No More Wasted Time (28 page)

She gently touched the dark bruise surrounding his eye.
“What happened with John? I can’t believe he hit you.”

“Believe it. I assumed you’d be home when I knocked on the
door. I hadn’t realized you’d left early for Colorado. John was so furious when
he answered the door, I couldn’t even get three words out of my mouth. I think
he has your temperament. Thank God Lisa jumped out of the car and started
yelling at him. Once John saw Lisa, he stopped instantly. I’d probably look a
whole lot worse if she hadn’t been there.”

“I don’t have a bad temper, but my kids have never seen me
that furious. John showed me the magazine, Tom.” She paused as heat rose to her
face. “That’s the second time my son has had to deliver the worst news of my
life to me.” Her lip quivered as she remembered the moment John told her
Richard had died. Each time she remembered that instant in the hospital, all of
the air drained from her lungs. Tess could almost taste the antiseptic odor of
the hospital that still made her queasy.

Tom’s dark eyes filled with sorrow. “I didn’t know. I’m so
sorry, Tess.”

She sniffled, waiting for her breath to catch. “Did he let
you explain? Are you two okay now? Why was Lisa there?”

“It’s a long story. Yes, we’re fine now. John felt horrible
when he realized I hadn’t cheated on you. He tried to call you, but you ran
your phone over and Tracy’s phone was turned off.”

“Sorry he hit you.”

“I’m the one who needs to apologize. Susan, my publicist,
totally screwed me over with the picture. She was pissed that I wanted to go on
an isolated vacation, and sending Mariah back the first day didn’t make her any
happier. When I told her I was bringing you home with me, she went ballistic.
She tried to convince me it would be the most ridiculous, career-crushing
mistake of my life, blah, blah, blah… I didn’t care what she thought, so I
started handling things the way I wanted them handled.”

“You mean with Joey and all the pictures of us?” she asked.
“The premier?”

“I wasn’t going to hide you. I want to be with you. I’m
proud to have you with me and I don’t care that you’re not famous. It doesn’t
matter to me.”

“Wait. Did you just say you sent Mariah home the first day
you were in Bora Bora?” Tess asked suspiciously.

“Shit,” Tom muttered. “Okay, I have to tell you the truth. I
was never going to admit this, but I have lied to you. I stole your tour on
purpose so I could meet you.”

“I knew it, you little thief!” she said with satisfaction,
but then puzzlement. “What do you mean, so you could meet me?”

“Tess, when I turned around and saw you in the lobby during
check-in, you were so beautiful in your blue dress, and the smile you gave me
totally sent me over the edge. You were kind of shy and blushing. I had goose
bumps all over. I couldn’t even talk straight. That
never
happens to
me,” Tom said softly. “I sent Mariah home the next day and moved to the resort
you and I stayed at the very first night I arrived. I never should’ve let her
off the plane.”

“I could’ve told you that at check-in.”

“After I ‘threw her overboard’ I went down to…
steal your
tour
…as you like to put it. I asked about you, and they said you were
vacationing alone. I am truly sorry I intruded on your time with Richard. I
felt awful, but was captivated by you and only wanted to make you feel better.”

“Actually, you made me feel better, and I’m glad you were
there.”

“You got so furious with me for going on the boat with you.
You didn’t care who I was.” He paused for a minute. “That’s one of the things I
love about you. You liked me for me, not for my name or my money or my career.
You didn’t care about any of that.” He caressed her. “Tess, I want to make love
to you, but I need to know, are we okay now?”

She sat on top of him and kissed his bruised eye. “I’m not mad
anymore. I feel horrible about everything I said to you. I should’ve let you
explain.”

“I don’t want to fight with you. Ever. Not like this. Not at
all.” Tom rolled her onto her back, his eyes were drenched in hurt and anger.
“I don’t want you to compare me with Richard again. That really irked me.”

Her lip quivered. “I wasn’t comparing you to him. I wanted
to throw it in your face that I’m more passionate with you and you were really,
really going to miss me. It was going to destroy me not to be with you, and I
wanted you to realize exactly how miserable you’d be without me,” she said
softly. “I know that we have something special together and it hurt me to think
you’d let me go so easily.”

“It doesn’t bother me when you talk about Richard. I think
it’s nice you feel comfortable enough to share things about him without it
being awkward.” Then he said sincerely, “I have no doubt you could make me
happy for twenty-five years.”

Rain tapped on the window as Tess lay wrapped in a blanket
on the couch while he lit a fire in the big stone fireplace. “Why were you on
your way here, Tom? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

He smiled at her from across the room. “I’m not doing the
film, Tess. I was there three days and was worthless. And to make it worse, I
didn’t care who they got to replace me, or what it cost me, or who I pissed
off. I only wanted to be with you. I knew you were coming to Colorado to drop
your girls off. I had a plan to surprise you, but the whole thing fell apart
when the magazine came out.”

“Did they find someone to replace you?”

“Benny. He’s wanted to take on a more serious role and he
offered to do it. The producers were happy, he was happy and I’m deliriously
happy.” Tom paused for a minute. “To tell you the truth, I think he might’ve
taken the role just for me. Benny knows how much I want to be with you. They’re
happy for me.”

“You don’t have to go back to work?”

“Nope. I’m taking time off with you.”

She grinned, but raised her eyebrows in question.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Trust me, I want nothing more than to spend time together,
but the last thing I want to do is interfere with your career. I know you love
what you do and I don’t want you to give anything up for me.”

“I’m not giving anything up, Tess. If I never want to work
again, I don’t have to. I simply need time off, I don’t know how long, a year,
two years, I don’t know.”

“No regrets?”

“Not one regret. This is undoubtedly the best decision I’ve
ever made.”

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

Tess and Tom drove back to the girls campus to say goodbye.
She checked-out of her hotel and headed back to his cabin.

“Did you buy this place recently?”

“No, I bought it two years ago. I haven’t been able to get
back here again.”

“Seriously? That’s terrible Tom. I can’t believe you have
this beautiful cabin and don’t come here.” His traditional log cabin came
complete with a river rock fireplace and a wraparound porch with black wrought
iron hand railing. The gorgeous interior had so much potential, but sat bare
and naked with only a couch and tiny table sitting in the huge dining room.

“I was here skiing over Christmas and met a man on the lifts
who needed to sell this place, so I bought it.” They pulled into the driveway
and he pointed to an area in the trees. “In the winter we can cut through a
trail right over there and you’re on the slopes.”

“Its ski-in and ski-out?”

“Yep.”

Tom opened the door and put their things on the kitchen
counter. He inhaled heavily and drug his fingers over the stubble on his face.
Tess grimaced wondering what could possibly be wrong.

“Tess, can you sit down for a minute?” he asked, nervously
holding his hand out toward a bench on the porch.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. I have something for you.”

“Okay,” she replied hesitantly, taking notice of a box Tom
held in his hand.

He opened the box, revealing a key inside.

She smiled with bewilderment. “What’s the key for?”

“This cabin. I don’t want to be without you. Not now, not in
a year, not ever. I’ve stayed here one time, by myself, alone. I want this to
be our place.”

A surprised smile crossed her lips. “You do?”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I do.”

“What about my house? I love my house.” She was ecstatic,
but couldn’t wrap her head around what he’d just said.

“No, Tess, you’d keep your house. I still have my house in
Malibu and I have another one also. I want to be with you all the time.” He
played with the key. “I bought this place on a whim. It felt like home as soon
as I stepped through the front door, but after I left, I had no desire to get
back here. I knew buying it wasn’t a mistake, I just didn’t feel compelled to
come back and dive into it. Now, I know why. We can go wherever we want, here,
Malibu, or Vegas, but this is supposed to be our home. So, I have this key for
you. I want this to be ours, Tess. Officially. On paper.”

“What do you mean? Officially?”

“I want to give you half of this cabin, legitimately. Don’t
say no simply because I’m trying to give you something monetary. It would hurt
my feelings. If you don’t want to live together then I’ll understand. Not
really, but I’d try to understand. I want this to be a commitment. It’s
something I’ve never made to another woman, Tess,
a commitment
.” He
smiled his crooked grin, attempting to charm her.

Tess sat on the bench overjoyed, staring at him, looking
slightly bemused.

“I love you, Tess.” He pulled her to her feet and held her
hands in his as he gazed into her eyes. “I love you. I have been crazy about
you since the moment I first saw you. I’ve been struggling to tell you for a
while. It tore me apart to leave you. Life is short, and I want to share mine
with you. Just you. I don’t want you to be with another man, Tess. Just me.”

Tess beamed. “I love you, too. I almost told you at the
airport, but I was afraid you’d leave and never come back. I don’t want anyone
else, Tom. I only want to make you happy.”

“You make me happier than I ever thought possible. I love
everything about you.”

Tess understood how difficult this was for Tom. She was
thrilled, happy, and excited but he was beyond that and more. This was a first
for him.

“So is that a yes?” he asked.

“Of course it’s a yes! I love you. I want to live with you,
but I don’t legitimately want half of your cabin, Tom.”

“That’s the deal, Tess. Take it or leave it. Partners,
remember?”

“Partners…Okay, deal, but I’m not really comfortable with
it. I don’t love you because of all of this.” She looked around the cabin.
“None of this matters to me. I’m not going to lie, I’ve had a ton of fun, but I
love you no matter what you have.” 

“I already know, Tess. You don’t have to tell me.” He smiled
at her. “You can decorate the whole cabin, or we could do it together.”

“Together. I like that.”

“It has six rooms, so your kids can come here whenever they
want. We could all spend Christmas here together,” Tom suggested with a lot of
enthusiasm, but then quickly backtracked, appearing as if he might’ve crossed
an unseen line. “Well, I mean, do you think we could all spend Christmas
together? You can spend it with your kids if you’d rather.”

“Tom, I’m going to be with you for Christmas. Thanksgiving
and New Years Eve too. If we’re going to be a couple, then I don’t want to lead
separate lives. That won’t work for me.” She waited for him to let out a big
heavy sigh but he only smiled. “Are you sure you’re ready for all this? I come
with a family.”

“What do you mean exactly?” he asked with hesitation.

Tess giggled at his response. “My kids are my family, and if
you and I are a couple, you’re part of that family too. I can already tell they
like you, even John. So holidays, college graduations, weddings, you get to
share in all those family traditions with your girlfriend. Are you ready for
all that? I come with a few…accessories.”

He acted as if he were mulling it over, tilting his head
from side to side as he led her upstairs. “Yep, I’m sure.”

“You said you stayed here for Christmas two years ago. What
do you usually do for the holidays?” she asked curiously.

He stopped and chewed on his lip furrowing his brow.
“Truthfully, I spend Christmas alone. I usually drink too much, wherever I am,
and try to figure out what the hell is wrong with me and why I don’t have
someone special in my life. It’s actually somewhat pathetic.” Tom chuckled,
trying to make light of his situation.

 “Not any more, Tom. Christmas is my favorite holiday and
this is going to be our first together. I promise, you won’t be wondering,
What
the hell am I doing
?” Tess laughed. “You’ll probably wonder
, What the
hell have I gotten myself into?
I guarantee you’re still going to drink too
much, but happily. How about martinis?”

“I love you, Tess.”

“Do you think Benny and Lisa would come here for Christmas?”

“Maybe! That would be a good time. I texted both of them to
tell them we’re fine, but I’m sure Lisa might want to talk to you soon. She seemed
very impressed with your determination to ignore me, and had you been standing
in front of her, she might’ve actually high-fived you for running over your
phone.”

Tom looked around at the empty cabin. “So, Tess. Do you want
to stay
home
and decorate this place or would you like to go back to
Greece first?” He grinned saying the word home.

“Those are some incredibly tough decisions you’re asking me
to make.” She put her arm around his waist examining the cabin. “You do realize
you’re spoiling me?”

“I like spoiling you. Right now I know you’re tripping out
because I’m being generous to you, aren’t you?”

She exhaled heavily and smiled. “Maybe. It makes me feel
like I’m taking advantage of you. I do struggle with the whole money issue. I
love that you’re so good to me, but I feel awkward about it. I’m used to taking
care of myself.”