Andrew frowned. “We’ve never really discussed this sort of thing, but where’s your family? Aren’t they around to help you through this?”
Tessa shook her head. “There’s no one. My mother died when I was still a teenager. Peter was all I had and now he’s left, too.”
Andrew looked dumbfounded and stumbled a bit, stepping on her toe. “Sorry,” he murmured as she uttered a low yelp of pain. “I’m not a very good dancer, I’m afraid. Thank God this is a slow number.”
“It’s okay,” she assured him. “You can step on my toes for the rest of the evening if it means I don’t have to see Jason again.”
“Yes, well, not to worry. I think he’s got the message loud and clear. Mr. Gregson was adamant that I get you away from him, and assured me he’d make certain Jason stays away after that.”
Now it was Tessa’s turn to be startled. “Mr. Gregson sent you after me? Has – is that why you’ve always seemed to be nearby whenever Jason was bothering me?”
Andrew shrugged. “Mr. Gregson didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Sarah to occur with any more employees. So, yes, I was asked to keep a discreet eye on him. As for this evening – well, Mrs. Baldwin is in attendance as are Mr. Gregson’s parents. He wanted to make sure there wasn’t any sort of potentially ugly scene.”
“Oh. Of course.”
Tessa tried to mask the disappointment she felt at this revelation. Somehow, she’d assumed that Ian had sent Andrew to rescue her because he was worried about her personally. But of course it made all the sense in the world that his real concern was for his family, and to make sure they weren’t embarrassed or upset with Jason’s very blatant flirting.
The song ended at that moment and Tessa took a step backwards as Andrew released her. “Thank you for the dance, Andrew. I hope your girlfriend doesn’t mind.”
He made a dismissive motion with his hand as he escorted her back to the table. “Not to worry. Even if Isobel was here tonight, she wouldn’t care. But she despises these sort of events so I’m usually here alone.”
“She’s an artist, isn’t she?” Tessa had only met Andrew’s long-time girlfriend once, when she’d run into the couple at a coffee shop near the office. She had been startled to meet the pierced and tattooed Isobel with her purple-streaked hair and funky clothes, never in her wildest imagination having pictured the straight-laced Andrew with someone like her.
“Yes, she’s a sculptor. And when the inspiration hits, she can work for hours and hours at a time. When I left tonight she’d been at it since noon, and will probably keep on working until three or four in the morning.” He shook his head in mild disgust.
“My mother was like that, except she could literally go for two or three days at a time without any sleep.”
Tessa wasn’t sure who was more shocked at the words that had just slipped so unthinkingly out of her mouth – herself or Andrew. She never talked about her mother, except perhaps to Peter and then only sparingly. It had just seemed like the most natural thing in the world, sharing confidences with Andrew, and she had zero idea why.
Andrew stood by her chair as they reached the table and regarded her curiously. “Your mother was an artist?”
“No.” She shook her head. “A writer. At times a brilliant one but in later years she mostly wrote a bunch of gibberish.”
When she didn’t offer up any additional information, Andrew tactfully changed the subject. “Well, thank you for the dance, Tessa. I see some of your tablemates starting to return, so I doubt Jason will bother you again tonight.”
She smiled at him gratefully. “I’ll probably be leaving soon, anyway, it’s getting a little late. Thank you, Andrew. I’ll, um, see you on Monday.”
He gave her a little nod. “Bright and early as usual. Good night, Tessa.”
Kevin and Terence arrived back at the table mere seconds after Andrew left, with Kevin gaping in astonishment.
“Were you really dancing with the Ice Man?” he asked in disbelief. “My God, I think I might have just witnessed one of the seven signs of the apocalypse.”
Tessa smiled indulgently at his usual high drama. “He was just being nice. Though he could admittedly use a few dance lessons.”
Kevin gave an eye roll. “And a personality transplant. Maybe surgery to remove that stick wedged up his ass, too. At least he looks halfway decent in that tux and he actually bothered to style his hair tonight.”
“So what you’re saying is that there’s hope for him?” teased Tessa.