Redemption Hills: The Complete Collection

4. Tessa

FOUR

TESSA

“Thank God you answered. I am in desperate need of my BFF right now, and I’m not even kidding.” I whispered it all dramatic-like into the phone as I ducked around the gorgeous main room of the cabin. Why I found it fit to go stealth, I wasn’t sure, but somehow, having this conversation felt like a covert mission.

Especially when I kept peeking out the edge of the bank of windows that overlooked the sprawling backyard.

Milo was outside on his hands and knees as he sanded a piece of wood, working on what looked to be an elaborate fort.

He’d ridded himself of the atrocity that was his shirt, because holy crapballs, it was a sin to cover up all the deliciousness that was the man.

From this distance, I really couldn’t make out any of the designs, but I could tell his back was almost completely covered in ink, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders flexed and bowed as he manually roughed the sandpaper block over the planks of wood.

Power tools would have been an unnecessary invention if all men were made like him.

But what sent my spirit sinking was the knowledge he was out there working on a treehouse after he’d just confessed that his children didn’t come to visit. My heart was already in tattered shreds at the adorable room that had been set up, waiting for two kids to fill it.

There had been no missing the way the room ached, and in turn, I could only ache for my friend. But it’d also triggered a million questions.

Eden giggled from the other end of the line. “Uh-oh, tell me what kind of trouble you got yourself into this time. Do I need to bring bail money?”

If Milo would have been left to his own devices, I was pretty sure it was him who would have needed the bailout.

“Well, some things did go down last night,” I hedged, my nerves spiking.

I could feel the mood shift, Eden coming to the quick conclusion that my night hadn’t ended the way it usually did—with me giving into Karl’s demands. For years, she’d begged me to leave him, unable to understand why I’d stay. Maybe I’d been a fool not to give her the truth. I’d never been sure myself if I’d kept her in the dark to protect the arrangement or because of shame.

“What happened?” Her voice lowered in concern.

I inhaled a shaky breath. “I ended it with Karl.”

Shocked silence compressed the air, then she whispered, “You left him?”

Emotion gathered in my throat, anger and hurt and resolution. “He struck me last night, Eden.”

Pain infiltrated the small sound she released before she cautiously asked, “Has…has this been happening?”

I paced in a small circle, running my free hand through my hair as I tried to figure out a way to explain this to my best friend.

She was going to be hurt.

She had the right to be.

We were supposed to share everything with each other.

“It was the first time, and it was my breaking point. A person can only take so much.”

Confusion curled through the connection. “I don’t understand why you let yourself get pushed to that place, Tessa. You are the most amazing person I know.”

Affection pounded in my chest. “I know I’m pretty great,” I tried to tease, to lighten this moment, because crap, it was hard letting go of a secret I’d kept in my clutches, like hiding it would make it less painful.

Less real.

An alternate reality.

She waited. She knew me well enough to know when I was joking to cloud the seriousness. I blew out a sigh. “I have something I need to tell you.”

“You can tell me anything. You know that.”

“Karl has been paying for Bobby’s care.”

Silence stretched long, and I could tell she was processing. She warred, then pressed, “What do you mean? I thought the state paid for it?”

The laugh I let go was ashamed, and my voice quieted as I rushed through the confession. “It was Karl paying for it the entire time.”

We’d only been dating for a short time when the accident happened, and I’d moved in with him pretty quickly after.

“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you come to us for help? The church would have helped. We would have?—”

“I know you would have, and that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. Your dad already gave so much to me and Bobby. There was no chance I was going to ask for more.”

When our parents had died when I was fifteen, Bobby had stepped in as my guardian. He raised me when he’d barely been more than a kid himself.

Eden’s father, Gary, ran a nonprofit called Hope to Hands out of the church where he was the pastor, helping those in the community who were in need.

At the beginning?

That organization had made it possible for me to remain with Bobby. Providing groceries and covering our rent for a full year until Bobby had gotten a promotion at work.

After Bobby’s accident, there was no chance I could ask more of them. I couldn’t take away from the other families who needed that money when I had another option.

Unfortunately, it was an option that had begun to destroy me.

Eden was silent for a long time before she carefully asked, “Is that why you took over Hope to Hands? Because you felt like you’ve already taken too much?”

God, sometimes she knew me too well.

When Gary had been ready to retire from the position, I’d felt called. I needed to give back after everything that had been given to me.

“Of course not. I was bored and needed a reason to stay away from Karl’s house for longer. I did it for purely selfish reasons.” I let it go as a tease.

“You really are the most amazing person I know,” she murmured instead of laughing.

My voice softened. “You guys took care of us, Eden. I don’t know where I would be right now if your father hadn’t stepped in.”

Over the years, he’d become like a father to me, especially after Bobby’s accident. I’d had no one left but these incredible people who’d welcomed me into their family.

“And that’s the hold Karl has always had on you. I should have known.”

“You didn’t know because I kept it from you, and I’m sorry for that.”

“Still, I should have dug deeper,” she argued, like any of this was her fault. “I always knew there was something. It wasn’t like you lit up anytime that jerk came around. I never could understand what you saw in him.”

I’d actually liked him at the beginning, though, until he’d shown who he really was. Once he’d started giving me money? His offering had been nothing but chains.

“I definitely didn’t see a whole lot in him…he was like…sour cake with mold on it.” My nose curled at the vision.

Eden giggled. “Gross.”

“Totally gross.”

We both laughed before the lightness drained. “I can’t believe it. What are you going to do now? Trent and I can?—”

“Don’t you dare say you guys can give me money. That is not happening. I will figure this out.”

“Why not, when you would be the first one to give me the shirt off your back?”

“Well, I’m actually going to need yours.” I looked down at the outfit Milo had given me to wear. It was an old, ratty tee with holes in it and a pair of gym shorts.

It was going to go awesome with my heels.

Dawning blazed from my bestie. “Wait a minute, where are you?”

I inhaled a deep breath, taking another quick peep out into the backyard. Milo was now on a ladder hammering a piece of wood.

Tingles raced.

Good God, the man was delicious.

“Milo’s.”

A beat of silence passed before she laughed. “Oh my God, did you call him? I knew you had a thing for him. You were always in denial, claiming you had a boyfriend, while you were salivating over him, weren’t you?”

All true.

“No, of course not. Who do you think I am? And it so didn’t go down like that. He found me loitering outside Absolution.”

“You went back to Absolution?” she gasped. “Why didn’t you call me to come get you?”

“Because last night was the first night in forever that you and Trent didn’t have the kids, and I knew you were over there eating all that yummy, delicious cake.” No mold to be found. “What kind of BFF would I be if I interrupted that?”

“I would have come.”

“Well, I certainly hope you did. I mean, come on, tasty O’s with your uber hot man or rushing out to save me in the middle of the night? This is not a toss-up, Eden.”

They’d been so cute when they’d come out the door. So in love. Trent couldn’t keep his hands or his mouth off my bestie as he’d led her to her car. I wasn’t about to interrupt it, even though I’d never felt so alone than when I’d watched them drive away.

“I would have been there for you in a heartbeat. Ride or die, remember?”

“Well, you were riding that big D, soooo…”

She choked. “Tessa.”

“I am the teller of the truth. Tell me I’m wrong.”

She giggled.

“Uh-huh, that’s what I thought.”

I wasn’t jealous or anything.

But I wanted it. Ached for it. A connection that was real. It was hard going at life alone.

I peeked at Milo again. There he was, intense as he worked, sunlight burning down and blazing against all his toned, chiseled flesh.

Snap. Crackle. Boom.

There went my lady bits.

“Tessa?”

I jolted out of it, realizing she’d called my name three times.

“Oh, sorry, what?” I asked, completely flustered.

“I was just saying I’ll come pick you up. Kate will be up from her nap in about a half an hour, and we’ll head over there.”

Of course, she would invite me to crash at their place.

I loved her so much for it, too.

But she had a family now.

Nerves raced, streaking through my veins, because was I really doing this? I hesitated, then rushed, “I’m actually going to stay here at Milo’s for a while.”

“Excuse me?” Her response was loaded.

“Yeah, so it turns out he needs a roommate.”

It was only a tiny lie, because the man did seem like he needed someone.

I understood lonely.

Recognized it.

But his was even more severe.

There was a deep, penetrating sorrow that lined his bones. His aura this convoluted, distorted thing.

I’d never seen it so clearly than when I’d been the idiot who went hunting through his house like it was my own and stumbled into that room.

It was painted to be a replica of the view outside, the walls the lake and the forest surrounding it, the ceiling a whisper of the summer sky. Two beds were fashioned like treehouses, close to what he was building outside, like just lying in them would be an adventure. They were covered in handmade quilts that matched perfectly.

Two toy boxes were in the middle of the far wall, and a bookshelf bracketed each side. They were stocked with toys and books and stuffed animals.

But it’d been too perfect.

Too clean.

Too empty.

“Hey, did you know Milo has kids?” I was back to whispering.

Eden hesitated before she blew out a knowing sigh. “Yeah, Trent has mentioned it a few times. I guess their grandparents have custody of them.”

My heart squeezed in a fist.

“Where is their mother?”

“I’m honestly not sure.”

Unable to stop myself, I glanced out the window again, my pulse chugging in dread. “Do you think he…hurt them?”

I couldn’t imagine. Couldn’t believe it.

He might have oozed ferocity, but I also felt his goodness. His loyalty.

Tenderness filled her voice. “My gut says no. Every time I’m around him, I feel like there’s something really big and difficult going on in his life, but you know I don’t really know him that well. He rarely speaks, and when he does, it’s never about his personal life. For the most part, he keeps to himself, but Trent trusts him around our kids, and you know that would never fly if that weren’t the case.”

“Yeah.” My agreement was quiet as I gazed out.

A painting of peace and heartbreak.

A picture of grief and solitude.

“So, you said you needed the shirt off my back…” Eden hedged.

I laughed. “Um, yes, I’m wearing an old shirt and shorts that belong to Milo’s mom. Save me. I’m going to have to go get my stuff from Karl’s soon, but I’m not up for it yet.”

I’d say screw it all if it weren’t for the fact my car was there.

“Don’t worry, Eden to the rescue.”

“And bring me shoes…but not the ugly old lady ones you like to wear sometimes because they’re comfortable . Bring me those cute slides with the heel.”

“Wow. The love, Tessa.” Her tone was droll.

I grinned. “Like I said, I’m the teller of the truth.”

“Okay, then, truth teller, are you okay?” Care filled her voice.

I inhaled a shaky breath. “I think I am. I’ll figure this out, whatever I have to do. All except lying beside Karl for one more night.”

“I know you have this, but please, if you need help, ask us. We are here for you. You may not be blood, but you are my sister, Tessa. I hope you know that.”

Affection clogged my throat. “I know. You’re my sister, too.”

“No more secrets.”

“No more secrets,” I promised.

She paused for a second before she continued, “You are the most selfless person I know, Tessa, and I know you’d give anything for your brother, but it’s time for you to live for yourself, too. You deserve to be happy.”

“I am happy.”

“I’m not talking about that kind of happy. Not the surface kind or the merely content kind. You deserve the fullness of it. I know you’re lonely, as much as you try to hide it. You deserve cake .”

A soggy laugh jutted from my mouth as moisture filled my eyes. “I think I’m taking my first step toward it. I finally realized last night that I wasn’t helping anyone by staying with Karl. Not when there was going to be nothing left of me in the end. And yeah, I want cake .”

I wanted a life that was sweet.

Fulfilling.

And sure, I could do it on my own, which would be just fine. But a partner, finding my person ? That sounded really nice.

“You know Salem and Aster are going to be banging down your door, wanting to know the details,” she warned.

Aster and Salem were Eden’s sisters-in-law, each married to one of Trent’s brothers.

Aka: The Fantastic Foursome.

They’d been pushing me to ditch Karl since they’d met him.

“Ugh, I’ll send out a text.”

“You deserve every question you have coming your way,” she teased.

So maybe I badgered them for details about their relationships, finding joy in what they had found when I’d succumbed to what I would never have.

“Hey, my only choice has been living vicariously through the three of you. Don’t blame a girl for her needs. I needed deets. Visuals.”

“That’s called porn.”

“Your hubbies are all way better to look at. I’ll take the blessings I’m given.”

“You are so messed up,” she giggled.

“And you’re my hero. Now get your cute butt in your car once Miss Baby Kate wakes up and bring me some clothes. Do you know where Milo lives?”

“I can get the address from Trent. As soon as she’s up, I’ll be on my way.”

“You are the best, Eden. Mad, mad love.”

“Mad love.”

The line went dead, and I was fighting a smile as I tapped out a message in our group thread. They were going to love this shit.

Me

The douche-canoe has been set at sea. Buh-bye, tiny-dick, prick-face.

It only took a second for the responses to come rolling in.

Salem

Shut your face.

Aster

Are you serious? Tell me you’re saying what I think you’re saying.

Salem

If this is a joke, I’m going to kick your scrawny ass.

Me

No joke. I ended it last night.

Salem

OMG, WHAT HAPPENED?

Me

Get together soon and talk about it?

Salem

Margaritas, Friday.

Me

As long as they’re bottomless.

Because I was definitely going to need them.