Amber had made her way to Tessa’s apartment with a bottle of wine in hand a few hours later, and Tessa had promptly spilled the beans about Tristan being on the team and what had transpired between them over the few weeks Tessa had been there. Amber was silent with her mouth wide open, wine glass shaking in her tiny hand, and the room was so quiet the only sound you could hear was the ticking of Tessa’s antique clock that hung on the wall.
“I mean, I knew he played professional football,” Amber said, “But I never put the pieces together when you told me about your assignment. How could you not tell me this!”
“I didn’t tell anyone until I got there, really. So now my mom, you, and Abigail know.”
“What did Abigail say?”
“She essentially told me to bang him even though he had a girlfriend,” Tessa said with a dry laugh.
“God that girl loves drama almost as much as me,” Amber replied with a shake of her head. She was still stunned by the news and brought her wine glass slowly to her lips as she stayed deep in thought. “So I’m going to see him tonight then, at the team dinner?”
“Yep.”
“Jesus, Tessa,” Amber groaned in agony. “Do you realize the last time I saw that man was the day after you left? And he wasin our living room crying over you? Do you know how alarming it is to see a million-foot-tall giant football man cry?”
“I promise it won’t be as awkward as you’re thinking,” Tessa said, trying to save her friend from backing out of the dinner. “Don’t you remember how charming he was? Well, it only got worse over the past 10 years. You’ll practically be falling at his feet.”
“Ugh, great,” Amber rolled her eyes but then realization hit her. “You know what? This actuallyisgreat. Abigail’s right. You should fuck him.”
“Amber!”
“What? Have you been with anyone since Joseph?”
Tessa felt her cheeks blush as she contemplated the question, and then shyly shook her head no.
“And we both know that man-boy wasn’t much to write home about in the bedroom department,” Amber said dryly, and Tessa couldn’t argue that.
“I’m not sure I could just hook up with Tristan, though,” Tessa said, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “Even if him and Kiana did finally break up, there would be so much working against us. Like our jobs, for starters. He plays football in Kansas City, and my career needs me to be in big cities like New York or LA. How would I do my job living in Kansas? And it’s not like he could just move to whatever team he wants; he has a contract he needs to uphold.”
“So we’re going from a one-night stand to getting married. Typical, Tessa.”
“You know I’ve always been like that,” Tessa argues. “I’m just not a hook up girl, and I’m okay with that. But thinking about Tristan and how much I loved him back then, and still feeling all crazy inside all this time later? I think it’s a horrible idea.”
“I just hate how much time you wasted on Joseph,” Amber replies, and Tessa solemnly nods her head. “He was sucha buzzkill in your life, always weighing you down, never supporting you, always making you feel like you had to be small. We’re 30-year-old women, Tessa. We need to be focused on what makes us happy, and you spent so much time on Joseph not being happy.”
“I know,” Tessa whispers. “I had tried for years to duplicate what Tristan made me feel, and Joseph was the first time I felt even a semblance of a real spark, and I just held onto that with a death grip thinking that was the best I was going to get after Tristan.”
“And now he’s right in front of you again,” Amber said, leaning forward and making direct eye contact with Tessa. “And it sounds like he’s just as much of a little puppy dog for you as he was back in college. Did you not just tell me he was literally on his knees for you in that linen closet?”
Tessa’s hands flew up to her face as she felt the blush on her skin burn and her heart race at the memory.
“He sure was,” she whispered.
“And didn’t you once say that Joseph was like a blind lizard when he tried going down on you?”
“God Amber, I don’t know why I tell you anything!” Tessa was so embarrassed that she had to flop down on the couch and cover her face with her arms.
“Oh please, sit up,” Amber put her wine glass down and walked over to Tessa, pulling her up by her hands. “Let’s go to dinner. I need to see 30-year-old Tristan Kelly with my own eyeballs. Something tells me the few pics I’ve seen of him over the years won’t do him justice.”
Tessa walked into the dimly lit restaurant with Amber in tow, clinging desperately to her friend’s hand. They had walked thefew blocks to the trendy restaurant that Tristan had texted Tessa they were at, and Tessa was happy to hear it wasn’t far. Tessa wore a simple black dress with black tights and black knee-high boots that were more than comfortable to walk in, with her hair in long flowy waves down her back. Amber was her cute, petite self in a little red dress and matching black boots to Tessa’s.
“Girl, you’re going to break my hand,” Amber whispered into Tessa’s ear.
“Shit, sorry.”
“Why are you so nervous?”
“I have no idea,” Tessa said, letting out a defeated breath.
