We finished the tour and walked back to the train stop. When we boarded, Jeremy put his arm around me and I wiggled a little closer. And for the first time in a long time, I felt tickly twinges, like a butterfly was busting out of its cocoon. It wasn’t flying yet, but the crack was there and a wing had emerged. I wanted to be able to free it completely, but I knew it had to find its own way. I was beginning to understand that love worth keeping can’t be rushed.
Chapter 21
Jeremy
After the tour, Tess and I headed to the Harborwalk and Schooner Wharf Bar to grab a bite to eat. It was Happy Hour, but we managed to get a table that overlooked the historic seaport.
“I think I’m going to get some coconut dipped shrimp with mango sauce,” she said. “And an Island Cosmo Martini.”
“Cosmo, eh? You must be feeling adventurous.”
Tess shrugged. “Well, why not? We don’t have to drive, and besides, I’m in the mood.”
“Great,” I said, and ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell and a draft beer. The last time Tess had a cosmo—well, it was actually two or three—I had to put her to bed. She usually drank wine. A cosmo meant she was willing to throw caution to the wind—something she rarely did.
A guy with tattoos for sleeves played guitar and sang on a small wooden stage tucked in the back corner. He was backed by a guy playing keyboard and another on guitar.
“I forgot how much I loved this place,” said Tess, looking out toward the yachts.
I sipped my beer. “Yeah. I could get used to living here.”
An older couple, both with Wonder Bread white hair, walked past us hand in hand.
Tess dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “I love seeing older couples showing affection for one another. They look like they’re newlyweds and they’ve probably been married fifty years.”
“Do you think we’ll last that long?” I asked.
“I hope so.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do. I married thinking it would last forever. But things have to change between us. You see that, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s taken me a while, but I see it.”
The waitress came with our food and Tess ordered another cosmo and I ordered another beer.
***
Tess
I sat back in my seat. “Want any of my fries?”
Jeremy held up his hand. “I’m full.”
“Me, too.”
I couldn’t remember the last time Jeremy and I spent quality time together. Or the last time we really talked and it not be about the kids.
I took the last sip of my cosmo. “Ready to head to Mallory Square for Sunset Celebration?”
Jeremy flagged down our waitress and we paid the check.
I reached for Jeremy’s hand as we walked down Duval Street toward the square. We stumbled upon a guy with hairy gorilla arms and a red bandana hugging his head. He banged on large plastic buckets turned upside down. His black mutt, which looked like a mix of lab and German shepherd, lay beside him. The dog wore a pirate hat and a big pair of plastic fluorescent blue glasses. There was a basket for donations and I tossed a couple bucks in it.
“I wonder what his story is,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“Like how he ended up here, banging on the bottoms of plastic buckets. Everyone has a story.”
“Maybe he’s a millionaire.”
“He might just be. Who knows? Outside appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes the people you think have the most have the least and vice versa.”
“Don’t get all philosophical on me now,” Jeremy said.
I laughed. “Alcohol can make me introspective.”
We entered Mallory Square and spotted the tightrope walker near the waterfront. He balanced the high wire on one foot while juggling.
“He’s amazing,” I said.
Jeremy nodded. “Yeah, I can’t even balance on one foot on the ground.”
We watched the juggler for a while and then watched a tumbler, a clown and a guy on a unicycle. Eventually, we ended up at the escape artist.
He picked two women from the audience to buckle him in a straitjacket and wrap him in chains. All the while he cracked jokes and mesmerized the crowd with his quick wit.
“Damn. Those are some serious chains,” Jeremy said.
We watched as the performer writhed and struggled, encouraging the crowd to be more enthusiastic and louder. After a lot of banter and playing the crowd and building the anticipation, he shrugged off the chains, twisted his arms inside the straitjacket until he could stand on his head and free himself completely.
“Man, that guy is good,” Jeremy said. “Amazing how he can turn what appears to be a hopeless situation into a victory.”
Somehow I don’t think Jeremy was just talking about the escape artist.
***
Jeremy
Tess and I found a waterfront spot to view the alluring sunset.
“There’s nothing like watching the sun melt into the horizon,” Tess said. “It’s like an exclamation point to a perfect day.”
“Was the day perfect?” I asked.
Tess winked. “So far. But it’s not over.”
I slipped my arm around her and pulled her in close. She didn’t fight me or try to pull away. In fact, she laid her head on my shoulder. I loved being so close to her, smelling her citrusy scented hair. God, she was beautiful. I had an incredible urge to make love to her, to please her in ways I know I haven’t in a long time. She looked so damn sexy and my groin ached.
“I can’t believe all of the sailboats on the water,” Tess said. “That’s something we could do. Maybe tomorrow.”
“I was thinking if we went on the last snorkeling trip of the day, we’d be able to catch the sunset on the way in.”
“Great idea. We’ll have to book it first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll take care of it. I wanted to see about getting us bikes, too. I know how much you love riding around Old Town and looking at the architecture.”
The crowd swelled at the waterfront. Those who didn’t have cameras, used cellphones to capture the sun as it inched toward the horizon. Then, all of the sudden the sun slipped and it was gone. The crowd cheered and Tess looked up at me. Her beautiful violet eyes and pouty lips called to me and I bent down to find her lips and we kissed. And it wasn’t like a “Hi, Honey” kiss, it was a “I want to fuck you” kiss. We both felt it and without saying anything, we left Mallory Square and headed for our room.
***
Tess
Maybe it was the sunset or the alcohol, but I wanted Jeremy to make love to me. I had forgotten how sexy he was and all I wanted to do was feel his warm body next to mine. When we opened the door to our room, we couldn’t get naked fast enough.
“God, Tess. You’re so beautiful.”
Jeremy took me in his arms and whispered in my ear, nipping lightly. He planted kisses down my neck and I moaned. He picked me up and gently placed me on the bed. “I want to please you, Tess. Please let me. I love you so much. Let me show you.”
My insides burned with desire as he started at the top and worked his way down. Every inch of my body wanted to be physically connected to him. My hands tangled in his hair as he inched lower, past my belly button.
“So beautiful,” Jeremy whispered.
I felt like I was on fire. I moaned softly. “God you’re incredible.”
Jeremy parted my thighs. “That’s it. Relax. Let go. I want to please you.”
On a scale of one to ten, Jeremy had me at fifty. “You’re driving me insane.”
“That’s the idea.”
I reached down to pull him up. My body quivered and I arched my back as he slid into me, all the while telling me how beautiful I was and how much he loved and wanted me.
“Please. I—”
“It’s OK. I want to make you happy. Let go, baby. Just let go and feel me.”
My entire body shook as Jeremy
and I reached the mountaintop together, collapsing in each other’s arms.
I had forgotten what an amazing lover Jeremy could be, and I was sad that we had allowed our sex life to become routine and void of the deep intimacy we were obviously capable of.
I will never forget how we reconnected during our short stay in Key West. We talked and talked some more. We compromised and recommitted ourselves to our marriage and our future. Before we boarded the plane to fly home, we made a plan and a promise. The best was yet to come.
Chapter 22
Jeremy
We got home late Saturday and told the kids we’d pick them up the next day.
Tess and I showered and fell into bed, exhausted from the flight home. I reached over and pulled her toward me, wrapping my arm around her.
“What are you thinking about?” Tess asked.
“Just how beautiful you are. And what a lucky guy I am.”
Tess turned to face me and we kissed the kind of kiss that always leads to so much more.
Tess and I talked about the tea room/coffee shop idea. She planned to make an appointment so we could both meet with her mentor, Richard. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of opening a business in the very place I had proposed to Tess.
Eventually, Tess fell asleep in my arms. Her black hair fanned out over my chest.
I was happy and I knew she was, too.
***
Tess
When we got to Jeremy’s parents’ house, Katie and John were down the street playing with some friends.
“Guess the kids didn’t miss us,” I said.
“Katie seemed a bit blue this morning, but when Marcia’s grandkids called to see if she and John could come down, her sunny disposition returned. I think they’re ready to go home.”
“Can I get you kids anything?” Harry asked. “Diana baked her special chocolate cake.”
“Um, that sounds good. But just a small piece,” I said. “Is there coffee in the carafe?”
Diana smiled. “Just made a fresh pot.”
I poured a cup of coffee and added just a smidgen of half and half. “After this week, I’ll have to go on a diet.”
Harry waved. “Nonsense. You look great, Tess. You always look great.”
“That’s what I tell her,” said Jeremy, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek.
Diana smiled. “Well, it looks like maybe the trip was just what you guys needed. How was it?”
“Great,” Jeremy said.
“It was better than great,” I said. “It was awesome. I can’t thank you enough.”
Diana waved her hand. “I might be old, but I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. Now tell us all about it.”
Jeremy and I took turns telling them about everything we did, except for the X-rated parts.
“I keep telling Harry we should visit Key West. We’ve never been there and I’d love to see Hemingway’s house and those six-toed cats.”
We heard them before we saw them. The back door flew open and in bounced Katie followed by John.
“You’re finally home,” said Katie, running to give Jeremy and me hugs.
“Do I get a hug from you or are you too big?” I asked John.
He shrugged but walked over and hugged me anyway.
“Hey, bud,” said Jeremy, rubbing the top of his head. “How’s soccer going?”
John looked at his grandparents. “We didn’t say a word,” Harry said.
“What’s up?” Jeremy asked.
“I scored the winning goal at yesterday’s game,” John said.
“You did more than that,” Harry said. “You scored three goals and he was asked after the game if he’d be interested in trying out for the travel team.”
“Wow, bud,” Jeremy said. “That’s great.”
“And, not to be outdone,” Diana said, “Katie earned a first place medal on the balance beam at her gymnastics competition.”
“I’m so proud of you guys,” I said. “Come here.”
Katie and John came over and Jeremy joined us and we huddled in a big group hug. Life was looking better.
***
Jeremy
A week had passed since coming home from Key West and things were definitely better. I was happier, Tess was happier and the kids were happier.
“Remember, we’re meeting Richard this afternoon to discuss our ideas and tour the bistro building. Then we’re going to Sue and Tom’s for Tom’s birthday party. I can’t wait to hold Daisy.”
“The party’s for adults, right?” I asked.
“Yes, but Daisy doesn’t count.”
I thought about the last time we were all together at Tom and Sue’s and I definitely didn’t want a repeat. I had also given up whiskey.
I sipped my coffee and read the morning paper. Tess sat down across from me. “I’ve decided I’m not going to teach cycling class,” she said.
I put the paper down. “But I thought it’s what you wanted to do. You were so excited about it.”
“You’re right; I was. But I’m more excited about our business venture and I want to devote all of my time and energy into making it a success.”
“And you don’t think you can do both?”
“I could, but I think my focus should be the business.”
“Well, it’s your call.”
“I’ll still go to the gym and probably take cycle classes when I can, but I won’t have the pressure of preparing for classes.”
I nodded. “Sounds like you have it all worked out.”
“Not completely,” Tess said. “But hopefully Richard and you and I will make some real progress this afternoon.”
***
Tess
I’d been thinking about ditching the cycle class for a few days. The more I thought about it the more I realized I had to make choices and prioritize things in my life. If I was going to run a tea room and coffee shop, my workout schedule needed to be flexible. If I committed to teaching a class, there’d be no flexibility. I just felt the timing wasn’t right, but I knew it’d be tough telling Maggie.
I found her in the locker room. “Hi, Maggie.”
She turned around. “Tess! Where have you been?”
I explained about Key West and how I had spent the week catching up and making some plans.
“They must be some plans if it kept you away from the gym.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Maggie waved for me to follow her into her office.
“What’s wrong, Tess?” she said. “You’re scaring me.”
“I’m fine, Maggie. Really. Jeremy and I have been talking about opening a tea room. I’ll be the one running it. We also might open a coffee shop on the same property. Anyway, that’s where I need to focus. I don’t want to teach unless I can give it one hundred percent, and I don’t think I can right now.”
Maggie nodded. “Well, I definitely understand. Starting a new business is incredibly stressful. You’re still going to come in and exercise, right?”
“Absolutely.’
“Good, because exercising will help with the stress. And if you ever change your mind or find you have time to teach even one class a week, let me know.”
“I will. And thanks for giving me this opportunity. Maybe Cole would be interested.”
“Cole?”
“Yeah, he sits in the back. I sat beside him the other day and then Jeremy and I ran into him at the builder’s show. I didn’t realize he’s a contractor.”
“I didn’t either,” Maggie said.
“Well, he is. Jeremy and I have an appointment with him next week. We’re considering building an addition to our home and wanted to get an estimate.”
“Hmm, it’s something to think about. We don’t have any male cycle instructors. Do you think he’d be interested?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe. But if he does it, you can count on his classes being filled. Women will fight over being able to take his class.”
Magg
ie laughed. “Well, could be good for business.”
Chapter 23
Jeremy
“I really like Richard,” I told Tess after our meeting. “He’s smart.”
Tess nodded. “And he has a way of not making you feel dumb, even though when I started this process I was totally clueless.”
We walked to our car, parked in front of the old bistro building. I opened the car door for Tess. “Your presentation to Richard was flawless. It was evident you had done extensive research and were prepared. I’m proud of you.”
The ends of Tess’s mouth turned up. “You are?”
“I am.”
Tess stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. A driver yelled “Get a room!” as he passed.
“Maybe we should get a room,” I joked.
Tess playfully slapped my shoulder and slid into the car.
I walked around to the other side and climbed in. “And I love the old bistro building.”
“Isn’t the space perfect?” Tess asked. “Richard loved your idea of opening a coffee bar and gift shop on the first floor and keeping the tea room on the second floor.”
I looked in my rear-view mirror and pulled out. “What do you think about asking Mom and Dad if they’d be interested in investing in the business?”
“Do you think they would be?”
“I do. Dad mentioned he was looking for something to do. Maybe a few hours a day, a few days a week, he could help out, especially in the early mornings at the coffee shop.”
“That’d be fantastic,” Tess said. “Then I could still see the kids off in the morning.”
“Let’s talk to them about it after dinner on Sunday. You can show them the presentation you showed Richard, with the tweaks he mentioned.”
Tess rubbed her hands together. “I’m so excited this is going to happen.”
Tess and Jeremy (The Yearbook Series 3) Page 13