In the Arms of the Dragon Princes

by Jessica Miller

  The sound of the main door closing was heavy, full of symbolism and marking a new chapter in her life. She vowed that once this door was closed, she was never going back.

  *****

  In the months since she had left her old neighborhood, Tessa had fallen into an easy rhythm with her life. Being a millionaire wasn’t what she expected it to be, but she didn’t have any complaints.

  The waiter arrived, handing her a strawberry daiquiri and waiving away a tip as he walked away.

  Inundated with requests from former friends and people she knew she had never met, Tessa had been hiding out at the resort for almost three months. As much as she wanted to spend the rest of her life enjoying mixed drinks by the spa overlooking the ocean, it was time to get back to reality.

  She had a meeting with a realtor in two hours to look at a house she found online. After that, she would have to start figuring out what direction her life was going to take. She’d fumbled a bit there, wondering at how many choices she had now that her world didn’t revolve around making enough to get by and paying just enough to keep the wolves at bay for another week.

  Worse than the random callers at her home and her former job were the suiters here at the resort. Her milk chocolate skin and wild curly hair were a novelty here, and she was exhausted by the attention. Like the people begging for a handout back home, these men were no different. They were looking for their next meal ticket, a woman with more money than sense to invest in their next big scheme.

  But Tessa was streetwise, and she knew a hustler when she saw one. She was ready to make a living for herself somewhere where she didn’t stand out like a sore thumb.

  Checking the time, she left the spa and got ready for the meeting. It was time to get back to reality.

  The valet brought her car around, and she smiled as it pulled up. It had been parked for most of the last few months and Tessa hadn’t had much time to enjoy it. She’d gone modest, choosing a Mercedes Coupe in champagne beige, and soft leather beige interior. The dealer had tried to talk her into something more extravagant, but she had laughed and rolled her eyes. She wasn’t interested in broadcasting her presence wherever she went. Mercedes were common enough in southern California that she didn’t have to worry about calling too much attention to herself.

  She slid into the seat, loving how the soft leather felt against her legs when the skirt of her business suit rode up slightly as she sat down. She tipped the valet and drove off, speaking the address of the house aloud so the GPS could guide her.

  There was already a car at the large, wrought-iron gate when she pulled up thirty minutes early. A friendly woman in her fifties got out of the car, extending her hand and introducing herself.

  “I’m Cherie. You must be Contessa.”

  “Please, call me Tessa.”

  Tessa took in the beautifully landscaped yard beyond the gate. The house wasn’t visible from the paved easement, which was already a plus. Cherie got back into her car after typing in a code for the gate.

  Tessa followed her in the Coupe, staring in awe as the property stretched before her. It was a full three acres, which was a large plot of land in affluent southern California. The property had a side gate that met with a series of public jogging and hiking paths. For Tessa, who had always enjoyed the outdoors, it had looked like the perfect home on paper.

  Hopefully the property lived up to her expectations.

  Cherie parked in front of a large garage, leaving space beside her car for Tessa to park. Cherie opened the garage door and Tessa stared in disbelief at the four car garage before her.

  “There are two entrances. You can take the steps through the courtyard to the front door, or you can enter through the garage. Only the garage is on the lower level, with the rest of the house being on the upper level.”

  Cherie led the way through the garage, stopping to show Tessa a small wine cellar tucked underneath the staircase.

  “You can’t have an actual cellar in this part of the country with the earthquakes, but this is the next best thing.”

  Tessa nodded, eager to get upstairs and see the rest of the house.

  The stairs led into an open family room with a wrap-around balcony and large bay windows in each corner. The view was breath-taking.

  “Wait until you see the master bedroom.”

  Cherie opened the French doors and revealed an almost identical room that was completely closed off from the house. The outer corners featured floor to ceiling windows and the wrap-around balcony continued from the family room. The master bath featured a heated jet tub and a separate shower. The shower had a waterfall option as well as the standard shower head. The wall opposite the tub had a large, mirrored vanity and a small door to the side of it.

  Tessa opened the door and gasped. The walk-in closet was massive, with a gliding step ladder built in to access the second story. She had never seen such a thing, even in the movies, but she could imagine it would take her all year to buy enough clothes and shoes to fill the space.

  Eager to see the rest of the house, she tore herself away from the closet and allowed Cherie to lead her through the rest of the house.

  The white, stucco building made a horseshoe around the courtyard. From the window in the dining nook, she could see across the courtyard to the guest rooms. Across from the dining nook was a large office, which could be made into another bedroom.

  The kitchen was open and almost as big as her apartment had been. Beyond it, the den, another large bathroom and a hallway that led to three more rooms.

  Tessa’s head was spinning as she took it all in.

  Cherie waited patiently, letting Tessa look around to her heart’s content.

  “Do you have any questions, Tessa?”

  “Yes. Where do I sign?”

  *****

  The last of the furniture deliveries came, and Tessa finally shut the door on hopefully the last stranger that would trudge through her house for a while.

  Lacing up her running shoes, Tessa took one more look at herself in the mirror. Her purple track suit was sharp, with zippered pockets to hold her keys and her cell phone securely while she jogged. She was excited to hit the trails today, and the weather couldn’t have been any more perfect.

  She popped her headphones in and turned on her playlist before heading out the back door and through the locked gate.

  Her home was at the top of a hill, which meant that she started her jog with a steep downhill slope. She tried to ignore the fact that she would be coming back up the hill when she finished. She’d climb that mountain when she got there.

  The trails led to a large footpath that circled a lush golf course and the local saddle club’s arena. Tessa toyed around with the idea of buying a horse, but she wasn’t sure. She’d never had anything bigger than a fish, and a horse was a big responsibility. She’d start with a dog first.

  Or maybe a hamster.

  She eased into a jog at the base of the hill, enjoying the bite of the crisp fall air and the feel of the sun’s warmth on her skin. She followed the signs, heading for the golf course and the community foot path.

  She was alone for several minutes before she encountered another jogger. The man waved at her as he passed and she returned the gesture. Within a few minutes of crossing paths with the man, she came upon another small group of runners.

  The footpath was another half mile away, but the closer she got, the more people there were. Some were on bikes, but most were on foot. She took in the sights and enjoyed the fresh air as she ran, cutting a loose path for the horse barn and the arena.

  They didn’t have horses in the ghetto.

  She slowed to a walk as she neared the paddocks, pulling her headphones out and turning off the music. The arena was abuzz with activity and the area around the arena and the paddocks was no different. She would have to pick her way through rows of riders atop their mounts to get to the benches so she could watch.

  Tessa briefly considered turning around but pressed on.
<
br />   You’ll never fit in if you don’t step out of your comfort zone, she chided herself. Her stomach flopped around inside her as she moved forward, looking for the easiest path to the seats and out of the crowd.

  She walked by a group of horses, scooting around them quietly. The horse nearest to her caught sight of her, shying to the side and nearly dumping its rider when she stepped from between the horses and appeared at its side.

  “Are you stupid? My horse is obviously green. Why would you sneak up on him like that?”

  “He looks brown to me,” Tessa shot back, and immediately wished she hadn’t. “Sorry. I didn’t know your horse was skittish.”

  She turned, trying to get away while the man continued berating her. But she was stuck, groups of horses everywhere she turned.

  And the man was still yelling, his voice rising higher even though his horse had recovered and gone back to standing quietly like the others.

  Tessa was in a quiet panic, trying to find a way out without startling more horses. They lived in the city, but this community was tight-knit and she didn’t want to burn bridges before she had even met her neighbors.

  A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned and stared into the bluest eyes she’d even seen.

  “Lost?” he asked simply.

  “I’m not a horse person. I didn’t know how big they were until they were everywhere. I just want to watch the show without getting stepped on.”

  “Let me help you.”

  He was about thirty, tall and muscular but lean. His jeans were snug on his hips and his shirt tucked in casually, revealing a modest belt buckle that she couldn’t quite read.

  He gestured to the crowd of horses and riders. “Head that way and I’ll guide you through.”

  He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her along, weaving in and out of the clustered riders and their mounts and bringing her to the low bleachers just outside the ring.

  “Here you are then.”

  He smiled at her and Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. His short, light brown hair fell forward when he leaned towards her, and sun-kissed skin framed a handsome face that lit up when he smiled. His ball cap was dirty, as were his jeans and boots. Unlike the man with his shiny boots and perfectly polished appearance that had yelled obscenities at Tessa as she fled, this man looked like he’d actually put in an honest day’s work.

  “Thank you,” she held out her hand, “I’m Tessa.”

  He wiped his hand on his jeans and took hers in his calloused hand. His grip was firm yet gentle, though Tessa fought the urge to yank her hand out of his when electricity shot through her.

  Did he even realize how handsome he was?

  “I’m Mike.”

  He held her hand as she stepped onto the bleachers and slid in beside her.

  “Have you ever been to a horse show before?”

  “No. I’ve never even seen one in real life until today.”

  “Well, let me explain everything that’s going on.”

  “That would be lovely.”

  He leaned close to her, talking softly so he didn’t disturb the other spectators. Tessa listened to him talk; the smooth, even sound calming her nerves as she watched intently. There was so much she didn’t know, and he patiently explained things no matter how many times she asked.

  The first rider finished the course after expertly guiding her mount over all the obstacles.

  Mike sat up, waving to a young girl on a dark brown horse as she entered the ring. The little girl, who didn’t look to be more than ten, was tiny on the massive horse. She beamed when she saw him, her sweet face filled with excitement. A moment later, she was all business, focused on the fences before her as she moved the giant gelding into an easy canter.

  “That’s Emma. She just turned eleven last week.”

  “Is she your daughter?”

  Mike didn’t take his eyes off the girl as she went over each obstacle in order.

  “She’s my niece. I’m not married.”

  Tessa nodded, but didn’t say another word. Mike sat close, squished against her in the tight space. She wanted to say something witty, to let him know she was available and interested in getting to know him better but she was shy.

  She sat in silence, listening to him whisper encouragement to his niece under his breath as she went through her steps. When she completed the round, Mike stood abruptly.

  “Time for me to get back to work.” He put his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “I hope to see you around.”

  Say something. Don’t let him leave without getting his number.

  But he was already gone, heading straight for Emma and her horse. He patted the girl’s leg, his face filled with pride as he helped her down, loosening the girth so Emma could walk the horse out and let him cool off a bit.

  Tessa watched as the pair walked away.

  Just as he disappeared from her view, Mike looked up, straight in her eyes and winked. He had winked at her! Her heart soared. She beamed her smile at him. She felt like a giddy teenager.

  *****

  Tessa felt like she had missed her chance, but she also remembered the feeling when Mike had winked at her, and knew that if it was meant to be, she would see Mike again.

  She fell into a routine of hiking the various paths around the hills and enjoyed the fresh air. She hadn’t hired anyone yet to clean her house, so she pretty much rocked the housecleaning and fell into bed exhausted every night.

  She was finishing up tidying the kitchen when the buzzer from the front gate rang. She walked over to the security panel beside the door leading into the kitchen. She pressed the talk button and said, “Hello.”

  A friendly woman, about forty, waved at the camera.

  “Hi. We haven’t met officially, but I wanted to invite you to a gala at the country club coming up on Saturday. Can I come up?”

  Relieved that the camera wasn’t two-way, Tessa wracked her brain, trying to figure out what a gala even was. The woman waited expectedly, friendly smile plastered on her face as if it was painted on.

  Tessa released the latch on the pedestrian gate to the side of the main gate, letting the woman in. Tessa grabbed two bottles of spring water and headed out into the courtyard. She wasn’t going to make the woman walk the entire way, and she wasn’t about to let this stranger into her home to snoop around.

  The pretty blond leaned forward, walking up the steep hill with little effort. Tessa had seen the woman before, just not dressed so smartly. In place of her jogging suit and well-worn running shoes, the woman wore a chic business suit and cream-colored pumps with a fashionable red bottom.

  Tessa handed the woman an ice cold water and offered her a seat on the comfortably padded outdoor lounge in the rose garden.

  “You’re Tessa, right?” the woman asked, sipping the water.

  “Yes. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m horrible with names.”

  “Jeanette. Jeanette Rice. I live down the street.”

  Tessa remembered now. She’d met the woman more than once, though she was almost unrecognizable all dolled up with her hair down and straightened.

  Jeanette handed her a thick folded card with gold trim around the edges. Fancy. Tessa flipped it over and read the invitation.

  Please join us for an evening to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

  Cocktails begin 18h00

  Dinner served 20h00

  Silent Auction, Dancing 21hoo – 01h00

  Saturday, June 24th, 2001

  Castlewood Country Club

  Jeanette smiled warmly t Tessa. “I hope that you won’t hold it against us that the benefit will be at the Country Club. They donate their club and servers for the evening. It’s a lovely place.”

  “It sounds great,” Tessa replied.

  Jeanette leaned in closer and asked, “Are you the mysterious woman who won the lottery and disappeared?”

  Tessa considered denying it, but the twinkle in Jeanette’s hazel eyes said that sh
e already knew. She didn’t want to start off a friendship by lying. Tessa decided to take a chance. She nodded and smiled.

  “Yes. Is it that obvious?”

  “No, Not really. I’m just very observant. You don’t seem poor but you kind of have that skittish, newly into money, deer in the headlights look. Coming into that amount of money can be daunting and it can be hard to find your place in this world, especially coming from humble roots.”

  “That’s the nicest way I’ve ever heard the ghetto described.”

  Jeanette laughed out loud. “We’re not all stuffy old rich ladies. Some of us are self-made.”

  The two women talked easily, and Tessa found herself enjoying Jeanette’s company. She was down-to-earth and easy to talk with.

  Tessa admitted that she had no idea what to wear to a gala.

  “Oh honey, I can help you with that. My husband swears that shopping is my life’s work. How about tomorrow? Pick you up about one?”

  Tessa smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically.

  Jeanette stood up, and smiled.

  “I have to leave, but I wanted to tell you something I learned when I first came into money that saved me loads of heartache. People are people, old or young, rich or poor, they don’t change. There are assholes amongst the rich just as much as the poor; perhaps more so. But, they can only make you feel what you let them. Where you got your money is none of their concern, and your status as nouveau-riche, that’s the new fancy term for people coming into money, doesn’t diminish you as a person. Old money spends just as well as new money. Don’t let people make you feel lesser than.”

  Tessa had to give the woman credit, she was very perceptive. She had zeroed in and pinpointed the thing that had held Tessa back. It quashed her fear with her kind words. She threw her arms around Jeanette, squeezing the woman tightly.

  “Honey just remember, we all sit to take a crap.” She laughed and walked to the gate, waving her hand in the air, as she walked through the wrought-iron gate.

  Tessa smiled as she walked around her rose garden and back to the house.