Into the Night

“Moral support. I need at least one person in that room on my side. And I can say anything to you. You understand me.”

“You should be able to say anything to Jeffrey, too,” Alison said. “You shouldn’t have to pretend to be something you’re not, Tess.”

“I’m not pretending,” Tess countered. “I’m just moderating my bad habits.” She straightened. “He lives in a whole different world, with different rules. I just want to fit in.”

Up until the time she’d entered college, Tess and her father had been gypsies, outsiders who never stayed in one place more than a year. From upstate New York to Florida to California, back and forth across the country, Tess had made friends only to lose them.

She’d met Alison their freshman year in college at University of Kentucky in Lexington. They were both there on scholarship and spent long nights working at various campus jobs to make ends meet. Alison was Tess’s first and only true friend.

“Do you really think I’m settling?” Tess asked.

“I just want you to be happy. You deserve a guy who makes your heart race, one who can’t live without you. A guy who loves you exactly the way you are.” She paused. “How do you feel? Can you live without him?”

“Of course I can,” Tess said. She stopped short, realizing she’d spoken too quickly. It wasn’t the answer Ali wanted to hear. “You know what I mean. I’ve been providing for us since I could muck out a stall. I just meant that it’s possible—to live without him. To live without anybody.” She paused, her voice going soft. “I know what I want.” Tess took a long gulp of her drink then set the glass in front of her.

“You also deserve a man who doesn’t want to keep your relationship a secret,” Alison continued. “Who doesn’t have to explain his feelings for you to his parents—who doesn’t send you an engraved invitation to show up for his marriage proposal.”

“Stop!” Tess cried. “Have you found this paragon of manhood? I don’t know if he exists. I could wait my entire life and never find him.” She looked over at Alison to find a tiny smile twitching at the corners of her friend’s mouth. “What? You have?”

“I’m almost afraid to talk about it,” Alison said. “It’s so new. But it is so incredible. We just can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. He’s a doctor. And he works out of a little clinic in the mountains, a few hours from Johnson City. I’ve only known him about a month, but it’s like we’ve been together forever. He’s sweet and sexy and funny and he’s turned my life upside down. And I love him.”

“Then why aren’t you with him tonight?”

“Because you said you needed me here. And you’re my dearest friend.” Alison smiled coyly. “All right. He’s upstairs, naked, in bed, enjoying treats from the minibar and watching a hockey game until I get back. I’m planning to rejoin him as soon as my duties as best friend are completed.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” Tess cried. “You don’t need to stay with me. I’m just being silly. Go back to your naked man.”

“He’s just fine,” Alison said.

“Really. I can do this on my own,” Tess insisted. “And after Jeffrey proposes, I’ll bring him downstairs and introduce you. Then I can meet your doctor.”

“Or maybe we can get together for breakfast tomorrow?” Alison suggested. “Or brunch?”

“All right,” Tess agreed, anxious to send Alison on her way. “Brunch.”

“Are you ready?” Alison asked.

She shook her head. “No. I’m going finish my drink. Then I’ll be ready. You go ahead. I’ll talk to you later.”

“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Alison gave her a hug, then picked up her purse. “Listen to your heart, sweetie, and you’ll be just fine.” As Alison headed back out to the lobby, Tess grabbed a bowl of pretzels and munched on one, thinking about the way the evening might unfold.

She’d met Jeffrey when he’d visited the farm with his parents right after Derby Week four and a half years ago. She’d been working as the assistant manager at Beresford and Tess had thought he was handsome and friendly. There hadn’t been an attraction, at least not on her part. But after he’d returned every weekend for a month with the excuse that he wanted to learn how to ride, they’d just fallen into a sexual relationship. Two years later, she was promoted from assistant manager to manager, due in part to Jeffrey’s recommendation.

Though they secretly slept together whenever he was at the farm, they’d maintained a cordial business relationship outside the bedroom. Jeffrey had helped her learn how the stable fit into the Beale holdings and she’d taught him nearly everything she knew about the horse business.

Beyond their shared interests on the farm, they were quite compatible in the bedroom. Sex was enjoyable, if not a bit mundane. And Tess seemed to satisfy his needs. She’d never felt giddy or light-headed, never heard angels singing or saw fireworks when they were in bed together, but she’d written all that off as some silly schoolgirl myth.

The past few years, Jeffrey’s family had been pressuring him to choose a wife and give them grandchildren. And though she and Jeffrey had discussed the subject of marriage—his marriage—their conversations had always just danced around her part in the equation. She knew he loved her. He’d told her that on a number of occasions. In her heart, she believed a marriage proposal was the next logical step.

So why did it feel as if she were settling? Perhaps, she was just too practical to lose herself in the pursuit of some fantasy man. In truth, she had a hard time imagining any relationship in which she could completely surrender her heart. The wounds of her childhood ran far too deep.

Tess studied her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. She’d taken special care with her appearance, knowing she’d want to look her best for the photos that would be taken. She’d chosen a dress of garnet Thai silk that shimmered with black and gold highlights as she moved.

A rhinestone necklace circled her neck, leaving the rest of her shoulders and chest bare.

Her attention was caught by the reflection of a man who had appeared at the other end of the bar. She studied his reflection silently, listening as he requested a bottle of scotch. He was the kind of gorgeous she didn’t see very often, at least not working on a horse farm. Her stomach fluttered and she turned away, drawing a deep breath.

Tess ran her fingers through the soft curls of her shoulder-length hair, pushing the dark strands back into place. Though she wasn’t a great beauty, she was pretty enough. Standing at Jeffrey’s side, they made a handsome couple. If she set her mind to it, she could pass as someone who belonged in the Beales’ social circle.

Tess took one last sip of her drink, then opened her purse and paid the bartender. But as she walked back through the lobby to the elevator, she began to doubt her resolve. Though she ought to be feeling exhilarated, all she could sense was a faint sense of dread. His parents wouldn’t approve, the party guests wouldn’t welcome her, and she be left as she always was—an outsider searching for a way in.

“So what else is new,” she muttered, quickening her step. She’d been an outsider her entire life and had survived quite nicely. If Jeffrey asked, then she’d say yes. He was the only one who mattered. She didn’t care what people thought.

Tess hurried toward the elevator. Though her nerves threatened to get the better of her, once she’d accepted his proposal she’d be fine. The doors to the elevator were just closing as she approached. “Hold the elevator!” she cried.

A hand appeared between the doors and they opened again. Tess hurried inside. “Thanks,” she murmured as she punched the button for the top floor. There were plenty of marriages based on friendship, on respect, on mutual goals for the future. “It’s not like I have men waiting in line,” she murmured.

“What?”

She looked up and saw a familiar face. The man from the bar stood on the other side of the elevator, his piercing blue eyes suddenly stealing the breath from her lungs. She blinked, her ears suddenly filled with an odd ringing. “What?”

“You said something. I’m sorry, I thought you were talking to me.”

“No. I was just thinking out loud.” Her voice cracked. “Thanks. For holding the elevator.”

“No problem.”

They waited together for the doors to close, both of them staring back out into the lobby, Tess’s heart slamming in her chest.

“Maybe you should push the button to close the door,” he suggested.

She risked another glance over at him. Gawd, he was drop-dead sexy. She’d never seen a guy so beautiful. And it wasn’t just the perfect features or the boyish smile or the thick, dark hair. He was dressed like he’d just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. From his suit to his immaculately tailored shirt to his silk tie, it was clear that there was a killer body beneath the clothes.

“The door?” he said.

“Yes,” Tess murmured. “Thank you for holding it.” Oh, God, she’d already said that.

He stepped around her, his shoulder brushing against hers as he passed, but then she realized what he wanted her to do. Stumbling forward, she reached for the button, but her legs were so wobbly, she tripped into the control panel.

A moment later, his fingers firmly closed around her elbow and he restored her balance. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she said, busying herself by punching at the buttons for the door. “Fine.” She pressed her hand to her chest and felt her heart pounding beneath her palm. This was how it was supposed to feel, Tess thought. This is what Alison had been talking about. Here she was, on her way to her own engagement party and she was flustered over a complete stranger.

“What floor did you want?” she asked.

“Twelve,” he said. He pointed to the panel. “I pressed it when I got in.”

“I’m going to the roof.”