New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 30: Hardin

"What is it exactly that you see?" Kim asks. This whole conversation is taking an ugly turn. I can see a worried expression on Tessa's face, and Vance holds worry in his as well.

"Nothing, nevermind I said anything." My mum shakes her head and resumes eating the ham on her plate. My mum isn't one to start arguments with people, one of the many traits I didn't get from her.

"No please, Trish. Share what is on your mind." Kim insists.

"Kim..." Vance whispers to his wife, causing her to give him the evil eye.

"Of course, of fucking course. Excuse me." Kim excuses herself from the table, throwing her napkin down on the table.

"Kim!" Vance reaches for his wife's arm, but she just walks into the kitchen.

"Kim, wait." Tessa calls after her, and follows her into the room. I think Tessa is gonna need support on this one. She has too much on her plate right now to be dealing with Vance and Kim's drama.

"What's going on?" I hear Tessa ask Kim as I enter the kitchen. Tessa notices me walk in, and is confused on why I'm here. As she should be. I don't usually run after people, unless it's Tessa, in which I do a lot of fucking running.

"I can't take it. I can't take them."

"What even happened? Everything was going so well! All she did was ask for the potatoes."

"You didn't see the looks they kept giving each other, it's so fucking obvious." Kim looks up and sees me standing behind Tessa. "Hardin, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see if you were okay." I kind of lie. I came here for Tessa, but I do care about Kim to a certain extent.

Kim doesn't believe my answer, but doesn't question me about it. "I'll just never be able to compete with her, ever. She'll always have his heart, even if he doesn't want to admit it. Even though both of them are happily married, they have a fucking bond to each other with Hardin."

"You have a bond to Christian with Gracie, Kim. He loves you, so much." Tessa tries to convince Kim, but she just shakes her head.

"Sorry for ruining Christmas with my temper tantrum. I'm okay, I just needed to get out of there before I threw up all over the table, or cursed Trish out. Watching them look at each other makes my blood boil."

I feel kind of guilty now. When she said my mum and Vance are connected because of me... I never really thought about that.

"I'm sorry, Kim." I speak up because I honestly feel bad. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't chose either fucking one of them to be my parents."

"You don't have to apologize, Hardin. It's not your fault. I'm just jealous I guess, and I'll just have to accept that I'll always be second in Christian's heart."

"That's not true. Vance... back when I first found out about him being my father, he told me that he loves you more than he ever loved my mum. Honestly."

Tessa smiles at me. I'm mainly doing this to score brownie points with my girl because I have a lot of shit I need to make up for, and once she finds out about Josie... I'm gonna need all the brownie points I can get.

"He said that to you?" Kim questions me.

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Hardin. And Tessa. I'm okay... Let's just go back out there." Kim walks passed me, and I go to follow her, but then am stopped by Tessa.

"That was so nice of you." She is beaming at me.

"I was just trying to help. I know you have a lot on your plate right now."