A few weeks after Kyle and Tess's dinner date...
Even though it had only been a short time since they first met, Kyle had slowly become very important to Tess. She was starting to have really strong feelings towards him. The kind that she had never experienced with any other man until Kyle came into her life. These feelings were so powerful within her that she was dreading what she was about to tell him.
She was sitting at one of the coffee tables in the bookstore waiting for him to come downstairs from his apartment. The blonde girl behind the counter was still giving her the evil eye but she’d gotten used to it now.
As Kyle walked out from the back room he took a quick glance around the cafe section and saw that it was virtually full. He noticed Tess sitting there alone and huge smile appeared on his face as he headed straight for her table.
“Tess, I didn’t know you were here. Have you been waiting long?”
“No, not long," Tess shook her head "I was just waiting for you to finish your break.”
“You should have said something, told someone you were here. Someone would have called me down!”
“No, seriously I’ve only been sitting here five minutes Kyle, it is fine honestly.” smiled Tess. The way Kyle seemed so eager just to be around her caused a warm feeling of happiness to fill her body.
“So looking forward to our date tomorrow night?” he asked her with a big smile on his face.
Kyle watched as the smile quickly dropped from her face and his stomach clenched.
Uh oh this can't be good?! Was she not happy anymore? Did she not want to go out with him anymore? Had he done something wrong? Said the wrong thing?! Not said the right thing?!
Kyle quickly tried to run through his mind everything he had ever said to Tess, or around her, in hopes of maybe coming up with whatever it was he had done wrong.
“Kyle I was really looking forward to our date tomorrow night ...”
“Okkaayy," Kyle laughed nervously "I know there is a BUT in there somewhere.”
“Well you see it’s my birthday tomorrow but my dad asked me out for dinner that night. He only told me about it this morning so that’s why I’m cancelling on you so late. I’m so incredibly sorry. I would much rather go out on our date to be honest.”
Kyle’s stomach unclenched and he gave her a nervous laugh.
“Phew!" Kyle blew out a deep breath he didn't know he had been holding "God Tess for a minute there I thought you were going to break up with me.”
“WHAT?!” Tess sat up straighter in her seat and gave Kyle a shocked look "Why on Earth would you think I was here to break up with you?!"
“Oh I don’t know. You were sitting here looking all serious and...and well I don’t know really. I’m just being stupid you know...old crazy Kyle here. So it’s your birthday tomorrow then?!” he said quickly changing the subject.
“Yeah but I would much rather be spending it with you!”
“Well I could always go with you” smiled Kyle "Meet your dad and everything."
Now it was Tess’s stomach that lurched. She desperately wanted Kyle to be there to celebrate her birthday. Hell she wanted him to be part of all aspects of her life, not just their time at the bookstore but that would mean he would have to meet her father, and that was going to be impossible.
Her dad would go ballistic if he found out about Kyle. He would consider him a poor/loser type guy. Going nowhere just serving coffee to the thousands! She could hear his voice now ringing in her ears.
'What the hell is wrong with you Tess?! Those types of people are below us! Oh they're fine to work for us, wash our cars, clean our house, and pick up after us, their betters....but to date?! No daughter of mine will be dating some poor white trash book seller!"
How was she going to tell Kyle this without hurting him?
“Easy Tess.....you lie to him,” Tess thought sadly to herself.
“Erm, well my dad wouldn’t be expecting you Kyle and we only have reservations for two...and,” god she just wanted to cry right now. How the hell was she going to explain this to Kyle?
Sensing her utter despair he saved her from having to say the words he knew were coming.
“Hey,” he said as he put his finger under her chin and lifted her face so she had no other option than to look at him, “It’s just not the right time, right? Don’t worry about it Tess. Go and have fun with your dad tomorrow, okay?”
He saw the relief wash over her beautiful face and he was rewarded with one of those smiles that would make any mans insides melt.
Tess leaned over the table, gently grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him senseless.
“Thank you Kyle,” she breathed as she finally detached her lips from his.
Kyle just nodded; too dazed by the kiss he’d just received. Hell just for that it was worth it!
*******
Later the next day...
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Yes?" asked Tess from where she stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom.
Charles, their butler stuck his head around the door.
"The limo is outside waiting for you Ms. Harding."
"Thank you Charles," Tess turned from the mirror to smile at him, she spun around so he could see how she was dressed. "Well how do I look?"
She didn’t want her father to be disappointed so she went for something simple but stunning at the same time. She was wearing this light blue, jersey dress. It had spaghetti straps and a massive V shape down the back which just ended at her lower back. She looked positively radiant tonight. She’d also gotten her hair done at the salon, along with her nails and she was wearing some of the jewellery her father had given her on past birthdays, all this just to please him, although she didn’t realise it at the time.
Charles came fully in to the room and gave Tess a very polite look over.
"Why, you look completely exquisite if I do say so myself Ms. Harding."
"Thank you Charles," blushed Tess.
"And if I can say, you look exactly like your mother when she was your age."
"Really?"
“Oh yes,” nodded Charles as a very far off look came across his face. “Often do I think of her, how much more life and humanity was in this house when she was here.”
Shaken out of his thoughts Charles turned back to Tess and smiled at her.
“Not only do you look just like her my dear but you also have the same sweet soul that she had.”
Tess fought back her tears as she quickly wrapped her small arms around Charles and gave him a strong hug.
"Thank you."
Charles easily returned the hug, patting Tess on the back.
"Now, now Ms. Harding we don't want you to be late for your dinner date with your father."
"Yeah..." Tess broke the hug and checked her eye make up to see if any errant tears had escaped. When that was done she grabbed her purse off the nearby night stand and headed for the door. Before stepping out Tess turned to look at Charles who was still standing in her room.
"Thank you Charles."
"It was all my pleasure Ms. Harding," smiled Charles.
Tess ran down stairs, waved bye to the rest of the staff and then walked gracefully to the limo. She couldn’t wait for tonight to begin. It was the first time her father had invited her anywhere on her birthday. He usually either missed it or just gave her something in the morning and then left her alone for the rest of the day. As if one present could make up for his lack of understanding or love.
The driver got out of the car and opened the door for her. He then proceeded to drive to the location that Mr Harding had given him earlier on during the day.
“Erm, so where are we going?” asked Tess slightly nervous but excited at the same time.
“To The Regency, Ms Harding,” the driver smiled at Tess through the rear view mirror.
“You're kidding me?” asked Tess incredulously.
“No ma’am.”
Tess sat back in her seat in total shock. The Regency was one of the most expensive and fancy restaurants in the area, even for people in her social circle. So much so she herself had never been there and that was saying a lot! You had to book like six months in advance to get into the place. She was sure her father wouldn’t have planned that far ahead.
Once reaching the restaurant the driver helped Tess out of the limo and then escorted her to the door.
“Your father will be here shortly,” he said as he made his way back to the limo.
She entered the fabulous restaurant and gasped. It was the most beautiful room she had ever seen. It was modern in its decoration, with crisp white table cloths, rich black leather seats and a wonderful array of light sculptures. It was truly fascinating.
As she walked further into the restaurant a woman with the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen came up to her.
“Can I help you miss?” asked the lady.
Tess was shocked as she realised that this woman was front of house manager and she was there to arrange the seating.
“Erm, yes I’m waiting for my father, Ed Harding, to join me. I believe he’s booked a table for two.”
“Ah yes Miss Harding. We were informed of your arrival. You father has reserved the best table in the establishment. Please come this way.”
Tess followed the beautiful woman through a set of double doors which led to a private room overlooking a river. There were a few other exclusive guests here. Some she recognised and said hello, others she didn’t recognise.
She sat down at the table by the window and watched as the lights danced off the surface of the water, like sparkling diamonds on black velvet.
“Your waiter for tonight will be François. He will be with you shortly to take your drinks order. Please enjoy your meal,” said the lady as she laid a menu in front of Tess and another one at the empty seat opposite her.
No sooner had the lady left her table, François appeared.
“Mademoiselle, your father has ordered a Krug 1995 Clos d'Ambonnay to be opened at the table, would you like me to do that now?”
“Erm, no actually I think I’d better wait for my father to get here,” said Tess. She realised that the bottle of champagne her father ordered was a very expensive one and she didn’t want to start it before her father had arrived. She had a funny feeling he would be extremely annoyed if she did.
“May I just have a glass of white wine please?” asked Tess.
“Certainly Mademoiselle,” replied the waiter as he placed the bottle of champagne back into the sliver ice bucket and placed it near the table. She loved the atmosphere here but what she liked most of all was the view from the windows that surrounded the whole room.
The waiter left to get her wine and Tess began to study the menu. As she read down the list of delights that she could choose from, her stomach started to rumble. There was some weird stuff on there that she would never attempt to eat like Octopus or Escargot but the rest of what was on offer sounded delicious.
The waiter returned to serve her drink and offered her a warm bread roll and butter. He sliver served the bread roll onto her plate and then he excused himself.
She sat for a little while just taking in her beautiful surroundings. There was no doubt her father had spared any expense for this birthday. Maybe her not being around him so much was starting to have an effect on him. Maybe, just maybe he was starting to miss her company.
She checked her watch for the first time and realised that her father was already half an hour late but this to her was no big deal. He was always getting delayed in meetings so she was used to it. Plus he’d done a lot tonight to make sure her birthday was a happy one so she could forgive him for being a little late.
She sat there drinking her wine and taking in the sights. She sighed as she finally relaxed for the first time in a long time. Tonight would probably be the best night she and her father had shared in a long time.
Two hours later she was still sitting at the table alone and getting incredibly angry. She was so embarrassed because the waiter had been coming over to the table at regular intervals to ask her if she wanted to order dinner yet, or whether she would like another drink, or open the bottle of champagne.
By the fifth time he’d approached her she could see the look of sorrow in his eyes. He knew that she’d been stood up and he felt sorry for her. She couldn’t believe after all the trouble he’d gone through, organising the limo, the champagne and a table at the most exclusive restaurant, that he hadn’t even bothered showing up.
No phone calls, no message, nothing. She decided to take a look at her cell phone just to make sure she hadn’t missed a call from him and realised that she didn’t have any reception. So she moved outside to call her dad.
A small drizzle of rain had started to fall, turning the night chilly, so Tess stood under the small canopy outside the front door as she tried to get a signal for her phone.
When the phone finally found a signal she punched in the number to her father's personal phone a direct number straight to him, a number only a few select people knew. After a few short rings it was picked up.
"Ed Harding?" the gruff voice of her father came through to her phone.
"Daddy?"
"Tess why are you calling me now? I'm very busy..."
"Daddy..." Tess hesitated a bit, almost scared to death for interrupting her father, "...where are you?"
"At my office...I'm in a board meeting. We're discussing the Johnson merger and it's running late..."
"But daddy, what about our dinner?"
"Dinner?"
Tess's heart started to sink 'No he couldn't have forgotten could he?'
"The dinner we were both supposed to have tonight, together."
"Oh that...I forgot," Ed Harding said as a matter of fact, as if he was discussing the weather instead of his relationship with his daughter. "Look Tess the meeting is about to start again..."
"Daddy..." Tess interrupted him once again, but this time her next question would decide their whole relationship "...daddy do you even know what today is?"
"Well of course I do, what kind of stupid question is that?!"
Ed's shocked voice caused Tess to have a moment of happiness surge through her. 'He hadn't forgotten me after all!' But Tess's brief moment of happiness came crashing down by the next words out of her father's mouth.
"It's Friday."
Tess just stood there in shock looking at her cell phone.
'He doesn't even know that today is my birthday.'
"I've got to go now Tess I'll talk to you when I get home."
Hearing the loud click Tess let her cell phone slip out of her hand and bounce hard on the concrete sidewalk, busting into a hundred pieces. It felt like a cold wet blanket had just covered over her body. Everything in her suddenly just went dead and numb.
The small drizzle from a second ago was now a down pour, the kind of rain that gets you instantly soaked but Tess didn’t even notice. She started to run as fast as she could trying to get as much distance between herself and that restaurant as she could. This had to be the worst night she’d ever had. She started to think about all the times her father had let her down and tonight was the final straw.
Her foot caught in something as she was running and went flying onto the wet concrete path. She’d scrapped her hands and knees but her brain didn’t register the pain because the pain in her heart was greater.
As she lay face down she started to sob uncontrollably. The sort of heart wrenching sobs that leave you wracked with tiredness. As the cold of the concrete started to seep through her dress she managed to stand up and continue walking whilst the rain and tears stung her face.
Her dress literally clung to her body leaving nothing to the imagination and her beautiful hair, that she’d taken so much care over, was no plastered to her face and shoulders. She had mascara tear tracks running down her face, her eyes and nose were red from all the crying and her heart literally ached with sadness.
*******
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
"Yeah, yeah I'm coming; hold your damn horses would you!" Kyle shouted as he came down the stairs that connected the bookstore to the apartment above.
He just sat down to enjoy his favourite TV show NCIS when someone started pounding on the door at the front of the bookstore. Due to the rain and it being night Kyle couldn't get a good look at who was out there, so he put on the outside light as he opened the door.
"Look I'm sorry but we're clo..."
Whatever Kyle was going to say next was lost, for there standing out in the pouring rain, soaked to her skin was his beautiful Tess. He couldn’t believe the pain that was in her eyes and he knew the night hadn’t gone well.
When he took in the sight of her, he simply stepped out into the rain, scooped her into his strong arms and carried her up to his apartment. He sat her gently down on the side of his bed, wrapped a warm dry blanket around her and then kneeled down in front of her.
“Tess, where are your shoes?” asked Kyle as he noticed her bare, dirty feet.
“Huh ... what?” asked Tess in a dazed voice as if she'd just noticed that Kyle was there kneeling right in front of her.
“Your shoes honey, where are they?” he asks more softly as he pulled her wet stockings off and threw them to one side.
“...um ..." Tess looked down at her feet, "I don’t know...”
“How did you get those scrapes on your hands and knees?” he asked her again.
“...um, I don’t know...”
“It’s okay, hold on just a second,” Kyle said as he stood up and went into a different room.
Tess started to hear running water and some banging coming from another room. A second or two later Kyle came back into the room with a towel slung over his shoulder.
“Hey I’ve got a nice hot bath running for you,” said Kyle as he came over to help Tess up out of the chair, “...and I’ve put some clean dry clothes in the bathroom for you. When you get out of the tub you can get dressed into them.”
Kyle helped Tess to her feet, took her into the bathroom and sat her down on the closed toilet seat. He walked over to the bath and turned off the water and placed his finger in it to check the temperature.
“Good nice and warm ... okay, I’ll just step outside while you get undressed.”
Tess suddenly started to panic. She grabbed hold of Kyle's arm with both hands and held on tight. She tried to say something but every time she opened her mouth nothing came out.
“Hey,” he once again kneeled down in front of her, gently cupping her face with his hands.
“It’ll be okay. I’ll just be outside,” he said pointing to the bathroom door.
“You ... you won’t go far? You ... you won’t leave me alone?”
Her voice sounded so scared, so alone that Kyle just wanted to gather her back into his arms and protect her, but instead he just smiled at her.
“Hon, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried. I’ll just be on the other side of this door while you get undressed and in the tub, okay?”
“O-okay,” replied a shaky Tess.
Once Kyle was out the door she let the wet and ruined dress fall to the floor, soon her undergarments joined it. Sliding into the warm tub Tess pulled her knees up too her chest and once again let the tears fall down her face.
From his spot on the outside of the door Kyle listened to Tess as she got into the tub and started crying. Placing his forehead against the wood Kyle leaned into the small flimsy door that separated him from Tess.
“God what the hell happened to her tonight?"
