by K. L. Brady
"Chandra?"
Her greeting served as a less than pleasant surprise from a visitor he least expected to see.
She pulled off her all-weather coat to reveal what used to be his favorite mini-dress and knee-high boots. She wanted to get his attention, but someone else had beat her to it.
"Surprised to see me!" she barked. A few surviving flakes of snow sat on her shoulder, so she hadn't been in Hart for long. A quick look around his tidy, pristine office would reveal he hadn't spent the night there. He queued up potential excuses, but only one option sounded right.
"What brings you to my office this morning?"
"I told you not to come home that night, and now you act as if you forgot where you live. Last time I checked, we were still getting married."
He wanted to ask her what time she'd last checked, but he tightened his lips.
“You ordered me out of a home I own, with zero discussion. Last time I checked, that's not what couples do. Now, you want to be Chatty Chandra, and you expect me to talk?"
"Don't," she warned him, cutting the air with her hand for emphasis. "Don't you even try to turn this around on me. You know exactly why I reacted the way I did."
"Tessa and Kyle?" he asked facetiously.
"No." She found a seat on his couch and crossed her legs to reveal the shapely stems he used to find irresistible. Used to. "Just Tessa. I'm not brand new, Cody. You're distant, and I'd be a fool not to connect the dots between you and her."
"I'm not sure what you think happened at that dinner, but what you saw was a bitter clash between business rivals."
"Nice try. I was born at night, not last night. What I saw was unfinished business between two ex-lovers who still have feelings for one another. Otherwise, neither of you would be so bothered and angry."
"I'm neither bothered nor angry, except by the fact that you visited Tessa and told her I bought her company as a tax write-off. For a realtor who claims to stay in her lane, you certainly veered out of yours."
"You spoke to Tessa?"
"Of course, I did. I'm her CEO."
"Is that all you are to her?" He shifted his gaze and his throat thickened. Instead of saying what he wanted to say, the way he wanted to say it, he pawed at his scalp.
"Mmm-hmm. And I don't believe you, Cody. Not for a second. I'm willing to overlook this, whatever this is, because we love each other," she paused. "You do still love me, right?"
"Of course, I love you...I do." He left a few seconds of silence because there was an exception to his declaration—a major one.
"And I value what we have built together," she continued. "This little thing is nothing but a childhood fantasy of what used to be between you and Tessa. It'll fade away. What's left will be you and me. Then our lives will go back to normal."
She reached out to him, and he came to her, but not for the reason she wanted.
The problem in their equation was not so much in the subtraction than the addition. A new factor had created a complex equation where the simple one between Cody and Chandra no longer existed. He thought his love for Tessa had dissipated, but somehow, even in the face of his neglect, the roots had deepened and grown stronger.
He pulled away and met her gaze with his. As she leaned in to kiss him, he jerked back. The last time they kissed was the last time they kissed.
"Listen, Chandra. Please don't interrupt before I'm finished. I love you; there's no question about that. But I'm no longer in love with you. Honestly, I'm not certain I ever was...not just with you, but with anyone since Tessa."
"Excuse me?"
"The fact is I've been questioning my feelings for you ever since you started moving in. Maybe before then. I’m second-guessing everything I've done, every move I made since the day I broke up with Tessa. I never stopped loving her...and I still haven't."
"You can't mean that. What have we been doing for the past two years? Playing house?"
His heart collapsed in his chest as she frayed at the seams. He had long fantasized his and Chandra's parting would leave them both unscathed. Her tears and trembling relieved him of his illusion almost immediately, bringing to bear the heavy weight of every word he was about to say.
"Our adventure in getting engaged revealed we're not made for one another. I never set out to waste your time. I'm guilty of refusing to admit the truth to myself... at least until now. Please know, I'll reimburse your family for every penny."
"You can't be serious."
"You and Tessa are so different, opposites. She was so out of control, and you were a one-eighty. I truly believe that's what I needed, wanted, at that time. Not now."
"You still need me."
"We're right in so many ways, but not in enough ways to make a marriage. We could pretend every day, but you deserve someone who accepts you as enough, and, despite my failings, so do I."
"It's this easy for you? You can walk away as if I never existed? Because I can't...I won't."
He shook his head. "The old me wouldn't have the courage to confront you with this. The old me would've written a letter or sent a card. I'm trying to stand here and face the pain I've caused. This is one of the most difficult conversations I've ever had, especially with someone I care about. I didn't go looking for this."
"I beg to differ. Not only did you go looking for it, but you also bought it. You bought Keep It Real, and you got Tessa in the bargain. Congratulations."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tessa
* * *
A frosty drop from the wintery mix falling outside Tessa's front door plopped on the end of her nose as she headed to work. After her revelatory night with Cody, she lifted her chin into the snow and allowed it to blanket her face.
Everything appeared differently today.
Snowflakes didn’t fall; they danced. The chill in the winds lost its bite. She flashed cheesy grins in the faces of every passing stranger, and she found certainty in every doubt. For her, the universe seemed to take an advantageous shift in her favor.
For the first time in a long time, her life's journey no longer felt like an uphill slog. She might be a greyhound on the track, but the rabbit was in reach. Now, she floated on air, on the sweet memories of the night before.
Rather than despise one another, they desired each other. He bought Keep It Real not to sink Tessa but to save her. He put his money, reputation, and sanity on the line to spare her the heartbreak of losing her life's work.
Cody predicted she'd face consequences over Real Talk. He could've offered I-told-you-sos, self-righteous finger-pointing; instead, he gave her what she needed most—his ears, his presence, his shoulders, his arms, his compassion. What he offered meant so much more than the feel of a bare body against hers. He helped her to feel safe and protected.
Whatever bliss they'd enjoyed in the comfort of her bed, the reality was never far from her mind. She gobbled down the hot breakfast he served with an extra side of guilt.
One night, however beautiful it may have been, did not change his commitment to Chandra. Tessa reminded herself of the inconvenient fact before they parted.
"I can't find the words to thank you for being here for me when I needed it most. But this is where, whatever this is, has to end. It must."
Tessa waited for him to agree, take a graceful bow for his good deeds, and make a speedy exit.
She never anticipated him grabbing her hands, gazing into her eyes with a wounded expression, and asking her, "Are you saying this because you don't want to be with me? Or because you want to be with Kyle?"
She tilted her head in disbelief. Me and Kyle. "Really? After everything that happened between us? This isn't about me, and it's certainly not about Kyle. It's about you and Chandra."
His eyes pleaded for her understanding before his lips spoke aloud the symphony to her ears. "Maybe nothing sexual happened between us last night, but make no mistake about it—too much has happened. I'm going to make this right—today. I promise."
Tessa couldn't restrain
her smile, and her pettiness went into overdrive when she considered ways for him to break it off with the woman who tried to convince her that Cody bought her company as a tax write-off.
A small part of her hoped he'd just send the heifer a card—the small part.
She'd leave the heartbreak to Cody and focus on her own drama—laying to rest the bitter witch in her greeting card business.
Tessa entered her office with a deep breath and prayer. She wore a reddish silk scarf to signal the change she'd prepared to effect.
She dropped her briefcase and coat in her office and wrung her hands while mentally practicing her speech. Her trek through the creative studio ended in the conference room, where her team awaited her arrival.
She entered to anxious faces. She watched their bodies pucker—and it tickled her.
"Good morning, everyone," she announced. "Relax, okay? You're not laid off or fired. Neither am I."
The group released a collective sigh and breathed, making her chuckle. "Today's meeting isn't about you. It's about me."
Eyebrows on half the people in the room scrunched, betraying their confusion; the other half of the room snapped straight in their seats.
"This isn't easy for me to admit, and you may never hear this again...but I'm wrong."
With a less-than-subtle touch of sarcasm, Mia clutched her heart and dropped her jaw, to which Tessa responded with an eye roll and pursed lips. "Really?"
A round of laughter lightened the heaviness that threatened to suffocate the room.
"Anyway, let's get serious for a minute," she said, which ceased the chatter. "I'm guilty of a few sins; disingenuousness and selfishness are the least of them. I've invested so much of my money and myself to build this team that we can call family. But I've failed in the one thing we owe our family—honesty.
"The news about Hart acquiring Keep It Real left me devastated and scared. Not just for myself but because whatever happened to me would flow down to you. Years ago, Cody and I shared a relationship that ended badly. He left me in a dark place, and there I created Keep It Real. I was scared of what he might do to the company. I feared you guys would quit, so I made mistakes, bad decisions. I approved Real Talk out of fear."
A few eyes bulged and murmurs filled the stunned silence.
"The fact is—I never meant to launch the line. I was trying to buy myself some time—to keep you from quitting while conspiring to get my company back. While I expected some blowback, I'd planned to keep it brief, even if I drained my account to guarantee it. I gave zero thought to the messaging we were putting out into the world.
"Last night, I learned that a Real Talk card pushed a recipient off the edge of a breakdown and into a deep depression that made her quit her job...and give up hope for her future."
A collective gasp echoed around the room.
By now, tears streamed down Tessa's face. "I was gutted by the news. Though some may try to convince me I'm not at fault, you'd be wrong."
Everyone shook their heads no, but her heart said yes.
"As the gatekeeper for Real Talk, I am wholly responsible, and for one simple reason: words matter. My words matter. They matter in my texts. They matter in my Facebook posts and tweets. Above all, they matter in the cards we manufacture. I own my part in what happened."
Her audience was captured by the passion in her message.
"Yes, we have the right to say whatever we want, but we must accept the consequences when someone listens. To expect freedom without consequences is not only irresponsible; it's the height of cowardice."
Mia handed her a Kleenex, which she stretched across her fingers and dabbed against her eyes. "I hope someday you can forgive me," she continued. "With that said, my next announcement should come as no surprise. All new production on the Real Talk line ends today. It's nearly sold out, and we're going in a new direction."
She walked to the whiteboard and first scribbled "kinder and gentler" amid a flurry of murmurs and whispers. When she finished, the board read, "Connect. With Hart!"
"This is our new direction. Maybe for the first time, I'm spearheading an effort that will use your brilliance for the greater good. 'Connect. With Hart' will contain smart, uplifting messages to complement our original Keep It Real cards, which are here to stay."
A sea of smiles greeted her, welcomed her enthusiasm and ideas.
"This new line includes a specially abled collection under production by a junior creative team that I'm mentoring at Hart headquarters. And this brings me to my next announcement—we'll be moving to our new offices inside of a month."
The team exchanged a new round of awkward glances.
"I now realize fighting this acquisition means battling against the best interest of the company. That stops now. Hart has a beautiful facility set up very similarly to what we have here. Not only will this move save operating expenses and overhead for Sweet Media, but it will give us the financial room to strengthen the company as we expand our market share."
That was the message that broke the silence. Now murmurs and muffled grumbles bubbled across the room.
"And, if you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, I promise you I will lead with strength and heart, no pun intended. We're going to the next level...together. On the leading edge, where success lives."
An awkward silence and dead-eye stares swelled to a few slow claps and a standing ovation. In her gratefulness and relief, she pressed her hand against her heart and bowed her head as if offering prayer and thanks.
After the meeting broke and the team dissipated, she met Mia outside the conference room door.
"One terrific speech. I'm proud of you," Mia turned her voice down to a whisper. "So, I want the truth. What got into you last night? Or should I say whom?"
Tessa smirked. "I refuse to dignify your question with an answer...at least, not right this minute. I was so busy letting the words pour out of me that I didn't even tell Cody we were moving. I should probably do that."
"Let's meet for coffee...unless your plans change. One never knows what will happen during a visit to Hart Enterprises," Mia replied with a sideways glance.
"Don't give me that look," Tessa snapped playfully. For the first time since the meeting began, her mouth stretched into a wide smile. She almost bubbled out of her skin.
Not an hour later, Tessa arrived at Cody's suite. With his secretary away from her desk, she walked into the reception area unnoticed. From outside his office door, she heard Chandra and Cody embroiled in a heated discussion.
That's when the heartbreaking words passed Cody's lips.
Keep It Real Cards
Licensed to Drive!
Congratulations on Getting Your Driver’s Permit.
Now You’re Ready to Explore on Your Own!
* * *
Let's Keep It Real—I’ve seen your driving, and, well…you better call GEICO.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Tessa
* * *
She stood outside Cody's office door and concealed her presence. As he faced Chandra head-on, Tessa could almost feel the chill between them.
"I'm not sure what you think happened at dinner, but what you saw was a bitter clash between business rivals," Cody said.
"I'm neither bothered nor angry, except by the fact that you visited Tessa and told her I bought her company as a tax write-off. For a realtor who claims to stay in her lane, you certainly veered out of yours."
Tessa started to walk away thinking that Cody only said what he needed to speak at the moment to diffuse the volatile situation. But she stopped when she realized that his attempt clearly wasn't working.
"Of course, I love you...I do," she heard Cody say.
She waited in vain for the "but." It never came. All sound dissipated except the crush of her breaking heart. She blamed herself for believing in him again, for trusting in him, and now this.
She should've walked away; she should've run, but her feet mounted to the floor. They'd paralyzed her. She couldn
't move. Her mind swirled in deafening confusion until the words that flung the final dagger broke through.
"And I value what we have built together," Chandra continued. "Whatever this thing is between you and Tessa, it'll fade away. What's left will be you and me. Then our lives will go back to normal."
She'd heard enough, but she hadn't seen enough until one last glance revealed Chandra's leaning in to kiss the lips she thought belonged to her once again. Enough was enough.
The speed at which she deflated from her high wilted her. He'd wrecked her, dragged her from beguiled to betrayed in less than a blink.
At first, she took tepid steps out the door, then she took off running to somewhere, anywhere, as far as she could get from Cody.
Her eyes rained and vision blurred as she trucked down the hall, unable to escape the memory of their voices. She ran out of steam deep in the Hart executive suites. As a child, her father warned her that evil lurked there. As an adult, she came to learn that's where the true bitter witches skulked. She turned to retrace her steps, and a familiar shrill sent a chill through her that ached down to her toenails and cut like a razor into her skin.
"Tessa!" the cold, vicious voice called out. "Tessa Sweet!"
One of the Devilment Twins, otherwise known as Cody's sisters Regina and Renee. They emerged from their office doorways. Cody had strategically located their suites on opposite sides of Hart headquarters, a physical reflection of the divide in their relationship. They came from the same family playing for opposing sides.
The twins were cloaked in thousand-dollar suits and bared their teeth, so they looked more like rabid dogs than smiling women, just as she'd always remembered them.
Five minutes younger, Regina had cut her formerly back-length hair to the shoulder and wore a small diamond in her nose. Renee was slightly less lethal with longer hair.
