional at work. She had risen to Assistant Manager of the companies flagship property because of her professionalism. When Cheryl told her she needed to change her attire to fit the upscale clientele it was her professionalism that forced her to put aside her personal taste and opinions and put on the short black pencil skirt that hugged her shape and showed off her hour glass figure. It was her professionalism that told her to suck it up when her feet ached in three inch stiletto heels and it was her professionalism that put $500 worth of new low cut silk blouses and push-up bras on her credit card.

"Ha Ha Ha - you are hilarious." Zoe said with playful sarcasm, "Now hand me that glass and the pitcher, I need a drink." Kelli obliged and soon Zoe was sipping the cool refreshing margarita and listening to the girls talk about their jobs and the usual workplace drama. Zoe felt comfortable here and she lived for feeling comfortable. She was never the center of attention and that was how she preferred it. She liked it best when her life was comfortable, predictable, and ordinary.

Zoe had known Kelli, Abby, and Lexi since college. They had taken all their freshmen classes together and just clicked. They had taken turns being roommates, even sharing a house together at one point, and they had seen each other through college and the treacherous reality of adulthood that followed. They met every Thursday at Rodrigo's for Happy Hour margaritas and tacos. And every Thursday, conversation would inevitable fall to their love lives.

"Tristan is proposing this weekend." Kelli squealed with delight.

"Are you sure?" Lexie exclaimed, bright eyed.

"Very sure. He booked us rooms at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas and sent me shopping with his credit card yesterday for a new outfit. This is the weekend." Kelli would never openly admit it but her dream was to become a pampered housewife and Tristan was her Prince Charming with a trust fund. She was tall, blonde, and addicted to Spin classes and tall, muscular, beach blonde, Tristan had inherited a fortune giving him all the money to make all her dreams come true. Zoe loved Kelli but this was the part of her she would never understand. Zoe did not believe in fairytale romance and certainly did not need a man to provide for her.

"Matt!! I am so glad you made it!" Abby jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around a tall blonde in black slacks, a crisp white button up, and black tie. "Ladies, I would like to you meet Matt. He is Junior Partner at the firm. Matt this is Kelli, Lexie, and Zoe." The girls all smiled and said hello as they were named off. "Zoe is the one I was telling you about." Abby said as she pushed Matt closer to Zoe.

Cornered, that is exactly how Zoe felt. She hated when the girls did this. They had serious committed boyfriends and it was not that Zoe was single because of a lack of trying. She had profiles on three different dating websites and regularly went out on first dates. But that was just the problem. She regularly went out on first dates because there never seemed to be the need for a second. The girls were constantly trying to set her up and lately Zoe had been taking them up less and less on their offers. So now they resorted to tricks like this.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Abby has told me so much about you." Matt said as he moved in closer. She couldn't blame Abby for trying, Matt was handsome. He was just over six feet tall and clearly hit the gym daily, his shirt could barely contain his muscular build underneath. "Should I grab us all another pitcher?"

And in unison the three girls Zoe had hoped to spend the night laughing and chatting with were suddenly listing off reasons they had to leave Happy Hour early that night. The chorus of good byes would have only been more obvious if they had actually rehearsed it ahead of time.

Abby's excuse came last, "I'm so sorry but Zack is working late and I have to go home and walk Jagger. Have a great night you two." Just like that, the three girls walked out the door of Rodrigo's and left Zoe and Matt alone. Without hesitating, Matt pulled a chair across from Zoe and called over the waitress to order another pitcher and a plate of tacos. As she walked away with his order he turned and smiled at Zoe, "Might as well make the most of it, right?"

His eyes scanned Zoe from head to toe and she could tell by the ways his eyes lit up that he was pleased with what he saw. The pitcher arrived and after he poured them both a round he leaned in closer.

"Abby did not mention that you were a model." Do not roll your eyes, was all Zoe could think. He was so stereotypically good looking with his blonde hair, tan skin, perfect smile, and clearly chiseled body that he probably never had to perfect the art of the pick up line.

"Thank you, but I'm not. I work in property management." Zoe took another sip of her Margarita and looked out across the patio. The girls always liked it here because you could see all the way down Main Street, you could see the entrance to every major bar, club, and restaurant in town.

"Cool." He said after guzzling down an entire margarita. He poured himself another. "Yeah, Abby mentioned you work at one of the fancy high-rise apartments in Newport. I've heard the views there are sweet. I've been thinking about renting there." As Matt took over the conversation, Zoe watched three black SUV's pull up to the front of a new bar that was opening later that week. She watched as the men in suits all got out and shook hands, the universal greeting of businessmen. "Maybe you could give me a tour?"

The weight of his hand on her thigh got her attention and she turned to meet his stare. He was close, too close for someone she had just met. She could smell the salt of the margarita on his breath. She looked down at his hand and glared back up at him. "What do you think?" He removed his hand and grabbed his drink, finishing off his second margarita and pouring a third.

"What do I think of what?" Zoe said bluntly.

"Giving me a tour of the apartments." Matt said, oblivious to her irritation.

"Oh, yeah, of course." Zoe took another drink of her margarita and looked back out across the patio.

"I've heard that place is going to be the next big thing." Matt said using his drink to indicate the bar with the black SUV's out front. He was right, all anyone at work was talking about was V the new bar that would host the top mixologists from all around the world. She looked at the entrance and almost spit out her drink as she saw him. Standing in the light of the neon sign with his cell phone in his hand was David Moore. But he wasn't staring at the phone he was holding. He was staring straight at her. David Moore, the client from the penthouse, the man she had inside her just over an hour ago was across the street staring straight at her. All at once her skin felt hot and she felt an ache rise from deep within her. How could she long for someone she didn't know?

"So, do you want to?" She was so consumed by the man across the street that she hadn't noticed Matt's hand on her thigh or how he leaned in so close he was practically whispering into her ear. She looked at Matt and looked back at David across the street, his eyes were still locked on her. He still stood frozen.

"Ok." She nodded, if only to be able to move away from Matt. "Sure." Zoe said, almost breathless. She met Matt's smile.

"Cool. I'll pick you up around 6? The invitation says black tie, will that be enough time for you to get ready?" Matt was smiling from ear to ear as he took another drink of his margarita. Shit, thought Zoe as she realized that she had just agreed to attend the Opening Gala of V with Matt, the almost overly hunky lawyer with zero romantic potential.

"That'll be perfect." She lied through her smile and took another drink. When she looked back across the street David was gone.