New Love (42 page)

“Okay I’
m not sure what it is I did, but if you’re going to be grumpy,” she said and started to stand up.

He pulled her back down “Sorry Tessa, I really am tired.”

“Okay do you want to leave?”

“Not without you,” he pouted.

“Lucas I’m supposed to be here for a few more hours. A lot of my family is coming in over the next few nights, go home and sleep. I will sneak over early,” she grinned.

“Alright,” he
stood up.

“Oh I don’t want you to go,” she stomped. “Compromise, give me an hour,
you stay with me, and then I’ll come over and read you a bedtime story,” she grinned.

“Fine.”

“But you have to dance with me,” she said and dragged him over.

He was annoyed.

“Lucas, do I need to …” she whispered in his ear. “Will that make you happy?”

“You could try,” he
smirked.

“Hey
, there you are,” Troy said.

“We are, but we have to
run to the store real quick I’ll be right back,” she kissed him on the cheek and pulled Lucas behind her.

Lucas
got in the car and drove down the road, she wasted no time.

“Good God Tessa, slow down,” he moaned.

She didn’t listen. Within a few minutes, it was over.

She smiled at him, “Better?
”

“What the hell was that?”
Lucas asked.

She looked at him, “Are you being serious?”

“Well what the hell Tessa?”

She was mad. “Take me back now,
Lucas!”

He drove and pulled in. She wiped her eyes and jumped out as soon as he parked. She walked fast towards the crowd.

“Tessa-- wait,” he said as he pushed the key chain remote button and locked the doors.

She kept going and flipped him off. He knew he had screwed up. She stomped back to the tent and went behind the counter. She threw on an apron and started taking orders.
Lucas stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

Each person’s order she took she would ask them silly questions like, “How fast would you like that?” and “Would you like me to speed that up for you?” or “If the tap on this would go a
ny faster I’m sure it would”. One of her old team mates asked him if he wanted something. His answer was Tessa.

“Oh I will get to him, but by all means I am going to take my time,” she sneered.

He stood there for half an hour while the crowd thinned out.

“Tessa he has been waiting there for a long time, I think he wants you to take his order,” Sue said.

She slowly walked over to him, “What can I get for you Lucas?”

“Can we talk Tessa?”

“I’m a little busy right now.”

He looked around. “Really?”

“Well everyone around here is slow, most people like fast and proficient service, and you know me I just can’t
slow down
. So maybe you would prefer one of them!” Tessa snapped.

He reached across the counter and grabbed her face and kissed her, she pulled back.

“Baby I’m sorry.”

“Do you think that will make it better?” she scowled.

“I was kind of hoping it would. Can you please come talk to me?” he smiled softly.

“I will give you a quick minute,” she said sarcastically.

She walked around and crossed her arms and tapped her foot. He took her hand and walked over to the bleachers set up in front of the floating dance floor.

“I missed you today. I wanted to spend time with you Tessa. I was pissed because you wanted it over and done with so you could get back here
. It hurt my feelings.”

“So you complain about that?” she said totally disgusted.

“I said I was wrong, baby.”

“Well you will be when you’re try
ing to do that yourself. You made me feel worthless and disgusting and it hurt me Lucas,” she snapped.

He looked down and peered up at her, his lip in full pou
t mode, “I was an ass Tessa, I’m very sorry.”

“I
accept your apology.”

“No
, you don’t” he said, “and I get it.”

“You complained, and you got pissed a
t how I sucked your dick? Yes, I’m pissed that one’s going be a little hard to get out of my head,” Tessa said and stood up, “Goodnight Lucas.”

He grabbed her arm and gently pulled her
back; he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

“Baby I love you,
please forgive me,” he kissed her.

He felt her relax a bit. He continued to kiss her neck, and she leaned into him. He turned her around, and kissed her face and then her lips. He slowly entered her mouth, and she moaned. All better he thought. She pulled away and tried to steady her breathing.

“Tessa, I love you.”

“You hu
rt my feelings today,” she whispered as if she was shocked.

“I know I’
m sorry,” he said and kissed her neck gently. “Whatever I need to do to make up for it I will.”

“I need to get back there,” Tes
sa said feeling her eyes getting hot.

“You won’
t come home with me?” he kissed her.

“Lucas for what?
So I can lay next to you and feel like a disgusting whore?” she asked.

“Tessa, you know I don’t feel that way,” he kissed her head and got up. “Can I see you tomorrow?”

“I sent you my schedule earlier,” she walked away.

Tessa helped clean up, there weren’t many people there.

Her phone chimed

-I’
m home, and very sorry, I love you Tessa…LL

-Glad your home, go to sleep..love Tessa

-will you let me know when you get home?..LL

- heading there soon…LT

She found Troy and gave him a ride, he was loaded and about to hook up with someone Tessa thought he may regret.

She got home an hour later.

-I am home, going to sleep. Goodnight…LT

-I’
m still very sorry, and I still miss you very much…LL

She didn’t respond.

~

Ryan walked in to the trailer the next day.
Lucas was looking over paperwork and looked frustrated.

“Good morning
Lucas, everything okay?” Ryan asked.

“Just tired, long night,” he said without looking up.

“Nice, me too,” he said and laughed.

Lucas
smiled, “Good for you, mine was not nice, I pissed Tessa off, so now I have to figure out how to make it better.”

“You send flowers yet?” Ryan asked.

“Oh yes,” he said.

~

Tessa arrived, and work and there was a picnic table full of flowers, all yellow roses and white daisies and not just a few but an entire table full and big balloons that said I’m sorry. There was a huge banner that said “I Love You Baby”. She smiled and shook her head.

“He is ridiculous,” she said and laughed out loud.

She walked up to the table; Cassidy was standing there looking at one of the notes on a pick.

“What the hell did he do
, kill your dog?” Cassidy laughed.

“
No… worse,” she laughed.

His phone chimed, and it was her

-Really Lucas?!?!?!

She attached a picture

-Now when everyone asks me what you did how shall I answer them? I think the truth may be a little uncomfortable for all parties…LT

-Good morning baby, I actually didn’t think about it, that’s a tough one. I don’t know
-- tell them I forgot to put the toilet seat down. I am still very sorry…LL

- You’
re ridiculous!...LT

She laughed, “Tessa, what did he do?”

“He left the toilet seat up,” she said and laughed.

She called her mother.

“Hey what did you guys decide about flowers?” she asked “Well, I think you should ask Molly how she feels about yellow roses and white daisies. If she likes them get her down to the park now.”

The kids were starting to get dropped
off; she took down the banner and folded it up. She let the first few kids play with the balloons. Molly and Maggie pulled in, and Molly thought they were perfect. They loaded them up. Maggie sent Lucas a text.

-The flowers are beautiful. Tessa asked that we use them tomorrow
, so thank you…Maggie

-You’
re welcome… if you need anything I’ll be done with work at five…Lucas

-Perfect, I'm sure Alex and John will need help setting up, give Alex a call, Thank you Lucas…Maggie

Okay so that didn’t work, Tessa obviously didn’t tell her what had happened, he thought.

About fifteen minutes before lunch a truck pulled in and delivered ten sheet pizz
as. Mark or as Lucas called him, Pizza boy walked up to Tessa.

“Your boyfriend had these delivered for you and the kids, he asked me to tell you he was sorry for leaving the seat up?” Tessa laughed and thanked him.

Cassidy looked at her and shook her head.

His phone chimed, and it was her.

-alright enough already, a bit over the top, you could have fed an entire third world country. The kids thank you…LT

She attached a picture of the kids holding up letters that spelled out THANK YOU
LUCAS.

-Still very sorry love you and miss you..LL

There was only a few more hours left until Tessa would officially be on summer vacation.

She and Cassidy made plans to hang out after
Lucas left for school next weekend. An ice cream truck pulled in. Tessa saw a man get out holding a sign with her name on it. She laughed.

“
Lucas asked that we come and has paid for each kid and staff member to receive an ice cream of their choice. He asks that I tell you he is sorry for leaving the seat up,” he whispered.

“I
t was awful," she said and laughed.

She blew her whistle and the kids came running.

“Alright guys remember Lucas, the one who sent the pizzas? Well he wants each of you to have ice cream!” she shouted.

They all cheered and lined up.

“Okay you guys have to do me a favor” she asked.

His phone chimed it was her

It was a video. He heard her say, “One, Two, Three” and all the kids yelled. “THANK YOU FOR LEAVING THE SEAT UP, WE ALL FORGIVE YOU!”

He laughed and immediately felt relief.

-Please tell them they’re all very welcome, and I promise to never ever do it again…LL

~

Tessa pulled into the park with Molly and Maggie. They began to unload coolers. Alex, Cory, John, and Lucas walked out and grabbed them. Phoebe rolled in with the Jeep packed full of all the paper products and linens.

Lucas
avoided eye contact with Tessa. He looked like a nervous little boy. He had on cargo shorts and a button up plaid shirt. His white hat pulled down low hiding his eyes. He had on flip flops. Tessa loved his perfect feet. He looked so uncomfortable she couldn’t stand it. She walked up to him and purposely bumped his arm with her shoulder.

“Hi
Lucas,” she said.

“Tessa,” he said quietly.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“It sucked,” he said exasperated.

“REALLY?!” she said and walked away.

What an ass
, she thought to herself. She stomped towards the Jeep, and he ran after her.

“What did I do now Tessa,” he asked quietly when he got next to her shoving his hands in his pockets.

“It sucked,” she said. “I’m not slow, I catch on fast, you made me feel like shit last night, you do all sorts of over the top sweet things all day long and then you say that.”

He closed his eyes and hung his hea
d as he shook it back and forth, “That’s not what I meant Tessa,” he said in a defeated tone. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey Tessa you two want to run up
and grab the rest of the stuff? I think one trip will get what we need tonight,” Maggie said as she walked by, “Oh and the flowers, you might need to make two trips.”

“I can get it,” Tessa said opening the door.

“If you take Lucas’ vehicle you may be able to make it in one trip Tessa, waste not want not,” Maggie smiled.

She let out a frustrated
breath. “Fine!”

He opened the door for her.

“I’m not incapable,” she snapped at him.

She turned up the radio, Godsmack’s
Whatever
came on. She laughed and turned it up. She turned it up louder and laughed again. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.