Promises (TP 6)

62 - Try

Double update today.

Kristi was familiar with Tessa's neighborhood. When she pulled up in front of her house, the girls were playing on the driveway, and Tessa was watering some flowers in a pot on her front steps. She turned when Kristi shut her car door. Her face matched the deer in the headlights description. Kristi second guessed herself and hoped she hadn't caused the riff.

"What are you doing here?" Tessa frowned.

"Hi Tessa. I just came to talk."

"Did he send you?"

"No, I haven't seen him since the party, but I spent the day with his parents. Dawn mentioned something that had me worried."

"What's that?"

"Just that her son is upset that you left the party. I know I was slow to get on board, but he likes you."

Tessa shook her head. "No. He likes something, but it's not me."

Kristi frowned. "I'm not following."

"Do you know he picks up women in bars?"

"Patrick? As far as I know, he's only dated once before you, since Erica. He didn't tell me the details, but I assumed things. He took her out to dinner. I think that's how it works in this century." She was trying to be funny, but Tessa wasn't smiling.

"What about Hawaii? He picked up a woman in Hawaii."

Kristi shook her head. "I don't know anything about that. I know their trip was to escape Christmas in Erica's house. When he came back, he was at peace. Maybe he had sex, but I assumed it was all the surfing."

"What about the woman who makes the jewelry?"

Kristi groaned. The missing piece in the puzzle had to be Hannah.

"Hannah accused him when she opened your gift. He bought Gabby's birthday present from her. It's common to go inside Sasha's cottage to see her jewelry."

"I bought it at a shop in the Old Port."

Kristi smiled because Tessa put thought into Hannah's gift.

"I can assume the source of your information, but what does it matter who he dated?"

"Because he only wanted one thing."

Kristi laughed, but stopped herself. "Don't tell me you believe anything that girl says?"

"She knew about Hawaii. How would she know that? What does he tell her? She said he told her he was only seeing me for the sex."

"She said those words?" Tessa nodded. "To your face?"

"I overheard her telling her friends."

Kristi didn't realize Hannah was so bitchy. "I don't know where she got that from, because Patrick does not kiss and tell. Believe me. I tried to get him to. If he won't tell me, why in the world would he tell his seventeen-year-old daughter? I suspected, but you've confirmed more than Patrick has. Can we sit and talk?"

They had been facing off in Tessa's front yard.

Tessa sighed and nodded. She told the girls to go in the backyard and led Kristi through the lower level up to her living area. Her house was neat and organized. Although the furniture was nice, Kristi couldn't imagine the jump from New York City to the tiny split-level. She peeked in the kitchen. It was ancient.

"Drink?"

Kristi shook her head. "Unless you need one."

"I don't drink. Rarely."

Patrick wasn't much of a drinker. Kristi didn't need an excuse to enjoy a glass of wine or something cold on a warm summer evening.

"Tessa, you can trust me. I may be nosy, but I'm not a gossip and I'm loyal."

"Do you and Patrick keep any secrets from each other?"

Kristi nodded. "Many." Tessa looked at her skeptically. "I've been dealing with some things. I didn't confide in him." She didn't include Dan had accused her of running to Patrick.

"It was a big deal for me to get involved. I don't like attention."

"I know. I used to think you and Erica were similar, but you aren't. You're shy and private, but you have a reason."

She opened her mouth, but Kristi put her hand on her wrist. "Erica was different. She was reserved. Everyone was friends with her, but she was friends with very few. Her best friends were Patrick and her mother. I always felt lucky she let me in. Despite that, she was sick for a year and a half before she told me. She might not have if she didn't need my help."

"Why are you telling me this? Hannah said he would only love her mother. I'm not her."

"That's why. You read Hannah's essay and how her mother was nothing like people thought. She showed the world the version of herself she wanted. Hannah is so much like her. She hides who she is. Unfortunately, she's young and immature, so she acts out."

"She may have been talking about things that weren't her business, but she spoke the truth."

Krist sighed. "None of it was true. She's been acting like a brat. She misses her mother, and she thinks she's going to lose her father."

"He loves her."

Kristi nodded. "He stopped seeing that other woman because of his kids, and now you're giving up on him because of them. I thought he was crazy to be interested in a woman with young kids, but I see it now. Hannah is leaving home in two months and Gabby in two years. You could give him a second chance at life, a second chance for you too. Don't give up on him while he is figuring all this out. Hannah needs a kick in the butt and a hug at the same time."

"I have my own children to protect."

"And your heart. Do you love him?"

Tessa was picking polish off her thumbnail. "I don't know. I hardly know him. I doubt we've gone out ten times, including with the kids."

Kristi nodded. "I guess it's different. When I met Dan, we went out ten times in twelve days."

Tessa nodded. "It was the same for me."

Kristi said, "He has a job and you have kids and you aren't young. Nothing is going to be the same as when you were younger. But it doesn't mean you can't try."

Double update today.