Covet (49 page)

Julia had invited her to spend Christmas with her own family down in Carmel, the quaint coastal town about two hours south of San Francisco where she had grown up. But while Tessa was grateful for the invitation, she knew she wouldn’t feel comfortable spending a few days with Julia’s parents, sister, and aunt since she would be meeting all of them for the very first time. It had been something of a moot point, anyway, because she had to work on both Christmas Eve and the day after. She and Shelby would be the only team members in the office for Christmas week, along with Andrew. The rest of the team – including Mr. Gregson – would be taking vacation to spend time with their families.

Tessa rarely envied the things most other people seemed to take for granted – clothes, cars, electronic gadgets, dining out, going on vacations. She had gone without all of these things for so much of her life that it seemed pointless to wish for them. But a family – a close knit, loving, supportive family – was something she’d always longed for. And the longing only seemed to be stronger this year, with Peter halfway around the world in Bahrain, and their divorce becoming final in the near future. She had never felt this alone before, not even after her mother had died.

At least, she thought gratefully as Julia continued to fuss with her hair, she had a caring, loyal friend right here. Julia had picked her up earlier today, borrowing one of Nathan’s cars since she had yet to buy one of her own even a full year after moving back to the West Coast from New York City. It wasn’t the first time Tessa had been to Julia’s flat, but she had still gazed around the beautifully decorated rooms in wide-eyed wonder upon her arrival earlier today. The place wasn’t especially large, but Julia had used all of her interior design skills to create a warm, colorful haven, and Tessa loved everything about it. It was especially cheerful today since Julia had gone all out in decorating the rooms for Christmas. There was barely a single surface in the entire place that wasn’t decked out for the holidays.

Julia was also a talented cook, and had whipped up a fabulous brunch for them, refusing Tessa’s help. She had invited her upstairs neighbor Angela – who also happened to be one of her best friends from their girlhoods. But while Julia and Tessa had eaten hungrily of the delicious spinach and cheese frittata, fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits, and a sinfully rich cinnamon crumb cake, the tall, skinny Angela merely picked at her food. Julia had whispered to Tessa that Angela had gone through a horrific break-up a couple of years ago, one that she had never really gotten over. Sneaking a glance at the moody, withdrawn Angela as she poured herself another mimosa but ignored her food, Tessa vowed that she wouldn’t let her own breakup with Peter destroy her emotionally in the same way.

Angela had left right after brunch, and then Julia had got to work getting Tessa ready for the party. Tessa, whose morning beauty routine took less than fifteen minutes, was amazed at how much time Julia spent “getting her all girly” as she put it. In addition to the hair and makeup, Julia gave Tessa a mani-pedi, and insisted she take a long soak in a hot, bubble-filled bath. Tessa thought she had probably been a little girl the last time she’d taken a bubble bath, and since her own apartment only had a shower she thoroughly enjoyed the indulgence.

Julia glanced at the antique clock on her mantle. “Ooh, look at the time! We should head downstairs. Our cab will be arriving within the next five minutes.”

The two women were sharing a cab downtown, dropping Tessa off first at the posh Gregson Hotel where the Christmas party was being held. Julia was continuing on a little further to meet Nathan and a group of his friends for dinner.

“It’s his water polo teammates from college,” she’d explained to Tessa. “They have this tradition of meeting over at Berkeley and playing in some sort of alumni game. Then they go get drunk at one of their old hangouts before hopping on public transit – thank God for that – and meeting their wives and girlfriends for dinner.”

Tessa had frowned. “It doesn’t bother you – him getting drunk, I mean?”

Julia had smiled impishly. “Nathan knows his limits, unlike some of his idiot friends. And when he gets a little tipsy he’s really, really fun in bed.”

A couple of weeks ago, Julia had tentatively offered to set her up with a friend of Nathan’s so that she wouldn’t have to attend the Christmas party alone, but Tessa had gently but adamantly refused.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m just not ready to start dating yet,” she’d admitted.

Julia had nodded. “I get it. When Nathan was still with his ex, I knew I should have forced myself to get out there and meet other guys, but I just didn’t have the heart. Besides,” she had added with a wink, “the few remaining single friends Nathan has are just about the biggest guy sluts I’ve ever met. And, my God, can those guys drink! You’d probably never speak to me again if I set you up with one of them.”

During the cab ride, Tessa gave Julia’s hand an impulsive little squeeze. At her friend’s inquiring gaze, Tessa told her, “Thank you. For all of this. Helping me get ready, encouraging me to go, sharing the cab.”

“It’s nothing,” assured Julia. “I had fun getting you all girly. I hardly ever get to do stuff like that to my other friends. You’ve just met Angela – the last thing on her mind these days is making herself look pretty. And my sister – let’s just say it takes a lot of arm twisting to convince her to dress up. I don’t really have any other close girlfriends – just the people I work with and now the wives and girlfriends of Nathan’s buddies. And you, of course.”

Tessa felt immensely pleased that Julia included her on the surprisingly short list of her friends. Julia was so beautiful, smart and accomplished that Tessa was more than a little in awe of her – and almost pathetically grateful for her friendship.

“You’re sure you won’t change your mind about the holidays?” asked Julia in concern. “I feel awful about you being alone on Christmas. It just isn’t right, you know?”

“I’m sure,” Tessa assured her gently. “But thank you again for thinking of me. And I’ll be fine. I’ve already got a stack of movies to watch, and plan to eat a ton of junk food. And those mimosas were so good at brunch that I might just make myself a pitcher on Christmas morning.”

Julia grinned in delight. “That’s the spirit! And I’ll make sure to give you a huge plate of homemade cookies. Nathan offered to help me bake tomorrow, but I have a feeling most of that so-called help will involve taste testing and not much else.”

When the cab pulled up to the grand porte-cochere of the hotel, Tessa tried to hand Julia some cash for her share of the fare only to have it firmly refused.

“No. I told you this was my treat. God, when you mentioned you were going to take the bus or the metro here tonight I thought I’d faint.” Julia shook her head. “And you’d better take a taxi home, too. Are you okay for that?”

Tessa understood that Julia was really asking if she had enough money, and nodded, trying to conceal her embarrassment. “Yes, thanks. Especially since you won’t let me pay half of this fare.”

Julia smirked. “I have a rich boss. Who also happens to be my rich boyfriend. I can afford a twenty dollar cab fare. Besides, it’s something like the third – or is it the fourth – night of Hanukkah, so consider this a little gift.”

Tessa laughed. “But neither of us is Jewish.”

“Doesn’t matter. Now, you go have yourself a fabulous time, all right? I wish I was going with you instead of to this overgrown frat boy party of Nathan’s.”

As Tessa walked inside the hotel, she wished Julia was accompanying her, too. She felt awkward and uneasy attending this fancy party alone, especially when all of her co-workers were bringing a date or their spouse. There would be very few people in attendance tonight who were here by themselves, and she fought off the feeling of being a pathetic wallflower.

‘It’s not like it’s a high school dance, silly,’ she chastised herself. ‘Nobody’s going to be gossiping about what a loser you are during first period English class on Monday.’

But as she checked her well-worn raincoat at the coat check just outside of the enormous ballroom, Tessa couldn’t help feeling once again like the new girl in school – the outsider who had no friends, who was too shy to speak to anyone, who was always alone and lonely. Some things, she thought sadly, never seemed to change.

Fortunately, some of her unease began to fade as she spotted Kevin and Shelby nearby with their respective companions. It was very obvious from all of the disparaging, almost insulting comments that Kevin frequently made about his current lover Terence that he was merely using him for his money. But for tonight at least Kevin preened over the older man, touching his arm, and laughing at whatever he said.

Shelby, who was wearing a skintight pink bandage dress that clashed oddly with her strawberry blonde hair, was already doing her chirpy bird laugh when Tessa reached her side. Tessa had met Shelby’s date – a slightly overweight, prematurely balding young man named Grant – when he’d taken Shelby out to lunch a couple of weeks ago. Tessa chose to ignore how Grant’s close-set eyes lingered a little too long on her boobs as he greeted her this evening.

“Sweetie pie, you look a-maz-ing!” exclaimed Kevin. “Wow! If there was any woman in the world who might have a shot at turning me straight, it would definitely be you!”

Tessa couldn’t help laughing in delight at his praise, and let him envelop her in a hug, not even caring that his new cologne was even more pungent than his old one.

“Thanks,” she answered demurely. “Um, a friend of mine helped me get ready.”

She intentionally didn’t mention Julia’s name, fairly certain that no one at the office would mind her friendship with the interior designer, but thought it prudent not to advertise the news, either.

“Well, she did a fabulous job on you, sugar, just fabulous,” gushed Kevin. “Now, aren’t you glad we all talked you into coming tonight? Much better than sitting home all by your lonesome.”

After learning about her breakup with Peter, the whole group had ganged up on her until she’d reluctantly agreed to attend the office Christmas party. And even though the round tables were really only set for ten, they were squeezing in an extra chair so that Tessa could sit with everyone else.

It had touched Tessa to have the support of her team, who had acted like real friends to her, helping to lift her spirits and give her encouragement. And, so far as she knew, they had kept the news of her impending divorce to themselves as she’d requested. At least, no one else in the office had said a word to her about it.

Within a few minutes. Marisol and her husband Raul, Gina and her boyfriend Alex, and Alicia and her date Ross had all arrived, the girls gushing over Tessa’s dress and hair and makeup. Of course, Gina and Alicia were dressed to kill in obviously expensive designer gowns, their own hair and makeup flawless. Tessa tried not to worry about how cheap her own dress and shoes – the same ones Julia had assured her looked awesome – must appear next to not just Gina’s and Alicia’s but to every other woman’s here tonight.

She accepted a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, but was careful to sip it very slowly. She still wasn’t much of a drinker, had never had more than a glass or two of wine at one time, and most definitely didn’t want to experiment with having more at the office Christmas party, where every member of the management team was in attendance – in particular, the so-called “boss man” himself.

She became aware of Ian Gregson’s presence well before she actually saw him. He had that sort of magnetism, the kind that drew everyone’s attention no matter who else might be in the room. Tessa merely had to glance in the same direction as everyone else around her was to find him, and her heart did a rapid little flutter when she saw him for the first time this evening.

He’d been traveling these past two weeks to several of the hotels in Mexico and South America, and his ruggedly handsome features were deeply tanned as a result. His hair had been cut very recently, and was as expertly styled as always. Ian wore a beautifully tailored black tuxedo, paired with a snowy white shirt and classic black bowtie. He was suave and sophisticated, classy elegance and overwhelming masculinity all rolled into one mouthwatering package.

She didn’t realize how long she’d evidently been staring at him until Gina’s voice murmured slyly in her ear. “His Hotness looks even hotter than usual tonight, don’t you think?”

Tessa swiftly glanced away from her undeniably hot boss, but was afraid she’d already betrayed her attraction to him to the very perceptive Gina. Trying desperately to seem nonchalant, she gave a small shrug and smiled. “Most men always look extra special in a tuxedo.”

Gina grinned. “You’re right. Especially when it’s a Brioni tux that probably set the boss man back eight or nine thousand.”

Tessa gasped. “For one suit? And how do you always know this stuff – I mean, what designer it is and how much something costs?”

“Guess I’m a bit of a frustrated fashion designer,” confessed Gina. “I really wanted to attend a fashion school, and get into either design or merchandising. But my parents were insistent I get a college degree and a quote unquote “real job”. So now I just settle for looking through as many fashion blogs and magazines as I can and keeping up to date on stuff. Just in case, you know.”

Tessa shook her head. “I don’t know the first thing about fashion, and can’t tell one designer from the next.”

“You don’t really have to,” admitted Gina almost wistfully. “You’re lucky enough to be one of those very few people who looks good in anything, not to mention being gorgeous. I’m more than a little jealous of you, Tessa. Most of us have to work really hard to look good but not you.”

Tessa was both startled and flattered by Gina’s compliment and offered her a grateful smile. “That’s nice of you to say, even if it really isn’t true.”

“Ah, but it is. You just don’t see it. Oh, I see His Hotness has the banker lady with him tonight. Alicia and I were wondering who the lucky lady was going to be. I hope when I get to be forty I look as good as she does.”