8. Tessa #2
“I’m going to warn you, she’s a little… unique,” Natalie said hesitantly.
“Tierney doesn’t have a cell phone. Something about mobile phone apps giving her migraines.
Anyway,” she continued, “I called her daughter, who does have a cell phone, and was able to put me on with her. Turns out they’re up on the coast of Maine this weekend.
I guess her daughter’s boyfriend is going to propose and wants to do it at some beach party at the Fourth of July festival happening this weekend. ”
“Aww, that’s really sweet,” Tessa said. “But did she say anything about the necklace?”
“Oh, yes!” Natalie said. “Tierney still has it. She remembered it being passed down to her after her parents died.”
“We found it?” Tessa said, completely aghast and just needing to hear those confirming words. “We actually have the necklace?"
“Yes!” Natalie said, laughing. “Well, we will, anyway. She’ll be back after the long weekend on Monday.”
Tessa could have sworn she heard a record needle scratch. “Wait, Monday? We need the necklace this weekend for the Fourth of July. That’s when my parents are having their wedding anniversary. My dad wants to give it to my mom to celebrate thirty-five years together.”
“We can go,” Greer said quietly. “We’ve got time, if she just wanted to arrange a meeting? We can go to Maine and ask her ourselves.”
Tessa’s eyebrows furrowed at the thought, but nonetheless, “Natalie, can you call her back? Ask her if she’d be willing to sell it to us this weekend?” She paused. “We really, really need to have an answer as soon as possible.”
“She’s with her family up in Harbor’s Head,” Natalie said hesitantly. “I’d have to call my cousin again, and… it’s probably just best if we wait for Tierney to contact us once she’s back. I don’t want to push her.”
“But… we’re so close,” Tessa said, trying not to beg but finding it impossible. The entire outcome of this weekend rested squarely on Natalie’s shoulders.
“I’m really sorry,” she said. “I’ll make sure to reach out to Tierney next week, and we can see if she’s willing to give up the piece then.”
“Right,” Tessa said, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Natalie said, trying to sound soothing. “I’ll call you as soon as I have answers.”
Pressing the button to end the call, Tessa stared at the screen for a moment before looking at Greer.
He shifted, subtly, continuing to hold her tight.
“Well, I guess that’s it,” she said, giving the phone a toss to the countertop, the clatter mildly satisfying, not wanting to see the offending instrument anymore.
“What are you thinking, gorgeous?” he asked, able to tell every thought and feeling she had despite not wanting anyone to know.
She shook her head, looking down at his shoulder. It was like a perfectly rounded boulder, stretched with smooth, tan skin that she already knew felt hot to the touch and like the world’s most perfect pillow when it supported her head.
“I’m just upset,” she said, reasonably. And why wouldn’t she be? “This whole trip has been for nothing.”
“Not true,” he said. “If we hadn’t come up here, we’d still think the necklace was in storage.”
“And that’s the other thing,” Tessa said, feeling her rage begin to leak out of her. “The whole reason that we’re here is because they said it was on-site at the emporium. And when it wasn’t? She conveniently stood in the way of us finding it again.”
“You think Natalie wants the necklace for herself?”
Tessa nibbled her lip in thought. “Maybe? I mean, it is hers, technically. My great-grandmother sold it off to make ends meet. It’s not our family’s anymore.”
“True,” Greer said, giving her a slow smile with a twinkle in his eye. “But technically possession is 9/10ths of the law.”
“Technically,” Tessa said, rolling her eyes. “Not that it does us any good. We don’t possess it.”
“No, but Tierney does. Think of it,” Greer encouraged. “If we were to get her to sell it to us, it’s not a big deal. If there’s a fight over it, it’s between her and Natalie, not us.”
“You’re not… wrong,” Tessa said, pondering the thought. “But how would we even find her? Natalie said she doesn’t have a cell phone.”
“She doesn’t need one. All we need to do is figure out where she’s staying.”
“That could be anywhere,” Tessa said, feeling her back suddenly get stiff. She wiggled in response for Greer to let her down, which he did easily. Who’d have thought she would be the first to give in? “We only know she’s in Maine.”
“Nope,” Greer said, lifting her phone. “We know she’s in Harbor’s Head, Maine. At some sort of town festival. That’s where her daughter’s boyfriend is going to propose.”
“That’s right,” Tessa said, watching Greer swipe open her phone and hand it to her to unlock. “Still, that doesn’t tell us a lot.”
“It’ll be enough,” he said with confidence, accepting it back after she entered her passcode. Passing his thumbs over the screen, he opened her web browser and stood next to her, showing her his search.
He had the Harbor’s Head town website brought up, with a full list of festival events.
“Wow, this is a really small town,” Tessa said, her brows furrowing as she took in the long list. “Why does the name sound so familiar?”
“Look,” Greer said, swiping down and pointing out some kind of beach party. “There’s a full-on carnival happening this weekend right next to the ocean. And according to this, the beach next door is where the party is going to be.”
“It’s the only one listed. It has to be the one he’s planning to propose at,” she said, suddenly realizing the tightness of the schedule. “Oh my gosh, Greer. It’s scheduled for tonight!”
“Whaddya say?” Greer asked, cocking his eyebrow at her. “Feel like going to Maine for a party?”
“Greer,” she said, feeling like her entire schedule had been thrown to the four winds. “This is absurd. We can’t just… hop in the car and drive to Maine!”
“Why not?” he challenged, turning toward her and taking a step into her personal space. She hadn’t realized she was so close to the counter, and once again, he reached out his arms to cage her against it. “Could be fun.”
“Could be fun…” she repeated, as if flying off on another potentially unsuccessful trip could be fun.
“Do you realize what you’re asking? We don’t have any idea where we’re going.
How long it’ll take. Where we’re going to stay.
And that’s all before we even find this woman, if that’s a possibility. ”
“True,” he admitted, giving her a long look. “But I know with one hundred percent certainty that if we don’t try, we’ll never know.”
Tessa gritted her teeth, knowing he was right. Still, this was a lot to consider. “Even if this is the place Tierney is going to be, what makes you think we can find her? There’s probably going to be hundreds of people there.”
“I’m hearing a whole lot of can’t from you,” he said, dipping his face to her shoulder and giving her a soft kiss on her clavicle.
“I like to plan,” she said, her mind blanking out as he dragged the tip of his nose up her throat. “If we just hop in the car and drive… We aren’t thinking any of this through.”
“What’s to think through?” he posed. “This woman has your family’s necklace, and you need it by this weekend.”
“Well, we could…” she said, her mind working overtime to come up with rational thought as his thumbs slid devastatingly slow under her cami hemline. “We just wait for Natalie…”
“...who’s been a great help so far,” he said, not missing a beat as he kissed along her jaw. “C’mon, Tess. Let’s go pack up and drive to Maine. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
Greer’s mouth covered hers in a kiss that her body responded to instantly. She knew he was right, which was turning out to be infuriating, especially when it meant she needed to step out of her comfort zone.
But at the same time? She’d be stepping out of her comfort zone with him.
In all the time they’d known one another, Greer had not let her down once.
If they were traveling to destinations unknown, if they didn’t have a place to stay, if they didn’t have a clue where to find Tierney, he’d still be by her side, helping her to figure it out.
It was probably the most secure way for her to be completely spontaneous. Something she really didn’t have a whole lot of experience with.
“Alright,” she managed to say as he brushed his lips across her jawline. “Let’s do it.”
“Really?” he said, pulling back slightly to lock eyes with her. “You sure?”
“Not at all,” she said, her laughter bursting out of her. Lifting a hand and smoothing it against his cheek, she smiled at him. “But I am sure as long as it’s with you.”
Greer pulled her hand from his face, bringing it to his lips. “I’ll be there every step of the way.”