As Love Blooms (15 page)

Please, Lord, make him see me as more than a
friend.

He let go of her hand and inclined his head to the right. “I think those two ladies are searching for someone in charge. I think that would be you.”

Tessa turned and smiled. “Those are my sisters. If you’ll excuse me.”

He took hold of her wrist. “I’d like to meet them, Tessa.”

“Oh, Reese, my sisters can be overwhelming. Hannah’s an attorney, and she might cross-examine you. And Charlotte, she’s a chef, and by the time she’s done, you’ll probably feel like your goose is cooked.”

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad, and if they’re anything like you, I’m sure I’d love them.”

She blinked. What had he said? If they were like her, he’d love them? Love?

If he loved her, he had a pretty strange way of showing it.

“Tessa, sorry we’re late.” Hannah took her hands. “How are things going?”

Tessa’s mind whirled. Why couldn’t she form a coherent thought? Now of all times.

Charlotte laid a hand on her shoulder. “Is all this too much for you to handle?”

“Are you kidding? Look at all these ladies.” Reese motioned around him. “Tessa organized all of them.”

“Of course, Catherine Chattingworth deserves the credit for getting them here,” Tessa said.

Hannah smiled. “Aunt Sam said you attended Catherine’s dinner party birthday celebration with Edward. Did you enjoy yourself?”

Don’t look at Reese. Play
it cool. Maybe he didn’t hear.

“A dinner party?” Reese stepped back and jammed his hands into his pockets. “You didn’t say anything about that.”

Cheese and crackers, now what was she going to do?

“Tessa, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Hannah used her eyes to motion to Reese.

“Hannah and Charlotte, this is Reese King. Reese, these are my sisters, Hannah Cole and Charlotte Brooks.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. King.” Charlotte offered him a pleasant smile. “And how do you know our Tessa?”

Tessa squeezed her eyes shut.
Don’t let
him tell them. Don’t let him tell them.

“We both enjoy gardening.”

Good answer, Reese.

“How did you meet?” Hannah asked in a much too sweet voice.

Oh great, she was onto them. “Reese sort of got me out of a jam at Como Park.”

“A jam?” Hannah’s tone switched to big sister.

Why had she admitted that?

“Nothing serious.” Her oak tree, Reese, steeled her with his gaze. “Something involving pansies. Do you both like flowers as much as your sister?”

Excellent, Reese. Change the subject.
But he was still no match for the two of them.

“Why don’t we let Reese get back to work?” Tessa said. “I’ll show you what we’ve done, and then you can decide where you want to work.”

“Very well. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. King.” Charlotte dipped her head.

Hannah smiled. “And hopefully we’ll get a chance to speak again soon.”

No need, my dear sisters. Reese and I are just
friends, and if it’s up to Reese, it looks
like that’s how it’s going to stay.

Reese tossed the last of the crates in the Maytag Light Delivery Car and scanned the garden for Tessa. Only a few ladies remained,
but she wasn’t one of them. A few moments ago she’d been speaking with Catherine Chattingworth, so where had she gone?

Then he noticed her sisters had also disappeared.

“Lost something?” Mr. Boughner collected a bunch of rakes and tossed them in with the crates.

“Some
one
.” Reese handed Mr. Boughner the last of the rakes. “Did you see Miss Gregory leave? I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”

Mr. Boughner chuckled. “I figured you didn’t show up to volunteer by chance. She and her sisters got in some fancy car a few minutes ago.”

Was this a sign that it wasn’t the right time to make his intentions clear?

No. He’d come here today with that purpose foremost in his mind, and he wasn’t stopping yet.

After saying goodbye to Mr. Boughner, Reese rushed to his Model T, cranked the engine, and hopped in. If he hurried, he might catch her before she went inside. Knocking on that Summit Avenue home uninvited wouldn’t be his favorite thing to do, but he’d do it.

He wasn’t going to let Tessa slip away again.

Lights sparkled in the mirror above the soda fountain, casting a sugary spell over the patrons. With a grin on her face, Tessa slurped the last bit of her root beer float from the glass. She eyed the frown on her sisters’ faces and giggled. They were so easy to annoy.

Hannah exhaled through disapproving lips. “Really, Tessa. When are you going to grow up?”

“Hopefully never. I like having a good time. You remember fun.” She let her spoon clink against the glass. “Oh wait, you were the responsible big sister. Maybe you don’t remember having fun.”

Charlotte tried to suppress a smile but failed. She laid her hand on Tessa’s arm. “Tell us more about that handsome Mr. King. He
seemed to know you fairly well—at least well enough to call you by your given name. You said you met at the park. Have the two of you seen each other often?”

Like an unruly vine, Tessa’s stomach tangled. How was she going to get out of this? She didn’t want to lie or even twist the truth.
Think, Tessa.
“You think he’s handsome? I hadn’t noticed.”

Charlotte chuckled. “How could you not?”

“Why, Lottie, you’re a married woman. Shame on you.”

“I may be married, but I still have eyes. Speaking of which, Mr. King’s eyes were the first thing that struck me. What color would you say they were, Tessa?”

Her lips curled. “I think they match the denim of his trousers.”

“So you have noticed?” Hannah grinned and slipped a slice of strawberry into her mouth. “He seems like a nice young man, and I know he brought you home the other day. Why don’t you go ahead and answer Charlotte’s question?”

Tessa sighed. She might as well get this over with.

“We’ve been working together at Como Park.” As briefly as she could, she explained how she and Reese were planting an Arts and Crafts garden using her garden design. “When it’s finished and Mr. Nussbaumer expresses his pleasure, Reese is going to tell him the truth about the whole thing.”

“Oh, Tessa, you’re taking a big chance.” Hannah dabbed her lips with her napkin. “What if things don’t go as you want?”

“What could possibly go wrong?”

“Mr. Nussbaumer could dislike what you’ve done behind his back, for one thing.”

Charlotte folded her hands on the table. “I think what Hannah’s worried about is this whole thing backfiring.”

Tessa shook her head. Why couldn’t her sisters have a little faith in her? “You both worry too much. It’ll be fine.”

“And what if Mr. King’s interest has grown from your garden designs to designs on you?” Hannah asked. “What are you going
to do then? It would hardly be appropriate to spend all day, every day, unchaperoned with a man who has expressed an interest in stepping out with you. I guess Charlotte and I could take turns—”

“No!” Her corset tightened. A chaperone? For garden work? “If—and I do mean if—something develops between Reese and me, it will not affect our work in the park. Neither of us can afford it to. You both are going to have to trust me on this.” She glanced at Charlotte, then Hannah, hoping for some sign of acknowledgment. “Besides, we are only friends.”

For a long moment, Hannah’s lips were pressed thin, then they slowly began to curl. She shared a knowing look with Charlotte. “In the words of our sister, the former actress, I think she ‘doth protest too much.’ What do you think, Charlotte?”

“Methinks you may be right.” Charlotte laughed and squeezed Tessa’s hand. “Don’t worry, Tessa, we won’t spoil your fun. Just promise us you’ll be careful.”

“Careful of what? It’s a park, not a lions’ den.” Tessa stood and laid her hand over her heart. “Very well. I promise to be wary of every posy, peony, and possum, and to be on my guard at all times in case some great gardening catastrophe should strike.” She lowered her hand and slid off her stool. “Now, can we get home? I have a long day tomorrow.”

Hannah headed toward the door. “Yes, you’ll need your beauty rest before you meet your
friend
.”

 14 

Reese knew he shouldn’t be spying. Parked on the street across from Tessa’s aunt’s home, he waited. He’d come to speak with her aunt, but that couldn’t happen right now.

Who were the people on the front porch? If he had to guess, the elderly woman in the bloomers was Tessa’s aunt, but the man? Tessa had never said anything about an uncle, and from the Packard in the driveway, he imagined the older, distinguished man was a guest, and a wealthy one at that.

But where were Tessa and her sisters? The robin’s egg–blue Cadillac he’d come to recognize as belonging to her aunt was nowhere in sight. Perhaps they’d not come home, or maybe there was a garage around back. He would wait a while for them to come home, and then he’d go speak to her aunt and ask for permission to see Tessa.

The sound of their muffled conversation mixed with the song of a mourning dove and the rustling of the leaves on the trees.

Tessa’s aunt stood, and the distinguished man followed suit. He took her aunt’s hands in his and held them. Did Tessa know her aunt was involved with this man?

Reese rubbed his forehead. He should not be watching this.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Samantha, at the Ryan Hotel,” the man
called when he reached his automobile. “Tell your driver I’ll bring you home.”

Tessa’s aunt laughed. “Senator Ferrell, I will not do that. My driver will take me and bring me home.”

“This time.” The senator waved, tipped his hat, and got inside.

The older lady waved too. She watched the senator back down the driveway and pull out onto Summit Avenue. Then she glanced around as if she were worried about being seen. Her gaze landed on Reese.

He looked away, then tipped his head back and closed his eyes. So much for making a good first impression. How was he going to explain this?
Yes, ma’am, I was spying on you
and your gentleman caller, and yes, I do want to
step out with your niece.