06

TESSA COLE

Tessa sighed

« What’s wrong ? » Jay asked.

« Nothing. I don’t think anything can go wrong at the moment »

« Then why are you sighing ? Repeatedly I might add. »

Tessa didn’t reply. She just sat there with her head on his shoulder.

« Tess ? »

« I don’t wanna talk about it. I just… Just… Thank you for being there with me tonight. »

« Always, honey. » Jay squeezed her hand.

Tessa raised her head to look at him. Jay was a handsome guy. Dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes. And that square jaw. He even had cute dimples that he flashed every time he smiled. Only if he wasn’t gay.

« Just thinking about me not being gay, doesn’t mean I’m not gay. »

Tessa rolled her eyes. The guy was handsome and he knew it.

« And you shattered the whole illusion, my love. »

He chuckled. Jay worked for her sister. He was the make-up artist and the hairstylist. Looking at Lexi’s now bob cut hairstyle, she wished she too had cut her hair in that pixie style of hers.

You aren’t that Tessa anymore

Her conscience was right, though. She didn’t even know who she was anymore. Everyday she would look herself in the mirror and wonder how much she had changed.

Shaking her thoughts away she beckoned a waiter that carried champagne.

« God, I could eat him up. » Jay groaned.

Following Jay’s line of sight she spied Dan standing at the bar talking to some girl.

All the three Hunt brothers had a gene. The handsome gene. All three men shared the same inky black hair. But where as Sean had hazel eyes, Dan shared the blue eyes with his elder brother.

Logan had that boss look down. The same one, she noticed, that Lexi had. Sean always carried the serious look. She had never seen the man smile. The fake ones – a lot. The real one – nada.

Dan always had a smirk on his face. He was the total playboy. The Hunt family had always been followed with cameras. But Dan had left the home and went to places unknown for excavations to escape the cameras following him, or so Logan had told them.

Logan, the intense one. Sean, the serious one. And Dan, the playboy. Dave… She couldn’t exactly sum up Dave in one word. He just clicked with them.

Seeing him dance with Sydney hurt her. She had been wallowing while he had moved on already. Actually, he had moved on the day he left for Australia. She should have known that he considered her a fling when he left her without a word about when he’ll be back.

Sydney eyed the bar. She could go and have a drink.

« No, young lady. Nope. No more drinking. Finish that last sip and get ready. It’s time. »

Downing the remaining champagne for her flute she stood up and walked up to her sister.

« It’s time. » She muttered in her ear.

« Already ? » Lexi asked.

« Yeah. But if you don’t wanna go. Tell me right now. I can get you out and hide you in my closet. »

Lexi smiled.

« Do you want me to stay ? »

« Of course I want you to stay. » Tessa said as she took Lexi’s hands in hers. « But you’re finally getting what you want. Have fun. And don’t forget me. I’ll call you. » She said and planted a kiss on Lexi’s cheek.

« I’m gonna miss you. » Lexi threw her hands around her neck.

« I’ll miss you too. » Tessa hugged her back.

Logan looked at them with a smile. Tessa looked at him with all the seriousness she could muster.

« You make her cry again and I’ll kill you. » She mouthed.

« I won’t. Promise. » He mouthed back.

She let go of her sister.

« Time to throw the bouquet. »

When Lexi turned her back to the horde of women gathering around, Tessa quietly stepped back and slipped out. Giving the valet the ticket to the car that would take the married couple to the airport, she walked away from there.

She couldn’t bear to see her sister away. Even if it was just for four months, she just couldn’t.

Removing her wedges she gathered them in her hands and kept walking.

She was supposed to stay at the hotel but she needed fresh air. She needed it badly. Because even if she could see Dave there in his tuxedo, his blonde hair styled with gel, his brown eyes alight with amusement as he danced around with Sydney, she couldn’t muster up strength to face him.

Tessa walked and walked as she breathed in the fresh air. She knew she shouldn’t walk alone in the dark. But for once she liked the feeling. She could think clearly here.

There was no one on the road so she plopped down on the sidewalk.

« All alone, eh ? » An unfamiliar baritone voice spoke behind her.

Startled she coiled her fingers into a fist and pulled back, reflexively. Until she saw who it was.

« Daniel. » She said as she recognized the figure.

« You know me. » He stated.

« Yeah I do. We’re practically family, right ? »

He shrugged and sat down beside her.

Tess looked at him. He was the type of guy you wouldn’t even hesitate to say yes to. Black hair, blue eyes, a crooked nose, a scar on the left side of his faceThe kind of guy who charmed the pants off of women with just a smile. But still Tess didn’t fell the pull she felt with Dave.

« It’s beautiful, isn’t it ? »

Daniel had been looking at the sky and when she looked up… It was just wow.

« It sure is. » She replied.

A comfortable silence spread. Neither of them wanted to talk. They didn’t seem to want to leave either.

« What are you doing here ? » Tess asked after several minutes of silence.

« Following you. »

« That’s an odd thing to say. »

« That’s an odd thing to do, sweetheart. »

So Logan had him follow Tess.

« What does he think I’m going to do ? Kill myself ? »

« Maybe he thinks you’ll kill some one else. » He said sarcastically

« Well then let me assure you that I have no urges to kill anyone. »

« Consider me assured, my lady. »

After one full minute of silence she dissolved into laughter. Dan just cracked a smile.

After 15 more minutes of idle talking, Dan stood up.

« C’mon, let’s go back. »

He helped her up and she looped her arm around his when he offered it.

Walking back was almost easier since she didn’t have to do that alone.

« I don’t wanna go back, up there. » She said once they reached the gate of the resort. »

« Neither do I but we have to. »

Tessa nodded. « It was nice meeting you. » She said as she started walking through the gate and towards the main door

« Nice meeting you too, my lady. » echoed behind her and she smiled.

For once, it felt good to really smile.