As Love Blooms (39 page)

“Yep.” He grinned. “Maybe you can figure out a better story before I return.”

Could this day get any worse?

Reese scanned the hats of every woman in the park. Where had Tessa gone? He needed to talk to her.

One of the park officers hurried toward him. “Mr. King, I’m so
glad I found you. Remember that lady I caught picking flowers who you said you’d take care of? Well, I found her going through papers in Mr. Nussbaumer’s office. What do you want me to do with her?”

His heart lurched. “Is she still there?”

“Sure. I handcuffed her to a pipe.”

What had Tessa been up to? “Give me the key.”

“What?”

“Give me the key.” He held out his hand. “I’ll take care of her.”

“She’s trouble, Mr. King.” He fished the key from his pocket and dropped it in Reese’s hand. “Mark my words. She’s trouble with a capital T.”

Reese wrapped his fist around the key. “No, she’s not. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and if I have to spend the rest of my life proving it to her, I will.”

It seemed reasonable that the floors of a park office would be dirt covered, but Tessa had stood so long she’d finally had to sit down. Her rose-colored dress might never be the same. Not that she’d ever want to wear it again. When she got home, she might even burn it as a way to destroy her memories of Reese and this horrid day.

Tessa propped her arms on her raised knees and buried her head. After Mr. Nussbaumer came, any future at Como or any other park in the city would be over, but even worse, she’d failed in her task.

If she hadn’t second-guessed herself at the last moment, she’d have had the figure she needed for Edward. His client could submit the lowest bid for the project, and most of all, Hannah and her baby would be safe.

The door handle rattled, and she jerked her head up in time to see Reese slip inside. He shut the door and latched it.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice came out icy.

“I could ask you the same thing.” He dangled the key in front of him. “I ran into your favorite park officer.”

“I’d prefer him over you.” She moved her wrist, making the handcuffs clang against the pipe. “If you’ll unlock me, you can be rid of me for good.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Nope.”

“You’re not going to let me go?”

“Not until you tell me why you’re here.”

She rose to her feet and sent him a fiery glare. “That’s none of your business.”

“Anything that has to do with you is my business.”

“It was. It’s not anymore.”

“I know I hurt you, and we’ll talk about that later, but right now I want answers. Why are you here?”

“I had some papers to look at.” Why give him a complete explanation when a partial one would do?

“Which papers?”

“The bids for the conservatory, but don’t worry, I didn’t see them. Unlike some people, I have a conscience.”

“Why would you want those?” He ignored the barb and moved to unlock the handcuffs. He slid the one cuff off the pipe while Tessa removed the other from her wrist. “Wait a minute. You don’t want those bids. Someone else does.” He stepped back to look at her face. “Is it Edward? Did he ask you to do this? I told you—”

“That I was supposed to turn to you?” She rubbed her wrist where the handcuff had chafed. “Well, I had every intention of doing exactly that until you showed me that this whole time, you were the one putting on the act.”

“Tessa, let me explain. I love you. I still care.”

“Care?” Anger burned in her chest. “You care about your job. You care about impressing your father, but if you cared about me, you wouldn’t have used me.”

“Listen, Tessa.” He reached for her hand, but she yanked it away. “I couldn’t say anything about your part in the garden because I
had to have that new position in order to have enough money to support a wife. It was so we could have a future.”

“What future, Reese?” Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. The ache in her heart threatened to crush her. She put her hand on the door handle. “I may not have always told you everything, but I never intentionally hurt you. I can’t love a man I can’t trust with my heart.”

 33 

The slamming door still echoed in Reese’s ears. He stood in the park office, his chest heaving, clenching and unclenching his fists until they ached. He wanted to hit something or someone, but the only person he could be angry with was himself.

He headed into Mr. Nussbaumer’s office to fix things. He didn’t want to explain any of this to him.

When he stepped out of the room, the door opened and Nels walked in. Surprise at seeing Reese registered for a fraction of a second in the widening of his eyes. He quickly schooled his features. “Congratulations, Reese.”

“Thank you.” Reese swallowed. “Your garden was outstanding.”

“But clearly not as remarkable as yours.” Nels seemed to consider his next words for a moment before he crossed his arms over his chest. “You know, I saw her.”

“Her?”

“The young woman disguised as a boy who helped you. I could have told Mr. Nussbaumer, but I chose not to.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Who is she?”

“Her name is Tessa Gregory. You met her a while back when we were having lunch together. Remember?”

“Hard to forget.” He gave a wry laugh. “And you two are courting?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, I wanted you to know, I’m not the kind of guy to take shortcuts. Besides, it wasn’t like she designed it.” Nels shrugged and offered Reese his hand. “The best garden won—fair and square.”

Reese forced a smile and shook Nels’s work-roughened hand, then watched the gardener exit the building.

First his father, then Mr. Nussbaumer, and now Nels—three chances to tell the truth about Tessa Gregory.

A cold hand gripped his heart. How could he do that to her?

Reese almost expected to hear a cock crowing in the distance.

The streetcar bell clanged as the conductor brought the car to a stop. Tessa forced herself to climb off at the corner and begin the short trek to Charlotte’s house, but every step took more effort than it should have.

The steady
pop
,
pop
,
pop
of a motorcycle drew her attention, and she longed to hop astride one of the thrilling machines and feel the air in her face.

She considered going home to Aunt Sam, but that wasn’t what she needed. She needed Charlotte to come with her to speak to Hannah. It would mean Charlotte would have to put aside her own hurt, like Tessa would have to put aside her pride.

Tessa prayed Aunt Sam had been right about a family being like a tree.
Please, Lord, let the roots of
our love run deep.

Charlotte greeted her at the door and immediately brought her inside, made her tea, and offered her a piece of chocolate cake. “Tessa, what’s wrong?”

Although Tessa didn’t intend to share every detail, amid tears and hugs, the story of the morning spilled out.

“Oh, Tessa. I’m so sorry that things are not going to work out
at Como, but you can always go back to the university next term and finish your schooling.”

Tessa’s pulse quickened. The moment had come. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I only want to tell this story once.” She squeezed Charlotte’s hand. “Will you please come with me to Hannah’s? I want you both to hear this from me. Please come. I promise it’s a matter of life and death.”

“Life and death?” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I know you’re distressed, and rightfully so, but really, Tessa, don’t you think that’s a bit much even for you?”

“We have to protect Hannah and the baby. So you’ll go?”

“You’re my sister, and if you need me, of course I will.”

Fresh tears seared Tessa’s eyes. The images on Hannah’s parlor wall, two photographs in oak oval frames, blurred—a wash of gray and white.

“I smell cinnamon.” Charlotte greeted the housekeeper. “Are you making those scrumptious cinnamon rolls, Mrs. Umdahl? In that case, I’m very glad we’ve come.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The usually somber housekeeper smiled at the praise. “Why don’t you two have a seat while I let Mrs. Cole know you’re here?”

Charlotte sat down in an upholstered chair, but Tessa remained standing. The cinnamon-scented air mixed with the cloying scent of lilies on the table and caused her roiling stomach to churn anew.