EEKS

aribel blurted out, peeking over her

ered Tessa the chance to move in with her and start over in a city with better opportunities. Tessa had considered th

lost ev

r rent was due, and bills had piled up, waiting to be paid from an empty account. With he

nts again. She had taken a huge chunk of money from

with the money. She tightened her grip on the door handle, her he

out anything now, Tessa. My dad is perfectly fine with you living with us until y

wn eyes. Her best friend had saved her

d hurried around to open Tessa's door. "Welcome to Velmark, and welcome to my

ion, then turned to lo

ed, her eyes returnin

s bigger than the one-room casi

deal. "Come inside with me. I need to introduce you to

with Tessa's luggage, then linked ar

around once you

g. She was beyond gr

u. You graduated at the top of our class in

flowers and well-manicured shrubs surrounded the property, while s

er feature, and sculptures stood

ld save you the stress of job hunting, you know?" Maribel interrupted h

ckly shoo

g me here to stay with you. That's enough

ven mind. My dad will do anything I ask of him, Tessa. He wouldn't

ike. They'd been friends for four years, ever since col

and a strict, almost hostile demeanor. Tessa, on the other hand, was easygoing and used humor to h

t least, that's what people called her

g to be called loose, but Tessa still struggled to feel comfortable in her skin. She didn't fit socie

't found her at

y, fa

d, but she pushed them away bef

ing new. Her old life with Dylan was over, and she neede

to the house, her smile wideni

father frowned at her when he saw her? What if he chang

s crowded her min

aying with her best friend was her only hope of getting her life back together. Sh

ved a better job offer and was mov

ind a job, get her finances in order, and rebuild her li

rom scratch and devote hersel

d be no di

n the stairs, follo

er back. The heady scent of masculine cologne

t Maribel's father changing his mind, she looked up and f

er the man in a single, startled gl

s man was

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She closed it and t

ng Tessa from getting a proper look at