It was getting close to their kiss scene, and Tessa’s palms grew moist with nerves. She'd pushed past the fear of everyone watching her fumble and mess up. Henry made it impossible for her to take herself too seriously. She focused instead of the fulfillment of this moment she'd dreamed of since the wedding.
She hadn't imagined the next time they'd kiss would be in front of a few hundred people, but it didn't seem to matter as much as something like that used to. She'd always wanted the perfect moments and the perfect stories, everything scripted to the ultimate romantic level, when really all she needed was the perfect person for her, no matter what every other circumstance was.
He came up behind her on stage and spoke his lines for the crowd, sending chills down her arms, but when he turned her to face him, he pecked her on the lips so briefly, she couldn't be sure it wasn't just air that touched her mouth.
He pulled back with a grin, and her mind went blank. Had she read him wrong? Had he chosen Chelsea after all, and was doing this all for her because he was her friend?
"My kiss has stunned her," he announced to the audience, breaking her out of her stupor. She smacked him on the arm and he fell back, pretending like she'd smacked him hard, but in the process, he tripped over the feet of one of the choir members and landed flat on his back on the stage with a groan, and then no movement at all. Tessa rushed over to him, the play forgotten as she knelt beside him. "Henry!"
With his mouth barely moving, he whispered, "I told you this play needed someone to be thrown against the wall. The floor works too."
She bit back the smile threatening to break loose and stood. "He'll be fine," she announced. "But I won't be if my father catches me here."
She fled off the stage to the choir singing a morose version of “The Curse is Broken, but so is His Heart” to the tune of a minor key “Do As I’m Doing.”
The play went on without a hitch and at last they reached the final scene. The prince had redeemed himself, the curse was lifted, and he had proved his love to the princess. Regret filled Tessa with the realization that the road show was almost over. She and Henry took hands with the rest of the cast across the stage.
This is only the beginning, she told herself. Not the end.
The choir broke out into a rousing version of “Once There Was a Froggy,” and Tessa bowed for the clapping audience. She tugged on Henry's hand when he didn't bow with her, but he yanked her into his arms, and with one deep, searching glance, his mouth came down on hers in the kind of kiss she'd dream about for the rest of her life. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and somewhere in her consciousness, she could hear the enthusiastic screams and cheers of the crowd in the cultural hall, but she didn't care. This was completely unscripted, completely dream-worthy. And completely real.
Henry pulled his head up, but still held her close. His clip-on microphone picked up his words. "I love you, Tessa."
Tears sprang into her eyes, and Tessa tightened her hold around his neck. "I love you, too!"
The choir renewed their singing, and this time audience members joined in to the easy-to-learn lyrics.
"I'm sorry I ruined your play." Henry held his hand over his mike and whispered for her ears only.
"I have no words for how amazing this night has been." She built up the courage to ask him what she needed. "Did you mean it? That you love me?"
"Always," he said, pushing his forehead up against hers. "And you?"
"Forever," she replied.
His smile grew and she felt the happiness reflecting in her own face. "Should we end this and get out of here?"
"Yes."
"Okay." He took his hand off his microphone and held Tessa close to him while his voice boomed over the cultural hall, "And they lived happily ever after!"
Epilogue
Four months later
Tessa sat beside Mr. White in the television studio waiting for Ava’s last cooking segment to begin. Mr. White couldn’t take his eyes off Clarissa as she moved about the stage during the commercial break. She couldn’t blame him though. Even though she saw Henry moments before in the green room, she felt a buzz of exhilaration when she heard one of the techs mention his name.
“How’s Ava doing?” Tessa whispered to Mr. White.
“Not great, but I know my girl. She’s going to take this setback and make something amazing out of it.”
Southwest Living had undergone budget cuts that included moving the show from its sixty minute slot to a thirty minute one. Which meant segments from most of their regular guests went from weekly to monthly. Including Ava’s. Ava hadn’t taken it well, accusing Clarissa of singling her out for reduction as revenge for what happened at the wedding. The two hadn’t spoken since, and poor Mr. White was caught in the middle.
“It’s their turn,” Mr. White whispered, as the lights turned on over Clarissa.
“Today, we have Ava from Mostly Healthy here to show us how to make indoor kababs.” Ava came out wearing a bright blue apron Tessa had given to her for Christmas a couple months before. Henry stood beside her, wearing a bright green and white striped shirt with a pink and purple plaid tie, and it worked for him. Tessa felt Mr. White watching her with a knowing grin, but she couldn’t help sighing. How had it taken her so long to notice Henry? Now he was all she could see.
Ava continued. “Since I won’t be on the show as often, my brother Henry begged me to let him come on, so here he is.”
“I didn’t beg. The viewers begged because they can’t resist my insect alternatives.”
Ava patted his shoulder. “I’m sure you’re right,” she said, but mouthed not at the camera. She pulled out the meat while Henry grabbed his insects and together they made their kabobs. Tessa loved hearing them banter like this. She and Jenkins had come a long way in their relationship—they coexisted in uncomfortable silence—but she had to hope someday they’d find peace. And if not, then at least she felt peace about her decisions.
She’d switched her major to secondary education and planned on teaching choir and drama. She’d started an internship at a local high school, working with the drama department on their spring musical, and was happier than she’d ever been. Her parents had already marked the days on their calendar and had promised her they’d try to be more supportive of her. All they’d wanted all along was for her to be happy.
The show ended and the studio lights lit up. Henry appeared at her side, holding a couple kabobs. “Insect or chicken?”
She laughed and took the chicken one from him.
“One of these days you’re going to surprise us both and want the insect one,” he said.
“Unlikely.”
He took both of their kabobs and set them on the table behind him, then wrapped his arms around her waist. “More unlikely things have been known to happen.”
“Like what?”
“You falling in love with me.” He twisted the engagement ring on her left hand. “Agreeing to marry me even after I lost the engagement ring.”
He’d proposed to her at her favorite restaurant and had even gotten down on one knee, but when he went to find the ring, it was lost. He panicked and they searched for the ring, finally finding it in the backseat of his car under some school papers he’d been grading. He proposed again in the parking lot. The proposal had been so vintage Henry, she fell in love with him all over again.
“We’re perfect for each other in all the right ways.” She pushed up on her toes and kissed him, loving she could do this whenever she wanted now. And in only a few months, they’d have forever.
She thought back on their first meeting, when he’d eaten the termite and then spent his week cleaning up spider corpses from her house. Once upon a time, she thought the rest of her life would begin with an anatomy book. And it had, sending her a journey she never expected, and landing her in the exact place she needed to be.
THE END
Kaylee Baldwin
A glamorous day in the life of Kaylee Baldwin includes: chasing after her f
our children, checking for a new season of Serial, writing her latest book, binge-watching reality cooking shows, hanging out with her husband, and reading in every spare second she can find. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in English lit and currently lives in southern Arizona with her family.
Her books include the Whitney Finalist Meg's Melody, Hearts in Peril, a story in the Timeless Romance Anthology: California Dreamin’ which was recently translated into Norwegian, as well as Take a Chance on Me.
facebook.com/kayleebaldwinwrites
instagram.com/kayleebaldwin1
One Little Kiss (Christian Romance) Page 24
