“I’m not going to beg you to stay, Tessa. You’re a grown woman. I have no question what you’re made of, but apparently you do. I want you here. I want you. Can you see that?” he asked looking into her eyes.
“I want you too, but I need to do this, Aaron. I need a new start. I need to make sure I’m at one hundred percent before I give my heart away again.”
“Are you sure you’re clear headed enough to make such an important decision right now, Tessa? You’re tired…”
“No! This isn't about being tired. I know what I need to do for myself, and if you can’t understand that then I’m sorry. I appreciate all of your help, Aaron. Now please take me back to my son, okay?” she said turning away from him. The wall went back up, and Aaron decided he was tired of trying to tear it down.
Chapter 11
It was her final day in January Cove, and Tessa’s stomach was in knots. She’d spent the last few days talking with police, avoiding phone calls from Ethan’s family and looking for a new place to live in Savannah.
She’d already secured a job at a marketing company in Savannah, just to get her by until she could get on her feet. She’d found the perfect little one bedroom apartment for her and Tyler right in downtown Savannah. But one thing she hadn’t been able to do yet was say goodbye to Aaron.
He’d spent a lot of time with Tyler while she was packing up. Several people around town heard her story and actually chipped in to buy her a used car, and that had made her cry. She sold off the awful camper to get enough money to put a deposit on her apartment, but her job would be their only source of income so she had to make it work.
Adele Parker had come to say goodbye and tell her how proud she was of the strength Tessa showed. It meant a lot to her, and she'd cried at that too. On her last day, Kyle and Jenna came by so she finally got a chance to meet them. Jenna took her aside.
“Tessa, I know we just met, but I see a lot of myself in you,” she'd said. “And I kind of understand why you're doing this. But let me tell you something I know for sure. These Parker men, they get under your skin. It's an itch you'll never be able to scratch with anyone else,” she said with a smile. “I hope you don't take too long finding yourself because that Aaron is a gem, honey. You'd be one lucky woman to land him.” Tessa gave her a hug and nodded.
“Thanks. And I know you're right. I just... have to do this. For me.”
When it was time for her to leave, it was just her and Aaron and Tyler. Like a little family, she thought, and then shook the idea from her head.
She packed her last bag into the small compact car as Aaron stood in the driveway of the cabin. Tyler ran to him and gave him a big hug.
“Bye, buddy. I’ll see you soon, I promise. Maybe we can see a movie or something in a few weeks,” Aaron said ruffling Tyler’s hair.
“I wish we didn’t have to go. I like it here.”
“I know, but sometimes adults have to do things even when they don’t make a lick of sense at all,” Aaron said looking up at Tessa, his mouth forming a sharp line.
He gave Tyler another squeeze before he got into the car and buckled up. Tessa stood there and looked at Aaron.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“Goodbye, Tessa,” he said holding his hand up and forcing a smile. “And good luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” With that, he turned and walked inside. And Tessa’s heart felt like it actually broke in two.
***
Two Months Later
“Over to the left more,” Aaron said to Gary, his favorite contractor. “Perfect.”
He’d spent the last four weeks renovating the house by the springs, and the finishing touches were going into the kitchen with new cabinets.
“Those are nice cabinets,” Gary said. “You must have paid a pretty penny for those.”
“Yeah. I ordered them directly from the cabinet maker so they would fit in with the time period of the house. I want it to look authentic.”
“When does the bed and breakfast open anyway?” Gary asked as he took a long gulp of water.
“Not for another few weeks yet. I wanted some time here alone before I start that up. Plus, I have to find someone to run the place. I’m busy at the campground a lot.”
“Then why did you decide to do this now?”
“I just needed to. The place needs energy, and it has some good memories for me.”
Aaron got lost in his thoughts for a moment as he remembered those good times with Tessa and Tyler. Tipping over in the canoe. Making s'mores by the campfire. Kissing in the swing. He'd gone over and over those memories in his mind since she left. His heart still ached for her just the same, and he dreamed of her most nights. She'd only called one, and that was to let Tyler talk to him. He missed the boy almost as much as he missed Tessa, but he was well aware that she wanted space and independence and he was going to give it to her.
As Gary went back to his work, Aaron walked out to the front yard to get something from his car. When he made it to the front porch, he was shocked to see someone standing there. Natalie.
“What in God’s name are you doing here?” he said shaking his head.
“Heard you were finally renovating this old place.”
“You heard right. But that still doesn’t explain why you’re here.” He walked past her to his car, took out his phone and shut the door.
“We need to talk. Or at least I need to talk.”
“We most certainly do not need to talk, Natalie. Jeez, it's been six months now. What could we possibly have to talk about?” He started to walk back up the stairs, but she grabbed his arm and turned him around.
“Aaron, I made a huge mistake. I was scared, and I had no idea what I had until it was gone. I want you back. I want a chance to prove that I love you, and I won’t ever cheat on you again,” she said, tears welling in her lying eyes.
“You have got to be kidding me,” he said with a laugh.
“This isn’t funny, Aaron. I’m serious. I know you were dating that trailer park woman and she left you after she killed her husband....”
He stared into her eyes, cutting a hole right through her. “Don't you ever talk that way about Tessa. She's more of a woman than you'll ever be. And she didn't murder anyone.”
“Still, you have to know that you'd be so much better off with a woman like me, Aaron. Come on, you were seriously slumming it with her.” She rolled her eyes, and Aaron did everything he could not to punch a woman.
“Natalie, get off my property. Now.” He tried to stay calm, but she was riling him up and he didn't need the extra aggravation of having her removed.
“What, do you want me to beg?” she asked, starting to kneel on the ground.
“Good Lord, get up, woman!” he said yanking her arm which sent her tumbling into his chest. She took that opportunity to lace her arms around his neck and press her lips to his. Natalie was pretty strong for such a thin frame, and he had trouble wrestling away from her grip.
Before he could say anything, a noise beside them caught his attention. He looked over and saw Tessa standing there, but she had dropped her purse on the ground. Her eyes were wide, like she’d seen a ghost, and she shook her head before grabbing her purse and running up the long gravel driveway.
“Tessa!” he yelled, wrenching free of Natalie’s grip as Natalie called to him over and over. Eventually, he could no longer hear her voice, but could only hear Tessa’s footsteps running faster and faster. She was wearing a sundress and sandals, but she sure was fast. “Wait! Tessa! Please!” he yelled.
Finally, she stopped out of sheer exhaustion and leaned against a tree. Her ragged breaths shuddered in and out as she bent over with her hands on her knees.
“I’m sorry I came,” she said.
“I’m not,” he said as he knelt on the ground in front of her.
“Who is she?”
“Natalie. My ex.”
“You took her back?” she asked with a confused look on her face.
“Of course
not. She just showed up out of the blue trying to get me to agree to come back. I was trying to say no, but she kissed me before I could stop her. I didn’t want to kiss her, Tessa. I didn’t even want to see her.”
“I have no right to tell you who to kiss anyway,” she said as she finally stood up. Aaron stood with her.
“Why are you here?” he asked softly, hoping for a good answer.
She seemed to be weighing her options as to what to say. “No, I said I was going to be honest and I am,” she said to herself. “I’m here because I fell in love with you two months ago, and I left because I thought I had something to prove. What I ended up proving was that being with a man who cares about me doesn’t make me weak. It makes me stronger.” Her eyes were filled with tears as she bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying.
“Don’t bite your lip. You know what that does to me,” he said with a sly smile. “You love me? Really?”
“Yes, really. So much it hurts,” she said.
“I love you too, Tessa Reeves. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. But I can’t have you running away from me again. I need you to trust me, and I’ll trust you. We’ve both been hurt and betrayed in different ways, but I am willing to stand in the gap for you. I will always protect you if you’ll let me. Can you promise me that you won’t ever run off like that again?”
“I promise. It was stupid. I know that now.”
They stood there staring at each other for a moment before Aaron stepped forward and placed his hands on both of her cheeks.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her softly. “Everything about you, I’ve missed. This nose,” he said as he kissed her nose, “these cheeks,” he said as he brushed her cheek with his lips. “this neck,” he said as he planted a series of kisses up her neck. She moaned at his touch and seemed to be losing her legs for a moment. He slowly pushed her back against the tree and covered her mouth with his, pulling her as close to him as possible. Just then, the sound of a car squealing down the driveway interrupted the moment.
“I hate you!” Natalie yelled out the window before throwing a rock at Aaron and driving away.
“Good to see you again, Nat!” he yelled back laughing before he returned to Tessa’s lips.
A few moments later, they each pulled back to take a breath. Tessa was all smiles, and Aaron loved to see that side of her.
“Where’s Tyler?”
“With your Mom,” she said grinning.
“What?”
“Your mother came to see me last week, Aaron. She told me that she thought we belonged together, and that you were lost without me. Is that true?” She twirled a piece of her hair around her finger.
“My meddling mother,” he said laughing. “But yes, that is totally true.”
“She told me that you were looking to hire someone to run this bed and breakfast, and I wanted to apply for that job. Would you like to see my resume?” she asked.
“Oh, I’d love to see your resume. But we will have to conduct this interview in my bedroom.” Tessa’s eyes got big and her mouth fell open.
“Why, Aaron Parker, I’m going to tell your mama on you!” she said in her best Southern drawl.
“Tessa?”
“Yes?” she said as they started to walk back to the house.
“Where is your car?”
“At the end of the driveway. I ran out of gas,” she said giggling.
“Some things never change. Have you ever noticed that every time you run out of gas, you end up where I am? I think that’s a sign,” he said as he grabbed her up in his arms and started carrying her.
“A sign of what, Mr. Parker?” she said.
“A sign that any road you take will always lead you back to me,” he said kissing her gently. She put her head on his chest, content in the fact that Aaron Parker was fully qualified to love her forever.
THE END
##
Other books by Rachel Hanna:
Second Chance
Love In The Falls
Safe
Broken
Messages
Christmas in Magnolia Cove
War Woman
Unbreakable
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Author.
Loving Tessa (January Cove) Page 13
