“Like a yo-yo,” Tess replied. Then she laughed, a rather sad laugh. “We sure didn’t leave it in Tahoe, did we?”
Bree looked into her eyes. “I haven’t forgotten Tahoe either. It would be so much easier if I could.” Bree shook her head, as though she didn’t want to admit what she was going to say next. “Tahoe meant something to me, even when I didn’t know who you were or where you lived, even when we didn’t stand a chance. I just can’t sleep with you right now.”
“So, tell me this. And be honest.” Tess mustered her courage. “Do we stand a chance at more than friendship?”
“I’m trying to figure that out. I’m starting to hope so.” ThenBree heaved a deep sigh and turned to leave. “It was a wonderful evening. The best.”
Tess nodded back. She was clueless except for how she felt—confused, but not yet ready to slam the door.
Bree had had a very fitful night of sleep. She’d headed into her morning conference session exhausted and aware that she was full of conflict. She didn’t want to upset Tess any worse while she figured out her personal life. She wanted to inform Tess about the official complaints and the confidential role related to her professional life. She wanted to do whatever would keep Tess safe, but she wasn’t sure what that was.
She was certainly thinking hard about her personal commitment to a relationship ban. She knew how special Tess was. Their time together was so good and her feelings were deepening. Cora was taking a position as part of her past, one of life’s lessons in picking a partner. She needed to figure out how to steer these feelings forward. It had to be in a way that would never take her down a pathway that repeated the outcome she’d experienced with Cora.
So much was emotionally at stake for both of them. And ultimately, Bree hoped that she could navigate a course that would offer a chance at a future relationship. There was no clear path forward, so her four thirty a.m. decision had been to hold her course for now. She was no longer willing to keep secrets from Tess, secrets about matters that affected Tess’s life. But the last thing Bree wanted to do was anything that could increase Tess’s chance of being harmed again.
It was almost noon and Bree’s new judge orientation session was finished for the morning, so she headed to a bench outsidethe lecture room. She should at least make sure that Tess was okay after last evening and maybe see if dinner in a restaurant was possible, not tonight because there was a mixer for new judges, but maybe later in the week. She could justify that as a conference dinner with a colleague.
Texting shouldn’t interrupt Tess if she was busy. It might also offer a bit more insulation than a call, and she was too exhausted to navigate an emotional conversation if Tess was upset about how she’d ended what had been a wonderful time on the beach.
Bree:I hope you caught more zzzs than I did last night.
Tess:Trying not to catch them in the presentation this morning. Yawn.
Bree:I’ve got a new judge mixer tonight, but dinner later this week?
Tess:Is that wise when I can’t seem to keep my lips to myself?
Bree chuckled. Tess seemed to be managing how last night had concluded. She was relieved.
Bree:You don’t get to take all the credit. It can be at a crowded restaurant with lots of chaperones.
Tess:You really know how to tempt a girl.
Bree:I try. Tomorrow night? A quick bite. Judge to judge.
Tess:Back to reset mode, huh?
Bree:How about we don’t label it?
There was a long pause, and Bree waited. Her phone said the last message had been delivered. Then the screen showed that Tess was typing, and finally another message appeared.
Tess:I have dinner plans with a law school classmate tomorrow and presiding judge mixer Wednesday. Maybe dessert on Thursday?
Bree:That sounds safe.
Tess:A pie à la mode date then.
Before she could respond, a follow-up came from Tess.
Tess:Oops…a pie à la mode meeting.
Bree had to smile.
Bree:You’ll send me the time and place?
Tess:I will.
Bree:Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.
