Author's Note: I just wanted to apologize for my behavior due to the flame that I'd received previously. I should not have said that I would not work on my stories anymore. After I cooled down I realized it wouldn't be fair to the people who actually like my story to stop writing it. If you have anything constructive to say about my work please address me via PM from here on out. I really do love you all for reading my stories each one of them are a piece of me and I'm sensitive when it comes to them obviously lol…

So this is a Shorty chapter to hopefully make it up to you all

Chapter Thirteen: The Reason

Two Weeks Later the Office

Theodore and Tam had been working and living together quite blissfully for two weeks. Isaac and Christian had helped them separate their responsibilities and hire employees. This week would be the first week of their fathers not checking in on them. Even though they both had their own offices they preferred to work in the same room. Tam would sit at Teddy's desk and would sprawl out on the couch with his laptop.

"Emerson responded to our proposal for the food charity dinner," he stated happily because that was his project.

"Good Ted, everybody's excited about the event. Now all I have to do is make a decision on the venue," she said cheerfully.

"You're gonna make a decision?" Teddy gasped as though he was shocked and she glared at him.

"Yeah, I'm actually going to look at the venue with Grace and your mother," Tam stated bluntly and all the color drained from Teddy's face. She got up and leaned against his desk. "Yes your mother," she chuckled and went over to him and closed to him mouth. "Careful a fly may get in."

"I'm just shocked! You've moved hell and high water not to involve yourself with her and now you're having a meeting with her?" Ted narrowed his eyes and studied his little friend and she narrowed her eyes right back.

"Are you trying to read me Mr. Grey?"

"Yeah I believe I am," he said and Tam's cell went off.

"Hey Miss Grace, yes I'm excited about the vineyards. Oh, no problem I can most definitely be ready in fifteen minutes and if this place is as great as you claim I want snag it today. I've already seen the other area and it's beautiful but … yeah it's cramped exactly. Let me wrap things up and just call me when you're in the lobby." Tam focused her attentions back on Teddy and she smoothed her hand down the side of his face.

"My change of heart is simple; at first I was scared to know what the reason that Ana didn't like me. Now I'm so happy that even if she were to tell me the reason I wouldn't care because I love you Teddy. You are who makes me happy and you're who I go to bed with at night and wake up to in the morning not your mother." She popped him on the nose.

"I could've told you that months ago … matter of fact I think that I did," he snickered and she rolled her eyes. Tam put on her white blazer and noticed that Ted was shutting down his computer.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you," he added and then saw the look of annoyance on her face. "Why can't I come?"

"Because this is my project and I don't need your help plus … I need to talk to your mom. It's long overdue and you being there will be a distraction to both of us. I plan to ask her to have lunch with me after we close on this place." Ted couldn't deny that Tam made since he huffed and then reclaimed his desk.

"Fine, I need to conference with Larry and Uncle Elliot anyway," Ted pouted but he was in jovial mood. Tam and him hadn't fought once since moving into the apartment. Tam kept calling it the calm before the storm.

"Kay I'm heading out." She went to exit Ted's office and stopped in her tracks. She approached him and gave him a little peck on the lips. "You look sexy behind that desk, Bye Mr. Grey!" She purposely sashayed for her Teddy's benefit.

The vineyards were beautiful! Tam, Grace, and Ana walked behind the coordinator to the area the fundraiser would be held. "So this is the space and all of this will be lit. The stage will be here and like I said this area can house 400 people intimately." Tam chuckled when has an event with 400 hundred people has ever been intimate.

"The area is awesome. Would you be able to tent the area if it were to rain?" Tam asked.

"Of course!" The woman smiled woman went with Tam and signed off the paperwork for the event. After all of the paperwork was signed off on Tam added the notes in her to find an event coordinator and schedule an appointment. Tam made her way back over to Ted's mother and grandmother.

"Thanks for the tip Miss Grace and I'm sure we got the deal on price because of you," Tam said cheerfully. "Ted just got the last RSVP today and everything is coming together!"

"Of course it would it's a very worthy cause. How's the housing efforts coming?" Tam started to rattle off some business stuff while they all walked to their cars.

"Well, duty calls, but this was a lovely break!" Grace hugged Tam and Ana before getting in her car and heading out. Ana gave Tamera an awkward smile and went to get in her car.

"Ana, I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch," Tam said and she realized that she was a little nervous.

"He proposed to you didn't he," Ana said dryly no hiding the disappointment in her voice.

"No, Ava's still the only one planning a wedding," Tam said playfully. "I know I wasn't ready before but now we should really get it together for Teddy's sake. He shouldn't have to choose between you and me." Ana nodded and unlocked her doors.

"Okay let's eat," she unlocked her doors and Tamera hopped into the passenger's side.

This was the quietest lunch that Tam had ever experienced. Tam had finished her sandwich and was picking at her fries. "So Ana, what is it? Why don't you think I'm good enough for your son?" Ana sat repositioned herself in her seat and looked at Tamera who forced herself to meet her stare.

"There's several reasons," Ana said bluntly and Tamera waited.

"I just think that it's weird that it took you all this time to figure out you were in love with my son? Why now? I'm sure you knew that when Teddy turned 21 he was entitled to his trust," Ana stated and Tamera looked at him confused.

"His trust?" Tamera didn't even know he had a trust.

"Don't act like he hasn't talked to you about it you two talked to him about everything! I'm sure you and you're family knows how much Teddy's worth." Ana fussed and Tamera just shook her head.

"No, Ted and I don't talk about money. I mean he asked when I bought him the Mercedes but I never really cared about it. I know that Christian knows how much I'm worth. I'm not really comfortable about that but it's public knowledge to anyone who has brains enough to figure it out." Ana was baffled. Why hadn't Christian told her that he had looked into Tamera's background? I mean she knew he knew the little stuff but not about her monetary worth.

"So this was about money? You thought I was a gold digger?" Ana nodded and Tam chuckled not because it was funny she was disgusted. Money makes peoples so evil.

"Not a gold digger but an opportunist," Ana said humbly and Tam's jaw was clamped shut. "Once my views of you changed I didn't have the heart to tell Teddy. He just thought you were so perfect. I didn't want to rain on his parade but I just … I don't trust you."

"Miss Ana in all due respect … you need to ask your husband how much I am worth. Seriously I don't need his money. Both my mother and father have provided for me and I have worked since I was able to. I … I'm not going to defend myself. You said there were other reasons?" Tam asked and Ana felt kind of guilty now that she'd said it outright.

"Yeah there are others … I don't feel you're in love with my son. I feel you're unstable Tamera you make decisions so erratically and then there are your mental issues. I feel that the two of you are just better as friends. Teddy hasn't really sown his wild oats; he hasn't dated so I don't want him to settle." Tam snorted and crossed her arms and shook her head. The waiter came and Tamera offered the gentleman her credit card without even looking at the bill.

"Ana, I'm going to tell you something just to open your eyes a little bit. Ted has been dealing with women since he was fifteen. His oats have been sown and then some. So if he's settling it's not because of that. Is there anything else?" Ana blanched how could her young teenage son have been having sex under her nose and she didn't even realize it.

"Nothing worth mentioning," Ana muttered. "Tamera, I don't hate you! You know that right? I think you're a great friend to my son. It's just as Ted's mom I have to be cautious." Tam nodded and she saw the sincerity in Ana's eyes.

"You need to hear me when I say this Ana. I'm not just Teddy's friend anymore; I'm his woman, his partner, and his lover. You need to accept this because God willing it won't be changing anytime soon. I don't want Teddy's money and when I'm with Teddy I'm the best version on myself. So hopefully, you've heard me and we can move on from here and be friends." Tamera extended her hand and Ana shook it.

"Friends," she repeated. Ana made it up in her mind that she would take Tamera at her word and put the paranoia aside.

Author's Note (part two): I'm sorry again guys! I plan to speed up the story a little and I gave you the reasons! It wasn't because Tam was black! Lol I couldn't give up this story. I love it too much! As always please read, review, and no flames!

PM'd critics are appreciated