Page 155 of My Heart Still Beats
Tessa leaves the bathroom and stares at me. “Are you leaving?”
“I have a meeting to get to.” I kiss her quickly on the cheek. “We’ll talk later.”
“But Ben, I want to tell you—”
“Later, baby. I love you.”
I leave her standing in her towel, staring after me.
I want to hear the words from her ruby lips, but I fear once I do, I won’t have the strength to do what needs to be done.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Tessa
“I can’t believe it, either,” I say to Skye on the phone a few minutes later. “He told me he loves me, and then he just left.”
“And you wanted to say it back?”
I sigh into the phone. “I did, Skye. I know it’s soon, but I’ve never felt this way. Ben helped me help myself. He… He’s special.”
“That I can believe. His brother is pretty damned special, too.”
I can hear Skye’s smile through her voice. “He is. You both saved me that day.”
“Tess…”
“No, you did. And after I was so unfair to you, asking you to change your plans and have dinner with Garrett and me.”
“Well, if I had—”
“Don’t go there. We both know why it happened.”
“I hope he rots in prison,” Skye says.
“Me too, but he’s the least of my concerns. Right now, Ben is off to work without knowing that I love him back.”
“That does seem odd. Most men want to hear it back once they say it.”
“Right? I don’t get it.” I sigh. “I need to get dressed and get to work. I worked all of two days at this new job before I took off for Jamaica and then asked for another week of bereavement leave.”
“I hear your boss is a tyrant, too.” Skye laughs. “But seriously, Tess, I’m happy for you. Truly. You deserve everything good.”
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel the same after Garrett, but I had such a nice time with Ben in Jamaica, and he didn’t so much as kiss me, Skye. Then my dad…”
“I know, Tess. I’m sorry.”
“It’s almost like he left me all his strength. I know that sounds silly.”
“I don’t think it sounds silly at all,” Skye says. “Losing him helped you to remember who you are. Not that losing him was a good thing.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” I say. “And it makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for the chat, Skye. I’ve got to get to work.”
“You want to have lunch today?” she asks.
“I’d love to, but I’m planning to work through lunch. I want them to know I’m serious about this job and didn’t get it just because I’m in love with the boss.”
I dress quickly in a narrow black skirt and white blouse, and I’m putting on my black pumps when someone knocks at my door. Rita goes berserk.
