A Sweet Life-kindle

by Andre, Bella

  “So why the tough love?” He felt like a school kid right about now.

  “It’s because we love you that we’re not making light of what happened. You left us, Tessa, your job, all without a word. And instead of letting us know what was going on, you kept silent for months. You could have been dead for all we knew!” Tears glistened on his mom’s lashes and guilt scored his heart, leaving open wounds he wasn’t sure would heal.

  “But you did know. I left you a note and left a message on the home phone.” He ignored the way his parents shook their heads. “I know I should have called afterwards, but ... I didn’t know what to say.” He turned to stare out the kitchen window and watched the leaves blow in the early morning air. “I was foolish and humiliated that I’d run like that. I wanted to come back right away, but...my pride got in the way. Then I got a job in Calgary and figured the least I could do was work on my own issues before I came home to work on the ones I’d left behind.”

  “The one that said you needed time?”

  Jude turned in his seat. “I think that’s what I said. I left it on your truck seat, Dad, after you’d gone into work. I was going to go in, but saw the lineup at your till, so I left it in your truck instead. And then I called the house.”

  His mother shook her head. “Jude, telling us you need some time does not explain anything or calm our fears. You didn’t say where you would go, for how long or even why. We had to piece that last little bit together on our own.”

  “I made a mistake.” Jude admitted. No amount of excuses would make up for his cowardliness.

  “It takes a grown man to admit that. Now, what do you plan on doing to bring that daughter of ours back into the fold? I can only handle so many awkward moments.” His father narrowed his eyes before winking.

  Knowing this awkward moment between them had passed, Jude breathed a sigh of relief. He’d spent all night thinking of how to prove to Tessa he’d never stopped loving her and that he’d made a huge mistake.

  “Well,” a smile grew across Jude’s face, “I have a plan...”

  Chapter Six

  Tessa drummed her fingers on the table as she watched the minute hand on the kitchen clock tick slowly by. It wasn’t like she was sitting here trying to waste time, right? She eyed the container of chicken soup and biscuits she’d made earlier and wondered for the hundredth time why she was doing this. Jude was a chef for pete’s sake. He could surely make his mother some homemade soup.

  Her cell phone vibrated on the table beside her.

  Delivery arrived. You might want to check it out. Just sayin’.

  A small thrill shot through Tessa at Ellie’s text. She knew exactly what had come in that delivery.

  Be right there, she texted back. Keep your hands off them till I get there!

  Better hurry!! No promises.

  Tessa chuckled. She knew Ellie wouldn’t touch the chocolate treats that had arrived. At least, Tessa hoped she knew better. She placed the chicken soup and biscuits in a bin, grabbed her purse off the old china cabinet she’d discovered at a flea market and headed out towards her truck.

  “Keep an eye on the place, okay boy?” Tessa called over her shoulder to Rusty who laid on the porch with his head on his paws. He woofed in reply.

  Normally she liked to take the day after an event off and let Ellie hold down the fort and take care of all the last minute details, but she had no problem stopping by the office today for this delivery.

  A few months ago she’d stumbled across a website that personalized chocolate gifts. After having sampled several chocolates from different venues and realizing they were all the same, she got excited when she recognized the name of this chocolatier. She’d met him at the local chocolate festival held in Banff a few years ago. He’d been the featured guest and she’d managed to win tickets for a private tasting for both her and Jude.

  She smiled just thinking about that private tasting. It was a night she would never forget. The most decadent chocolate she’d ever tasted had been displayed on crisp white platters, with white gloved waiters ready to help serve them. The evening had been perfect. They’d sampled wines paired with each chocolate sample, laughed over private jokes and by the end of the night, Jude had kneeled before her and asked her to marry him.

  The ring he presented to her had been served on a silver platter and made especially for this night. The plate held a box made out of chocolate, a box with exquisite detail that had been hand painted with edible gold. Inside the box nestled the most beautiful engagement ring with a chocolate diamond in its center.

  Even now, as she glanced down at her ring, the memory of how perfect she’d thought their life had been overwhelmed her. How could she have been so wrong? Tessa shook her head to dispel the memories and thought about Ellie’s text.

  A few months ago she’d found Paul’s new website and had contacted him to order some personalized chocolates. She wanted to have her own stand at this year’s chocolate festival to highlight Decadent Events as a premier event planning company. She’d worked with Paul to have their logo on some signature chocolates. She envisioned a long lasting relationship with him in regards to her catered events, now all she had to do was convince him to provide treats that were just meant for Decadent Events.

  She made her way into downtown to Beaver Street to park by her office. Thanks to Sean, she’d managed to secure a location off the main avenue. As she crossed the road, she took a look at the empty store beside her and thought about the suggestion made by Ellie last night. It would make sense to open a bakery beside them, one that was part of Decadent Events. Perhaps she could convince Paul Ormand to keep a display of his chocolates in there as well. She knew the only reason the store hadn’t been leased out yet was due to Sean. From the looks between him and Ellie last night, they both had to be in on this plan.

  Why they hadn’t hooked up yet was beyond her. She knew Ellie had a secret crush on Sean. She’d had one for years. She’d once asked why Ellie had never taken the initiative and asked Sean out instead of waiting around for him to do it and she’d all but been told to mind her own business. Since then, she had tried to stay out of it.

  As Tessa looked at the empty store beside her, she knew she’d give in and let Ellie talk her into it. This would be Ellie’s masterplan, and along with her sister Lexi, it would need her passion to make it work. But Tessa would be her biggest supporter. After all, it had been due to Ellie’s support that Tessa had even managed to get Decadent Events off the ground and running. Jude had left just as she signed the final papers with Sean for the office space and if it hadn’t been for Ellie, Tessa would have wallowed in self pity and depression with no anchor.

  Ellie had been that anchor. Ellie and Sean.

  Satisfied with this decision, Tessa pushed open the door to Decadent Events, ready to share the news with Ellie, but she stopped in her tracks.

  Seated on top of her desk at the side of the showroom, was Jude.

  Tessa’s stomach dropped at the sight of him. He wore dark ripped jeans and a plain black tee shirt and his hair was tousled, as if he’d run his hands through it too many times. There were faint dark circles beneath his eyes and the stubble on his face only enhanced his rugged good looks.

  She wanted to rush over to him and place her arms around him. She knew last night must have been hard on him and she wanted to be there for him. Guilt had eaten at her in the middle of the night for turning him away. She should have let him stay longer, talked about his mom and helped him deal with the news. She should have told him how much she still loved him.

  Except, this morning when Tessa awoke, she knew she’d made the right decision. As much as she still loved Jude, she needed him to explain to her why he left her as he had. That’s all she needed. She thought about the papers she’d stuffed into her purse and wondered again if asking him for a divorce was the right thing to do.

  Maybe that was why he was here.

  “Where’s Ellie?” First things first. She had to see about this
delivery and then she would deal with why Jude was sitting on her desk.

  “In the back going through some invoices from last night.” Jude pushed himself off her desk but kept his arms behind his back.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here.” Tessa walked around him and dropped her purse on her chair. She glanced around the room for the boxes from the delivery, but didn’t see them anywhere. Maybe Ellie took them to the back.

  “Ellie told me she sent you a text.” He turned towards her.

  Tessa shook her head. “No, well, yes, she sent me a text, but not that you were here. She told me a delivery had arrived.” Her voice faltered as Jude brought his arms out from behind his back. In his hands was a vase of fresh cut flowers.

  “This delivery?” He set the vase down on the desk and turned it so that the card lodging in between some flowers faced her.

  Tessa was caught off guard. Were the flowers from him? Was he the delivery? She reached for the envelope, her gaze never leaving his and pulled out the small card.

  “My parents asked me to drop it off personally.”

  Thank you for making our anniversary a night we will always remember.

  “But, I was bringing her some soup and biscuits.”

  Jude shrugged. “Mom was tired when I left. Dad was drawing her a bath and then she was going to have a nap. And our fridge is full of leftovers from last night.”

  So in other words, they didn’t want or need her soup. Tessa’s shoulders sagged. Now that Jude was home, was she not needed? Was it now awkward to have her around? Bob called her his true daughter and Jean had promised she’d always be a part of their family, no matter what happened between her and Jude, but...

  The thought that she might have lost her family now that Jude was back almost killed her. She sank down in her seat and struggled not to let her devastation show. The last thing she wanted was for Jude to realize how much this hurt her.

  “But soup is probably the only thing her stomach could handle right now.”

  Tessa forced a smile on her face and knew Jude only said that because he caught her reaction.

  “Thanks for bringing the flowers. They’re beautiful.” She set them down on the corner of her desk and then sat there, unsure of what to say. She stood up and straightened some of the displays on the shelf, centrepiece ideas as well as various gift displays.

  When they’d set up their storefront, the idea had been to visually wow their potential clients with ideas on how they could create their own event. So far so good. Although, with the fall coming, it was time to change the look a bit.

  “Tess?”

  She turned and faced Jude.

  “Ellie mentioned you normally take the day after an event off.”

  She nodded, unsure of where he was going with this.

  “If you already have plans, I understand, but I was wondering if you’d like to spend the day with me.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the ground.

  Did she hear him correctly? Spend the day with him?

  “As in coffee?” That had been the original plan last night. That’s what she was prepared for. Coffee. In a crowded coffee shop where they might snag a table in the and actually hear one another. A coffee shop where they weren’t known and no one would be watching them. Coffee that would only last an hour, if things went well, and less if the topic of the divorce papers came up.

  “And dinner. Maybe we could play tourist and walk through the stores like we used to.”

  “I’d love that.” The words came out before she had the chance to stop herself. It was as if her heart instead of her mind took over.

  She knew she’d said the right thing the moment Jude let out a long sigh and smiled.

  Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  “I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise to answer them. But before that happens, let’s enjoy our day, like we used to when we would pretend to be tourists. As if we didn’t have a care in the world. Is that okay?”

  He wanted to go through the day ignoring the large pink elephant between them? What would they talk about? Life before he walked out on her?

  How could they ignore the fact he’d destroyed their marriage and she still had no idea why?

  ***

  Whether it was summer and the tourists were here to hike the trails or winter and it was ski season, there was nothing quite like walking down the main street in Banff with the towering Cascade Mountain in front of you.

  When Tessa and Jude first met, it had been quite accidental and all thanks to the view of the Cascade Mountain range. Tessa had stood with a group of friends, attempting to take a photo of them with the mountain in the background. Jude walked up and offered to take the photo so that she could be in it and then offered to point out various sites within Banff that they didn’t want to miss. He showed them the best fudge shop situated off the main avenue, a doorway that apparently led to nowhere and he even offered to be their tour guide on their quest for haunted locations.

  While all the other girls in their group fawned over Jude, Tessa kept her distance. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him, but rather because she became tongue tied anytime he spoke to her, which was unusual for her. A few hours later when they were about to part ways, Jude had pulled her aside and asked if she’d like to go out for a hike one day. They’d fallen in love on that mountain path the following weekend.

  “Where would you like to go first?” Jude asked as he held the door open for her.

  Tessa glanced behind her to find Ellie standing in the back doorway with a huge smile on her face.

  “I heard there was a new cafe just opened up on Bear Street by the Ski Shop. Apparently they have amazing chocolate croissants.”

  Jude grinned. “Apparently? You mean you haven’t checked it out yet?”

  Tessa shook her head as they walked side by side. Her body naturally wanted to lean into him, to have him put his arm around her or to link her arm through his. She found herself clutching the straps of her shoulder bag and focusing on the pavement ahead of her instead. “Not yet.”

  They walked in silence, taking in the sights around them and squeezing through the crowds that gathered at the corner of Banff Avenue.

  “It’s busier than I’d expected,” Jude grumbled when he had to sidestep past a group of giggling teenagers.

  “It’s the weekend for the Farmer’s Market,” Tessa reminded him.

  Jude rolled his eyes and grinned. “How could I forget? This is the first year I haven’t been corralled by Mrs. O’Neil to help set up the booths.”

  Tessa didn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. “Evie’s a hard one to say no to, that’s for sure.”

  “Did you see all the desserts she snuck into her bag last night before she left?”

  “I caught that. I ended up offering to box them up for her and gave her the name of the caterer so she could order more.” Tessa shook her head at the memory.

  They turned the corner onto Bear Street and made their way to the cafe. It wasn’t difficult to find since there was already a line up out the door.

  It was while they were waiting that Tessa decided to broach the subject of his leaving her even though she knew he’d asked her not to.

  “Where have you been these past three months?”

  Jude shuffled his feet and looked everywhere but at her for a few moments. “I went to Calgary,” he finally admitted.

  “Calgary?” He had been that close? Whenever she thought about where he’d gone, she imagined across the country, not in the next city.

  “I crashed with an old culinary friend and he got me a job at the Paliser Hotel until I figured things out.”

  “Was it as great as you always talked about?” Tessa bit her lip to stop from asking him why he just didn’t come back home to the job he already had. Instead, she focused on the fact that they were surrounded by virtual strangers and tried to keep her tone light.

  Jude shrugged. “I enjoyed working under the executive chef
there, but it was no Banff Springs Hotel.”

  “When do you go back?” The thought of his leaving again made her sick to her stomach.

  “Tomorrow.” He moved to her other side and let her walk through the door of the cafe ahead of him.

  Tomorrow. He was leaving tomorrow. She gripped her purse tighter and thought about the divorce papers inside. This was it then. They were really over. Her heart shattered into minuscule pieces, but she kept a smile on her face.

  For the past months she’d prayed for just one more day with him. One day when everything was perfect and they still lived in their little happily-ever-after-world that she’d believed in. All her questions could wait.

  If all she had were the next few hours of playing tourist with him, of once again living in her dream world, then she’d take it. After that, she’d come back down to the real world.

  Her heart might lie in pieces, but she’d be damned if he would know that. She’d changed since he’d disappeared. She wasn’t the girl he’d married. She’d started her own company and made a name for herself as an event planner. She was no longer the girl content to be at home wishing to do something with her life. She’d done it and she planned to do more. He didn’t know that girl, but if she had her way, he would.

  “Where to next?”

  Jude looked at her. She read the question in his eyes.

  “Once we get our coffee. Where do you want to go next? Walk up town or head down to the falls?”

  They used to have a routine when they were “tourists” in their own town. They’d grab a coffee, walk the avenue, enjoy a bear claw smothered in butter, cinnamon and brown sugar and then head down the trails till they reached the falls. She thought of one photo on her bookshelf, taken as the sun set over the mountains, with the glow on the water. She loved it. But she really hoped he didn’t want to go there this time.

  His lips pursed. “I didn’t bring my camera, so how about we just walk downtown and go into stores? I kind of wanted to see if I could find an angel figurine or something for Mom.”