Chapter 41

Tessa tucked the book back in her bag and swallowed. The plane was coming in for a landing and her heart was basically throbbing out of her womb. Christ she shouldn’t have read the Holly book.

Bumping her way through the aisle she made her way to the front of the plane and gave the half smile you always gave to the stewardesses on the way out. The Nashville International Airport was a bustling hub of people and three hours on a plane left her feeling dirty. She ducked into the bathroom and dug into her bag.

“Bless you, Nic,” she murmured when she found the small travel pack of baby wipes and a change of…clothes. She picked up the skirt with an arched brow. Well, it was supposed to be a skirt. The only thing it had going for it, was the lack of wrinkles. “Jesus,” she looked down at her work pants covered in dust and wrinkled beyond repair.

“Well, let’s hope it’s warm.”

Ten minutes later she felt a lot fresher and a little self conscious that she had so much leg showing. Nic had found a cute little peach top to go with the scrap of skirt, but even that was tighter than she was used to. She adjusted her boots then brushed her hair until it shone and fluffed around her face.

Feeling a little more daring because of her clothes she darkened her makeup a little until her green eyes sparkled with smoky shading.

“Got a hot date, sugar?” Skin that could only be called peaches and crème and twinkling blue eyes met hers in the mirror.

Tessa turned to the woman in the bathroom next to her. She was short and rounded in her sixties but her hair was a mile high like a good southern belle. She smiled back at her. “Actually, I do. I’m a little nervous. It’s a surprise.”

“Oh sugar, men love surprises.” She looked her up and down. “I used to be able to wear that kind of thing for my William,” she patted her hips. “But too much down home cooking spread my hips, dammit.”

Tessa glossed her lips with Peach Ice and couldn’t help but laugh. “I bet William loves every inch of you.”

She blushed. “Well yes, he does. The man loves me to pieces. And he wouldn’t trade my Chocolate Sin cake for anything.”

“As long as the Chocolate Sin isn’t the only sin in the house, Ma’am,” Tessa said with a grin.

“Oh sugar, those home fires still burn red hot. That’s the only way to keep a marriage alive. When all the kids leave the nest you still have to be in lust with your husband. You remember that.”

Tessa shot her gloss in the bag and zipped everything up, tucking a twenty in her pocket for the cab ride. “I’ll remember.”

“You have a good time.”

“God, I hope so.”