New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 23: Tessa

"Hello!" Trish comes barging into the house at around 10 PM. Hardin and I are watching a movie on the couch, a horror one to be exact, so I scream when she walks in.

"Sorry!" I cover my mouth, and Hardin chuckles. "You two just got back?"

"Yeah, we've been out exploring all day! It was so much fun! There is so much to see!" She sits down next to us as Hardin pauses the movie.

"We are exhausted though so..." She eyes the couch. Hardin unwraps his arm from around my shoulder and helps Mike set the bed back up for them.

"So I see you two have made up or something." Trish pulls me to the side.

"Yeah, we have. Everything's fine." I smile at Hardin struggling to get the bed out.

"Here." I move in front of him. "This couch is a real pain in the ass, so you have to put your foot on this before you pull." I hold the couch down with one of my feet and yank out the pull-out bed.

"Thanks." He squeezes my butt, and I yelp in surprise, hoping that his mom didn't just see her son grope me.

"I'll go get the sheets. I washed them again, just cause." I walk over to the laundry room and pull the warms sheets out of the dryer. I stay back though when I hear Hardin begin to talk to Trish.

"Did you get it?" I hear him attempt to whisper, but I can hear him clear as day.

"Yes, here. I think she'll love it."

"Thanks, I hope so."

He must be talking about my Christmas present. Speaking of, I have to remind Heather to bring Hardin's Christmas present, but I should go pick it up since we actually open presents in the morning. I run into my room, and text my mother to see if I can stop by to pick it up. Their hotel is only twenty minutes from my house, and I haven't seen them since they have gotten in New York. Surprisingly, she texts back immediately telling me that I can stop by.

I change into more appropriate clothes, and shove my phone back in my pocket. When I get back into the main room, Mike and Trish have finished making their bed, and Hardin is sitting on the chair next to the couch on his phone, not helping them at all.

"Thanks for washing these sheets again, Tessa! I love sleeping on warm sheets." Trish tells me.

"Of course."

Hardin looks up from his phone, and notices I've put on jeans and a sweatshirt.

"Trish, do you have the keys to the car?"

"Where are you going?" Hardin stands and walks over to me.

Trish hands me her keys. "Oh, I just have some last minute ingredients I just forgot I needed."

"Last minute ingredients? I thought you finished cooking?"

"Well, they're for Nora and Landon. They asked if I could run out and grab some ingredients for them."

Hardin definitely doesn't buy what I'm saying, I can tell by the way his faces scrunches in confusion.

"Oh, I'll go with you then."

"No, it's alright. I got this." I assure him.

"Tessa..." He widens his eyes to me.

"Hardin... you need to stay and relax. You just had surgery yesterday."

"I'm sure my body can handle walking around a supermarket."

Goddamn it, Hardin. This man will never get the hint that I don't want him to come.