Nikki shook her head. “Nope. I don’t think that politics was ever what he dreamed about going into. It was almost more of a family obligation. And things with his family have been a little tense since the ‘campaign manager scandal.’ So when his term is up, he’s going to move up here to Hope Falls and start his own practice, put his law degree to good use.”
“Wow. So you guys are going to live here then? In Hope Falls?” Tessa asked. As a kid, all Nikki had talked about was getting out of the small town. She would dramatically say that she’d rather die than end up living here the rest of her life.
“Yep,” Nikki replied happily as she began helping Tessa unpack the bags. “I know I used to think that staying here would be like a constant Groundhog Day, that I would be bored to death. But now, as an adult, I honestly couldn’t imagine living somewhere else. I mean, of course, if Mike had wanted to remain in politics, then I absolutely would have adjusted. But since he fell in love with Hope Falls too, then I guess I’m just a lucky girl. I get to be with the love of my life, live in the only place I’ve ever called home, and be surrounded by family.”
“You deserve it, sweetie.” Tessa was happy for Nikki. She deserved every happiness this world had to offer.
Nikki chuckled. “I think you are the only person on this earth that calls me ‘sweetie.’”
Tessa laughed and shrugged. “You are a sweetie—to me. I think I might always see you as that thirteen-year-old girl who was my shadow.”
“I can deal with that,” Nikki smiled.
When they’d laid out all of the supplies, Tessa pulled up the list that Lauren had emailed to her this morning. “Okay, well I think that everything is here. We should be all set for tomorrow.”
“All right. Mike and I will be here bright and early.” Nikki hugged her before she turned to leave.
“Thanks. See you tomorrow.” Tessa looked at everything she’d purchased and started collecting the receipts to put in an envelope.
She couldn’t believe how quickly everything had added up. Between the cleaning supplies, paint, and flooring, her bank account was running on fumes. Luckily, her roommate Molly’s boyfriend had just moved in the week before Tessa had left. When Tessa had called Molly to let her know that she’d be longer than expected, Molly had told her that Rick would just pay her portion of the rent and utilities for as long as she was gone.
But even with those bills not hanging over her head, Tessa needed to bring in some extra income. Maybe she would call Mary and see if she had any work she could throw Tessa’s way. And she’d also ask Sue Ann if she needed any help at the café.
Between her finances, the house, and Jake, Tessa’s stress level was running into the red. But she would try and pick up some part-time work, and hopefully after tomorrow the house would be in much better shape. So with plans in place to work on two of the three blood-pressure-increasing situations in her life, she decided that instead of dwelling on the third, she would go to her new favorite place in the whole world. The master bathroom.
It was her tiny piece of heaven on earth. For now.
Chapter Sixteen
‡
Jake pulled into the driveway and his chest tightened in pain when he saw that Tessa’s PT Cruiser was not parked in it. It was only six a.m.
Where could she be? Had she decided to stay at Sue Ann’s? Had she not come home last night? Or worst of all, had she left town?
Jake was trying to calm his racing pulse as he looked up and saw Tessa’s car pulling in beside him. Relief washed over him at the sight as he let out a breath he hadn’t even known he had been holding. Maybe Eric had been right. Maybe he and Tessa did need to talk.
He stepped out into the crisp morning air.
“Hey.” Tessa stood beside the driver’s side of her car and waved, her big blue eyes peeking out from beneath her worn blue LA Dodger’s baseball cap. Jake grinned. That had been their only source of contention. He was a San Francisco Giants fan and she was a Dodgers fan.
“I see your taste in baseball hasn’t improved.” Jake walked around the car.
“No, it hasn’t. Because you can’t improve on perfection. And my boys are perfection,” Tessa smiled cockily.
“Really? How many World Series championships have your boys won in the last five years? Oh, that’s right—zero. And the Giants have won…oh, that’s right—three. That does not sound perfect to me.”
He moved in front of her and rested one arm on her open door and the other beside her on the roof of her car. She stood between his arms and crossed her arms over her light grey hoodie sweatshirt.