Happy Endings: A Hessa Story (3)

Chapter 25: Tessa

I manage to grab the office phone, nearly tripping over my chair, before it goes to voicemail.

"Hi! Tessa Young speaking." I blurt into the phone with haste, praying whoever is on the other side didn't hang up already.

"Tessa! Hi! It's Trevor. I wasn't expecting for you to pick up. I remember you told me you were coming back from your trip, so I figured I would try to call."

"Oh..." Why would he call my work phone? Does he have my cell number?

"Is this a bad time?" He asks me.

"No, not at all. Just wasn't expecting your call." I tell him. I remember him mentioning he has something to tell me, but I didn't think it was of so much urgency that he'd have to call my work phone.

"Well, I have a question for you that really can't wait."

A question for me? I have no idea where this conversation 

"What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, everything is fine. Actually, everything is great! You see, I proposed to Vanessa over the weekend, and she said yes!"

"Oh, wow! Congratulations, Trevor! That's wonderful!" I smile because thinking about two people in love makes me so happy. Trevor truly deserves all the love in the world, and I'm so glad he's found someone he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Vanessa seemed like an amazing woman from the brief conversation I had with her.

"Thank you. Well, that's what I wanted to discuss with you before you left." I can hear the excitement in his voice.

"Your engagement?"

"Well, that, and Ness and I were wondering if you wanted to help us plan our wedding?"

I feel the angel and devil appear on my shoulder:

You're not supposed to be working, Tessa. You promised the doctor and Hardin.

But this is a great opportunity, and Trevor is your friend...

"Hello?" He says when I don't respond to see if I'm still there.

"Sorry... I'm just.. I'm flattered..." I stutter, trying to make a decision.

"You can say no, of course. I don't want things to be awkward for you-"

"Oh no! That's not it at all!" I literally just finished planning the wedding for a man I dated my entire teenage life. That's the definition of awkward. "I would be truly honored to help you guys plan such a big day, but with the baby being due soon and everything, the doctor made me take a maternity leave. When do you plan to have the wedding?"

"Not for another year or so, probably next summer. We haven't discussed it much, but Vanessa has to finish her show before dedicating so much time to wedding planning."

"Oh, next year! That might work then! I know it's incredibly unprofessional to ask you of this, but could you give me a couple days to get back to you. I have to talk to Hardin about it, since he doesn't want me working either."

"Of course, Tessa. Take your time. I understand how crazy your life is at the moment, so please don't feel pressured to say yes."

"I would really like to help you guys out, so I'll see what I can do. I really, really am flattered and appreciate you thinking of me."

"I've seen some of the photos from past weddings you've done, and it's no surprise that even though you thrived at Vance's, you chose this career path instead."

My face blushes. "Thank you. That really means a lot." I feel a tear trickle down my face. Why the hell am I crying? These damn pregnancy hormones have been making me cry for no damn reason.