Crashing Into Tess Read Online Free PDF Page A

development. From
her office on floor eleven of a Market Street high rise,
Noelle shared a view of City Hall with Tess’s father
Richard, a partner in a patent and intellectual property firm.
His office was on floor twelve.
    Omissions are a sanity measure, here. Fake perky, Tess. Feeling her throat tighten, she said, “I’m actually in Green
Junction, Mom. I made it to town about an hour ago and I
just had a big healthy breakfast.”
    “Well, you got an early start, didn’t you?” her mother
said approvingly. Earlier than you can imagine, Mom. “How is your new place?”
    “Ah-h, I haven’t seen it, yet. I’m heading over there
now.” Tess flashed Jake a cheeky grin. “It’s sure to be a
great little crash pad.”
Unable to help grinning, he shook his head.
“A what? I hope it’s not some kind of roach motel,
    Contessa. The furniture shop is set to deliver your bed
sometime this afternoon, so call right away if there is a
problem with the apartment. I can stop the delivery, and
book you a flight home.”
    Tess rolled her eyes. “I’m sure my apartment is fine,
Mom. Can you have Shirley give the furniture people my
cell number and ask them to call beforehand?”
    “Yes, but there’s plenty of room on your credit card if
you want to fly home, Contessa. I still can’t imagine how
that place is at all suited for you.”
    Tess tried to keep annoyance from her voice.
“Thanks,
Mom.”
After Noelle picked up her printout of rural ranch jobs
lying on the kitchen counter last June, she’d poured herself
a double gin and tonic and stewed until Richard returned
from his golf game. That night at dinner, they’d offered to
finance a partnership in a small animal emergency clinic on
the Main Line. Noelle had not hidden her disappointment
when Tess turned it down in favor of the Green Junction
job. First she’d been disparaging, then downright caustic.
As Tess’s departure loomed, Noelle made snarky references
to “Tess’s Trip to the Wild West”.
But that’s all behind me, now, she thought, glancing at
Jake. He was a nice distraction, his angular jaw slightly
bristled, strong brow and chiseled nose etched in the
sunlight, reddish brown hair curling at his collar. I just got
to Colorado, and I’m already hanging with the Marlboro
Man. Wait til I tell Sammi.
“I’ll be out of the office all day, dear. I have client
briefings, then a deposition. Shall I check in with the rental
company? How much longer will you need the car?” Her
mother’s voice brought Tess crashing back to reality.
“B-Better let me handle the rental company, Mom,”
she said with as much assurance as she could muster. This
is way too dicy to get sidetracked by the magazine ad next
to me. “I’m looking at trucks today.”
“But what if you change your mind about that place?
Your father won’t appreciate having to ship a vehicle back
to the east coast, you know.”
“Mother, as both you and Daddy are aware, I’ve
promised to be here until spring. I’ll need four wheel drive
and good tires before the bad weather hits, and I can drive
the truck home next summer. Look, I hate feeling like I
have to explain myself to you. This is my decision. I need
the truck. I’ll be in touch, okay?” she asked impatiently,
hoping her mother would take the hint.
“All right, dear. I’ll check in at lunch time, to see how
you’re doing.”
“Bye Mom, love you,” Tess said, ending the call.
Glancing at Jake, she sighed, slightly embarrassed. “Sorry
about that. She’s called five times a day since I left
Philadelphia.”
He glanced over to her, then back at the road. “She’s
your mom. She cares about you.”
“It doesn’t always feel like caring,” Tess exhaled.“I
don’t usually fib, but both of my parent’s are huge micromanagers. My sister Samantha is absolutely perfect, and
lately, they’ve focused way too much on me. It’s a bit
much, actually. They’re freaked I moved out here. It will be
a huge