Change of Heart (The True Heart Series Book 3)

by Layce Gardner

  Finally one night Susan’s inability to commit had almost ruined them. Susan had walked out of Tess’s home. She was sitting in her car when she had realized that if she drove away it was over. She’d gotten out of the car and gone back to find Tess waiting in the doorway for her. Her heart had swelled knowing that someone loved her so intensely. And Susan had felt healed—until Carrie walked back into her life.

  Susan closed the patient’s folder. She pulled her phone out of her white lab coat and checked for messages. Usually, Tess sent her an “I love you” message. She hadn’t today. Susan pondered her next move. She should take Tess out to dinner and get her some flowers—show her how much she loved and appreciated her. Today was her early day. She’d pick up the flowers and maybe some candles—Tess loved candles. They made the house smell nice and gave it the quiet ambience that Susan had come to cherish.

  When she was with Carrie, they’d lived in Susan’s house. It was a sterile place, all muted colors, and Swedish furniture that looked good, but didn’t make it a warm, cozy place, not like Tess’s. Carrie’s presence hadn’t done much to improve its coldness. Apparently, they both lacked the nesting gene. They inhabited the house, but they didn’t appear to live there.

  Carrie had gotten rid of most of her stuff before moving in with Susan. She had only clothes, electronics, and some CDs. Carrie had once told her that she’d decided never to have more stuff than her little Honda Civic could hold. Susan hadn’t realized at the time what that meant—easy escape if things didn’t work out. She should’ve known. Had there been signs of Carrie’s exit plans and Susan hadn’t seen them?

  Her cell phone rang. She didn’t look at the screen before answering. “Hey, sweetie, I was hoping you’d call.”

  “Really? I love you, too,” Steph said with a laugh.

  “I thought you were Tess,” Susan said. She blushed and was glad Steph couldn’t see her.

  “Awww. You just tore my heart out,” Steph teased.

  Susan could imagine Steph with her hand on her heart in mock dismay. “Right,” Susan said.

  “I was calling to see if you and Tess would join us at that new restaurant, The Branch. Luke gave it a complimentary review in the paper.”

  “Luke gives every restaurant in town a complimentary review,” Susan said. “He doesn’t want to get banned from any of them.”

  “Reviews are subjective. Besides, I’ve heard good things from other people and I want to check it out. Come on, you’ve both been working hard. Treat yourselves,” Steph said.

  Steph was a foodie and an amazing cook herself. What would it hurt to appease her? Besides, they hadn’t gotten together in a while. She could have a talk with Tess after dinner. Steph was right, they did need a break. She’d still get Tess the flowers and candles.

  “I could use a night out,” Susan said.

  “Great! I’ll make reservations for seven o’clock,” Steph said.

  ***

  Tess was pleasantly surprised to pull up in the driveway and find Susan’s car already there. She went inside the house to find Susan smiling and holding a bouquet of roses. “What’s all this?” Tess asked.

  “I just wanted to tell the love of my life how much she means to me,” Susan said. She pulled Tess into a warm embrace and nuzzled her neck.

  “And who might that be?” Tess teased. She swatted the image of Carrie from her mind.

  “You know who. I made plans to go out to dinner at The Branch, the new restaurant that just opened up downtown. Steph and Rosa are meeting us there.”

  Tess smiled. This was progress. They could wine and dine and forget about ex-girlfriends. The flowers had to mean Susan was thinking of her. Then an ugly thought reared its head. Unless…Susan was diverting her attention. Maybe Susan felt guilty for something and was trying to make it up to her.

  “We haven’t seen them for ages and Steph is excited. You know how she is about food.”

  “A regular foodie,” Tess said. “I’ll get a vase for the flowers.” She headed for the kitchen.

  Susan followed her. “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to go? I can still cancel.”

  “No, it sounds fun. I’m just tired, but a shower and a good glass of wine should pep me right up.”

  “Great,” Susan said, a little too brightly.

  Tess put the flowers in a vase and added water. “Thank you. These are beautiful.”

  Susan said, “You’re welcome.”

  “I’ll go shower,” Tess said. “The flowers really are lovely, thank you.” She bent down and inhaled their sweet scent.

  Susan walked up to Tess and gently kissed her lips. “I love you.”

  Tess nodded. She did know Susan loved her. Or, at least, she hoped she did.

  Once in the shower, Tess lathered her whole body and tried not to wonder about Susan’s fidelity. Oh, she knew she hadn’t slept with Carrie. But what she didn’t know was if she wanted to sleep with Carrie. Oh, why did her mind do this to her? She should be grateful. And happy. After all, she had come home to flowers and a beautiful woman.

  The shower door opened and Susan, completely naked, stepped in. “I thought I could help you with those hard-to-reach places.”

  Tess chuckled. “How’d you know what I was thinking?” She handed Susan her sudsy loofah and turned her back to her.

  Susan ran the loofah over her back. Gentle, swirling, soft circles. Tess’s body immediately reacted. She raised her face to the spray of warm water and relaxed into Susan’s caresses.

  Susan dropped the loofah and used her hands. She ran those strong hands over Tess’s neck, shoulders, back, and then lower, cupping and stroking her butt. Tess arched her back, pressing into Susan. Susan’s fingers slipped between her thighs.

  Tess moaned. Her body craved this release, even if her mind balked. She pressed harder into Susan’s hand, guiding her fingers deep inside.

  She could feel Susan’s breasts on her back and her fingers working their magic within her. She wanted Susan desperately. She wanted Susan to make her forget about Carrie. Animal instinct took over. Tess placed her palms on the tiled wall and leaned over, offering herself fully to Susan.

  “Take me,” she said. “I want you so bad. Take me.”

  And Susan obeyed. She held on to Tess’s hip with one hand and slipped in and out of Tess’s throbbing center with the fingers of the other.

  Pleasure rippled through Tess. Pleasure that erased all thoughts. And for a splendid five minutes, Tess groaned and bucked, meeting Susan’s thrusts with thrusts of her own. She gave herself over, completely, to the intense pleasure.

  She wanted Susan. She wanted her deep inside her. She wanted to devour every inch of her. And when she came, she felt like she could burst.

  After a moment, Susan began to pull her hand away, but Tess stopped her. “Don’t,” she said. “Don’t stop.”

  Susan’s fingers stayed deep inside her. She moved them in small circles, eliciting more moans from Tess. “Yes,” she panted. “Just like that.”

  This time, Tess touched herself. She touched herself, flicking her fingers lightly over that sweet spot. The pressure began to build again.

  This time she came quickly. With an intense pleasure that bordered on pain.

  With trembling legs, Tess turned around. She kissed Susan with hungry, eager lips before sliding to her knees.

  “What’re you…?” Susan asked.

  “Ssshhh,” Tess scolded. She leaned forward, spread Susan’s lips, and took one long, luxurious lick.

  “Oh…” Susan moaned.

  “I’m going to take my time,” Tess said, teasingly. “And you’re not going to come until I tell you to.”

  Susan only groaned in response.

  Tess moved her tongue slowly. Licking until she felt Susan tighten. “Not yet,” she said. “I’m not finished with you.”

  “Please…” Susan begged.

  Tess slipped two fingers into Susan’s warmth. She slowly, methodically, moved her fingers in and out, while her to
ngue pressed harder. And when she felt Susan reach that place of no return, she took her fully into her mouth and gently sucked.

  Susan’s hips jerked in response. “Now,” Tess said, moving her mouth away. “Now, you can come for me.”

  She lowered her mouth once again and felt Susan rock against her.

  And by the time they had recovered, Tess felt purged of all her demons. Purged and clean.

  ***

  Tess and Susan walked through the front door of The Branch. It had ambient track lighting, hammered tin ceiling tiles and exposed brickwork. The tables had linen tablecloths; there were comfy chairs meant for prolonged dining and a maitre d’ wearing a tailored suit. Steph waved from one of the tables that were next to the window overlooking the street.

  The maitre d’ led them to the table and pulled out their chairs. “Your wait staff will be with you shortly. I’ll send the wine steward straight away. We also have mixed drinks if you’d prefer to begin with that.” He handed them the drinks menu as well as the wine list. “If you have any questions our staff is prepared to answer,” he said. He smiled and politely bowed his head as if his services had been fulfilled.

  “Thank you,” Steph said. As he walked away, she raised her eyebrows at Tess and Susan as if to say, “Fancy, am I right?”

  Both Steph and Rosa were dressed up. Steph wore a black dress shirt with a white tie and black trousers. Rosa had on a white blouse with charcoal slacks and matching short jacket.

  “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting,” Susan said. “We had a few things to do at home.” She squeezed Tess’s hand under the table.

  “Nope. We just got here,” Steph replied.

  “You all look nice,” Susan said. She and Tess had also taken pains to dress nicely. Tess had surprised Susan by pulling out her little black dress. Susan had been delighted. Susan tried to figure out something that wasn’t part of her doctor wardrobe. Tess had helped by digging around in Susan’s side of the closet. She discovered an Anne Taylor dark blue tailored suit.

  “We tried,” Steph said fiddling with her white silk tie. “Do you think the tie is too much?”

  Rosa rolled her eyes. “She’s been fretting over that tie all evening. I told her she looked great.”

  “And she does,” Tess said. “The tie makes the outfit.”

  Steph did an “Aw shucks,” dip of her head.

  “Tess, you look absolutely stunning,” Rosa said. “You’re a lucky woman, Susan.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Susan said. She gave Tess a sly look.

  “And for once you don’t look like a doctor,” Steph teased Susan.

  “Well, I had help in that department,” she said.

  “It took some doing,” Tess said. “Most of her clothes smell like antiseptic.”

  Steph looked around the restaurant and said, “What do you think of the place?” She picked up her water glass and looked at it. “I think this is real Waterford.”

  “It is,” Susan said.

  She would know, Tess thought. Sometimes, Susan’s upbringing made Tess feel insecure. Susan came from a wealthy family. They probably had Waterford crystal as everyday glassware. Susan had grown up in highbrow east coast boarding schools, went to the Hamptons on school holidays, followed by trips to Europe during the summer.

  Tess’s family had spent a lot of time just trying to get by. Family vacations for them meant going to visit relatives and playing with her cousins barefoot in the backyard while the grownups drank beer and grilled burgers. Maybe that’s how Carrie had felt? Was Carrie insecure because her background hadn’t been that much different from Tess’s? A cloud crossed Tess’s mental landscape. Was Carrie going to be forever crossing her mind?

  “You okay?” Susan asked.

  “Sure, why?” Tess said. She picked up the drinks menu.

  “Rosa asked you about the little girl, Brianna?” Susan said.

  “Sorry,” Tess said. She looked at Rosa and answered, “She’s doing okay. Her aunt in St. Louis is coming out to get her. We vetted the aunt and she seems stable. She’d tried for custody before but Brianna’s father and his girlfriend wanted to keep her because they got financial assistance.”

  “That’s a crime,” Steph said.

  “It was, considering Brianna was getting substandard care. If it hadn’t been for her second-grade teacher who noticed the bruises, the dirty clothes, and no lunch, reporting her to us, it’d still be going on. Brianna stands a good chance of overcoming the cognitive effects of childhood trauma. With stability, proper nutrition, and loving home life, she’ll flourish,” Tess said. This was the wonderful part of her job and she lived for it. Bless the few good people who were out there.

  “That’s awesome,” Steph said. “Now, let’s pork out.”

  Rosa chuckled as she opened her drinks menu.

  “What?” Steph said.

  “I don’t think the epicureans would think much about your porking out on their fancy food,” Rosa replied.

  A young woman came to their table. “I’ll be your wine steward this evening. My name is Sylvia.” She looked to be in her very early twenties. She had one side of her head shaved while the other side was long. She wore a starched long-sleeved white blouse with black trousers. The tribal tattoos on her wrists sneaked out under the cuffs of her shirt.

  “Great,” Steph said. She addressed the table, “Can I order the wine for us?”

  “By all means,” Susan said. She smiled warmly.

  That was what Tess loved about Susan—she never acted snooty. Steph was the foodie, but Susan had more experience with the finer things in life.

  “We will start off with the Lang & Reed chenin blanc,” Steph said.

  “Excellent choice,” Sylvia said. She looked very serious. “I’ll leave the wine menu for future orders.”

  “Perfect, thanks,” Steph said.

  Sylvia left. The women opened their large menus and perused. There were only a handful of dishes to choose from and there were no prices on the menu.

  Tess glanced over at Susan whose brow was furrowed. She loved watching Susan concentrate—she looked so intense even when it came to her dinner selection.

  Susan closed her menu and said, “Steph, I need guidance here. I haven’t been out to a nice restaurant in a long while,” Susan said. “Can you recommend anything?”

  Steph beamed. “I think that smoked apple-stuffed pork chop is a good choice for you. I know you’re not a fan of fish.”

  “Do me too,” Rosa said.

  Steph waggled her eyebrows, “Not here, but definitely later.”

  Rosa rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

  “I’d go with the blackened trout or the salmon covered in dill sauce. They both come with a mixed green salad which sounds super tasty especially with the raspberry vinaigrette.”

  “Salmon for me,” Tess said, closing her menu and setting it aside.

  “Then I’ll try the blackened trout,” Rosa said.

  “What are you getting, Steph?” Susan asked.

  “I’m going with the bacon-wrapped filet mignon with the stuffed portobellos,” Steph said.

  Sylvia brought the wine. She uncorked it at the table and poured a sampling into a glass. She offered the glass to Steph.

  Steph did the taste test like a pro. “Very good.”

  Sylvia poured each woman a glass. Noticing the menus set to one side, she asked, “Have you decided on your dinner?”

  “As a matter of fact, we have,” Steph said.

  “Then I’ll send your server right over.” She walked away.

  “Nice legs,” Steph said.

  Rosa said, “I can’t believe you’re talking about another woman while I’m at the table.”

  Steph’s eyes widened. “I was talking about the wine.” She held up her glass as proof.

  “Oh. Well then, you’re forgiven,” Rosa said with a laugh.

  Tess pointed out the fish pond in the middle of the dining room. There was a small waterfall in the middle
of it. “I wonder if our fish is coming out of that.”

  Tess and Susan laughed.

  “You two have no class,” Steph kidded.

  They sipped their wine. Tess watched as Susan reached for her wine glass, holding it by the stem. She had elegant hands, long fingers tapering into perfect nails, kept short. They were hands you could trust. Tess had known when she began to study each nuance of Susan’s body that she was falling deeply in love. It was Susan’s scent, the hollow of her hip, the curve of her breast, every line of Susan’s face that she fell in love with.

  “This wine is good,” Rosa said. “What do you think?” she asked Tess. “Being the plebeians that we are.”

  Tess yanked herself back from her wandering and blinked. They were staring at her. “What?”

  “Rosa asked about wine, whether you liked it,” Susan said.

  “It’s wonderful. I think I could get used to the fancy life,” Tess said.

  “Then you shall have it,” Susan said.

  Tess blushed. She wasn’t certain what Susan meant by that. Did she want a big house up on the hills overlooking the lake, with matching BMWs in the garage, and a membership to the country club? Tess didn’t want any of those things. She liked her cozy house and utilitarian Subaru. And she certainly didn’t want to hang out with the country club crowd. She preferred disc golf to regular golf.

  At that moment, their server appeared. Silence dropped over the table like a dark shroud. The server was none other than Carrie.

  Steph was the first to regain her voice. “Why are you here?” Steph asked, her tone icy. “Did you get fired at The Perk?”

  Carrie met Steph’s hard gaze head-on. “No, I’m picking up some extra money. A couple of nights a week.”

  Susan reached over and touched Steph’s arm. “Let’s not ruin our dinner.”

  “I’ll get you another server. And for the record, Steph, I’m getting the money together to start my own business,” Carrie said.