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Chapter Twenty-Four
Tessa
It’s been so long since I last saw Hannah Murphy, and I’m actually excited to catch up with her. There have been a few likes here and there on Facebook and Instagram, but not much else. She was always stunning, and nothing has changed. She has long brown hair that is piled on top of her head, and her green eyes light up as soon as she sees us. I recognize her immediately too, embracing her before we sit down, all of us smiling.
“Oh my god, Tessa. It’s so good to see you. How have you been? And what the hell are you doing with this asshole?” Hannah asks, her well-known humor still in place.
“Turns out he’s a pretty good catch,” I reply, resting my hand on Dylan’s leg as he leans over and kisses me on the cheek.
“Please tell me you two aren’t the kind of couple who are all over each other in public.” Hannah rolls her eyes dramatically, making both Dylan and I laugh.
“Listen, Hannah, you’re just jealous because you can’t seem to land a boyfriend. How long has it been?” Dylan quips back with Hannah’s mouth dropping open offendedly.
“Now I’m going to get it from you too? It’s bad enough that Mom asks me when I’m getting married every time I see her, but now you’re going to hit me with that shit too?”
“I know, I know,” Dylan concedes. “Plus, like you have time for a boyfriend given how demanding your job is. Speaking of, how’s it going?”
“Same as it was last time we met for breakfast. Awful. Miserable. Horrible. I’m sure there are other words to describe it,” Hannah says with a bit of sadness to her words. “I swear I thought once I landed a job working at a high-end restaurant, I’d be killing it. All I’m killing is my social life and my self-esteem.”
“Hannah took a job working for some asshole who has zero appreciation for her skills in the kitchen,” Dylan tells me.
“Sucks that your job is so awful, but it’s really cool that you did end up becoming a chef,” I say, remembering that Hannah had gotten into one of the most prestigious culinary schools, heading off to New York when we graduated high school.
“It is, but holy shit, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Or maybe it’s just the place I’m working at. It really sucks and I’ve been begging Dylan to get me a job at Somerville’s.”
“And I keep telling her that I’m trying. It’s not like Somerville’s is this massive place with tons of job openings,” Dylan gripes, shrugging his shoulders as he takes a drink of his coffee.
“He’s right, it isn’t, but I will put a good word in for you with the owner. I’ve gotten close to her since I’ve been working on her house renovation,” I tell Hannah, hoping to appease her and help Dylan out a little.
“Feel free to tell her I have a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and a specialty in pastry,” Hannah says, sounding desperate, and I do feel sorry for her. It’s been so nice working for myself, not having to really deal with an asshole boss. “And I kick ass at food and wine pairings.”
While my job isn’t without difficult clients, I do get to pick and choose who I work with, and most of the time, there aren’t any issues. I imagine Hannah is pretty miserable if she’s looking to leave the high-end restaurant scene in San Fran for the quiet simplicity of the restaurant wine industry.
“Okay, Hannah, settle down, I think we got it,” Dylan says, but there’s a playful tone to his voice. I already love the relationship the two of them have. It’s so natural and fun. I’d love for Hannah to join us at Somerville’s. She would be a great addition.
We chat over breakfast about high school and volleyball and how our lives have changed now. Dylan and Hannah have this great banter that keeps the conversation light and fun. It’s been wonderful catching up with Hannah, and when we leave, I promise to mention to Lauren that she’s looking for a job. We also agree to meet up for lunch in a few weeks, minus Dylan this time, and I hope he’s not offended. Hannah and I always got along in high school, and even though we were never really close friends, it’s nice to have rekindled this friendship.
Dylan and I make our way over to Somerville’s since both of us have to work today. Actually, I really don’t take any time off when I’m in the middle of a renovation. It’s easier to get things done on a Sunday when the crew is off, and Dylan’s job never really stops. There are always apples and grapes to be picked, wine to ferment, cider to brew, clean-up to be done. He’s lucky though, because Jack and Lauren allow the employees to switch off weekends. Dylan is usually off every other weekend, while I’m only off if I’m in between jobs. I don’t like that to happen, so I honestly can’t remember the last time I took a break.
“Catch you later?” Dylan asks, as he pulls me in for a kiss.
“Yes,” I murmur back a little breathless. “You wanna come by the house really quick and see how it’s progressing?” I now ask, lacing my fingers with his and pulling him in that direction.
“Of course,” Dylan replies, following me and giving my ass a little swat as he moves to catch up and walk next to me.
“You haven’t been inside since demo day,” I tell him, excited to show him how far it has come.
“I know. I catch glimpses of the outside when I’m around here, but I haven’t seen what you’ve done to the inside. The outside looks incredible,” he says, stopping and looking at all the progress. It’s moving along so quickly, and I couldn’t be happier. I want them to have the perfect place to bring their babies home to.
I unlock the front door, opening it up to the newly expanded two-story entryway, and even though there’s no lighting and it hasn’t been painted, it’s still breathtaking.
“The front door used to open right into the living room,” I tell Dylan, “We added a closet, and widened this whole area.”
“I like that you saywe, as if you didn’t design all this on your own,” he says and my heart stops. He’s so damn sweet, recognizing all my hard work. “Tessa, it’s amazing. Jack and Lauren are going to love it.”
“Thank you. It’s probably one of the biggest renovations I’ve ever taken on. It’s been really cool taking this little house and turning it into this.”
We walk a little farther down to the newly expanded kitchen. It’s at least twice the size it used to be, and while there was nothing wrong with the little house, it was just that, little. Too little for two people who are starting a family, and plan to expand that too.
