Chapter Twenty Four
August
“I want to go with you to the airport. Just let me throw some clothes on and I’ll be ready to leave.”
Ian gave Tessa a stern look as he sat down next to her on the bed, his shirt still half-unbuttoned and his tie draped over a bedside chair. “Tessa, no offense darling, but you look like hell right now. I’d feel much better if you stayed at home and rested. Please?”
She shook her head stubbornly. “It’s just my stupid period, Ian, not the plague. Let me – oh.” Tessa doubled over in pain as another killer cramp wrenched her lower body.
He grimaced, drawing her close and gently rubbing his hand over her belly. “You’re not leaving this house today, my love, maybe not this bed. And I still can’t believe the absolutely rotten timing of this trip to Vegas. You know I wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t so critical?”
She nodded in understanding, sliding her hand over his as he continued to rub her cramping belly soothingly. “Of course I know. And I’d say it’s pretty important for you to be there.”
Over the last few days had come the discovery that the casino manager at the Las Vegas resort had been involved in a complex money laundering operation. Ian was flying out this morning along with several of his highest level managers to meet with the FBI, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the local authorities. He hoped to resolve the matter within two to three days, and was also keeping his fingers crossed that the problem had been uncovered early enough so that the damage was minimal.
He shook his head. “This is why I dislike having casinos in any of our properties – too damned many potential complications like this one. But fortunately it sounds like we discovered this one fairly early in the game so we should be able to straighten things out quickly.”
Tessa cuddled up against him, seeking out his body heat. She’d been freezing most of the night, despite the warm August weather, and was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a thermal knit top. Her hands and feet still felt cold as ice.
“I’ll miss you a whole lot,” she murmured, looping her arms around his neck. “You realize we haven’t spent a night away from each other since April?”
Ian stroked her sleep-mussed hair. “I’m very well aware of that, love,” he told her. “But even if you didn’t have that orientation at school tomorrow, there’s no way I’d have taken you on this trip anyway. Not in this condition.”
Her period had begun on Saturday – two days ago – and the timing couldn’t have been worse, given Ian’s impending trip to Las Vegas. There had been no question of Tessa accompanying him this time, since she had to attend a half-day orientation at the university tomorrow. Her online classes didn’t officially begin for another ten days or so, but her attendance at tomorrow’s event was mandatory. She was also planning to buy whatever books and other materials she needed for her classes at the campus bookstore tomorrow.
She’d had a restless night, plagued with cramps and a terrible headache, plus some of the heaviest bleeding she’d ever experienced. She was clearly exhausted this morning, and had shuddered to see her reflection in the mirror – skin so pale it looked as though it had been bleached white; dark circles under her eyes; her hair sticking up in a dozen different places. Ian had insisted on bringing her some tea but she’d refused any food, her cramps so severe she was almost nauseous from the pain.
Ian frowned as a chill went through her body, and he took her hands in his to warm them. “Tessa, this can’t continue, you know that. It tears me up to see you suffer like this every month. I’m going to call Jordan during the flight and make an appointment for us to see him a week from today.”
Tessa shrugged. They had had this discussion more than once, and she’d brushed Ian’s concerns aside each time. Jordan Reeves was a good friend of Ian’s, a fellow patron of the arts, and one of the top OB/GYN doctors in San Francisco. Ian had been pushing Tessa to consult with him for months now.
“I’m not sure what he’s going to be able to tell us,” she argued. “I tried three different brands of the pill – they all made me sick in one way or the other. The nurse at the clinic said it’s rare to have allergic reactions but that’s definitely what happened in my case.”
“Darling, that was several years ago, don’t forget. I’m sure new products have come on the market since then. Besides, there’s a great deal of difference between an overworked public health nurse at a free clinic with limited resources, and the top man in his field at the best hospital here in the city. Jordan will have far more resources at his disposal so that he can work with us at finding a better solution. Because this,” he gestured to her shivering, cramping form, “is not something that can go on any longer.”
She sighed and began to button up his dress shirt. “I’m just not sure what other alternatives will work for me. Most everything I’ve researched has hormones of some sort, and that’s apparently what I have a bad reaction to.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Let’s see what Jordan has to say, hmm? I’ll tell you now, Tessa – as much as I hate the thought – I’d resort to using condoms before I see you suffer through one more cycle like this.”
“No!” She shook her head vehemently, having feared he’d bring that subject up. “I’d hate that, Ian, absolutely hate that.”
He scooped her onto his lap and tucked her head beneath his chin as he held her. “So would I, but it would still be better than watching you this way.” He splayed his head over her belly. “And since I don’t plan on getting you pregnant just yet, we’ll have to do something.”
Tessa gave a little gasp and lifted her head to stare at him. “We’ve never actually discussed that particular subject, have we?”
“No, we haven’t.” Ian looked pensive all of a sudden. “What are your feelings on the matter?”
She smiled and placed her hand over his. “I’ve always wanted children. And I especially want to have your children.” She bit her lip uncertainly. “But – that’s only if you do too, of course.”
Ian kissed her, a sweet, soft gesture. “My darling girl, don’t you know that one of my fondest dreams is to see your belly grow big with my baby one day?” His hand cupped her breast, drawing a hiss from her as his thumb rasped over the nipple. “Or to watch my child nursing at your breast? Yes, of course, I want children, Tessa, so long as you’re their mother.”
“I love you, Ian,” she told him quietly, resting her head on his shoulder. “And I would love nothing better than to give you as many babies as you wish.”
He chuckled. “Let’s start with one and take it from there, all right? But,” he added, in a more serious tone, “not just yet. I’m a selfish enough man to want you all to myself for a time. Which is why we are going to see Jordan as soon as possible and get this birth control situation taken care of.”
“Okay.” She gave an exhausted sigh, too worn out to argue any further.
Ian frowned in concern as he gently laid her back against the pillows and covered her with the duvet. “Tessa, I’m not convinced you shouldn’t see Jordan before next week. Not to discuss birth control – I want to be present for that – but to check you out right now. You’re so pale, darling, and your skin feels clammy. Why don’t you let me set something up for today? If he can’t fit you in I’m sure one of his associates can. Simon can drive you.”
“No.” she clasped his hand. “This isn’t anything I haven’t been through many times before. It will pass, it always does. By tomorrow it will have eased up, and by the time you return on Thursday it will hopefully be all done. So,” she added teasingly, “you’d better get lots of sleep while you’re away because you’ll be expected to perform as soon as you get back.”
Ian laughed as he bent and kissed her cheek. “Very well, my lusty maiden. I know what you’re like after you’ve had to abstain for several days, so I will definitely try to get as much rest as possible. You’re certain about Jordan?”
“Yes. I’ll be fine. Just make the appointment for next week, all right?”
Tessa knew Ian had a lot on his plate right now, that this unexpected situation in Las Vegas couldn’t have come at a worse time. They had been traveling almost constantly these past few weeks, trying to get as many hotel reviews done as possible in anticipation of their vacation next month. Ian was taking her to Tuscany in mid-September, and then to London, and they would be away for a total of two weeks. So the last thing she wanted to do was worry him, or give him cause for concern. She very intentionally didn’t tell him, therefore, that this was the worst she’d ever felt during one of her periods. The cramps were unbearable, the regular doses of Tylenol doing nothing to ease her suffering. She’d been bleeding heavily for almost two full days now, and felt weak from the blood loss, almost dizzy at times. She had no energy, could barely even think of getting out of bed, and was grateful she didn’t have a regular job she had to report to. She only hoped she could summon enough strength to attend tomorrow’s orientation.
She hadn’t realized she’d begun to doze off until Ian sat back down on the bed next to her. She gazed up at him drowsily, her thoughts more than a little unfocused.
“Hmm, what is it?” she murmured sleepily.
His brows knit together worriedly. “I’m afraid I need to leave now, darling. Simon will be arriving within the next five minutes. Are you certain you’re all right? I don’t have a very good feeling about leaving you this way.”
“I’ll be fine,” she whispered, too tired to even lift her head from the pillow. “And don’t forget. I’m the one who always gets those bad feelings, not you. Besides, today’s a Monday. Bad things only happen on Wednesdays.”
He shook his head in exasperation. “If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to clear your mind of that ridiculous superstition. Now, give me a kiss good-bye, love.”
Tessa clung to him as he gave her a long, searching kiss, unwilling to let him go. In the end, he gently disengaged her arms and stood, smoothing her hair off her face as he did so.
“I’ll expect frequent calls and texts from you, understand?” he told her in mock severity. “I may be tied up in meetings but I’ll check my phone on a regular basis. Now, rest up and recover.” He winked at her. “We have a big date on Thursday night. Maybe I’ll bring you a surprise back from Las Vegas. From the La Perla store, to be exact.”
She squeezed his hand and forced herself to smile. “A gift for both of us, in other words.”
Ian laughed, giving her one final, quick kiss before he walked out of their bedroom. Tessa was fast asleep before he reached the foyer.
***
After lazing away the better part of Monday, Tessa was relieved to wake on Tuesday and feel considerably better. Her period was still going on but seemed to have eased a little, and the cramps were still present but bearable. She was able to eat a decent breakfast, and felt a little stronger with some food in her system. Somewhat guiltily, she realized that she’d only had tea and saltine crackers the day before.
‘God, if I wasn’t having the period from hell I’d almost think I was pregnant from how I’ve been feeling the last few days,’ she thought to herself wryly. ‘Thank goodness I’m going to get this rotten IUD removed soon. I will not miss these horrid cycles!’
Still, even though she was feeling much better, she was glad Ian had arranged for Simon to drive her to and from the campus, since she continued to feel a little light-headed and wouldn’t have felt comfortable behind the wheel of a car right now. The orientation for her online classes lasted several hours, after which she ventured into the campus bookstore to buy the materials she’d need for the four classes she’d be taking this fall.
She hadn’t been thrilled to learn that one of the required courses towards her business degree was algebra, a subject she’d struggled with in high school. But Ian had teasingly offered to be her “after-school tutor”, telling her with a snicker that his services came cheap.
“And I accept all forms of payment,” he’d joked. “Missionary, cowgirl, oral. I’m quite flexible, in fact.”
She’d gasped in mock outrage. “I’m not sure I should be listening to this sort of talk. I’m just a naïve little college girl, you know.”
“No so naïve any longer, love,” he’d whispered in her ear. “And speaking of lessons, I have a few new ones I’d be very interested in teaching you sometime soon.”
Tessa couldn’t help smiling to herself as she recalled how that particular conversation had ended, and was still grinning as her phone rang. Hoping that it would be Ian, she dug the phone out of her purse while juggling an armload of heavy textbooks. When she saw it was Julia calling instead, she couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
“Hi, there, newlywed,” she greeted, forcing herself to sound cheerful.
Julia’s bright laughter on the other end immediately made Tessa feel better. “Well, happy to report that the honeymoon isn’t over yet. In fact – mmm, never mind. I get annoyed with Nathan when he talks to his friends about – uh, stuff we do so I guess I shouldn’t over-share, either.”
“Probably not,” teased Tessa. “Though I do appreciate some of the tips you’ve given me. Ian does, too.”
Julia snickered. “And I always appreciate getting flowers, so maybe I’ll think of some more naughty advice to pass along. But I really called to see if you wanted to meet for lunch tomorrow. I walked by our favorite place yesterday and get this – they now have salted caramel cheesecake on the menu. I mean, how can anyone say no to that – right?”
Tessa agreed it sounded out of this world and arranged to meet Julia there at one o’clock the next day. They chatted until it was Tessa’s turn in line to pay for her books.
As she walked to the spot where Simon would be waiting to pick her up, she checked her phone yet again and couldn’t help the disappointment she felt when there were no new texts or voice mails from Ian. She’d spoken to him only sparingly since he’d left yesterday morning, the situation in Las Vegas evidently much more complicated than he’d first hoped. They had talked very briefly this morning and as yet he hadn’t replied to the three different texts she’d sent him. Tessa consoled herself with the fact that he was super busy, and wasn’t intentionally neglecting her. And since the very last thing she wanted to do was act like a demanding girlfriend, she put her phone away and resolved to wait patiently for his call.
But the call didn’t come until much later that evening, and Ian sounded so worn out and stressed that she didn’t have the heart to keep him on the line for too long.
“And I’m so sorry, love, but I’m afraid this is going to take a bit longer than I’d hoped,” he told her regretfully. “It’s likely going to be Friday before I can make it home.”
Tessa struggled to hide her disappointment and tried to sound as supportive as possible. “I understand. I just wish I could be there to help.”
“I wish you were here, too, though in all honesty there wouldn’t be much for you to do in this particular case. It’s certainly not a situation I’ve ever had to deal with before. Now, tell me about the orientation today.”
They talked for a bit longer, until he started to yawn and she teasingly told him to get some sleep since she was evidently boring him.
Tessa had a hard time falling asleep that night, tossing and turning, even getting out of bed a little before midnight to brew some chamomile tea. It was the first time in months that she’d been alone in this big house, and she automatically found herself being troubled by her old fears and depression. She drifted into the library with her mug of tea, and reached for one of her mother’s books.
Ever since Ian had surprised her with the books for her birthday, Tessa had read all three volumes at least twice. Ian had just recently heard from one of his rare book dealers that they had a solid lead on the fourth book, and Tessa was eagerly awaiting its acquisition.
The tea and the book seemed to do the trick, and this time when her head hit the pillow she fell asleep within a few minutes.
***
She knew almost immediately upon waking on Wednesday morning that something was very wrong. She was groggy and disoriented, despite the fact that she’d slept like the dead for hours. Groaning, she reached for her phone and saw she had three voice mails and two texts from Ian, each one sounding more anxious than the last. Without lifting her head from the pillow, she sent him a quick text, apologizing for having overslept and promising to call him in a little while.
It was when she tried to sit up that she realized several things at once – she was dizzy, oh, so dizzy, and had to brace her hand on the headboard to stay upright; the awful cramps were back except they were worse than she could ever remember, like a knife blade stabbing her in the gut; and she was burning up, her skin hot to the touch, and she realized she had a fever. Her mouth was so dry she could barely swallow, and her head was pounding unbearably.
In dire need of some Tylenol and a glass of water, she stumbled on shaky legs to the bathroom. It was then she noticed the blood trickling down the inside of her thighs, and she tried valiantly not to panic. There was way too much blood, even for the heavy periods she suffered from, and the way it was seeping out in a steady flow made her realize she needed to get to a doctor right away.
Struggling not to pass out, she managed to clean herself up as best she could, forcing back alarm when she saturated a sanitary pad within minutes. She called Ian first, even though he was in Las Vegas, because she desperately needed to hear his calm, steady voice telling her what to do next. She shouldn’t have been surprised when the call went to voice mail, and chose not to leave a message. Simon had the day off today, though she knew he would have come for her anyway, but in the end she called Julia.
“Hey,” trilled Julia happily. “Working up an appetite for that cheesecake?”
“Julia.” Tessa’s voice was whisper soft. “I – no, I can’t make lunch. I’m – sick, something’s wrong.”
Julia was instantly on alert. “What is it, honey? The flu? God, you sound awful.”
“Not the flu. Thought it was my period but – oh, God, the cramps – so painful. And too much blood.” Tessa was fighting off the urge to retch with every breath she took.
“I’m coming over. Right now. Can you get downstairs to open the door for me?”
Tessa was desperately grateful to learn her friend was on the way. “Think so. I’ll find a way. I’m sorry.”
“Stop it. Nothing to be sorry for. Damn it, Nathan’s already on his way to Napa. I know, I’ll get Travis to drive me, he’s a crazy man behind the wheel so we’ll get there in record time. Tessa – if this gets any worse before we arrive, call 911 immediately, okay? I’m walking out of my office now to get Travis, and I’ll have my phone in hand if you have to call. Just hang on, okay?”
“Okay. See you soon.” Tessa slumped to the bathroom floor, just the effort of talking sapping the little energy she had left.
She half stumbled, half crawled into the walk-in closet to find a pair of slip-on shoes and then grabbed her purse from the bedroom. Somehow she managed to get herself downstairs, largely by sitting and sliding down on her butt one stair at a time. Try as she might, she couldn’t summon the energy to get up off the bottom step, her head swimming nauseatingly and the pain in her abdomen so severe she was sobbing.
While she waited for Julia and Travis to arrive, her fevered brain vaguely recalled that she still needed to call Ian. Once again the call went to voice mail, but this time she left him a short, succinct message.
“Hey, it’s me. Sorry to bother you and please don’t worry because it’s probably nothing. Julia is going to drive me to the doctor’s office just to get checked out. I’ll call you when I know more, okay? Love you.”
Another vicious, stabbing pain ripped through her belly as she ended the call, and she cried out in agony, wrapping her arms around her midsection. She gasped as she felt a fresh gush of blood seep down her thighs, and this time she did panic when she saw the spreading stain on her sweatpants. Tessa had no idea what was happening to her, but she knew this was far more serious than just a heavy period.
The effort it took to crawl to the front door and open it when the doorbell rang depleted what was left of her strength. Tessa wasn’t even aware when she slumped to the ground in a dead faint, and most certainly didn’t hear the alarmed voices of Julia and her boss.
***
Doctors, nurses, and whoever else might have been walking through the hallways at University Medical Center were quick to move out of the way of the tall, dark haired man in the gray pinstriped suit. The look on his face was deadly serious, and passers-by glanced away hastily when they glimpsed the fire in his eyes and the tight set to his mouth. No one would have dared to think of approaching him as he strode purposefully down the hall.
Ian was fighting to suppress the rising panic he felt with each step that brought him ever closer to the visitor waiting room where Julia would be meeting him. The last few hours had been nothing less than nightmarish, and his brain was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, none of which made the least bit of sense right now. He was terrified at not knowing what was going on with Tessa, trying to remain positive and not assume the worst, but also about two breaths shy of a full blown anxiety attack. He was furious at himself for having waited so long to check his bloody voice mail, a full three hours after Tessa had left that last message, her voice barely audible. And he was cursing the casino manager for his treachery that had required Ian’s presence in Las Vegas these past three days. If he hadn’t had to fly out there to clean up the mess, he would have been here with Tessa, able to look after her properly.
Ian had alternately scolded and teased Tessa about the so-called premonitions she felt at times, particularly on Wednesdays, which she still insisted were cursed somehow. But he himself had woken very early on this particular Wednesday, before dawn in fact, and the unsettled feeling he’d had then continued to nag at him all morning. He’d done a full hour of swimming laps in the hotel pool, hoping it would both ease his stress and dispel these odd feelings he kept having. Not wanting to wake Tessa too early, he’d sent her a text before heading off to resume the grueling round of meetings about the increasingly complex money laundering operation. He’d excused himself at various intervals to call her, growing more and more concerned when she didn’t answer her phone or reply to his messages. Then, finally, there had been that brief text apologizing for having overslept, and assuring him she’d call soon.
He’d felt instant relief at that point, assured that all was well, and had returned to the meeting. Things had begun to develop at a rapid pace at that point, and before it knew it the morning had all but disappeared and it was already noon.
In between bites of a hastily consumed lunch, Ian had fielded three rather urgent phone calls from the San Francisco office before he’d finally pulled out his personal phone to check for messages.
The voice mail from Tessa had put him on instant alert, for he could immediately sense the fear in her voice that she had so unsuccessfully tried to mask. But it was the next three messages – all placed from Tessa’s phone but left by Julia – that sent him into a full blown panic.
The first message had been delivered around 9:30am, and Ian could hear the sounds of traffic in the background.
“Ian, it’s Julia. Call me on Tessa’s phone the moment you get this. She’s being taken to the ER in an ambulance, Travis and I are following behind. Not sure exactly what’s wrong but when she called me this morning to cancel our lunch, she was in awful pain and said she was bleeding a lot. When Travis and I got to your place – God, Ian, she just fainted dead away and all the blood – it was awful. We called 911 immediately and I’d guess right now we’re less than ten minutes away from the hospital. I’ll call you after we arrive.”
Julia’s next message had come about forty five minutes later, and this time the background noise was minimal at best. She’d been struggling to keep her voice calm.
“Ian, it’s Julia again. I really hope you check your voice mail soon. Look, we’re at the ER now at University Med Center and Tessa’s being looked over by a team. At first they thought it could be a miscarriage but one of the interns just popped out and said the ultrasound is indicating her IUD has most likely perforated her uterus. They’ve managed to stop the bleeding but she’s going to need surgery. As soon as I know more I’ll contact you. Call me, please.”
The third and final message had been left just after eleven a.m., and there was no mistaking the annoyance in Julia’s tone this time.
“Damn it, Ian, why the hell aren’t you answering this phone? I’ve tried calling the hotel there in Vegas but no one will put me through to you. Please call me the second you get this. They’re taking Tessa into surgery now to remove the IUD and repair the damage to her uterus. That’s really all I know, they won’t tell me anymore, and it’s like an insane asylum in this place today. Travis has been here with me but he needs to get back to the office, and Nathan is up at the hotel site in Napa today. I’ll stay here and keep you updated but you need to get back to San Francisco right away. And CALL ME!”
What had happened next – in very quick succession – still had his head spinning. He’d called Julia immediately, apologizing profusely for not returning her earlier calls, and demanded an update on Tessa. When he’d learned she was still in surgery, he’d put the next steps in motion with dizzying speed – giving his management team no opportunity to argue with him when he’d announced he had to leave at once; calling to have the corporate jet made ready for a speedy departure; contacting Simon as he gathered his belongings from the suite and arranging to be picked up at the airport in San Francisco; commandeering one of the local hotel staff to drive him to the private airstrip where his plane had been waiting. During the hour long flight, he’d called Julia three times for updates, as well as badgering Jordan Reeves’ receptionist until she’d finally agreed to page the doctor. The affable OB/GYN had called Ian back promptly, and agreed to check on Tessa just as soon as the baby he was scheduled to deliver within the next half hour was born. Jordan had assured Ian that Tessa was going to be fine, that these sorts of things, while rare, were usually relatively easy to repair, and it was highly unlikely that there would be any complications.
But any reassurances Ian had been given were instantly forgotten the moment he entered the hospital. Like most people, he disliked such places, and fortunately had had to spend very little time visiting them. His anxiety only continued to increase with each step that brought him ever closer to the visitor waiting room.
Julia was busily tapping away on her iPad when he all but burst inside the room, and she sighed in relief when she saw him approach. She set her tablet aside and stood. “Ian. Thank God.”
“Where is she?” he demanded. “I need to see her right away. She’s been out of surgery how long now?”
Julia laid a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. “About forty five minutes or so. But she’s still in recovery, so no one can see her yet. One of the nurses said the surgeon will be out to talk to us any minute now.”
Ian shook his head. “Not good enough. I want to talk to someone now. Where’s this nurse you spoke to?”
“Ian, you’ve got to calm down, okay? I realize all of this has been a shock to you, but you’re not going to help Tessa a bit by freaking out and going into boss mode. Sorry to break the news, but you aren’t the boss here,” she told him sternly.
He heaved a sigh of frustration, raking a hand through his hair. “You’re right, of course. It’s just frustrating as hell. I should have been here, Julia. I should have been the one taking care of her, bringing her to the hospital. And then to ignore all of your messages – Christ, I’ll never, ever forgive myself if she doesn’t come out of this all right.”
“Hush.” Julia took both of his much larger hands in hers. “And don’t blame yourself. Tessa seemed fine when I spoke to her yesterday. I think this happened very suddenly, so there’s no possible way you could have anticipated it.”
Ian squeezed her hand gratefully. “It’s more than that. This damned IUD of hers – I’ve been after her for months to get it removed, to consult with a doctor about alternatives. But we’ve been so busy with one thing or another, she just kept putting it off. When I left her on Monday morning, I could tell she was in a bad way but she kept insisting it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. God damn it!”
Julia gave a little start as he slammed a fist against what was fortunately a very sturdy wall. “Why don’t we sit down, hmm?” she suggested calmly. “Look, let me go try and find that nurse, see if she has an update for us. And you look like you could use a cup of tea. Maybe a nice, calming blend like chamomile?”
Ian made a face. “Hate the stuff, have ever since our old nanny tried to pour it down our throats to make us sleepy.”
Julia eased him into a chair and patted his shoulder. “OK, Darjeeling it is then. And I need a really large cup of coffee, plus the biggest piece of pie I can find. I’ll be back in a bit, all right? And,” she added with a smile, “try not to punch any holes in the wall while I’m gone, okay?”
He couldn’t help but smile a little in return. “I’ll try my best. And Julia – thank you. Thank God you and Travis were able to get to her so quickly. I owe both of you a long weekend at one of our hotels. Your choice. Unless,” he added with a wink, “you’d rather have a new pair of shoes.”
Julia’s green eyes sparkled merrily. “Wow, what a decision. I did love that weekend Nathan and I spent in Santa Barbara last year. But I’ve also been eyeing a new pair of Jimmy Choos, too. I’ll get back to you, okay?” Then she sobered before telling him, “It was no trouble at all. I’m just glad we could help. And when we found her.” She shuddered. “God, it will take me a long time to forget that sight.”
She disappeared down the hallway before Ian could quiz her further, and the frightening images her words called to mind only served to increase his anxiety.
But then in the next minute the tall, broad-shouldered form of Dr. Jordan Reeves sauntered into the room and Ian instantly sprang to his feet.
“Well, it’s about damned time that baby was born,” groused Ian. “Boy or girl?”
Jordan grinned, his black hair mostly hidden beneath the dark blue surgical cap that was the same color as his scrubs. “A girl. Seven pounds nine ounces and she’s pissed as hell. A real screamer if I’ve ever heard one.”
Ian managed a wry smile as he shook his friend’s hand. “Just your type from what I’m told. And I’m going to be the one who starts screaming soon if that good for nothing surgeon doesn’t arrive soon to tell me about Tessa.”
“Relax.” Jordan squeezed Ian’s shoulder. “First of all, Danny Shapiro is just about the best surgeon on staff here. And second, I just had a long chat with him about your lady and offered to give you all the details. Which is fortunate, considering he’s got another emergency surgery to rush into.” Jordan glanced around the nearly empty waiting room. “You here alone?”
Ian shook his head. “Tessa’s friend – correction, our friend – just left to get us some tea. Julia was the one who called 911 earlier today. She’s been here the whole time.”
Jordan’s gray eyes sparkled with interest. “Please tell me Julia was the really, really hot babe that I just passed in the hallway. Long hair, tight skirt, high heels, stacked like a brick shithouse?”
Ian shook his head. “Forget it, mate. That is definitely Julia but afraid she’s already spoken for. Tessa and I were at her wedding back in June.”
Jordan sighed. “Damn it. She’s just my type, too.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “I didn’t realize you had a type. Other than young, female and beautiful. Now, enough about your love life. I need to know every single detail about my woman, including how soon I can see her.”
Jordan explained in a quick, concise manner about the laparoscopy that had been performed on Tessa to repair the damage to her uterus. It had been a minimally invasive procedure, requiring only a very small incision in her abdomen.
“And of course they removed the offensive little device that caused all this trouble. Saved me the effort in extracting it, I suppose. How long did you say she’s had the IUD?” inquired Jordan.
“Going on eight years, I believe.”
Jordan nodded. “They’re usually good for about ten years before they have to be replaced. This – what happened to Tessa – is actually quite rare. Fortunately there won’t be any lasting damage. The perforation was fairly easy to repair.”
Ian sighed in relief. “Thank God. That’s the next question I was going to ask. This won’t affect her ability to have children, will it?”
“Nope. Not in the least.” Jordan cocked his head to the side, regarding Ian curiously. “Why? Planning on knocking her up soon?”
“Jesus, you’ve got a helluva bedside manner,” complained Ian. “I hope you don’t talk to your patients that way. And no – I don’t plan on knocking her up as you so charmingly put it for at least a couple more years. That’s why we need an alternative form of birth control as soon as possible.”
A deep laugh rumbled from Jordan’s chest. “A bit touchy there, Ian? Hey, I can’t blame you. Enjoy her for a while before you start procreating. But you’ll have to hold off on the fun and games for a bit, I’m afraid. She’ll need some time to recover from this.”
“Obviously. Well, I abstained for two and a half years while I was waiting for her. I suppose a few weeks will seem like nothing in comparison.”
Jordan stared at him in disbelief. “Two and a half years? Seriously? I don’t think I’ve gone two and a half days without some action since I was about sixteen.”
Ian shook his head. “Knowing you as I do, that doesn’t surprise me in the least. Now, when can I see Tessa and how soon can I bring her home?”
“I’d say another half hour to the first question and maybe a couple of days to the second. We’ll have to keep a very close eye on her for any sign of infection. That’s a fairly common complication for this sort of thing, and I see from the reports that she already had a fever when they brought her in.”
Ian’s spine stiffened at this news. “What does that mean? And I assume if an infection does occur that it’s easily treatable?”
Jordan nodded. “Almost always, yes. And the fact that she was running a fever on arrival isn’t anything to get alarmed over. I noticed they’ve already started her on a pretty high dose of antibiotics, most likely as a precaution.”
Ian was interrupted from asking any further questions by the return of Julia, who was balancing two large coffee cups, a paper bag, and her oversized leather satchel. Jordan, always a sucker for a pretty woman, rushed to offer assistance.
“Let me take those for you,” he offered with a killer smile as he took the two cups. “We don’t want to have to treat you for a third degree burn, do we?”
Julia gave him a polite smile in return, and it was very clear that she recognized Jordan for the notorious player that he was. “Thank you, the one with the tea bag is Ian’s.”
Jordan introduced himself, sparing Ian the trouble, and couldn’t resist turning on the charm even though he knew Julia was already spoken for. “I understand from Ian that you’re recently married. My very, very bad luck. I don’t suppose,” added Jordan teasingly, “that you’ve got a twin sister tucked away somewhere?”
Julia’s eyes widened as she and Ian exchanged a look of mutual horror. Jordan glanced between the two of them with a puzzled expression.
“I was actually making a joke,” he explained. “Why the panic stricken looks?”
“Because I actually do have an identical twin,” replied Julia. “And I’ll do you a huge favor and not set you up with her. As I understand it, the last time someone was crazy enough to do that, her date wound up with a very bloody nose.”
***
Ian refused to leave Tessa’s side once she was moved to a private room. He might not have been the boss here at the hospital – as Julia had sternly reminded him – but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fully capable of getting things done. With Jordan’s help, he arranged to have a sleeping cot set up in the room; sent Simon to the house to pick up whatever clothing and toiletries he might need; and set up a mini-office space, with his laptop, cell phone and tablet within easy reach. He’d been relieved to hear that the situation in Las Vegas was nearly wrapped up, and that his absence hadn’t had much impact on the proceedings. Andrew had been fully apprised of the situation with Tessa and was under strict orders about what calls to forward along.
Unfortunately, the only thing that Ian – or anyone else, for that matter – had not been able to control was the fast-moving infection that was taking over Tessa’s fever-wracked body with each passing hour. And each time the doctors and nurses upped her dose of antibiotics, they seemed a little less sure of themselves when they insisted this was normal, that she’d be fine, that she was a young, healthy woman who could fight this off in no time.
But, as the hours ticked by and Tessa showed no signs of improvement, Ian began to unravel a little at a time. He paced anxiously, ran his hand through his hair until it was standing on end, refused to eat or sleep, and snapped irritably when anyone urged him to calm down. Tessa was in obvious discomfort from the fever, tossing and turning, sleeping fitfully. She whimpered in her sleep, plucked at the bedcovers, turned her head from side to side. The nurses checked her temperature every half hour and tried to keep their facial expressions passive when her fever wouldn’t break, and especially when it started to surge higher. Ian made frequent trips to and from the bathroom, filling a small plastic basin with water so he could sponge her hot skin. Her cheeks were bright crimson from the fever, but her hands were ice cold despite his continued attempts to warm them.
Towards dawn he finally laid down on the cot, and fell asleep almost instantly, completely exhausted from the last eighteen hours of stress. It was only Jordan’s arrival to check on his patient around nine a.m. that woke him, and he grumbled to realize he’d slept so long.
“How is she? Any changes?” he asked anxiously as he stumbled sleepily to Tessa’s side.
Jordan shook his head. “Her temperature is still hovering around 104°. We’ll keep pumping the antibiotics, sometimes these infections are stubborn bastards and it takes a bit longer than we’d like for them to start working.”
“But they will start working, correct?” asked Ian in a fierce tone.
Jordan paused. “Yes, they should. We’ll keep a very close watch on her as we’ve been doing all along. So far it doesn’t appear that the infection has spread and we need to make damned sure it stays that way.”
Ian didn’t like his friend’s tone of voice. “What the hell does that mean? And what happens if it does spread?”
The dark-haired doctor, clad in a charcoal gray suit this morning, hesitated. “Let’s not go there right now, hmm? She’s not even twenty four hours post op so it’s very premature to start worrying about things like sepsis. I promise you, Ian, that we’ll take every precaution to make sure it doesn’t get that far. Now, if you don’t mind my saying so, you look worse than Tessa. And you’ve had those clothes on since yesterday. Get yourself together, man, and be quick about it.”
Jordan practically shoved him into the en suite bathroom to shave, shower, and put on clean clothes. Ian was just emerging from the bathroom when Julia and Nathan entered the hospital room carrying coffee cups and white paper bakery bags.
“Scones,” announced Julia. “Tessa told me the name of your favorite bakery once so we stopped on the way. You,” she told Ian, “are eating at least two of them. Plus the fruit cup. Don’t argue. Nathan will tell you it’s futile.”
Nathan nodded in agreement. “I think Julia was a Jewish mother in a former life from the way she insists on feeding people. So give in gracefully, my friend.”
Ian ate without actually tasting the food, knowing he needed the calories to get through the day. While Julia sipped her coffee and munched on a chocolate croissant, she tenderly brushed aside damp strands of Tessa’s sweat soaked blonde hair.
“Her skin is so hot,” she murmured in concern. “The fever hasn’t broken yet?”
“No.” Ian spoke in between sips of tea. “Jordan was in a little while ago, said it’s too soon to start worrying about sepsis, but I’m half afraid he’s bullshitting me.”
“I don’t think he’d do that,” consoled Julia. “He doesn’t seem the sort who’d keep the truth from you.”
Nathan frowned. “And how would you know that, baby? Is that the guy who hit on you yesterday?”
Julia looked flustered. “Jesus, Nathan, he did not hit on me. Though he did ask if I had a twin – jokingly, of course.”
“Baby, I hate to break the news, but he was definitely hitting on you if he asked a question like that.” Nathan glared at Ian. “This guy’s a friend of yours?”
Ian smiled. “Best OB/GYN in the city.”
“I don’t care if he’s the best in the whole country. I’ll tell you now, Julia,” Nathan vowed to his wife. “Whenever you get pregnant, he is so not going to be your doctor.”
The Atwoods stayed for close to an hour, until they regretfully had to get back to the office. Ian assured them he’d call as soon as there was any change in Tessa’s condition and thanked them again for everything they had already done.
The day dragged on with no real change in Tessa’s condition. The infection continued to rage through her body but thankfully didn’t appear to be spreading further. Still, it was taking a definite toll on her and Ian was grateful she remained largely out of it. Once in a while her eyelids would flutter open, but he was never really certain if her feverish brain actually recognized him or knew where she was.
He tried to get some work done, desperate for any sort of distraction to ease his worry over Tessa. He took phone calls from his parents, his brother Hugh, from Matthew Bennett, all of whom had heard the news about Tessa from Andrew, and all expressing their concern. Simon stopped by midday, bringing along lunch for the two of them, but Ian barely touched his.
As Simon stood up to leave, there was an unmistakable sheen of tears in his eyes as he squeezed Tessa’s limp hand. “She’ll pull through this, Mr. Gregson, I just know she will. Such a sweet, kind girl – she certainly doesn’t deserve this after everything else she’s been through.”
Ian had to fight back his own tears. “I know, mate. Keep her in your prayers, will you?”
“Constantly, sir. Please call me if I can do anything else. Anything.”
It was early evening, and Ian was half-dozing in the bedside chair when Andrew and his girlfriend Isobel poked their heads inside the room.
“We brought dinner,” announced Andrew, holding up a large paper takeout bag. “Bento boxes, I hope that’s all right.”
Ian grimaced. “Why is everyone who stops by today trying to feed me?”
But he managed to eat almost half of the salmon teriyaki, rice, and miso soup before pushing the takeout container away. Isobel got a phone call that she excitedly exclaimed was from a gallery owner, and dashed out into the hall to answer it.
Ian raised a weary brow to Andrew. “Pleasant enough girl but frankly doesn’t seem your type.”
Andrew returned his gaze steadily. “Are you referring to the tattoos, the piercings, the purple hair or the funky clothes?”
Ian smiled. “Ah, I suppose all of those. You’re much more conservative than she is.”
“You think so?” inquired Andrew. “Guess you’ve never noticed these, hmm?”
He pointed to the holes in his right earlobe and above his left eyebrow where some sort of hoop or stud would normally be inserted.
“Obviously I don’t wear any jewelry to the office. And there’s one more piercing in – um, let’s call it a more private spot.”
Ian couldn’t suppress the shudder that went through him at the thought of a piercing – there. “Any tattoos?”
“Six of them at last count,” confirmed Andrew. “All of them well hidden under my suits at the office. No purple hair, but during college I did have a ponytail. Down to here.” He pointed to the middle of his back. “And the funky clothes come out on the weekends, though it’s mostly just jeans and T-shirts, nothing too out of the ordinary.”
Ian’s grin grew a bit wider with each revelation. “Will wonders never cease. I do believe you’ve bested me at my own game, Andrew. I would never in a million years have guessed at any of these hidden secrets of yours. So your image as a stick in the mud was all just one big hoax, hmm?”
Andrew dared to glare at him. “With all due respect, sir, it’s vital to the continued operation of the office that this stays strictly between us. If anyone else knew, I’d lose all respect and then it would be complete and total anarchy in that place.”
Ian laughed, the first time in over twenty four hours he’d come close to doing so. “I agree. So for the sake of maintaining control over the troops, your secrets are safe with me.”
Isobel returned then, beaming with the news that a local gallery owner was very interested in displaying some of her sculptures. She seemed anxious to get back to her latest project, so Ian shook both their hands and thanked them for dinner.
“My treat next time,” he surprised himself by saying. “When Tessa’s fully recovered, we’ll make it a double date – you two pick the place.”
Andrew glanced uncertainly at Isobel. “Sir, I’m not really certain that’s a good idea. We probably shouldn’t be socializing outside of the office.”
“Oh, quit being such a stuffed shirt, Andrew,” scolded Ian. “You’re getting to be ten times worse than I ever was. Besides, I’m a little curious to see some of these tattoos of yours. But not,” he added hastily, “the other piercing you mentioned.”
It was quiet after they left, and still no significant change in Tessa’s condition. The doctor making evening rounds assured Ian that she was holding her own, and that they should expect to see some change one way or the other within the next twelve hours or so.
Ian frowned. “What exactly does that mean?”
The youngish doctor seemed to hesitate a bit before replying. “She’s more than twenty four hours post op now, so either her fever will break and the infection will start to clear up. Or, well, the fever will continue to spike and the infection could spread. But we’ll continue to keep a very close eye on her as we’ve been doing and look for any changes. You should really try and get some sleep yourself, sir.”
But Ian knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep, not so long as his beloved Tessa was still so sick and unresponsive. He tried reading, doing a bit of work, but all he could think about was her. After a while, he simply sat down in the chair next to her bedside, holding her hand, and pressing occasional kisses to her forehead or cheek, still alarmed by how hot her skin felt.
“You know, darling, if you don’t wake up soon, we’ll have to delay our trip to Italy next month,” he told her. He knew she couldn’t hear him but he was desperate for any sort of distraction. “And that would be a great pity, because you’d completely ruin some very carefully laid plans I’ve made.”
Ian brought her hand to his lips. “I’ve never brought a woman to the villa before, so this will be another first for me. And it will be an excellent opportunity for you to practice your Italian, so you really need to wake up now so you can start recovering in time.”
He brushed a damp strand of hair off her forehead. He’d tried to comb the tangled locks earlier in the day but had given up when she’d kept turning her head to and fro in distress.
“I know you’re a sleepyhead, Tessa, but this is getting ridiculous,” he joked. “Besides, this mattress is a poor substitute for ours. You know how much you love the Hypnos, so please open your eyes now so I can bring you home.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “God, Tessa, you have to wake up, have to get better. I’m lost without you, darling. Didn’t you know I was lost for my entire life until I met you? I used to joke that I was married to my job, that work was the only thing I really needed in my life. My poor mother had given up hope that I would ever meet someone, or give her a grandchild. Speaking of which, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. I think I’d like a daughter first, one with your blonde hair and blue eyes, and if you like we could name her Gillian, after your mother.”
Carefully, he eased himself onto the bed beside her, being mindful of the IV tube and monitors as he took her in his arms. “You’ve brought so much light, so much happiness into my life, Tessa. I was alone and lonely and didn’t even know it until that day you walked into my office. You were so damned young and innocent – too young, I told myself – and then I discovered too damned married as well. My heart broke into a thousand pieces that day. I knew I should have sent you away – I almost did – just so I didn’t have to face the pain of seeing you every day and knowing I couldn’t have you.”
Tears began to trickle unheeded down his cheeks and he buried his face against her neck. “But in the end I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you again. So I kept you nearby, where I could still see your beautiful face every time I walked past your desk. Even though I couldn’t have you for myself, I still thought it preferable to not seeing you at all. So you have to wake up now, darling. Because I didn’t waste two and a half years waiting for you only to have you taken away from me now.”
Ian, a man who never cried, at least not since he’d been a boy of three who’d fallen down and skinned his knee, now wept as though he were that same small child. His tears fell unchecked onto Tessa’s hospital gown, the cotton fabric already dampened by her feverish body, and his body shook from the force of his sobs.
The touch was so light, so imperceptible, that at first he wasn’t even aware of it. He thought perhaps he was dreaming, that his exhausted body had finally succumbed to sleep, or that his weary brain was playing tricks on him.
But then, in addition to the whisper soft touch of a hand stroking his hair, he began to hear the barely discernable murmuring as well. He forced his eyes open to find Tessa gazing at him drowsily.
“Ian.”
Her voice was weak, her hand against his cheek limp, but there was clarity in the half-lidded blue eyes that gazed steadily at him.
“Tessa.” His hands cupped her cheeks, his lips finding hers in a soft, careful kiss. Anxiously, he felt her brow, and his tears fell anew as he realized her fever was finally beginning to break. She still felt a little warm and definitely clammy, but not burning up as she’d been for far too many hours.
“What – what happened?” she whispered wearily.”
“Hush.” He brushed his lips against her cheek. “Plenty of time for all that.”
“No.” She clutched his hand a little tighter. “Vegas. You’re supposed to be in Las Vegas. Your meeting - ”
“Went on very well without me there,” he assured her. “The whole damned world can get on without me for as long as it takes to get you out of this place and have you well again.”
She shook her head. “But your meeting was important.”
“No. No, Tessa. You are important. You’re the only important thing in my entire life,” he told her urgently. “Without you, nothing else exists for me. So forget about the meeting, or work, or anything besides the two of us. You are the only thing in my life that matters.”
Tessa touched her fingers to his cheek. “You’ve been crying. Am I – was it that bad?”
He shook his head. “I was worried, that’s all. And you’re going to be fine now. After all, I’ve got all these plans for our trip to Tuscany next month, and there is no possible way I’m going to allow you to spoil any of them.”
She linked her fingers with his and nodded. “Well, we can’t have that, can we? And speaking of surprises, weren’t you supposed to be bringing me one back from Las Vegas? But I guess you didn’t have time to go shopping.”
He grinned at her. “Actually, I did. And I’ve got your surprise here in the room. Want to see it?”
“Hmm. Black lace, I suppose?”
“Of course. You know how much I love you in black lace.” Ian didn’t bother to add that he’d also bought her a number of other things from La Perla, in a wide variety of colors.
Tessa thought about it for a moment before giving a little shake of her head. “Maybe later. I’m so tired. Besides, I don’t think black lace would go very well with this hospital gown.”
He laughed and hugged her close. “Darling, don’t you know? Black lace goes with anything. So long as you’re the one wearing it, that is.”
Epilogue
September
Tessa gazed out at the acres and acres of vineyards spread out in the valley below, as the sun slowly began to set. It was cooler now, something of a relief after the heat of the day, and she thought about going back inside the house for a wrap. But it felt too good to lay back on the chaise and admire the gold and purple colors of the Tuscan sky. Ever since she and Ian had arrived here at his family’s villa two days ago, they’d done very little besides what he’d jokingly referred to as their “S” activities – swimming, sleeping, sipping wine and sex.
This was their last night alone here, since Ian’s parents were due to arrive tomorrow, and his brother Colin and his family the day after that. They were to remain here another week at the grand estate, located about an hour’s drive south of Pisa, before flying to London for a few days. There Tessa would meet the rest of Ian’s family, including his brother Hugh and Uncle Richard. What was definitely not on their schedule was a visit with his cousin Charlotte and her husband Jason, for rather obvious reasons.
It had taken her some time to fully recover from the uterine perforation and resulting infection. Though she’d been able to leave the hospital two days after her fever had broken, she’d been on strict instructions to rest and take it easy for at least two more weeks. Ian of course had taken those directions to the extreme and hired a nurse to look after her while he was busy at the office. It hadn’t been until a follow-up visit with Jordan, where the handsome OB/GYN had proclaimed her fully recovered, that Ian had reluctantly agreed the nurse’s services were no longer required.
Jordan had also prescribed a new brand of birth control pills for her, these with a very low dose of hormones, and so far she hadn’t experienced any type of side effects. The issuance of her new prescription had coincided nicely with the timing of her recovery, along with Jordan’s blessings – given with a huge grin – to resume sexual activity.
Ian had been gentle, tentative even, afraid of hurting her, until she’d rather impatiently taken control of things and straddled him. Since then they had scarcely been able to keep their hands off each other, not only making up for lost time but being conscious of the fact that they wouldn’t be alone after today for well over a week.
“And unfortunately centuries-old Italian villas are not nearly as well insulated or soundproofed as our home back in San Francisco,” he’d told her. “Plus there’s no walk-in closet to hide inside, either. So while my family is here I’m afraid we’ll be restricted to using the shower for any amorous activities.”
“Or you can just gag me again,” she’d offered teasingly. “That seemed to work out just fine the last time.”
He had laughingly told her he’d give the matter some thought, but he did buy her a beautiful silk scarf during their shopping excursion earlier today to the nearby medieval town of Volterra. When she’d protested that she had more scarves that she could possibly use, Ian had whispered that this one wasn’t meant to be tied around her neck.
The live-in groundskeeper and his wife, who resided in a separate cottage on the property, not only tidied up the villa each day but also cooked beautiful, elaborate meals for them. Tessa, who’d lost almost ten pounds during her hospitalization and recovery, was certain she’d gained at least half that amount back just by eating two days of Luciana’s cooking.
Fortunately, she’d recovered enough to have started her online classes on time. It was proving to be a bit more work that she’d imagined, but Ian was as good as his word and helped her when she had questions or didn’t understand a particular theory or problem. He was exceedingly proud when she got perfect scores on the two algebra quizzes she’d completed thus far.
This morning over breakfast he’d discussed with her an idea he’d been floating around for some time – that of delegating more responsibility to both his managerial staff and also to Andrew. Evidently the PA had done an admirable job in delivering part of Ian’s budget talk during July’s managers meeting, enough so that Ian was seriously considering the idea of having Andrew take over some of the hotel reviews he did.
“Frankly, I’m getting awfully tired of being on the road so much,” he’d admitted. “And while having you along certainly makes it more bearable, I’d still prefer to be at home with you a lot more often. So, we’ll see. With the right training and some experience, Andrew might be able to take some of that load off of my shoulders in the near future.”
Tessa had thought to herself that she honestly didn’t mind whatever Ian decided to do. Whether they were on the road or staying at home, so long as they were together it didn’t matter. But she knew Ian must be weary after spending so many years of his career traveling, and she decided to fully support any decision he made about cutting back.
She was wearing a plum and white patterned cotton maxi dress with spaghetti straps, something she’d picked up from a street vendor during their trip to Hawaii, and she thought it was one of the most comfortable things she’d ever owned. Her feet were bare, as were her shoulders, and this time she did shiver a bit as the sun set a little further behind the horizon.
“I thought you might need this. At this time of the year the temperatures can drop quickly once the sun goes down.”
Tessa turned her head slightly and smiled at the sight of her handsome lover walking towards her. Like her, he was barefoot and very casually dressed in a pair of lightweight beige trousers, and a cream colored shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He hadn’t shaved since they’d arrived, though he had joked earlier today about how his mother would be sure to nag him about it when she arrived tomorrow.
Tessa had pouted playfully, caressing the dark stubble that made him look so incredibly sexy. “Well, I don’t want your mother to scold you – or be annoyed with me for encouraging you – so I guess you’d better shave tomorrow morning.”
She saw now that he was carrying two wine glasses, an opened bottle of red wine, and had her new silk crochet shawl draped over his arm. He had bought it for her this morning during their shopping trip.
Tessa accepted the shawl gratefully, draping it over her shoulders as he poured them each a glass of wine. It was a rich ruby colored Chianti that he’d bought at the winery in the adjoining town where they’d lunched earlier today. And even though the wine cellar here at the villa was already bursting at the seams with its stellar collection, Ian had wanted to buy a bottle to commemorate Tessa’s first visit to Italy.
“Salute,” they told each other simultaneously as they clinked glasses and sipped their wine.
“Would you like some cheese and fruit?” he inquired. “Luciana left a plate for us.”
“Maybe in a bit,” agreed Tessa. “After all, I saw what she has prepared for our dinner and I don’t want to fill up on formaggio.”
He grinned. “Molto bene’, cara. You see, your Italian is coming along quite nicely. You were actually able to speak to the shopkeepers and the winery owner a bit today.”
She shrugged. “I’ve still got a long way to go until I’m as fluent as you are.” She’d been enthralled to hear him converse so easily with the owner of the winery in the language she had barely begun to learn.
“I’ve had a lot more practice than you have, don’t forget. You’ll get there, darling. Plus, you have an awful lot on your schedule these days between school, work, your cooking classes, and of course,” he added with a lascivious look, “your most important duty of all – taking care of your very demanding lover.”
She reached out for his hand and drew it to her lips. “That’s not a duty, my love. I think of it as a privilege.”
Ian’s eyes darkened. “Tessa – God, I’m not sure it’s possible to love you more than I already do, but when you say things like that I begin to wonder.”
“I love you, too. And I love being here in Tuscany with you, at this beautiful villa. As wonderful as all of the company’s hotels are – well, this is actually a home, isn’t it?”
He nodded, and traced a finger over her lips. “Let me guess. This is now your new favorite place in the entire world.”
Tessa laughed. “You’re very perceptive, aren’t you? But actually, I’ve come to the realization lately about what my absolute favorite place in the entire world really is.”
“And where is that, darling?”
She turned her cheek into his palm, pressing a soft kiss there, before gazing at him adoringly. “It’s wherever you are. Whether that’s San Francisco or Italy or London or anywhere else in the world. Wherever you are at that particular moment is always going to be the best place in the entire world to me.”
Ian stared at her with so much heartfelt emotion stamped on his handsome features that it made her heart ache. “There you go again,” he murmured. “Saying such beautiful things to me that I can’t possibly tell you how much it means to me. So I suppose I’ll have to try a different approach.”
Tessa tilted her head towards him in bewilderment. “I don’t understand.”
He smiled mysteriously, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “Do you know what day it is today, love?”
“Hmm.” She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “September twenty-something. I’m afraid I’ve lost track of time very quickly over here.”
“Well, I know exactly what day it is. It’s the twenty-third of September. And, to be more specific, it was three years ago today that you walked into my office and into my heart.”
Tessa stared at him in surprise. “Really? I mean, I knew it was this week sometime but I didn’t remember the exact date. But of course you’d remember. I’ve never seen anyone as amazing with details as you are.”
Ian shook his head. “Not with employee dates of hire. For example, I couldn’t even tell you what month of the year it was when Andrew started working for me, much less the exact date. But with you – it was still fairly early in the morning, I think just after nine a.m. I even remember what you were wearing – a little red dress with a black belt. You were easily the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen and I fell head over heels the first time I heard your voice.”
She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “And I never guessed, never ever imagined that you even noticed me from day to day. I felt like a teenage girl with this huge crush on her favorite movie start. I never imagined we would someday be together like this.”
“Sometimes fate can be cruel to us, Tessa. You’ve certainly had more than your fair share of that, after all. But then at other times fate chooses to smile fondly on us, like it’s doing right now. And I hope it will continue to do so for many, many years to come.”
They each sipped at their wine and gazed out at the landscape, now bathed in the soft glow of twilight. Ian drew Tessa to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist as they stood against the balcony of the terrace.
“There’s another occasion to commemorate today,” he said quietly. “At least, I’m hoping there will be.”
“What’s that?” she inquired teasingly. “I already know it’s not the anniversary of our first kiss. That date I do remember very well.”
Ian smiled. “As do I, my love. No, this is something new to commemorate. Hopefully to celebrate.”
As she watched wide-eyed, he dropped down to one knee, keeping her hand clasped in his. Tears were pooling in her eyes before he could even open his mouth to speak.
“Tessa. My darling girl. Will you take pity on this very old man you see before you and grant him the greatest honor he could possibly imagine – that of becoming his wife?”
The tears fell freely as she nodded, too choked up with emotion to do more than whisper, “Oh, yes.” And then, as he slipped a beautiful ring with a fabulous blue stone onto her engagement finger, she burst out, “And you are not old!”
He laughed and stood up, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her feet off the ground. “I think you’re my very own personal fountain of youth, darling. And you have just made me the happiest man of any age in the entire world. Now, tell me, do you like your ring? I had it designed especially for you.”
Tessa gazed down at the round blue stone surrounded by dozens of smaller round diamonds. The slender platinum band was also encrusted with pave diamonds. “It’s gorgeous, Ian. I love it. And I’m glad you chose a sapphire since they’re my favorite.”
“Ah, but it’s not a sapphire, love – it’s a blue diamond,” he corrected. “Very rare and very precious. Just like yourself.” He gave her a sweet, soft kiss. “It reminded me of your eyes. And also of that dress you wore the night of the Christmas party. The night when I finally had real hope that a moment very much like this one might actually happen.”
She pulled his head down to hers for a much longer, much deeper kiss. “I love you,” she breathed. “And I am so honored, so proud, that you’re going to be my husband. You’re the most wonderful man in the whole world, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy every single day of our lives together.”
Ian hugged her tightly. “And I love you, my darling bride-to-be. Speaking of which, do you recall when I told you during Julia and Nathan’s wedding that I had a very special place picked out for our own special day?”
She nodded, smiling. “It’s here, isn’t it? That’s why you were so mysterious. You wanted me to see the villa first. And yes, I love it here. I would love having our wedding here in Tuscany.”
He chuckled. “We might have a bit of a problem hosting so many guests here, though. And as beautiful as this place is, how much I’ve always enjoyed coming here, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind. Though it is very similar. Remember when we first drove up through the gates two days ago and you told me this place reminded you of somewhere?”
Tessa nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, I gave a great many photographs of this villa to Nathan and told him this was the feeling I wanted to capture when he came up with the designs for our new hotel in Napa. And while there are a number of differences, the entire resort is being built to resemble a Tuscan villa. And that, my love, is where I hope to make you my bride.”
She gasped in delight. “Oh, what a wonderful idea! I love it, absolutely love it! I know exactly what you mean now – why this villa looked so familiar. I was remembering all the drawings I’d seen of the new hotel. So we would hold our wedding there on the grounds?”
“Yes, that’s what I was hoping. Right now we’re scheduled to hold the grand opening the second week of June. My plan,” he added with a wide smile, “was to marry about a week before that time, so that ours would be the first wedding ever held in the place. And so that we would also be the very first guests to stay there as well.”
“That’s what you meant by another first. And I couldn’t think of a more perfect time or place to get married. Yes, absolutely. As usual, you think of everything.”
Tenderly, he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “One more thing I just thought of. Do you realize what other day this is, darling?”
Tessa arched a bow. “No, I can’t honestly say that I do. What day is it today?”
Ian’s eyes twinkled merrily. “It’s a Wednesday.”
THE END