Chapter 25
HAYES
What in the world was Landry doing back? Hayes fumed as he pulled into the office parking lot at the resort. He had seen Tessa’s jeep near the front door, so he pulled in to see her. He entered the office, and it seemed like most everyone was out on the grounds.
“Tessa?” he called as he walked through the main office towards Tessa’s private office. “Tessa, are you here?”
Hayes stopped short when Landry exited Tessa’s office. “Hi, Hayes.”
“Why were you in Tessa’s office?” Hayes asked, unsmiling.
“Tess and I were talking earlier,” Landry said smugly. “I just left her a little note to follow up with our conversation.”
“Sure,” Hayes said, crossing his arms.
“Look, Hayes, I know you have a problem with me, since you are married to Tessa now.”
“No, there is no problem. As you said, Tessa and I are married now.”
“It just seems so quick,” Landry retorted. “I didn’t even know you and Tessa were a thing.”
“We weren’t a ‘thing’ when you were here,” Hayes said frostily. “So don’t worry about that. You know Tessa is very loyal.”
“Yes, I do,” Landry said. “That’s why it’s going to be difficult for me to get her back. But you mark my words, Hayes, I am going to get Tessa back.”
Hayes glared as Landry smugly left the office. Landry thought just because he wanted something, he would get it. That was usually how things worked for Landry Williams.
Not this time, Hayes thought. This time, Landry was going to be disappointed.
TESSA
Tessa walked quickly down the sidewalk on the square. She was already running behind schedule to meet Hayes for their cake tasting at Coffee Cakes, and she still needed to pop into Lila’s shop to pick up her veil.
“Ugh, how did this all get so complicated?” Tessa sighed.
“What’s complicated?” a voice beside her asked.
“Oh, gosh!” Tessa jumped. “Landry, where did you come from?”
“I was just walking around the square. You seem very distracted. Is everything all right?” Landry smiled down at her.
Tessa groaned inwardly. Landry was the last person she wanted to see right now. She just needed to get through all this fake wedding stuff, so she could sort out her feelings. Landry skulking around just confused things even more.
“Oh, yes, everything is fine,” Tessa smiled. “I just have a lot on my schedule with the Fourth of July festivities and the wedding and all.”
“You don’t seem very excited for someone getting married next week.”
“First off, I am already married, and secondly, I am excited. Not that that is any of your business,” Tessa said sharply.
Landry threw up his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry, Tessa. I just keep saying the wrong things every time I’m around you. I didn’t mean anything.”
“It’s fine,” Tessa said. “I just have a lot to do, so I will see you later.”
Tessa moved towards Lila’s shop. Landry stopped her by putting his hand on her arm. Suddenly, he twirled her around into a hug. Tessa awkwardly patted him on his back and pulled away. Landry leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you later, Tessie.”
Tessa stood on the sidewalk for a second while Landry walked away smiling. She shook her head. That was weird, she thought. She ignored the niggling uneasy feeling she had about the encounter and got on with her errands.
HAYES
Hayes sat at a table by the window at Coffee Cakes, waiting for Tessa. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Landry pacing around the square. He turned to look closer at Landry. “What is he up to?” Hayes murmured.
Then he saw Tessa walking down the street.
At the sight of her, Landry perked up and started walking toward her.
Hayes leaned forward as he watched Landry walk over to Tessa.
She looked a little distracted and not that happy to see Landry.
Then Landry grabbed Tessa and pulled her into a hug. Hayes stood up.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Willow asked as she walked up to Hayes.
“Landry,” Hayes muttered.
Willow looked out the window at Landry and Tessa in a hug. She patted Hayes on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about him. Look at Tessa’s face. She’s annoyed with him.”
“Well, then he needs to take the hint and leave her alone.” Hayes moved towards the door, but Landry and Tessa had already separated, and Tessa went into Lila’s shop.
Landry walked on down the street, and as he neared the bakery, he looked up and right at Hayes. He waved and smirked at Hayes as he walked on by.
“Let him go,” Willow said. “You know how he can be such an idiot sometimes. He can’t stand that you have something he doesn’t.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Hayes muttered. But do I really have Tessa? Hayes thought to himself.
“I’m going to get the cake samples,” Willow said. “Have a seat. Tessa will be here in a minute, and cake will always make everything better.”
TESSA
Tessa walked into Coffee Cakes a few minutes after her weird encounter with Landry.
“Well, here she is! The bride-to-be!” Willow called out from behind the counter.
Hayes stood up and greeted Tessa. “Ready for some cake?”
Tessa visibly relaxed and smiled. “Always!”
“How’s your day been?” Hayes asked.
“Busy,” Tessa replied. “And a little weird. Landry just hugged me in the middle of the sidewalk.”
“Yeah, I saw,” Hayes admitted. “I almost went over there, but you were in Lila’s before I got out of the door. Is Landry bothering you?”
“Not really,” Tessa sighed. “I can handle him. I just wish he would go back to New York already. I can’t believe he is still here.”
“He wants you back,” Hayes said bluntly.
“What?”
“He told me earlier,” Hayes said. “He was looking for you at your office.”
“Yes,” Tessa sighed. “He flat-out told me that, too. He found me at the dock.”
Hayes tried to squash down his jealousy. “What did you say to him?”
“I told him I was married, obviously.”
“Well, you know this isn’t a real marriage,” Hayes whispered.
“Shhh,” Tessa cautioned.
“Look, Tessa, if you want to be with Landry—”
“No!” Tessa cut him off and looked into his eyes. “I do not want to be with Landry.”
“Okay, noted.” Hayes pulled out a chair for Tessa, then sat back down at the table.
He felt only slightly better at Tessa’s assurances that she didn’t want to be with Landry.
Landry and Tessa had been a couple for a long time, and Landry wouldn’t let something like Tessa being married stop him from trying to get his way.
Hayes forced a smile as Willow set the cake samples on the table.
He was determined to be the stability that Tessa needed right now, and he wouldn’t let Landry Williams mess with that.