by Sophia Gray
“I expect efficiency and discretion, or else....” His boss threatened him after Vance had accepted the deal. He knew better than to piss off Jimmy Love, so he decided to do his damn best.
He left the boss’ office and was received by the inquisitive look of his lieutenant and his group. It was obvious that his boss had not discussed his new assignment with anyone else and Vance was not eager to disclose any details.
“What was that all about, Tate?” asked his commanding officer. Vance shrugged and walked to the bar with his mates tailing him, shooting questions to know why his boss had required his presence.
“I’ve got a new project, that’s all,” he said nonchalantly. Everyone in the group looked at him in disbelief.
“And the man himself had to tell you? There’s a reason why there is a chain of command, Tate. So he does not follow people around giving orders,” said his lieutenant, David Bailey. Vance shrugged again and called the bartender.
“Why are you asking me that? I’m new here!” Vance said. “Round of whiskey for the guys, on me,” he ordered loudly.
His mates cheered and clapped him on the back.
“What’s that for? Did you receive a raise or something?” Bailey pressed on. He had not been very happy when the boss called for Vance personally. Either it was to promote him or punish him, and Bailey had made damn sure that Vance did not get into trouble with the gang; therefore, it could only be the first option. And he sure did not deserve a raise so soon.
“None of that crap, LT,” Vance said, dismissing it and handing him a glass. “I told you – just a project. A recovery one: I have been sent to track down and recover a package of sorts, and I do not know how long it will take me. And this is all I can tell you guys,” he finished. Vance drank his shot and asked for another one.
“Undercover in another gang, maybe?” guessed one of the boys. Vance looked away, not wanting to confirm nor deny anything. He felt guilty lying to his comrades and did not want to push it further.
“So, this is your goodbye?” His LT raised the glass of whiskey and Vance nodded. At that point, everyone in the group drank theirs, all at once, and asked for another. “Then let’s make it a night to remember, boys.”
That night, Vance celebrated his new mission, although he was careful not to disclose any details with his mates despite how much they insisted. They drank until the early hours of the night, and when he got home, he knew he would not miss the place he lived in: a complete hellhole in an abandoned building.
If he pretended to be someone else for a few weeks, he could come back home with a ticket to a better life: his own club, his own gang, and a new, much nicer place. Jimmy Love would never allow his daughter to live in such a place like Vance’s current dump.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLOSING the deal, he cut his ties with the gang and located to a new place to live near Teresa. Despite avoiding her father at all costs, Jimmy still knew where she lived. Vance learned everything about her: where she worked, where she volunteered, her favorite places to go.
A couple of months later, he was living in her town and had managed to get a spot as a volunteer at Silver Spoons for Charity – the soup kitchen where she worked. Everything was going according to plan and Vance was surprised that he didn’t even miss his nights at the motorcycle club. He had adjusted to his new role quite well.
When he got to the charity for his first day and for his first encounter with Teresa, he didn’t know what to expect. Half of him was nervous and the other half excited.
“Vance?” A stunning woman came out to greet him. He instantly knew it was Teresa, but she was far more beautiful than the pictures revealed, and for a moment he was taken aback.
“Yes, hi. I’m Vance Tate, and it’s my first day here,” he said. “Nice to meet you...”
“Teresa. Teresa Love,” she replied with a smile and signaled for Vance to follow here. He did so, sheepishly. “I will be showing you around today.”
I can’t believe my luck! he thought.
“Thanks, Teresa. That would be great.” He smiled again, trying to be as charming as possible. “I’ll try to do my best.”
“I’m pretty sure you will. It’s hard to mess up!” she replied with a smile.
After introducing him to everyone, she showed him around and taught him how everything worked behind the bar, which was his first position. They started serving the food together when the kitchen opened, and he did his best to impress her. He was charming to the old ladies, clever and funny to the old men, and caring towards the children. He basically tried to show her the opposite characteristics of his fellow gang members. If she had run away, a biker would not impress her very much.
It was a fun day, and she was much more intelligent, clever, and interesting than he had imagined. They cleaned things up after the service and closed the Silver Spoons for Charity until the afternoon shift. Everyone else – Maggie, Ashley, Raphael, Jacob, Peter, and Miranda, who had arrived later – had already left, and Teresa was tasked with closing up. Vance stayed with her as part of his duties.
“Well, see you tomorrow, Vance. Thanks for all the help today – you’re a fast learner!” said Teresa, grabbing her purse to leave. Vance seized the chance.
“Thanks. Hey, Teresa, would you like to grab a cup of coffee with me sometime?” he asked when they were out on the streets, giving her an unsure smile. He knew she would say yes. Women loved a kind, innocent gentleman, and they always said yes.
Teresa paused, looking at him with apologetic and wary eyes. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I don’t date co-workers.”
Her reply left him puzzled and slightly offended. No one had ever refused a date with him.
“I really hope that is okay. I’ll see you later!” She waved goodbye before turning the corner.
Vance stood there, watching her go. He felt numb. She was the first woman ever to refuse him. He was sure that after a day with him, Teresa would have said yes. He felt stupid and humiliated. Rejection was not something he was used to and he would not –could not – take no for an answer. He had come there to win her over on his boss’ orders, but now it was personal. He had been on his best behavior, and he couldn’t understand how she could resist him.
Vance was sure he could conquer her as he had done so many times before with other women, but he had misjudged her. She was, by far, the strongest and most independent woman he had ever met. Of course, she would not swoon over him in a day, but she would dream of being with him eventually.
His mission had suddenly become a lot more complicated, but more fun and exhilarating. It had become a challenge: to make her fall for him. And he never ever refused a challenge.
Vance left the place with a satisfied smile on his face. He would have to do his best, but Teresa love would fall for him eventually. It was just a matter of time.
Chapter Three
Teresa
“Hey, Teresa, would you like to grab a cup of coffee with me sometime?” Vance asked her at the end of their first shift together, and she did not even think twice about her response, but she paused from surprise. She hadn’t expected him to be so forward.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. I don’t date co-workers,” she told him. And it was true: she did not date co-workers or anyone else for that matter. “I really hope that is okay. I’ll see you later!” She waved at him and turned around without looking back.
Teresa left the charity and headed back home, thinking about Vance. She didn’t have to think twice about rejecting him, but that was just because she had given up on dating since she left the club. She was fed up with men – although it was true that Vance was nothing like the motorcycle type she used to date.
He had proven to be resourceful, helpful, intelligent, and very kind, which she liked. But she would rather have him as a friend and a co-worker than a significant other. She simply did not trust men, given her record, and preferred to remain single.
After dropping a few things off at home, Teresa headed to her favorite coffe
e shop, where she was meeting some friends before work. She couldn’t not tell them about Vance – it was too good not to share.
“So, you rejected another good guy, again,” said Anna, trying to understand her best friend’s behavior. Over coffee, Teresa had told her, Jane, Karin, and Eva about Vance and the fact that he asked her out on the first day. “And he had just asked you for coffee!” Anna was still puzzled. Not that the rest of the group understood her either.
“I do not date. Period,” Teresa simply stated, regretting bringing it up. Her celibacy vow was something her friends neither understood nor shared. Well, it was not celibacy strictly speaking: she did not rule out the possibility of a casual affair if she felt like it. She just didn’t want to start anything that could lead to the possibility of something more intimate.
“Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?” quoted Jane, an English Literature major. “Get thee to a nunnery. Go, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farewell.”
Her whole group laughed at the over-the-top, ancient Shakespearean recitation that was meant to mock Teresa. Even she chuckled a bit. She was always fascinated by Jane’s ability to quote Shakespeare anywhere, anytime.
“I am not becoming a nun, girls. Is it that hard to accept that I just don’t want to date? I don’t want any man ruling my life again,” she explained. Her friends looked at her with affection.
“Of course it’s okay, Teresa,” said Karin, always conciliatory. “You know we’re just teasing you. Now, tell us more about Vance. Maybe you could introduce him to one of us instead – you know, your single friends who do not want to actually remain single.” She winked, and Teresa laughed quietly before describing Vance in full detail.
Soon, they drifted to other topics, and Vance was forgotten.
During the next week, Vance volunteered at the soup kitchen every day – something that was unusual for newbies. He didn’t ask her out again, which Teresa really appreciated, but she noticed that he was being extra charming around her. And, to her surprise, she found herself charmed by him instead of bothered.
“... So, by the time my brother realized it, he had been going around with one eyebrow shaved for half the day!” Vance laughed hard, telling her a story from his childhood, and Teresa laughed along with him.
“What a little devil! And you look so innocent now. If I were your brother, I would’ve killed you! How did he just let it go?”
“My mother convinced him to give it a rest after he had duct taped me to a tree in the garden. His eyebrow grew back in no time, but it took me two hours to remove all the duct tape from my body!” he complained, as if the punishment received had been way out of proportion for the prank he had pulled.
Both were laughing in the kitchen. That day, due to Vance’s impressive learning skills, they had been assigned to the kitchen. That way, Ashley and Raphael could get some fresh air serving and talking to the customers, Teresa could prepare her famous mushroom soup, and Vance could learn to manage another area of the soup kitchen.
Teresa found Vance amusing, and she loved hearing his wacky stories. Even Maggie laughed at some of them. Vance just seemed to be full of anecdotes: he had been quite a piece of work when he was young, and he was not ashamed of it. Teresa felt comfortable with him and enjoyed the idea that they could be friends.
Every day, he would arrive at the charity half an hour earlier than necessary to lend a hand to everyone and was one of the last people to leave when they closed. He would say goodbye to all of them with a smile and waited for Teresa to finish so he could walk a hundred meters with her before they parted ways. She found it refreshing to be able to talk to him like a friend without any expectations and was relieved to see that he had not tried to make a move on her again.
ON ONE OF HER DAYS off, Teresa visited her favorite bookshop. To her surprise, as she was eyeing some thriller novels, Vance appeared in the doorway. She saw him heading to the cooking section.
He had not seen her, so Teresa approached him from behind and whispered in his ear, “Hi there.”
Immediately, Vance tensed up, whipped around, and looked at her, startled. “Holy shit, Tess! You scared the hell out of me!”
Teresa laughed at his reaction. “Are you looking for recipes?” she asked, curiously peering at the book in his hands.
“Yes, I wanted to learn something new for the kitchen.” His smile warmed her up. “And you? What brings you here?” he asked curiously.
Teresa showed him the novels she had been looking at. “What do you recommend – Deadly Heat or The Andromeda Strain?” she asked.
Vance looked at her, puzzled. “I did not picture you as a thriller kind of girl, actually,” he confessed, scratching the back of his head.
Teresa laughed. “No, huh? Did you imagine me reading cheesy romances or chick lit, like Kisses on the Line?” she joked.
Vance laughed at that thought. “No, I guess not. I suppose I always imagined you’d be a historical fiction kind of girl.” He shrugged.
Teresa’s smile widened. “Well, I wouldn’t say no to a good historical fiction book, like The Last Cato. But thrillers have something that gets to me every time, and now I’m out of them. So, have you read any of these two?” she asked again.
Vance shook his head in denial. “Sorry. I am not very bookwormy,” he confessed.
Teresa shrugged and grabbed both books firmly. “Too bad. I will have to buy both of them then,” she said.
Vance chuckled at her decision, and Teresa grinned at him. They both paid for their books and said goodbye at the door. Teresa went home thinking about him.
FOR WEEKS, SHE KEPT running into him everywhere: the supermarket, the coffee shop, the bookstore, walking her neighbor’s dog a few blocks from her home. At first, she didn’t think anything of it nor minded it, but once she started paying attention, she noticed that he was virtually everywhere she looked. He had even appeared one night at her evening job during her shift!
He had appeared to be genuinely surprised to see her behind the bar, pouring drinks, and they had not talked very much. She was working, and he was with some friends. But, still, of all the bars and clubs in the area, what were the odds of him coming to her place just by chance?
Seeing him everywhere made her suspicious, and she started noticing the looks he gave her when they worked together. It was as if he was waiting for something to happen. He eyed her when he thought she didn’t notice, he always lingered in the kitchen whenever she was around, and he had become a little bit more caring than before.
And then she understood: these encounters were not by chance. He was following her, looking for excuses to be with her. He had not given up on the idea of dating her.
“So, do you want to grab some coffee with me now, or should I meet you there by chance?” Vance’s playful voice called to her just as she was leaving to go home. She turned around to face him, tired of his games. Her mood must have been reflected on her face because Vance took a step backward when he saw her.
“I see what this is, Vance, but your little games aren’t very funny. At first, I really thought we could be friends, but were you so naïve as to think I wouldn’t notice? Or did you think I was that dumb? You can’t keep following me around!” she snapped, taking an aggressive step towards him in anger. He walked backward, impressed by her menacing looks. “You even fucking walked Mrs. Vega’s dog in front of my house – which, by the way, I’m curious to know: how the hell do you know where I live?”
Vance opened his mouth to respond, but she interrupted.
“I told you this before. I don’t date my co-workers. So get that through your thick skull and stop fooling around, or I will make damn sure you understand,” she assured him.
She was finished, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for an apology. It came, rushed and flustered.
“I am so sorry,” Vance said,
embarrassed, looking down as if he felt it impossible to look at her directly. “I know you said you didn’t date co-workers, and I know it is creepy as hell what I’ve been doing, but Teresa... I just couldn’t help it.”
When he looked back at her, his face showed such sorrow that she was taken aback, slightly warmed.
“The first moment I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I know that sounds so cliché but I mean it, Tess,” he repeated the nickname he had given her and she could feel her cheeks reddening. She bit her lip, trying not to appear flustered. “And I really wanted for us to be friends, but the more I got to know you, the more I fell for you... You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. I can’t talk to anyone else the way I can talk to you; it just comes so easily,” he confessed.
His expression was sincere, and his eyes were locked on hers. She did not look away.
“I just wanted to see you more, and I knew you didn’t want to date, but next thing I know I just look like some creep that follows you around. I just wanted to know you and be around you, and I wanted you to get to know me, too. I just... I don’t know. I’m sorry, Tess.” He had been rambling but couldn’t do anything else but apologize, too embarrassed by his sudden outburst of honesty to continue.
Maybe she had been too hard on him. It was true that stalking her had not been the right move, but in reality, she was not as mad as she knew she should have been. A crazy part of her would say she was a little flattered, but the rational part of her screamed to back away from the crazy. But she had sincerely enjoyed his company and running into him every day. And she had to admit – although just to herself – that sometimes she had found herself daydreaming about Vance.