by Karen Pokras
“The flowers are beautiful,” she said, drawing away slowly, her breathing now perfectly calmed. “Thank you. I have the one you gave me last night in some water on my kitchen table. When Sophie woke up this morning, she was so excited to see it. She said the color reminded her of the dress Princess Aurora wears.”
“I’m sorry,” Todd said, looking confused. “I’m afraid I don’t get a chance to be around little girls very often. Princess who?”
Tessa laughed. “You’ve heard of Sleeping Beauty?”
“Ah, yes. Isn’t she the one who had some sort of evil curse put on her that could only be broken by the handsome prince?”
“Well,” she laughed even harder, “you just described pretty much every Disney movie involving princesses. But yes, technically that is correct. Her curse was that she would forever sleep unless kissed by her prince charming. Her real name is Princess Aurora. Sophie’s obsessed with her. You scored big points with my daughter by giving me a flower that matched the color of her dress.”
“Oh, well, I planned that, of course.” He winked. “And what about Sophie’s mom?” he asked, still holding his hands lightly on Tessa’s waist. “Did I score any points with her?”
“Yes, many,” she said, leaning in for another kiss. The piercing ring of the telephone abruptly broke them apart, and she reluctantly reached for the receiver. “Abbott and Associates,” she answered, trying not to sound too breathy.
“Do you have the numbers I asked for?” the brusque voice demanded.
“Y-yes, sir,” Tessa replied, trying to regroup. She slipped back behind her desk and began typing at her keyboard. Sitting in one of the chairs facing her, Todd smiled and watched as she worked. She was completely flustered now. Where was that file she had out just moments ago?
“I’m waiting, Tessa!” Mr. Abbott bellowed.
Apparently his good mood was starting to wear off.
“I have them right here, sir. I can read them to you over the phone, or would you like me to email or fax them to you instead?”
“What do you think?” he replied snidely.
Was this a trick question? She had no idea. If she told them to him over the phone and he wrote them down wrong, she’d get blamed for that. So no. The fax machine where he was located might not be confidential, so no on that one also. He was calling her from his smart phone, so email it was. “I’ll email them right over,” she said, proud of her rational thought process.
“I don’t have time for that. The client’s waiting!” he hollered. “Just give me the damn figures.”
She sighed. “Yes, sir.” She read him the numbers and followed them up with an email so he’d have them in writing as well, more to cover her back than anything else.
Hanging up the phone, she put her head down on her desk. How humiliating.
“He’s in a good mood,” Todd noted. “Sorry. He was yelling so loud, it was hard not hear.”
She lifted her head and rolled her eyes. “It would probably be inappropriate for me to comment, you know, given the business relationship you have with him. I’m sure in your meetings he’s very pleasant.”
“He is. I didn’t realize there was another side to him. Business can be very cut throat at times. Some people think they have the right to act a certain way behind closed doors, especially toward woman. I’m personally not a fan. I don’t think it gets you anywhere. It certainly won’t help you get ahead.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather his little outburst just stay between us,” Tessa requested. “I don’t want to upset the status quo at your office. If Mr. Abbott found out I was bad mouthing him, I could lose my job. Between you and me, I’m looking around for something else, but until I find that something else, I need to stay here. This job may be a little rough at times, but it pays the bills. Well, it pays most of the bills. And I do actually enjoy the work.”
“Don’t worry,” Todd said. “Mum’s the word. Besides, you weren’t bad mouthing him at all. Half of Forest Hills could probably hear him screaming. In any event, the last thing I want is for you to get fired. I selfishly like being able to hand deliver statements here just so I can see you. In fact, give me that one back.” He picked up the statement he’d brought and shoved it back into his briefcase.
“What? Why are you taking that? I need it!”
“I know you do, but I need an excuse to come again tomorrow. So you’ll have to wait one more day.”
“Oh really?” Tessa asked. “And what about the day after that?”
“That’s Friday … our date night.”
“You’ve got it all figured out I see.”
An alarm on his phone beeped just as he seemed to be about to say something more. “I’ve got a meeting I’ve got to rush off to.” He took her hands in his and kissed her, pressing his body tightly into hers. His phone beeped a second time, and he slowly backed up, leaving her feeling flushed and light-headed. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, kissing her nose lightly.
“Yes, tomorrow,” she repeated, as she sank down into her chair, barely able to move.
Chapter 22
The theater lights went on as the actors took their final curtain call, and Tessa wiped the tears from her eyes.
“It was a comedy,” Todd noted. “Why are you crying?”
She smiled. “I just miss it, being here in the theater. It’s where I belong. Come on, let’s go backstage. I recognize half of the names of the stage crew listed in the program.”
Grabbing Todd’s hand, she led him down the aisle, against the flow of people leaving the theater. Once next to the stage, she pushed open the heavy black door marked no-admittance and navigated the dark passageways that led back behind the curtains.
“Ah-ha! I knew it!” she shrieked, jumping into the arms of a balding, thin man wearing thick black-framed eyeglasses. “Jim Fergo, that production had your direction written all over it.”
“Tessa? Tessa Haines?” he asked, pushing her back slightly to look at her. “Well, look at you! I haven’t seen you in forever. You know you were my favorite assistant director.” He looked around and whispered, “The assistant director I have now is a complete mess. Please tell me you’re here to ask for your job back.”
Shaking her head, she shrugged. “Sorry, Jim. We just came to see the show and say hello. This is my … um … my—”
“Her boyfriend,” Todd interjected.
Tessa glanced at him and smiled. That sounded nice. It was only their second date, but they’d seen and talked with each other every day since they’d met earlier in the week on Monday. Wow, had it only been four days?
“Yes, my boyfriend, Todd Mitchell. Todd, this is my former boss, Jim Fergo.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, holding out his hand for a shake.
Jim ignored the outstretched arm and pulled Todd into a hug instead, patting him on the back before letting him go. He looked a bit surprised, but seemed to recover quickly.
“Nice to meet you, too, Todd,” he said, slapping him on the back one more time.
“Can you imagine if Mr. Abbott greeted everyone that way?” he asked Tessa, laughing.
“That’s my new boss,” she explained to Jim. “He doesn’t do hugs or smiles or much of anything that doesn’t involve a scowl.”
“Sounds like a real stand-up kind of guy. Are you sure you don’t want your old job back?” Jim asked again.
“I’d love my old job back,” Tessa replied, “if you can match my current salary and offer benefits.”
He shook his head. “We just took a huge hit and had to cut everyone’s wages. The assistant director is making less now than when you had the job. And benefits? The only benefits we get around here are free pizza and beer after shows. By the way, help yourselves.” He motioned with his head to the table against the wall lined with food and drinks.
“Tessa?”
She turned toward the familiar voices. “Lexie! Alyce! How are you two?”
The three girls embraced as Todd st
ood to the side with Jim. Grabbing each of the women’s hands in her own, she turned to face the men.
“Todd, these are two of the finest sound engineers you’ll ever meet.”
“Oh, stop,” Lexie said. “We only did such a great job because we were working under your direction.”
Jim cleared his throat loudly, and the girls looked up at him.
“Now, Jim, you know we love you, too,” Lexie started, “but you’re focused on the actors and actresses. Tessa was the one directing us most of the time, and you know it. Let her have some of the credit, will you?”
“Are you kidding? Is there a moment in any production where her name doesn’t come up? I’m constantly giving her credit,” Jim told them.
Tessa looked at her three former co-workers. “Seriously?”
“It’s true,” Alyce said. “It’s no wonder we haven’t been able to keep an assistant director around. You’re a tough act to follow.”
“Hey, do you want to come out with us?” Lexie asked. “We still hang out at Hart’s after every show.”
“That sounds like fun,” Todd said. “What do you say, Tessa? Do you want to join them?”
“Actually, can we do it another time? I’m kind of beat tonight. It was great seeing you, though.” She hugged Lexie, Alyce, and Jim, said her good-byes, promising to stay in touch, and took Todd’s hand, leading him out the back exit door.
He pulled her to a stop when they reached the next block.
“Are you okay? You seemed so happy in there, and then suddenly, not so happy. What’s going on?”
She hung her head down so he couldn’t see how truly sad she really was. “I guess it’s pretty much like you said. At first I was ecstatic seeing everyone.”
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in tight. “Anyone could see how much all of that meant to you. Your eyes lit up as soon as you stepped foot in there. They got even brighter when we walked backstage. It was as if you were a completely different person. You were positively glowing. And then, suddenly it all drained away. Why?”
“Because I remembered. That was my life, my passion, but it’s not my life anymore … and it can never be again. I had to give that all up to support Sophie and myself. I guess it’s just a dream and not meant to be.”
“You don’t know that, Tessa. Why can’t you have it all? It’s important to believe in your dreams. You have to stay positive and trust yourself. If I didn’t think that way, I’d probably still be slinging those burgers. Dreams come true, I know they do. I’m living proof.”
Tessa looked up into Todd’s caring eyes. He meant well, she knew he did, but he wasn’t living proof.
“How can you say that?” she asked. “You wanted to be a musician, and you’re stuck in the financial industry, too. How are your dreams coming true?”
“I realized that sometimes, old dreams lead us to new dreams. I actually love what I do now. I can’t imagine doing anything else, and that includes being a musician. In fact, I’m more convinced than ever, I would have hated that life. That wasn’t truly my dream. Do you want to know my dream?” He released Tessa’s waist and took her hands in his. Gazing directly at her, he said the words he really didn’t even have to say. His eyes said it all. “This. You’re part of my dream. Finding someone like you. I know we’re only getting to know each other, but I can’t remember ever feeling this way. I can’t remember, ever being happier.”
Chapter 23
“You’ve been dating this guy for three weeks now,” Ava said as the sisters once again gathered in her kitchen. Sophie was off playing with Logan, while Jenna was upstairs listening to music. Pulling the freshly made chocolate cake out of her oven, she set it on the counter to cool. “I think that’s a record for you.”
“Well, at least since Scott left me if that’s what you mean,” Tessa said, taking a seat next to Holly at the table. “It’s okay. You can say his name. I was over him the day he walked out on us.”
“I know, sweetie,” Ava said, sitting down and taking her sister’s hand. “I also know the past few years haven’t been easy on you. From everything you’ve told me, Todd sounds like a great guy.”
Tessa looked at both of her sisters and forced a smile.
“You see that?” Holly asked, directing her question to Ava. “That’s what I’m talking about. That’s not an I’m head over heels happy smile. That’s an I’m only marginally happy because I can’t fully open my heart smile. What gives, Tessa? You’ve got the perfect guy. You even said so yourself the other day when we met for dinner after work.”
“I know,” she said. “Todd is a great guy, really, he is.”
“Then what’s the problem? You should be walking around with a goofy smile on your face instead of looking like the Queen of Doom, wondering if the world’s about to come crashing down.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “I just … What if he’s not perfect? I thought Scott was, and he walked out on us.”
Holly sighed. “Honey, no one truly is. I can spend the rest of the night listing off all of Ben’s stuff, and I’m sure Ava can do the same for Max, but we still love them, because they are perfect for us. Anyway, perfect was really just a metaphor. What I meant was that he seems like a normal guy. A normal, nice guy who really likes you. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Exactly!” Tessa stated. “He’s nice. Too nice. And like you said, everyone has something.”
“So now you don’t like him because there’s nothing wrong with him?” Holly asked. “I can’t figure you out sometimes. Anyway, you’re in that new googly-eyed stage. He could do just about anything, minus being married like that scuzzy doctor, of course, and you’d still think he was pretty awesome. He’s a guy. Eventually you’ll notice socks left on the floor or toenails in the tub or something. For now, enjoy it.”
She shook her head. “No. Twice now he’s acted like he’s had something to tell me—something important—but he keeps getting interrupted or distracted, and he doesn’t come back to it. I keep thinking maybe his stuff is more than dirty socks on the floor or toenails in the tub. What if I do let myself fall head over heels, and he just breaks my heart?”
“What if he doesn’t, but you walk away before giving him a chance to prove it to you?” Holly asked. “Sounds to me like maybe he’s trying to tell you how much he cares about you. You know, the L word? Guys always get weird and nervous when they try to say it for the first time.”
“Yup, that’s what it sounds like to me,” Ava agreed. “And if you shut him out now, you’ll have missed out on finding the one person who was maybe meant to grab on to your heart … to share it for the rest of your life. Isn’t it worth the risk?”
Tessa took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Is it?” she asked. “What’s so wrong with being single anyway? Why do I have to have someone else in my life?”
Ava stood up to get three plates. Just like Mom, Tessa thought. Whenever Tessa asked a tough question, Mom would offer food instead of an answer. She supposed that’s where Ava learned most of her cooking skills. Mom always was a fabulous chef. Apparently her three girls asked a lot of difficult questions over the years. Now that Mom’s wasn’t around as much, it seemed Ava was taking over the official role of comfort food provider. She placed a large piece of chocolate cake in front of Tessa.
“Here’s what I know,” Holly started, apparently ignoring that last question. “Every time I’ve spoken to you over the last three weeks, all you’ve talked about is Todd.”
“Same here,” Ava said, smiling and giving Holly a piece of cake as well before sitting back down.
“Whether you want to admit it or not, you’ve already started falling,” her sister continued. “The question is, how far are you willing to fall? If you stop now, will you simply be able to get up and walk away? Honestly?”
Tessa put her head back and closed her eyes. Honestly? No. At this point, she couldn’t imagine her life without Todd. He was the first person to call her every morning and the last pe
rson to call her every night. While their intimacy was still limited to kissing, she’d never felt closer to any man before … ever. She’d made it clear she wanted to take things slow, and Todd never once pressured her for anything more, despite their obvious desires.
“He wants to meet Sophie.”
“That’s a big step,” Ava told her. “And a good sign.”
“What if it doesn’t go well?” Tessa asked. “There’s no way I could have a relationship with someone who doesn’t connect with Sophie and vice versa.”
“Then I guess you’ll have your answer,” Holly responded. “Keep in mind, though, kids are funny and very protective. You and Sophie have a strong bond.”
“Holly’s right,” Ava agreed. “It may take Sophie a few tries to really warm up to him. Don’t use Sophie as an excuse to cut Todd out of your life just because they don’t hit it off right away. Give them a fair chance. Give him a fair chance. He deserves that much. You both do.”
“And hey, if they get along, maybe you’ll actually let us meet him one day soon, too,” Holly added. “We promise we won’t scare him away.”
Chapter 24
At ten in the morning the following Saturday, Tessa and Sophie met Todd at the playground in their neighborhood. She figured it was better to meet at a place where her daughter felt comfortable. That way if she didn’t like Todd, she could go off and play without being completely traumatized. Sophie that is … Tessa had already convinced herself the entire experience would be traumatic whether her daughter liked Todd or not.
She hadn’t told Sophie why they were going to the park until they started on their walk over. She was nervous her daughter would be anxious, or maybe she was the one who was anxious. Yes, it was definitely her. Sophie seemed indifferent, or perhaps she didn’t understand. After all, Tessa didn’t exactly come out and say, “Sweetie, today you’re going to meet the man who potentially could be your future daddy.” She giggled softly to herself at the thought of how ridiculous that would have sounded. No, instead she said, “Sophie, we’re going to the park to meet a new friend of Mommy’s. His name is Todd, and he’s very nice. I think you’re going to like him a lot.”