Chapter 17
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Andrew
I wake to a stiff neck and aching muscles. Looking down, the events of last night rush back as I watch the most beautiful girl in the world sleep soundly against my chest. One of her legs is wrapped around mine, and a hand clutches my arm so tight it’s as if she’s afraid I might disappear.
My back is killing me and I need to piss, but I wouldn’t give up this view for the world. Instead, I slide my arms around her sleeping form and hold her close. Pressing my face into her hair, I inhale the scent of her strawberry shampoo.
This was not at all how I expected the night to go. I knew it would be just the two of us, considering Chase was taking care of his mom, and I had already bribed Marybeth to make up a lie and back out of dinner. My twin was a little too happy about the whole ordeal as she began to swoon and chatter about how excited she was to become an aunty.
It was my best chance to tell—well show Tessa—that I remembered. The moment she discovered the truth will forever be seared into my brain. The way her hair flew through the air to look back at me, eyes wide as saucers as her jaw dropped in disbelief. Then her smile, so big and beautiful that it lit up her face and transformed her features. As if snapping out of a dream, she flew into my arms and the last fragment of my heart clicked back into place.
It wasn’t just our clothes we shed last night, but everything in life that was keeping us apart.
Feeling Tessa stir, I smile. Then, I watch her blue eyes flutter open in confusion. Turning her head up toward me, her mouth forms a smile, and a small sigh of relief escapes her lips.
“It wasn’t a dream,” she says as a dreamy smile steals across her face.
I can’t help but laugh, she’s so goddamn adorable. “Definitely not, and although I could lie here naked with you for the rest of my life, we should get out of here.”
“Mmm, do we have to?” She yawns and stretches against me.
“Well. . .” I check my watch. “The gallery does open in about thirty minutes.”
At this she shoots up with a squeak. “Are you fucking serious?” she shrieks a few octaves higher than normal.
“It’s fine, the owner never opens up early.” And as if on cue, we both hear the faint click of locks opening from the front of the building.
Her eyes widen and we jump into action, scrambling to put on our clothes that somehow became strewn across the showroom.
When the owner of Memento Gallery, Lucas Feldman, comes whistling around the corner, we’re both struggling to put on our shoes.
“Andrew?” With a raised eyebrow he looks from Tessa then back to me. “A word?”
“Of course, Luke. Tessa, could you wait outside for me?” With a quick nod she grabs her remaining shoe and she’s gone in a flash.
“That her? The one from your collection?”
The questions catch me off guard. “Yes sir, that’s her.”
With a grin he slaps my shoulder and I let out a nervous breath. “Needed some last minute. . . inspiration, did we?” The corner of his mouth turns up in a sly smile.
Heat shoots up my neck. “Yes sir, I do apologize. It just sort of. . . happened I—”
“Hah, you wouldn’t believe the places me and my wife found ‘inspiration’. Don’t worry about it. Maybe a heads up next time, eh?” He’s laughing as I nod with wide eyes before rushing past him to escape.
When I step outside, storm clouds are brewing. It’s going to rain, and soon.
I spot Tessa leaning against the wall tapping her boot and smoking a cigarette. Her mouth begins to run as soon as I’m beside her. “Fuck, Andrew, I’m so sorry. Please tell me you don’t have to pull your work out of the gallery because I couldn’t control my damn self.” She paces back and forth as she spits out her apology.
I laugh, and she looks over at me like I’ve lost my mind. What she doesn’t seem to understand is that the sky itself could crash down around us, and I would still be smiling.
“It’s fine, he just said a warning would be nice next time.” I snort again at the ridiculous conversation I just had with my new boss.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.” I nod with a grin.
“Well that’s. . . kinda fucked up,” she says with a shake of her head.
“Tell me about it.” I shrug and plant a gentle kiss on her cheek. “But no worries, okay?”
“Alright,” she agrees, her hand reaching to touch where I’d just kissed her. She’s not used to the affection I suppose. I’m going to have to break down every one of her dark views of the world and one by one, introduce her to new ones of love, laughter, and happiness.
With a quick movement, I pop the pack of cigs out of her pocket and snatch the one sitting between her lips. Her eyebrows knit in confusion and her face transforms into a scowl.
“What the shit, Blackwell?”
“This crap is horrible for you, it stops now.” I toss everything into a nearby garbage can and return to her narrowing eyes.
“I’m sorry, what just happened here? Because last night was amazing and all, but I will punch you in the face if you start getting all alpha on me,” she threatens.
“You promised me you would never smoke like the dragon. Do you remember that, little Tessa?” I take a step toward her, unafraid of her bark or bite.
Her eyes soften. “Jesus, you actually remember.”
“No shit. So no more smoking. You hear me?” I growl.
She rolls her eyes, then squats. Reaching into her boot, she pulls out a knife, lipstick, a wad of cash, and another pack of cigarettes. With a sigh, she hands me the pack which I toss into the trash.
“What are you, Mary Fucking Poppins? What else do you have in there?” I eyeball her boots as she shoves the rest of the stuff back.
She straightens with a wicked grin. “I have a tampon in the other boot if you’re gonna keep acting like such a bitch.”
With a snarl, I lunge forward, but she moves faster and side steps just out of my reach. As I chase her down the empty sidewalk, a crack of thunder booms from above. She screams and laughs as she runs, a few feet ahead of me now. With a burst of energy, I speed up and loop my arms around her waist.
She squeals with delight when I flip her around and push her against an abandoned shop. Out of breath, she giggles and rests her head back against the building. I scarcely recognize the carefree, smiling Tessa in my arms.
There’s my girl.
With a flash of light, the sky opens and rain pours out. She looks up with the excitement of a child. A peaceful expression steals across her features as her eyes close and water droplets sprinkle down on her upturned face. She’s breathtaking.
Dropping her chin, she meets my gaze with a radiant smile. Water clings to her eyelashes and her blue eyes are bright and clear as though she’s seeing the beauty of the world for the first time.
I kiss her gently, savoring the taste of the rain on her lips.
I firmly believe that every event in our lives has led us to this point. All the heartache and pain we’ve endured brought us to this very moment. We couldn’t have found the light had we not been dragged through the darkness. It’s time for the world to bend to our will.
“I love you,” I say, and I mean it with everything that I am.
She pulls back, fear poisoning her features. “Andrew. . .”
“I love you,” I repeat, an unwavering steel in my voice. “I loved you when we weren’t old enough to know what love was. I loved you when I couldn’t remember and didn’t understand why. I loved you even when you ran away from me. I love you, Tessa Kinsley.” I’m terrified of scaring her away, but I’ll be damned if I let the world rip our happiness out from beneath us again.
With bated breath, I watch the smile return to her lips. “I love you too, Andrew Blackwell.” She says those three little words with the conviction that could bring any man to his knees.
We never got the fairytale we deserved, so I think it’s high time we throw out the book and write it our damn selves.