The girl nodded. “Mrs. Fischer isn’t so bad, but she’s afraid of her husband, just like the rest of us.”
“Would you go back, if he wasn’t there anymore?” Tessa asked.
“No. I’d rather stay here, with you, or with Tristan’s pack.”
Tessa stared out the window. There were all kinds of monsters in the world, she mused. She couldn’t blame Mrs. Fischer or Bailey for being afraid to confront the man. If he’d killed once to protect himself, what was to stop him from doing so again?
But she knew someone who wouldn’t be intimidated by the man.
If she ever saw him again.
* * *
Tessa wasn’t sure how she did it, but she managed to get through the rest of the day, and when it was over, she congratulated herself because she’d only cried five or six hundred times. If only Andrei hadn’t read her mind. If only he hadn’t been so understanding. She loved him, she really did, but was love enough? They lived such different lives.
Jilly called early Saturday morning, insisting Tessa go with her to look at wedding dresses. “Even though we want a small wedding, I want a long white dress and veil.”
So it was that Tessa found herself sitting in one of the dressing rooms at Maribel’s Bridal Shoppe, admiring one gown after another, each more beautiful than the last.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever decide!” Jilly said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “I love all of them! You should try one on.”
“Me? Whatever for?”
Jilly cocked her head to one side, her eyes narrowing. “Okay, what happened?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m sure you do.”
Blinking back tears, Tessa looked away.
“Oh, Tess, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known, I never would have dragged you in here, of all places.”
“It’s all right.”
“No, it isn’t. Let me change and we’ll go to Tommy’s for a burger and fries and you can tell me all about it.”
Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in a booth at Tommy’s.
“Nothing happened,” Tessa said, dropping a straw into her soda. “Not really. We were in bed Friday morning—just talking,” she clarified. “And I started thinking about Andrei being a vampire. I knew he wanted to make love to me, and I wanted him to, but I just couldn’t. I mean, once we make love . . .”
Jilly’s eyes grew wide with disbelief. “You haven’t done the deed yet? Seriously?”
Tessa shook her head. “He read my mind. He said he didn’t blame me for not wanting to commit, that he just wanted me to be happy. And then . . .” She fisted the tears from her eyes. “And then he just . . . left.”
“Oh, girlfriend, I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“I don’t know what it would be.”
“I know how much you care for him,” Jilly said, obviously choosing her words carefully. “But maybe it’s for the best.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” Pushing her plate aside, she said, “I’m sorry, but would you mind if we go home now?”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Tessa waved as Jilly pulled out of the parking lot. She felt awful for asking Jilly to take her home, but she needed to be alone. Heavy-hearted, she climbed the stairs to her condo. It was here that she had first met Andrei. Here that he had saved her life. Maybe she should move.
Opening the door, she called Bailey’s name, but there was no answer. In the kitchen, she found a note on the fridge saying that Bailey had gone to the movies with Tristan.
Feeling sorry for herself, Tessa filled a bowl with ice cream and hot fudge and curled up on the sofa. But for the first time in her life, even chocolate fudge brownie ice cream didn’t make her feel better.
Jilly was engaged to Luke. Bailey seemed to be falling for Tristan. Her parents were off on a whirlwind second honeymoon.
And she was home alone with nothing to do and no one to keep her company.
Andrei? Where are you?
Where do you want me to be?
His voice moved through her, darker and sweeter than the hot fudge in her dish, making her aching heart skip a beat. Here. I want you here. With me.
As if she had conjured him, he materialized in front of her. “Tessa.”
She put the bowl aside very carefully. Stood on shaky legs. And moved into his arms. “Please don’t ever leave me again,” she whispered. “Promise me.”
“Never, unless you send me away.”
“I won’t.” She lifted her face for his kiss. “I won’t.”
His hand stroked her back as he lowered his head. As always, his kisses were intoxicating, always exciting, never the same twice. Worries fled her mind and there was only Andrei, his voice whispering love words as he nuzzled her ear, then kissed her again. And yet again.