Chapter 80
"I'm home." texted Tess.
"Terrace. I've got wine." Jodi replied back.
"So, the date went well?" Jodi asked as she handed Tess a glass of wine
"Jodi, I like him," said Tess.
"That's great, Tess." Jodi smiled at her sister who seemed to be glowing and floating at the same time.
"Like, I really like him, Jodi."
"Like, you see a future with him, like him?" asked Jodi.
"Like, I'm already thinking about how it could work logistically," admitted Tess.
"Well, that is quite a development. I hope you do have a future with him. How did the date end?"
"Well, we closed down the restaurant, just talking. Then he walked me to my car and asked to schedule another date," explained Tess.
"That sounds pretty great. He wanted to make sure he saw you again. He likes you too," said Jodi.
"But I couldn't schedule another date."
"Why not?" questioned Jodi.
"I wanted to. I want to see him again soon, but I couldn't because I thought about everything we have on the books for the next few days. We are mustering tomorrow then the vet checks, loading the day after that. We have Xander's rodeo, the demo derby, then Charlotte's Birthday," said Tess.
"I assume you're not ready to bring him to Charlotte's party yet?" asked Jodi. "You could if you wanted to."
"I'm ready to tell Claire I'm seeing him, but Charlotte's party would be a lot for a new relationship," said Tess. "Think about how many people are going to be there. I'm not ready for that yet."
"I'm glad you called it a relationship, and that you're going to tell Claire. Who, by the way, had a bit of heartache today. She had taken a fancy to Blake Chelsea, but he didn't seem to notice her attempts of romance today," explained Jodi.
"Oh God! Is she all right? Now I feel really guilty. I was on a date when my daughter needed me," Tess said as she shook her head.
"Honey, we agreed we would be a team as much as possible in parenting our girls years ago. Aunt Jodi handled it. She's okay, I think. She seemed fine at dinner. You can check in with her tomorrow."
"Thank you, Jodes. You're awesome."
"So we didn't get to finish. How did the date end? You didn't schedule a third date because we have a lot going on. Then what?"
"I told him I would look at the schedule with you and figure out a time that worked and call him tomorrow," said Tess.
"We can figure that out tomorrow right after breakfast. So, then what happened?" inquired Jodi.
"Then he hugged me close. He's tall and I fit right here when he does that." She pointed to her chest right below her neck. "It's really nice. I smelled him and I felt his heart beating. He smelled really good. Very masculine, but clean and fresh," gushed Tess.
"Oh, Tess. It sounds like you've got it bad for him," said Jodi, enjoying this new development for Tess.
"And then I kissed him," Tess admitted.
"Well done! What kind of kiss?" asked Jodi.
"A kiss, kiss. A proper kiss. He kissed me back. It was intimate and deep. It was hot as hell. Very sexy. Then he kissed me again and we sort of made out for a short while in the car park. I finally pulled myself away," said Tess, as a rosy blush washed over her face.
"Oh, you really do like him," giggled Jodi.
"I really like how I feel when I'm with him," admitted Tess.
"That's good. You deserve to feel good."
"There was one weird part though. I mentioned that we had to muster two hundred fifty sheep tomorrow because we're selling because of the drought. He seemed hurt that I didn't ask him to buy them," said Tess.
"Is his company even ready to be processing lamb yet?" Jodi asked.
"I didn't get that impression. I told him I had it handled and that I didn't want any special treatment, or for it to be weird between us, and he dropped it."
"Hmm. How would you feel about being in a relationship with a contracted buyer?" questioned Jodi.
"It's something that has got me thinking too. I do see a potential future with him, but I don't like the idea of mixing work and personal relationships. I remember Peter and Claire and how bad that got," said Tess.
"Yeah, that was super messy. I think we should remove Drovers Run as a potential station for the Blue Apron contracts. Remove the business relationship between the two of you. Easy," said Jodi.
"That's a big potential deal for us, Jodi," Tess argued.
"Tess, you have never talked to me about seeing a future with any man since you came back here. If you see it with Finn, go for it. There are other contracts to win. We will be okay. Go try it with Finn," Jodi urged her sister.
"This is crazy. Five days ago I had no idea who Finn O'Hara was and, now, I'm planning a future with him? Giving up an important business opportunity for him?" Tess was starting to sound freaked out.
"Sometimes life is unpredictable. You shouldn't turn down a good thing just because it wasn't part of the plan," Jodi reminded her sister.
"I said from the start that I needed to go slow and I feel like this is starting to go very fast," said Tess.
"Your heart and your head don't always agree. You've got to follow your heart."
"Yeah, last time following my heart brought me to Argentina," argued Tess.
"Tess, just because something didn't work last time, doesn't mean it will fail this time and, besides, turning down a contract is nowhere near the same thing as moving across the globe," Jodi reminded her sister.
"I know. It's just that my feelings are moving faster than I would like. I feel wonderful when I'm with Finn, and I would like to continue to have that feeling, but I feel like I went from sticking a toe into the pool to doing a Cannonball into the deep end. I would have preferred more of a gentle transition," said Tess.
"But that means you really like him. If emotions were logical all the time, then life would be awfully boring."
"I guess that, maybe, I'm wishing I was having more of a slow-burn, but I'm having fireworks," confessed Tess.
"Tess! You just used the word fireworks to describe how you feel about Finn! That's amazing! Are you falling in lo-?"
"Stop! Don't say it. I just said I want to slow things down. Don't you dare go saying that word. I am not ready for that word," said Tess.
"Call it, or don't call it, what you want. You can't deny you're having very strong feelings for him. Hell, you floated over here after this date. You're glowing. You described a kiss with him as 'hot as hell'. Like it or not, Tess, you are having strong feelings for Finn O'Hara. Denying those feelings isn't going to help you not feel them," said Jodi.
"What am I doing, Jodi? I came over here like a giddy school girl. I'm a forty-four year old woman with a teenage daughter. I'm sneaking out on dates, holding hands, making out in car parks, and giving up important business opportunities, for a guy I've known for five days!"
"You won't let me say what I think it is, but I think it's fantastic. You deserve to feel that way. To be giddy. To go sneak away. To hold hands. To have sexy kisses in car parks." Jodi was getting excited for her sister.
"Jodi. This could end really badly, with a lot of pain. I'm already getting pretty attached. I already would be really upset if we had to stop seeing each other. I'm already thinking about how soon I can see him again. Jodi, I really like this guy," Tess confessed.
"You're not wrong. It could end badly, but that doesn't mean it will, and, if it does, I'm here. Matt's here. Claire is here. Stevie is here. Jaz is here. Hell, even Kate is here now. We will get you through, because we are your people. You are our person. We love you and will be here if you need us. Don't be afraid," Jodi encouraged her sister.
"I just want to slow down the feelings. Not turn them off. I feel like I'm being flooded and I'd rather just have a nice steady stream," said Tess.
"You know, as well as I do, we can't control the rain. We just have to go along with it."
"I'm going to tell Claire in the morning. I don't like having secrets from her, but I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know yet. I think I need to keep this close to my vest for a while. I might need to talk to Stevie though. She has been through some of what I've been through. I think I'd like her perspective on this." Tess was thinking aloud.
"I'm truly happy for you right now. You deserve this. You deserve to fall in-"
"Stop! You know I'm not ready for that word yet!" ordered Tess.
"Call it what you want then. You deserve it nonetheless. I'll see you for breakfast. It's your turn to cook but, if you need to talk with Claire, I'll swap with you. You can take the next day instead," said Jodi.
"Thanks, Jodi." Tess gave her a hug. "You have been more of a sister to me in less than fifteen years than most people get in a lifetime."
"I couldn't ask for a better sister either."
"Good night. Thanks for staying up to talk," thanked Tess.
"Are you kidding? I love getting the gossip! I'm a boring old married lady. I hearing about this stuff! Good night, Tess. I hope everything goes great with your talk with Claire tomorrow morning," said Jodi.