As Love Blooms (27 page)

Her heart thudded against her rib cage. Should she dance with Edward now? It really was no different than the other day at the dinner party. Edward had a girl back at college, and she’d never felt the least bit romantically attracted to him, but now that she was seeing Reese, somehow it all felt differently.

“Tessa? Is something wrong?” He frowned. “I told Mrs. Brokaw I wanted to dance with you. I know you have Reese and I have Eve.” He touched her arm. “It’s to keep up pretenses.”

Pretenses. Such an innocent-sounding word. She pushed the troubling guilt deep inside. Edward was right. Besides, this was a garden party, and she loved to dance.

She’d whirl and twirl and think of nothing other than the moment she took her place beside Reese at Como.

Tucking a finger beneath the stiff collar of his shirt, Reese swallowed hard, then glanced at Fred Nussbaumer walking beside him. The park superintendent didn’t seem the least bit concerned about fitting in with the guests at this garden party, even though everything about them bespoke affluence.

As they crossed the lawn and headed toward a group of men, Reese drew in a deep breath.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen his share of wealthy homes or spent time among the elite. His father’s position had seen to that, and his own family wasn’t exactly paupers, but today seemed different.

Perhaps it was because he sensed this was a test. If he had to guess, Mr. Nussbaumer wanted to see if he could handle the political side of a superintendent’s work. His brother always said he could charm their mother out of her last penny, but could he work a group of men? His lips curled. Certainly not like Tessa could.

Mr. Nussbaumer greeted several of the men in the casual circle and then introduced Reese. While they were polite to him, they directed all of their conversation to Mr. Nussbaumer.

Reese glanced around the haphazard backyard garden. Some would say it was pretty, but it lacked something. He wasn’t sure what, but Tessa would know. Too bad she couldn’t join him. She’d enjoy a fine affair such as this with all of the ladies turned out in their afternoon finery.

His gaze swept the lawn and came to a halt on the dance floor. He wasn’t much of a dancer, but for her, he might even give it a whirl.

Mr. Nussbaumer nudged him. “Don’t you agree, Mr. King?”

“Uh, yes, of course.” His eyes didn’t leave the dancing couples. Was that—

A heavyset man chuckled. “I think your young friend is distracted by the bunny hug.”

It wasn’t the dance that distracted him, it was the dancer. More specifically, it was one girl.
His
girl. And in the arms of another man.

 22 

With her cheek pressed against Edward’s, Tessa moved in time to the song with a ragtime beat. The bunny hug was such a silly-sounding name for a dance, but Edward said it was one of his favorites, so she’d accepted his invitation once again. Unlike the waltz or two-step, on this song the floor belonged to a spattering of the younger set.

As the dance dictated, they spun back to back with one another and linked arms, then Edward turned and placed his hands on Tessa’s waist. With her back pressed against his chest, he lifted her feet from the floor and swung her like the pendulum of a clock.

She giggled at the giddy sensation and the gasps from some of the onlookers. Apparently this crowd hadn’t witnessed the bunny hug often. When they whirled, she scanned the crowd for more shocked expressions.

Her steps faltered.

Only Edward’s arm kept her from tripping. “Are you okay?”

“No, I don’t think I am.” She locked eyes with Reese across the lawn as the last notes of the song drifted on the wind. His face was awash in emotion.

Hurrying down the stairs, she hiked up the front of her skirt and raced across the yard.

“Tessa!” Edward called after her.

She ignored him. She had to make Reese understand.

As she neared, she slowed her approach, but Reese held up his palm, telling her to stop. He shook his head and mouthed the words “not now” before returning to his conversation with the men nearby.

Not now? He wanted her to wait to explain what he’d seen? She could only imagine what he was thinking. For his own good, she should march over there and insist he speak to her.

But he was standing with Mr. Nussbaumer. What would happen to Reese’s possible advancement if they had some sort of public display?

Edward caught up to her and took hold of her elbow. “What’s going on?”

She shook her arm free. “Don’t touch me.”

“Tessa, why are you acting like this?” Edward glanced over his shoulder, apparently following her line of sight. “Who’s that with Fred Nussbaumer? Reese?”

She nodded.

“And he saw us dancing.” His shoulders deflated. “I’ll speak to him, Tessa.”

“No, I’ll take care of this.” She turned to leave, but Edward caught her arm.

“Remember why you’re here. You can’t just take off.”

“Edward, please.”

“Let go of her.” Reese’s voice rumbled like thunder.

Tessa whirled. Mouth rigid, jaw flexing, Reese seemed ready to start a war. Cheese and crackers, was he going to hit Edward over the bunny hug?

Edward jerked his hand away from her. “I apologize, Miss Gregory. I’ve overstepped, but I wanted to express my thanks for the dance.”

“I bet you did.” Reese clenched his fists.

Tessa stepped between them. “You’re welcome, Mr. Ferrell.” Her voice sounded false, even to her. “You’re an excellent dance partner.” Did Reese catch her subtle emphasis on the word
dance
?

Dipping his head, Edward took his leave, and Tessa turned to Reese. His expression remained stony.

“Was he bothering you?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “And I want the truth.”

“No! Edward’s a perfect gentleman.”

“It’s Edward now?”

Her back stiffened. Tessa didn’t like the tone of his voice, and she didn’t like the accusation in his eyes. “I believe he’s always been Edward. I think that’s what his mother named him at birth.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” His scowl deepened. “Wait a minute. Wasn’t Edward the man you met for lunch the day you were late to the park?”

“Reese King, if you have questions to ask, then do so.”

“All right. Who is Edward Ferrell, and why were you dancing cheek to cheek with him?”

Like an invading vine, jealousy had wrapped itself around Reese’s heart, but that hadn’t been what spurred him to action. When he’d seen Tessa being manhandled, he couldn’t keep from intervening—even if it cost him the coveted position at Como.

Tessa glanced around and he followed her gaze. Several guests seemed to be watching the two of them. “Let’s talk about this somewhere more private.”

When they reached a garden bench behind a hedge of lilacs, Tessa sat down. Reese, however, remained standing. He steeled his heart. If the two of them couldn’t trust one another, they had nothing.

“Like I told you, Edward and I are friends. He has a girl back at college—her name is Eve—but he does have a lot of connections. Since you said you had plans today, I took him up on his offer to escort me to this garden party. I couldn’t afford to miss an opportunity to speak to so many important people about the conservatory.”

“When I saw you, you weren’t exactly talking to anyone.”

She sighed. “It’s a dance, Reese.”

“I’m not socially incompetent. I’ve seen dances, and that wasn’t a waltz.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “It’s called the bunny hug. It’s a new one.”

“Like the turkey trot?”

“Yes.” She smiled as if she thought she was making progress. “Reese, trust me. Dancing at these soirees is par for the course. It’s what is expected of a young lady. If I want to fit in, that’s what I have to do. I’d be an outcast if I refused. If it wasn’t Edward asking me, it would be some other young man.”

“So if you stay, you’ll have to do that dance again with some other fellow?”

“If I’m asked. I could make up an excuse or . . .”

The chasm between their two worlds widened. Perhaps it was the difference in money or perhaps it was a difference in the roles of their two sexes, but either way, Tessa faced a whole new set of expectations he’d never considered. No wonder she bristled against all of the constrictions.

“I apologize for upsetting you.” She lowered her face and seemed to study her shoes, which peeked from beneath her skirt. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

He sat down beside her, took her hand, and traced circles with his thumb. “And I’m sorry I acted like a jealous lunatic. I’ll apologize to Edward too, but no more bunny hugging with anyone except me, okay?”

She chuckled. “You know the bunny hug?”

“No, but I know how to hug. How hard can it be to learn the rest?”

As a dancer, Reese left something to be desired in his bunny hug, but as a man of his word, he figured he ranked among the best.
He apologized to Edward and solicited his help in keeping Tessa out of trouble. Out of the corner of his eye, he was certain he saw Edward and Tessa exchange a look, and he prayed she hadn’t talked him into helping her with anything dangerous.

He was pretty sure he wouldn’t be the first person who had told her not to do something. For starters, he imagined he’d have to stand in line behind her sisters.