by Karen Pokras
Leaning back into the seat, Nicholas put his fingers up to his lips to shush her. Tessa sighed as she waited for her husband to report something back to her.
A gum-chewing waitress, who didn’t seem to understand they were on a covert spy mission, broke the silence. “What can I get you?” she asked, snapping her gum as she talked.
“Two coffees please,” Nicholas responded.
“Decaf,” Tessa instructed.
“And I’ll have two eggs over easy. Do you want anything to eat, sweetheart?”
“No, thank you.”
The waitress wrote everything down, snapped her gum a final time, and stepped over to Sophie and Scott’s booth to take their order.
“So?” Tessa asked, getting impatient.
“It’s just been small talk so far. Scott’s been asking about school, activities, friends—things like that.” He leaned his head back and listened again. “He just ordered her a chocolate milkshake with extra whipped cream.”
“He’s trying to win her over with sweets?” she asked.
“Can’t really blame him there,” Nicholas replied. “It’s not like he has any redeeming qualities. Anyway, don’t look so worried. Think of this as a good thing. Scott’s going to leave town again, Sophie will stop asking so many questions, and everything will go back to normal. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right,” Tessa said as the waitress walked away. “I really hope you’re right.”
Chapter 20 - Ava
“Has Sophie said anything?” Ava asked.
The three sisters stood around Holly’s bed and stared at the pile of clothes. They were supposed to be helping her pack for her romantic weekend away with Ben, but so far all they’d managed to do was empty the entire contents of her closet and dresser onto her bed.
“Not really,” Tessa responded, holding up an olive green shirt. She crinkled her nose and returned it to the closet. “She does want to see Scott again, though.”
“Are you okay with that?” Holly asked.
“Do I have a choice? At this point, if I say no, I look like the jerk. Besides, I know Sophie still has a lot of questions she was too shy and nervous to ask at their first meeting.”
“Like why he was an asshole and coward?” Holly rolled her eyes and pulled a pink sweater from the bottom of the pile. Nodding, she folded it and placed it neatly in her suitcase.
“I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t word it that way, but something like that, yes,” Tessa said. “He’s the one who opened this can of worms. If she wants to go there, I’m not going to stop her. I’m sure she can’t help but wonder why he stayed away for seven years. I know that’s what I’d want to know.”
“Do you?” Ava asked. Life was so much easier when she had her sisters’ problems to focus on.
“Do I what?” Tessa asked.
“Do you want to know why he stayed away for seven years?”
“Me personally? I’ve asked myself that question a million times since he left, but honestly, after seeing him at the diner, I no longer care. Of course, Sophie certainly deserves an explanation. If you ask me, the better question is why did he decide to come back? I don’t like it one bit.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Ava asked. She knew her youngest sister so well. Tessa didn’t sit back and let circumstances just happen. She needed to stay one step ahead. Especially where her daughter was concerned.
“I don’t know,” she replied, “but he’s not going to hurt Sophie again. Not on my watch. He needs to know this mama bear is not about to let her cub out into the wild with the big bad wolf.”
“I think you’re confusing your nursery rhymes,” Ava told her.
“Oh, you know what I mean,” Tessa said, waving her arms. “Anyway, enough about me, what’s going on with you? Holly mentioned you ran into an old flame or something? Does Max know?”
Tessa’s comment took Ava by surprise. Gregory Douglas was hardly an old flame. In fact, up until two weeks ago, she’d never thought of him in any way other than a client. Actually, up until recently, she hadn’t thought about him in years. Not that she was thinking of him differently now. He was just someone she happened to run into, who happened to be attractive. There wasn’t anything more to it. She was grateful he’d been there for Ryan at the museum and even more grateful Max had dropped the whole losing Ryan issue after her explanation.
“Earth to Ava,” Tessa called, giving her a little nudge back to their conversation. “Care to let the rest of us into your little daydream?
“No … I mean, there’s nothing to tell.” Glaring at Holly, she continued, “And I didn’t run into an old flame. I ran into an old client.”
“A hot client,” Holly added with a flirty wink.
“He was somewhat good-looking,” Ava corrected, “but so what. I’m married. Happily married. Tessa, don’t you work with good-looking actors all day long?”
Her youngest sister shrugged and nodded.
“Well, it’s the same thing. No big deal,” she said, in a voice she hoped sounded somewhat convincing. She wasn’t in the mood to have a conversation about feelings she may or may not be having about a virtual stranger. Her sisters always blew everything out of proportion. She never should have said anything to Holly. “Anyway, looks aside, he’s an amazing artist, and he’s opening his exhibit here in Forest Hills soon. I’m hoping Max and I will be able to go. I didn’t realize how much I missed the art world until I took Ryan to the museum a few weeks ago.” Sighing, she looked down, pretending to sort through clothes before her sisters noticed her sad expression. She never was very good at hiding her feelings.
“It was always your passion,” Holly reminded her.
“My family is my passion now, and with Max’s schedule … well, there’s no way I could go back to that world. It would be too difficult to juggle. No, I really do love my life. It’s just … being in the museum made me realize … well, maybe I can make time for both.” Smiling, this sudden revelation that she could make time for art made her feel much better about the situation. “Starting with my friend’s exhibit.”
“Oh, so he went from client to friend now?” Tessa teased.
Shaking her head, Ava picked up a pile of clothes and threw them at her youngest sister, who promptly threw a second pile back.
“Hey!” Holly yelled. “I just folded those.” Seeing that neither sister was paying attention as they continued to giggle and throw clothes, she added, “Oh what the hell,” and grabbed a bunch of clothes so she could join in the fun.
Chapter 21 - Tessa
Tessa’s phone buzzed just as her new leading lady, Dawn Thewer, finished rehearsing her lines to the final scene of the first act. Her performance was once again flawless. She wished all of her actors were this easy to direct. In fact, she could hardly call it directing. Dawn had pretty much nailed it on her first run.
“Take five,” Tessa yelled across the stage, as she walked to her tiny office. She clicked on the message to read the incoming email. It was from Scott and no doubt contained details about the where and when he wanted to meet Sophie next.
Tessa,
Please call me. I’m afraid I’ve run into a bit of a snag.
Scott
Sighing, she put her phone down on her desk. On the one hand, a snag could mean he wasn’t coming again—which was fine by her—but on the other, she had Sophie to think about. Her daughter was bouncing off the walls excited for another visit. It was all she’d been talking about. Just great. A snag would not bode well. Picking her phone back up, she dialed the number he listed.
“It’s me, Tessa,” she said, upon hearing his greeting.
“Thanks for calling me.”
She waited for him to explain his cryptic message, but instead, only an uncomfortable silence hung over the line.
“So you wanted me to call you?” she finally asked. Apparently she was going to have to take the lead in this conversation.
“It was great to see you last weekend,” he respo
nded. “I forgot how beautiful you were.”
Was he serious? So his email was just some kind of ploy to get her to call so he could flirt with her?
“Scott, I’m really not in the mood—”
“No, what I meant was Sophie is beautiful, and it’s clear she gets her looks from you. Sorry, I’m just nervous. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since the weekend. We didn’t get a chance to talk, you and me that is, but I wanted to thank you for letting me meet her … and also for everything you’ve done for her.”
“You mean you wanted to thank me for being a loving and responsible parent to my daughter?” Tessa asked.
Once again, silence from the other end of the phone filled the air.
“Yes,” a barely audible voice replied.
A snicker escaped her lips. Not that she tried to keep it at bay. Why should she? It was bad enough Scott ran out on her when she was pregnant with Sophie just weeks before they were to walk down the aisle, but to never even call or check up on them after Sophie was born? To just disappear as if they never existed? Wasn’t he even the tiniest bit curious about his own child? His own flesh and blood?
“I don’t know what to say,” he added, with the same muffled tone.
“Well, you better think of something,” Tessa said, “because Sophie’s got plenty of questions, and now that the two of you have gotten the small talk out of the way, you can expect she’ll be looking for some answers when she sees you next. When will that be, by the way?”
“Well, about that,” Scott said.
Finally … they were getting to the reason behind the email. “Ah yes, the snag you mentioned. So … what’s the deal?”
“Well, the thing is,” he started, sounding a bit more like his old self, “I was hoping to come in a few weeks, but I’m not sure that’s going to work now.”
Tessa closed her eyes and shook her head. No. He was not going to desert and disappoint her daughter again. He was coming to visit her even if it meant finding him and dragging him to Forest Hills herself.
“Let me explain something to you, Scott,” she began, willing herself to keep her cool, “there is a seven-year-old little girl waiting to see you. You’ve already abandoned her once. You’re not going to do it a second time.”
“I know that, but—”
“I’m not finished,” Tessa continued. “Almost eight years ago now, you walked out on me knowing this little person that you fathered was about to enter the world. You didn’t call, you didn’t visit … hell, I’m not even sure if you knew if you had a son or daughter to be honest. And yet, for reasons that I still haven’t figured out, last week you felt compelled to come meet her. So now, I’ve got a daughter who thinks she’s got a father who now wants to be a father. Someone who can keep his promises this time. This is a child we’re talking about … your child. It’s all or nothing, Scott. So what’s it going to be? Because if you walk out of her life again, don’t expect to be welcomed back by either one of us.”
“I know that,” he said. “All of it. And I want nothing more than to be a father to Sophie. That’s why I emailed you initially. What I’m trying to explain is that since last weekend, I lost my job. The company I work for got mixed up in some bad investments and had to make some deep cuts across the board. I was one of the casualties. It was completely unexpected. Anyway, until I figure out my job situation, I can’t spend the money to come out there again, at least not right away. “
“When?” Tessa asked. If it was anyone else she’d feel bad for them, but not Scott. She honestly felt no remorse. He was a college graduate. Surely he could find a decent job. Plus, didn’t he have any savings from the job he’d had? He couldn’t have had much in expenses. He certainly didn’t have payments of child support to Sophie as an expense. Just what had he been doing career-wise with his life all these years?
“I don’t know when,” he replied. “Like I said, I need to get settled with a new job first. It could take a while. Tell Sophie I’m really sorry.”
“No!” Tessa said sharply, without a second thought. Her daughter would not be disappointed again. She’d get at least one more meeting. Sophie deserved a chance to have her questions answered. “I’ll arrange for a wire with enough to cover your travel expenses. I expect you here Saturday at 11:00. Same location. Don’t be late.”
Chapter 22 - Holly
“Three bags?” Ben asked, looking at the arsenal of luggage lined up at the front door. “You do realize we’re only going away for two nights.”
“Which is three days,” Holly added. “It’s a bag a day. So what? You know how unpredictable the weather can be in the mountains.”
“For the record, we’re going to be alone all three days. If it were up to me, you’d be naked the entire time and wouldn’t need any clothing at all.”
“Well lucky for me, it’s not up to you. But don’t you fret, my love, your needs will be well taken care of.” Holly nipped Ben’s ear and rubbed her hand just along his inner thigh. It was a subtle move, yet guaranteed to drive him wild.
His sharp intake of air let her know just how effective it truly was. “Let me guess,” he said, letting out the breath to presumably calm himself. With a second deep breath and a slight grunt, he lifted the first suitcase with two hands. “Your sisters helped you pack. Is there anything left in your closet?”
“Just that olive green shirt you don’t really like,” she said, smiling wide. “I’ll bet you’re wishing we got that luggage set I originally wanted. Remember? The one with the wheels?”
“Nope, I’m fine.” He began struggling to get the bag out the door.
“Do you want a hand?”
“No, no,” he replied with a grimace and gritted teeth. “I’ve got this.”
“You sure do, and may I say thank you for giving me a fabulous view of your rippling muscles under that shirt you’re wearing.” Holly followed Ben outside and playfully patted his behind before giving his arm a squeeze. “You will be duly rewarded later for your hard work.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to move later.” Lifting the bag with one final heave to get it into the trunk of his car, he groaned. “What’s in here, bricks?”
“Only a few,” she teased, walking into the house to get the second bag. Dragging it behind her, she brought it up close to the car as Ben continued to fiddle with the first suitcase. Might as well help the poor guy. After all, a resulting back injury would certainly put a damper on their romantic getaway. “I can get the last one.” She smiled a playful grin. “Why don’t you lift this into the trunk using only your pinky and give the neighbors a show of your true manhood.”
“I’ve got a better idea,” he said.
Before she could blink or even realize what had happened, he picked Holly up and laid her back on the hood of the car, passionately kissing her with her hands pinned over her head. Her shallow breaths slowly returned to normal as he pulled away slightly.
“Touché,” she whispered. “How long until we get to the cabin?”
“Three hours. Two and a half if I speed.”
“Okay,” she replied, her voice still breathy. “Speed it is. I’ll get the last bag, you start the engine.”
“I think I already have,” Ben laughed.
“I was referring to the car,” she said, shaking her head as she walked into the house once more. Thankfully, the third bag was the lightest of the bunch, which meant it was the most important of the three. It held her extensive collection of sexy lingerie. She locked up the house, put the bag in the trunk, and slid into the passenger seat, where Ben was ready and waiting to hit the road. “Hey,” she asked, as he pulled out of the driveway, “where’s your luggage? Aren’t you taking anything?”
Motioning to the backseat, he pointed behind him to a small duffel bag. “This, my love, is how you pack for two nights.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Rolling her eyes, Holly settled in for the long drive.
Music and conversation helped pass the time as they drove out
of town making their way toward the expressway. A glimpse of her reflection in her window made her smile. She looked content, but not in a bored, stuck in a rut sort of way. It was the look one had when they’d reached a place of pure happiness and relaxation. Looking over to her husband as he drove up the highway ramp, she realized he had the same expression she did. Life was good.
“Ben?”
“Yeah, babe?” he asked, as he looked behind him to check oncoming traffic in order to merge on to the busy road.
“I know we said we weren’t going to talk about babies and stuff,” she replied, “but I’ve been thinking about what you said, about Nicholas helping us financially if we wanted to try another round of IVF.”
Ben quickly glanced at Holly with a surprised look on his face before bringing his attention back to the road. “It’s okay, babe. I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. Going through … well, we’ve just been through something traumatic, and we still need time to heal. That’s why I think this weekend away is going to be so great for us. You don’t think I’m upset about it, do you?”
“No, at least, I don’t think so, but that’s not why I brought it up,” she explained.
“Okay … I’m not sure I understand.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I changed my mind. After we get back home from this trip, let’s give him a call. I want to give it another try.”
“Holly,” Ben darted his eyes quickly at her, “are you sure? I don’t want you to do this for me. You have to make certain this is what you want. Is this what you want?”
“Yes. That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” she said, laughing. “This is what I want. For me and for you. For us.”
“Oh, babe.” Ben reached over to take her hand with his right while keeping his left firmly on the wheel. He looked over at her for just a second and said, “You have no idea how happy this makes me. Thank you.”
The last thing Holly remembered were the taillights of the tractor-trailer that had stopped short in front of them and the grinding sound of metal on metal as their car smashed up against it.
