Page 12 of The Present

6

The alarm on Tess’s bedside buzzed at 7:00 the next morning, as it always did. She slapped at it until it stopped squawking and rolled over. She’d never reset it or turned it off after she’d lost her job. Most mornings she went on and got up, keeping up with her routine of shower, breakfast, and internet job search. But today was Christmas Day. She deserved a morning of do nothing but stay in bed. And think about her date with Hal last night.

She turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling, the white expanse neutral enough not to distract her as she relived long moments from their dinner. God that place had been to die for. The ambiance, the fabulous décor, the exquisite food. If she ran her tongue around her mouth, she could almost taste the grilled Chilean Sea bass, infused with rosemary, lemon, and sake. She’d eaten it incredibly slowly, just so she could savor it as long as possible.

Of course, she’d had to eat slowly because Hal had peppered her with questions. Where had she grown up, who were her best friends, what was her favorite color. Those were the easy ones, at the beginning of the first course. By the time dessert came—apple bourbon bread pudding drenched in bourbon and set alight at the table—he’d moved on to the big questions: where did she see herself in the next five years? What were her career goals? What were her personal goals?

Tess rolled onto her left side and hugged her pillow. Those were questions she hadn’t thought about in a while. Didn’t want to think about them when she was unemployed and all but broke. Her biggest goal at the moment was to get a job that would keep her clothed, fed, and in her apartment. In Chicago that was currently proving harder than she’d thought. Every company had an HR department. So, everyone needed HR personnel, right? Apparently, the recent recession had made companies think twice about that. She’d heard a commercial on her car radio for a company that provided online HR services, so rather than having to pay someone like her a decent salary, they just had to pay a hundred-dollar fee each month to the company who employed the faceless people who then did the HR managing for hundreds of other companies.

She buried her face in the pillow. Maybe she needed to apply to that company for a job.

But it had been the other question, about her personal goals, that had been the real killer. She didn’t mind Hal asking. She just had no idea what to tell him. Did she want a boyfriend or husband? Yes. Did she want a career? Yes. A family? Yes. But all that seemed so obvious. Well, maybe not obvious to him. He didn’t know her, really. But shouldn’t she have other, more lofty personal goals? Her answers made her feel rather small, ordinary. She wanted to be extraordinary. The kind of extraordinary woman who would catch the eye of someone like Hal Chapman.

Sighing, Tess dragged the pillow over her face. She might as well admit it, she did like Hal. A lot. And although she appreciated that he could be very generous with all things monetary—last night’s dinner had to have come close to five hundred dollars for the both of them—he was generous in other ways that made her like him more. Like rescuing her coat from Janice’s clutches. He hadn’t needed to do that, but he had. Holding her coat for her to put it on, opening the car door, pulling out her chair in the restaurant. Those things might make a dyed-in-the-wool feminist begin a hellish rant, but they impressed the hell out of Tess. Having manners didn’t make a man a chauvinist.

But as much as she liked Hal, she didn’t really think their little fling here would amount to much. They’d already agreed on their movie date the other night, so she knew Hal wouldn’t have broken it even if last night had been a disaster. After tonight, however, she doubted she’d see him again. They were from the proverbial different worlds and while that might be the perfect fodder for romance novels, in real life, it usually meant things were a no go. So, she was prepared to have a really great time at the movie, maybe have a drink with Hal afterward. At the end of the night, he might say he’d call her, but time would pass and her phone would remain silent. He was out of town so much it wouldn’t even seem odd, until months from now she’d have a random though about him and realize he’d never called.

Well, now she’d made herself thoroughly depressed, she might as well get up, take her shower, and settle down to watch whatever Christmas movies were on today. Maybe she could find Christmas Vacation, which never failed to make her laugh. A little Christmas cheer and a box of Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes would make her day merry and bright.

Tess got up, pulled on her fluffy pink robe, and headed to the bathroom. She’d just turned on the hot water when the doorbell rang. Glancing at her watch, she shook her head. Who on earth would be knocking on her door at seven-thirty in the morning on Christmas Day? She hurried into the living room and peeped through the door viewer.

A slender man with a long face and dark hair, who she’d never seen before, stood on the other side.

Tess pulled her robe tighter and tied the belt. “Who is it?”

“Delivery from Addison & Buckelew Florists.”

A pang of excitement hit her. There was only one person she could think of who might send her flowers. She dragged back the bolt and opened the door.

The man held a huge cylindrical crystal vase of poinsettias and white roses. “Ms. Tessa Avery?”

Tess’s heart did a huge flip and her stomach dropped. “Yes.” It came out a whisper.

“These are for you. Would you like me to set them down inside?” He eyed her. “They’re quite heavy.”

Nodding, her mouth too dry to speak, Tess opened the door and the man entered.

“Where would you like them?”

She cleared her throat. “Um, how about there, on the coffee table in front of the sofa?”

He nodded, headed into the living room, and set them down carefully. “Merry Christmas, Ms. Avery.”

“Thank you.” Still stunned, Tess could only stare at the beautiful arrangement, almost an exact replica of the AuBerge’s décor. “Merry Christmas, um, Mr.…?”

“Buckelew, Henry Buckelew.” He held out his hand and she shook it.

“Buckelew as in the florist?” Why would the owner of a florist shop deliver flowers on Christmas Day?

“Yes, Ms. Avery.” He smiled. “Mr. Chapman is an old and valued customer of ours. So, when he called me last evening and ordered this arrangement, I told him I would attend to the creation and delivery personally.”

“Oh. I see.” Maybe she was beginning to see. “Well, thank you so much, Mr. Buckelew, for coming out so early. And on Christmas.”

“My pleasure, Ms. Avery.” He nodded and turned toward the door. “Mr. Chapman asked me to deliver them early, so you would have them for the whole day.” He smiled at her again. A knowing smile. “Mr. Chapman is a very thoughtful gentleman.”

“Yes, yes he is.” Tess followed the man to the door. “Thank you again. And Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Ms. Avery. Don’t forget to read the card.” With that, the florist turned toward the elevators and Tess shut the door and leaned against it, suddenly needing the support. This certainly wasn’t the way she’d expected her Christmas to be. An unexpected happiness washed over her, and she scurried toward the living room.

Sitting carefully on the sofa directly in front of the huge bouquet, Tess leaned back and simply drank in its beauty. How very kind and yes, thoughtful, of Hal to send her something so exquisite, so wrought with memories of last night. Was he trying to send her a message?

“Well, duh, the man said there was a message.” Tess sat up and searched until she found the little envelope tucked underneath the biggest poinsettia. Carefully she removed the plastic holder and plucked the card from it. Hands trembling a little, she opened it and pulled out the card.

Merry Christmas, Tess!

I was thinking of you all alone in your apartment today and wanted you to have something to keep you company and make you think of me too. Looking forward to our ‘movie night’ together.

Hal

A wide grin spread over Tess’s face as she looked from the note to the spectacular flower arrangement. Maybe she did see the possibility of something she hadn’t dared dream of when she woke up this morning.

A new beginning.