Tessie appears at the kitchen entrance, her body covered in an oversized t-shirt that engulfs her tiny frame. She stretches her arms, letting out a deep yawn, and then rubs her eyes. She has tied her hair in a messy ponytail and her makeup seems to have faded. In my opinion, she looks stunning even without makeup.
Cain rises from his seat and strides purposefully toward Tessie. As he nears her, he gently places his hands on her waist and pulls her close. Their eyes meet and he leans in, his lips meeting hers in a tender, passionate kiss.
“Good morning. Nate made you some breakfast,” Cain says, gently touching Tessie's back and guiding her towards the table.
“Morning. Oh, brilliant. I’m so hungry,” Tessie says in a croaky voice.
Nate rises from his seat and makes his way over to the kitchen counter. He reaches for the coffee pot and carefully pours Tessie a hot cup of coffee.
Cain pulls out a chair for Tessie. She takes a seat with an exhausted look on her face. Despite her tiredness, she manages to flash a smile in my direction.
I slide the plate of warm, crispy bacon sandwiches across the table to Tessie.
Nate joins us all with a steaming cup of coffee for Tessie and sits at the table.
Tessie takes a bite of her sandwich, nodding her head. “Thank you, Nate.”
Cain moves a bit closer to Tessie and looks at her with concern. "How do you feel after last night?" he asks in a stern, but gentle tone.
“Fucked and tired.” Tessie giggles.
Cain raises his eyebrows for a brief moment with a smile on his face. We all snicker at her response.
Nate leans in toward Tessie. With a sly grin, he whispers, “Well, there's more to come, baby.” Before she can react, he quickly kisses her cheek.
Nate's words make Tessie's face light up with a smile. “I like the sound of that,” she says, her cheeks turning a rosy shade.
Cain places his hand on the back of Tessie's chair and explains, “I’ve got work tonight. Nate and Mike will be here, though.”
Tessie appears puzzled by what Cain said. Her facial expression reflects her confusion.
“Wait, I'm confused. Am I not going back home?”
Cain bows his head with his lips tightly shut, his gaze fixed on her face.
I decide to say something before Cain does. “Not yet, Tessie. It’s safe if you stay here for a while. It’s the only way we can keep you safe until Cain finds out about the whole Dan situation,” I explain while placing the palms of my hands on top of the table.
“I'm going to ask someone at work to do some digging for me. I’m owed favors,” Cain expresses.
Tessie still looks puzzled. “Okay. What about college? What about work? What abo–”
Nate interrupts Tessie, “It’s all sorted, baby. You will continue going to college. Mike can keep an eye on you there. I know you work from home on your laptop, you can do that here, as well.”
Cain gently places his index finger under Tessie's chin and turns her head toward him. He looks deep into her eyes.
“Listen, Dan was capable of anything. He raped and killed a girl. Luckily, we got to you in time in the forest. We don’t know who this other person is and what they are capable of. Mike and I will also be moving in. It's just temporary. You are staying here and we are keeping you safe. That's final,” Cain says in a terse voice.
I can tell by the tone in his voice that Cain is angry when he mentions Dan’s name. He’s right, though. We don’t know what this other person is capable of doing.
Tessie slumps back in her chair and her eyes glance over us.
“I guess you’re right. Well, I need to return to the house and get some stuff, then.”
“That’s fine. I will take you, baby,” Nate offers, putting his hand on her knee.
Tessie crosses her arms, throws a glare at all of us, and says in a sarcastic tone, “Just because I'm staying here and I’m the only lady in the house, doesn’t mean I'm going to be your slave.”
“What kind of slave would that be?” I ask, chuckling and winking at her.
“Very funny,” she quips.
Tessie's lips curl into a mischievous smirk as she brings the coffee cup's rim to her mouth, taking one last sip before placing it back on the table.
Nate rises from his seat, picking up all the empty plates and cups from the table.
“Thank you for breakfast, Nate,” Tessie says, stretching her arms above her head and yawning.
Nate smiles and nods his head.
Cain wraps his arm around Tessie's shoulder as she leans toward him. He suggests, “When you and Nate head back to your house, you can swing by town after to get more food. It's unhealthy to survive on bacon and beer, which seems to be all Nate has in his fridge.”
“I do like bacon. However, I’m not a fan of beer. By the way, I’m not a great cook, so don't expect amazing meals. I live off pasta or ramen noodles,” Tessie rambles.
“Not a fan of beer?” I scoff. Tessie lets out a little giggle.
Cain rests his chin on top of Tessie's head. “It would be a good idea if we all take turns cooking. We can’t have you living off ramen, either,” he says.
As I rise from my chair and make my way to the kitchen, I am greeted by a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Without hesitation, I roll up my sleeves and wash the plates, vigorously scrubbing away any remnants of food. Meanwhile, Nate takes it upon himself to tidy up the kitchen, wiping down the counters. Cain and Tessie remain seated at the table, lost in each other's company. Tessie snuggles up to Cain, resting her head on his sturdy chest.
