Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“Nothing to apologize for. I’m going to go track her down. I’ll come back and pick you up once I figure out where her head is at, then we’ll go from there.” I walk towards her and cup her cheek with my hand. Tessa only nods. No words are spoken between the two of us, not even when my forehead presses against hers. I’m unable to think about what is going to happen with Mae home and if she’ll even accept us. “Stay here. I’m going to grab my jacket. I’ll call you.” She pulls away, giving me the space I need to do what I need to get done in order to find Mae. I hurry to my office, grab the undershirt I had on last night, pull it over my head, pick up my jacket, and walk back out towards the door. Tessa is still standing there, head tipped downwards. I can see her shoulders quaking as she’s trying to hold back the sobs I’m sure are working their way up inside her.
“Temptress, it’s going to be okay. This is just a bump in the road.” When she doesn’t give me an answer, I press further, “Give me your lips, please.” She does as I ask. When my lips press against hers, I taste the salt from her tears. “Fuck, I hate leaving you, but Mae off in the city, upset and angry, it’s not a good combination.
“Go. She needs you,” she finally responds.
“Alright, I’ll lock the door. Coffee is made, and there’s food. This shouldn’t take long.” Her arms wrap around my waist, hugging me tightly, and I soak it in, not sure who needs this more right now, her or me. I give her one last kiss before I leave her standing in the hallway, thumb to her mouth as she worries it with her teeth. Fuck, sometimes life can be messy, but in the end, I know it’s worth it.
20
TESSA
Hours, that’s how long I waited for Kingston to return to the firm. I cleaned up around his office, which wasn’t much—folding the blanket, gathering my dress from the ground thankful it’s not shredded to smithereens lying it on the back of the couch. Then I moved to the employee break room/kitchen. With no one coming and going for the next two weeks, I decided to clean it from top to bottom, tossing out food people had left, scrubbing the coffee mugs as well as the coffee pot because the cup I did have still didn’t taste as great like the one you’d have at home. All the while trying to keep my mind off what could definitely be the end of not one but two relationships. Go me. Yes, I was having a pity party catered to one. We should have known that we were being selfish keeping this away from Mae. Now it’s imploded, and everyone involved is currently hurting. Except for my parents, the only reason being they don’t know, and I’m not too keen on telling them now. Once the trash bag was full, I took it out the back, freezing my butt off while doing it since I was still wearing only King’s shirt and was barefoot. Luckily, the ice was melting, and the office was pretty much cleaned up. There was no sense in waiting any longer, plus I needed a shower and real food, stat. And it’s freaking Christmas Eve. All I wanted to be was home, wrapped up in a blanket, a glass of wine in my hand, and to quit thinking. Highly unlikely, but it sounded good just the same.
I grabbed my dress, kept King’s shirt on, and stepped into my high heels, phone, keys, and dress in hand. I turned off all the lights except the main one in the reception area, grabbed my coat that I stashed in my office last night thankful that the walk of shame wouldn’t be too bad and I’d keep warm on my way to the car.
That puts me to the here and now, after driving like an old grandma worried that since the snow was melting, there could still be thick ice, and I didn’t want to fishtail only to end up stranded on the side of the road. I can only imagine what a police officer would think of me, tears streaming down my cheeks. Trying as I might, keeping them at bay didn’t work once I was in the car and connected my phone to the Bluetooth. You know, replaying that one sad song on repeat while white-knuckling your steering wheel. Fun times, I tell you. I’m home now, and while my heart isn’t exactly happy that it’s not at Kingston’s house, the fact that he hasn’t called or checked in makes my mind all too aware this is where I need to be.