Except it wasn't.
Why was everything so different with her?
After the nearly silent walk, I had watched with growing interest as Tessa interacted with the construction guys, treating them like actual human beings and not serfs for hire.
She'd even offered them lemonade, for God's sake.
It told me a lot about who she was. For a minute there, I'd even smiled. She reallywassomething special.
So why was I pissed?
I was still wondering when Tessa moved closer to say, "You can't imagine how relieved I am. I was so worried Maisie would notice."
Absently, I replied, "Notice what?"
"The door." She hesitated. "But now that you mention it, it was the same with the bubble bath. I still can't believe I dodgedthatbullet."
"So you never told her?"
Tessa shook her head. "I didn't need to." She smiled. "Thanks to you."
I should've been flattered. But something about this was hitting me wrong. "So I'm your accomplice, huh?"
Her smile faltered. "I wouldn't put itthatway."
"What about the door?" I asked. "Are you gonna mentionthat?"
"Are you kidding?" She gave a shaky laugh. "She'd probably kick me out."
"Right," I scoffed. "Because one mistake, and you'd be out on the street."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "That's not what I said."
"Sure it is."
She paused, as if giving it serious thought. "Okay…fair point, Iguess. But in my own defense, breaking down somebody's door isn't exactly normal. I mean, it's not like I broke a coffee cup."
"Exceptyoudidn't break anything," I reminded her. "I did."
"Yeah, but it was at leastpartlymy fault."
I didn't agree. "How do you figure?"
"Well…for starters, if I weren't living here, the door would've been just fine."
Technically, her logic was sound. But as far as the sentiment, I wasn't buying it. "That's a load of bull." I held her gaze. "Not everything's your fault."
Her mouth tightened. "I never said it was."
"If you believethat, you're not listening." I reached for her hand. "Do you ever hear yourself?"
She yanked her hand away. "I hear myself just fine. You're the one who's not listening."
My hand felt empty without hers. "Is that so?"
"Definitely. Remember outside the coffee shop? You didn't even want to hear the rest of it."
"The rest of what?"
