Promises (TP 6)

26 - Us

Maya had been complaining she was hungry while Tessa was on the phone with Patrick. She had to sort out her feelings. One minute she was jealous. The next she felt guilty because she shouldn't feel that way about another man. She had had a husband, but she was kissing another man. She loved David, but he wasn't coming back. He left them. Sweep.

Patrick wanted to come over. Her daughters would be asleep, but to them he was a stranger. If Chloe heard he was Kevin's father, she'd be excited. She couldn't stop talking about the teen.

Tessa couldn't stop thinking about looking so different from his wife. Was it good or bad? Patrick didn't look like David. It would be like comparing Ryan Gosling to Ryan Reynolds. They didn't look alike, but both were gorgeous. Maybe it wasn't different, except she wasn't beautiful. Tessa never felt she deserved David, and it was the same with Patrick.

When her phone buzzed at eight-thirty, she almost didn't pick it up. She was afraid if she didn't he would drive over.

"Any chance you changed your mind?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. Kristi stopped by."

"Does she just walk into your house?"

"Why?"

"Because she walks into Megan's. She does, doesn't she?"

"Yes, but it doesn't matter. We're all used to kids running in and out of our houses. She thought you were too friendly with her husband."

"What? She was the one telling Megan how good you looked."

"It wasn't me. She likes to tease about all the husbands. She was talking about Peter. The worst part is she resurrected her idea of doing a calendar with the men of The Point."

"Seriously?"

"I wish I weren't. She's vulnerable and comes off differently from how she feels."

Tessa didn't want to play games. "You're in love with her."

"No! She's like a sister to me. The idea of liking her like that... I can't imagine it. Trust me. She's a good friend who I see at least once a week."

She didn't believe him. "Like a date?"

"Not a date. We meet for coffee on Wednesday mornings, but I cancelled on her for more time to spend with you. Given a choice, I would rather be with you."

"Why?" She couldn't understand

"Because I like you. Accept it. I could come and show you how much."

Her belly flip-flopped. She couldn't let him. "Megan thinks Abbie has a crush on your son. He made an impression on Chloe too."

Patrick laughed. "That may be a problem in the Brenner house, because I overheard my son talking about the twin, Sophie."

"They're only in middle school!"

"I know. Hopefully, Kevin won't act on it. I haven't had to deal with my kids dating. Hannah had one boyfriend, but it didn't last long."

"Was she heart broken?" Tessa felt for the motherless girl.

"She was okay. At least that's what she told me. Hannah's quiet and can be too serious. She was the one who didn't like me dating."

Her heart pounded in her ears. "You told your kids?"

"Not about us. I've dated before. One woman a few times."

Tessa didn't know how to process that loaded sentence. He had already dated. She should have known. So he had already had his first kiss since his wife and probably sex. She had decided she wasn't going there, regardless of how her insides felt. Yet in the same sentence, he used the word us. What did 'us' mean?