The Media Baron's Heiress

CHAPTER 12

'Where's the pretty boy, I'm hungry?' Fabian moaned.  Tessa's eyes dropped to her wrist watch for the third time. 

Brad where the hell are you!

The previous night Fabian had invited Brad and Tessa out to a double date dinner.  Brad had agreed, but asked Tessa if he could meet her at the restaurant, seeing he would be flying in from Chicago.  She'd agreed.  It was a good thing she'd not taken the trouble to go back to her apartment, and dress in an evening gown.  That morning she'd worn a pair of black trousers and a camisole, and a formal jacket that could easily pass as day or night wear.  He'd agreed to be there at eight.  He was forty five minutes late, and annoyingly, had not had the decency to text or call to say he was running late.  'He's obviously still tied up,' Tessa sighed, 'let's order guys.'

'Let's wait a few more minutes,' Melissa suggested.

Fabian could be moody when he was hungry, Tessa knew that from their teenage years.  'No, let's start.  Brad will catch up when he gets here,' Tessa decided. 

If he ever gets here.

Tessa ordered a light salad.  Melissa favoured pasta and Fabian went for a huge rump steak and French fries.  Tessa refused to let Brad spoil her evening.  She'd participated in the conversations enthusiastically.  Laughed at Fabian's tacky jokes, and even told her own humorous ones.  They'd enjoyed two bottles of delicious French white wine.  Privately, Tessa was silently fuming, more like a volcano close to eruption.  It was close on eleven o' clock now and still no sign of Brad.   'Guys, I think I'm going to call it a night,' Tessa stood up.  'If I don't leave now, I'm not going to be able to drive myself home,' she grinned.

'We'll call you a cab,' Fabian pleaded, 'don't go yet.'

'Melissa, I'm so glad you're driving,' Tessa smiled.  'Best you get him out now, or else somebody's going to need to carry him to his car.  Tessa hugged the both of them and left.

Tessa expected Brad to be waiting at her apartment.  His limo was not outside.  There was no sign of him whatsoever.  She refused to acknowledge the disappointment she felt at his absence.  She tried to ignore the little flag that was telling her that Brad was the first man to get under her skin.  She'd broken all the rules with him.  She'd never allowed men to get too close to her, but he'd penetrated her radar and she'd been defenceless. 

Tessa had just come out of the shower, when she'd heard his knock.  She was so tempted to keep him out, to throw a tantrum, but she thought it was just too immature. 
Besides he'd think she cared and she didn't.  She didn't care that he'd not called. 
She didn't care that he'd stood her up, the very first man to ever do that to her. 
She didn't care.  She didn't. 
When she opened the door Brad stood there, looking apologetic, with a bunch of roses in his hand.

Reward power does not work with me darling.

'I'm sorry Tessa.  I was in a crisis meeting.  I could not tear myself out of it, even to text you.' 
He looked exhausted.  There were tired lines under his eyes, but he smelt fresh and appealing.  He must have showered on his private jet, for the suit he had on now, was not the same colour as the one he'd put on this morning. 

You'd better not have been in somebody else's bed.

And since when did it ever bother her, in whose bed a lover had been in before her, or after her for that matter?   He was showing signs of the young Joseph von Biljoen, and she was not going to follow in her mother's footsteps.

'You're forgiven handsome,' she smiled, masking her true feelings as she slipped her arms around his waist.  'You hungry?'

'I'd love some coffee,' he kissed her lips.  'I had a meal on the plane, thank you,' Brad hugged her to him, holding her tightly.