“You’ll see when we get there. But we can’t get there until you get cleaned up. So get moving or I’ll take you in there myself.”
His eyes darken with his threat and I quickly move to take the world’s fastest shower.
Once I’m finally dressed in my favorite jeans and hoodie, I’m surprised to find Andrew kneeling on a towel in my kitchen, finishing up with my floor.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say.
He finishes wiping up the spot before sitting upright and smiling at me. “I know, but I wanted to do it. Anything to help you out. And now your floor is nice and clean so we can go out and have our date.”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you,” I say, kissing his lips as he approaches me.
“Not everything, but close enough.”
“So where are we going?” I ask as we drive down the road.
We pass a few familiar landmarks before I see it come into view. Minnehaha Park, one of the most beautiful parks in all the metro area. I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never taken the time to go there. And it’s just down the road from my apartment.
“Andrew, how did you find out about this place?” I ask with wide eyes.
We park in one of the lots and he exits quickly to open my door. “I was looking for ideas online of things to do in the area and this was one of the suggestions. Apparently the scenery is incredibly beautiful. And it has waterfalls.”
After taking a backpack out of the trunk, he takes my hand and leads me into the park with a childlike grin. He’s so adorable when he’s giddy about showing me something I haven’t seen before. Our hands swing between us as we walk along the path with the rest of the tourists, taking in the beautiful trees and all the changing colors around us. Andrew stops every once in a while and asks to take a picture of me by some trees or a bench we pass. I oblige because I simply can’t say no to him. I, in turn, grab him and take a bunch of selfies of us, some of which Andrew sneaks a kiss in. It reminds me of our tour of London and the fun we had that day.
Many people are taking advantage of the warm weather, having picnics by the river or taking family photos with nature’s beautiful backdrop. It really is the perfect day for this. These unusually warm days are rare this time of the year so you must take advantage of them while you can.
The further down the path we get, the louder the sound of rushing water gets.
“We must be getting close,” Andrew croons in my ear. His closeness sends bumps across my skin. When I turn my head, he’s still smiling at me, but kisses the end of my nose and pulls me close to his side.
I gasp when I see it. Right here, in the middle of the urban jungle, is this beautiful piece of nature, flowing freely over the rocks and surrounded by golden leaves and still green grass. It’s almost like a grotto with the rock walls and the pool of water beneath. It’s not quite flowing as hard as I would have thought, but considering winter is just around the corner, it’s still very impressive. But I make a mental note to return here in the spring after the snow melts because I can only imagine what it will look like then.
“This is amazing,” I whisper, gripping Andrew’s waist tighter.
“Do you want to go behind it?” he asks, pointing to a dirt trail that winds around the trees and goes to the rocks supporting the fall.
“Can we?”
He laughs and kisses the top of my head. “Of course, love. Look, there are others doing it too. It’d be fun to see what it looks like from behind.”
Several people are walking the trail and going behind the falls. I watch them one by one disappear behind the wall of water and I chew my bottom lip.
“Let’s do it.”
We walk the trail and Andrew stays behind me, making sure that I don’t trip or fall over any exposed tree roots. I can hear the shutter of his camera working, but I don’t know what he’s taking pictures of. Hopefully, it’s not of the back of my head.
We join several people who are behind the falls, all taking pictures or excitedly talking and touching the water. The rock wall is beautiful, with its different colors and lines showing every crack and change that has happened over many, many years. We take several photos with the Falls as the backdrop before walking back to the main path.
The sheer beauty of the area is just breathtaking and it leaves me speechless. I would never have expected to find anything like this in the middle of Minneapolis.
“Shall we follow the river?”
I nod and excitedly pull him down the path. The gold and red-hued leaves form a canopy above us as we watch the water flow over the rocks. Andrew pulls me off to the side and presses me against one of the hidden trees.
He kisses me slowly, unhurriedly, lovingly, while surrounded by the sounds of chirping birds and rushing water. My hands frame his face and I take the kiss further. Our tongues meet and I melt into his body as his arms tighten around my waist.
“Words cannot describe how beautiful you look right now; your hair blowing in the breeze, the sun beating down and giving your face a natural glow. The sparkle in your eyes as you try to memorize everything we pass, all of it makes you even more impossibly beautiful.”
“I could say the same about you, too. There’s no one that I would rather experience this with but you.”
We kiss again before pulling ourselves away from the tree and follow the path back toward the car.
“Want to stop here for a second?” Andrew points to a small open spot in the pavilion.
“Sure.”
We walk over and he sets down his backpack to pull out a blanket. My eyebrow rises as he spreads it out on the ground.
“You really did think of everything, didn’t you?”
He pats the spot next to where he’s sitting and I comply, sinking to the ground and snuggling into his side. I close my eyes and listen to the beat of his heart. He leans back, taking me with him, and props his head on his other arm.
“This is perfect,” he whispers into my hair.
“Mmm. This reminds me of our afternoon in Hyde Park. That was perfect too.”
“Yes, it was, love. But every moment is perfect when you’re in my arms.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“For what?”
“For bringing me here today and for being the incredible man that you always are. I have never felt as safe as I do when I’m in your arms. And you do it so effortlessly and without prompting. You know me better than I know myself.” I look up to look into his eyes and smile. “Thank you for being you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad to share this with you.”
We lay in quiet contentment, listening to the laughter of children nearby and the calming sounds of nature. Soon enough, my stomach growls, letting us know that we did, in fact, skip lunch. Andrew laughs while pulling me off the ground.
“Come. You know what that means.”
I laugh. “That you’re starving me to death by making me exercise?”
He puts the blanket back in his pack and slings it over his shoulders. “It means we get to eat. And I love watching you eat.”
“You’re crazy,” I say, grabbing his hand as we walk back to the car.
He shakes his head. “Only you could make eating a muffin utterly erotic.”
My cheeks flush. “There was nothing erotic about that. I was just shoving a pastry into my mouth.”
He unlocks the car and opens my door. When I slide in, he bends down and kisses me quickly on the lips before closing my door. After the backpack is put away, he climbs in next to me and starts the car.
“It was the way you were eating it that was erotic. You would bring those little crumbly pieces up to your mouth slowly, making sure you didn’t spill any of it. Your tongue would dart out before the sweet confection hit your mouth, tentatively tasting it. But it was when your eyes closed as you slowly chewed that made the whole thing come to life. Your lips would quirk up in the corners and the faintest hum could be heard. Believe me, it was very difficult to sit s
till next to you while you were eating it.”
I flush at the memory, remembering Andrew eating the offered piece and thinking those exact same things about him. I clear my throat and look out the window, noticing we’re not heading back in the direction of my apartment.
“Where are we going now?”
He gives me a wink and makes several more turns to pull up near a tiny pub. The most delicious smells float in the air as we approach the doors. We walk in and it’s like your typical sports bar. A long, narrow bar occupies one entire wall. There’s a chalkboard behind it, stretching as far as the bar, listing each and every beer they have on tap. And there are a lot. Three handles for each tap with ten taps total.
A waitress shows us to the back area that’s less crowded than the front. He sits next to me and presses a kiss to the top of my hand.
“How did you find this place?”
I glance over the menu and see it’s my kind of place. All burgers and fried foods, everything that’s not good for you but tastes like heaven.
“I also found this online while looking for date ideas. It came highly recommended on Yelp.”
I laugh and shut my menu after figuring out what I want to eat. “You really put a lot of thought into this.”
He leans over and kisses my temple. “I just wanted to make this perfect for you.”
I lean over and show him my thanks and appreciation by gently kissing his lips.
“You succeeded. It’s perfect.”
He laughs and points to something on the menu. “I’m glad. Now tell me, what exactly is a Juicy Lucy?”
THE PHONE RINGS AT MY desk and I stifle a yawn before answering. “Tessa Martin,” I say, trying my best not to sound groggy.
“Tessa? Are you all right? You don’t sound well.”
Hearing the concern in my dad’s voice snaps me out of my funk. I sit up straighter in my chair, acting as if he were sitting in front of me rather than talking to me on the phone.
“No, no I’m fine, Dad. Just a little tired this morning. I haven’t had my regular dose of caffeine yet today.” That’s because Michael had to cancel this week due to a new court case he’s been assigned. Apparently my dad’s glowing endorsement of him has increased his workload. Hopefully, it’ll slow down for him soon.
“Yes coffee is a must in the business world,” he chuckles. I pinch my arm just to make sure I haven’t nodded off on my desk. My dad is laughing? “I have an opening in my schedule this afternoon and was wondering if you and the elusive Andrew would like to join me for lunch?”
I tap my pen on the desk while gnawing relentlessly on my bottom lip. I haven’t seen Andrew since our date over the weekend, even though he’s been floating around the office with Chris and Kara. We’ve been constantly missing each other, which only makes me crave him more.
“Well, I know Andrew and Kara are in meetings together all day so I don’t think he’ll be able to make it.”
“Would you still be willing to accompany me to lunch then? I’d hate to pass up a chance for us to sit down and enjoy a meal where you may actually eat something,” he says in a mildly scolding tone.
“I eat. It’s just I tend to not eat as much as everyone else.” Not to mention the fact that I don’t eat around Sharon because usually after spending a few minutes with her my appetite is gone. I flip through my day planner, just to make sure that my schedule is clear for a few hours this afternoon. “Lunch today sounds perfect. What time and where?”
“Shall we say noon at Zelo?”
“Zelo sounds good to me. Thanks, Dad. Guess I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Get some coffee before you fall asleep at your desk,” he laughs. “I’ll see you in a bit. Bye, Tess.”
“Bye, Dad.”
I hang up the phone but continue to stare at the receiver for just a few moments longer. Tess? My dad never calls me Tess. Somehow I get the feeling that today is going to throw me off kilter. But I shake it off and follow my dad’s advice and head out to get my first cup of coffee for the day.
My morning meeting ended with just enough time for me to walk the few blocks over to Zelo, a little restaurant that’s extremely popular among the businessmen and women in the area. Once again, it’s another place I have yet to venture to, even though I work nearby. Living on a budget tends to make you pack your own lunch or grab side salads that are only a few dollars.
I spot my dad as soon as I walk through the front door, sitting at a table near the bay of windows. He smiles warmly at me as I place my jacket and purse on the back of my chair.
“Hi, Dad,” I say, sinking down and placing the napkin on my lap.
“Hi, Tess. How has your day been so far?”
I take a quick drink of water before answering. For some reason, I feel nervous even though I have no reason to be. I mean, he’s my dad.
“Good. I had a meeting with a potential client this morning and I’m about ninety-nine percent sure they’re going to sign.” The pride pouring out of my voice is evident. I’ve decided to take this newfound confidence of mine and let it show to the rest of the world. No longer will I be the weak one huddled in the corner who is afraid of her own shadow. The past three days, or even the past few weeks, have shown me that I am someone who is worth something, someone to fight for. So that’s what I’m going to do. Fight for myself and my happiness.
My dad reaches out, patting the top of my folded hands while smiling at me. “I’m so proud of you Tessa. I knew you had more potential than what you were showing to the world. And I knew others would see it and recognize it someday as well.”
“Well, you know what they say. You have to start at the bottom to get to the top.”
He chuckles and it warms my heart just a little more to him. I haven’t heard him laugh since I was a kid. And even then I don’t know if that was a memory or a dream of what was or could have been. But it’s moments like this with us being a typical family unit I think I missed out on the most. It makes me wonder what would have happened if he had stayed or had wanted to take me with him.
A thought hits me just then. What if things had been different? What if I had a typical childhood and was given every opportunity available? The path I followed could have been considerably different than the one I’m on now. And I don’t know if it would have led me to Andrew. If our souls are indeed fated together, I imagine we would have discovered each other eventually and our feelings and attraction would have been just as intense.
We stare at our menus while I decide on how hungry I really am. He had mentioned earlier that he doesn’t think I eat enough so maybe I should pick something light but will still be plenty of food to last me for the day.
When our waitress arrives, I quickly rattle off my order, glancing up at my dad for approval. He smiles, which is all I needed to know he’s happy.
“How was your trip?” I ask him once the waitress leaves.
“Good. Going to those conferences aren’t always my favorite thing about the job but it’s still good to get my foot in the door for future prospects.”
“Like you need any help in that department. Everyone says you’re a shoo-in for Attorney General when McAlister’s gone.”
“Maybe. It’d be nice to add the title to my resume, but recent events have had me thinking lately and I’m not sure I want to go that route anymore.”
I tilt my head to the side in confusion. “Oh? What’s changed?”
“Some things have opened my eyes and I think I need to make a few re-evaluations.”
“Sounds ominous. Care to elaborate?” I ask.
He shakes his head and laughs. “Nothing for you to be concerned with. They’re positive changes, let’s put it that way.”
I drop it, knowing that he’s not going to tell me anything more. Instead we continue with a more relaxed topic of conversation, making small talk at times in between us telling each other about our week so far. He’s genuinely interested in my life, asking me questions from subjects I didn’t expect him to
remember from previous conversations. I avoid any topics that may stray toward my love life, changing them to safer things like his upcoming trials. But thinking of my love life makes me think of Andrew; about how happy he makes me and how truly perfect we are for one another. I just wish I would have listened to him all those weeks ago and avoided all of this nonsense.
“So what has brought on that smile of yours right now?” my dad asks me.
The waitress arrives with our food and I quickly take a bite of my Ahi spring roll to gain an extra second or two before replying.
“I didn’t realize I was smiling.”
He leans forward slightly. “So, whom are you smiling about?”
I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “Is it that obvious?”
He nods. “Tess, I know I haven’t been the best father and I have no one to blame but myself. But over these last few years I’ve become more adept at reading your facial expressions and the smile lighting up your face is something new. There’s joy in that smile, something I’ve only recently discovered myself.”
There’s another cryptic comment from him. I shake my head slightly. “It’s nothing really. Just thinking about my meeting this morning.”
He laughs again. “You could never be a lawyer. You’re not very good at bending the truth. Please, enlighten me. I really want to know what you’re thinking about.”
I take a sip of my lemon water and clear my throat.
“Andrew,” is all I say, flushing slightly at my confession to my dad of all people.
But that one word, that one name means so much more to me than the entire English language. Andrew is my everything, my whole world, my light in the darkness. He rescued me before I even knew I needed it. He saw me when everyone else passed me by.
“Ah, yes, Mr. Parker. One of these days I hope to meet the man who has captured my daughter’s heart. Any man who puts that particular smile on your face is someone I want to know.”
I blink back at him feeling slightly off-kilter by his heartfelt words. “I’ll have to see what I can do. I haven’t seen him in a few days, but I’ll bring it up the next time we’re together.”
Fated to be Mine Page 19