Read Beauty (Fated Encounters) for Free Online Page B

tacked to her wall.
    That morning, she’d finalized
some last minute details for a wedding they were hosting that weekend and sent
the updated plans to her partner’s email instead of putting a copy on Jamie’s
desk. Tessa had the larger office between the partners, partly because hers
included a nice seating area where they often met with clients. Jamie’s smaller
office always looked like a bomb had exploded inside it, so they were careful
never to let visitors see the clutter.
    After she sent the email, she’d made
a call to her friend Chris Jensen, the eccentric owner of Wonderland, a popular
nightclub in the city. She should have known better than to call the nightclub
owner before noon, but in her defense, the flu was wreaking havoc on her brain.
After letting him bitch at her for waking him, she’d invited him to the
masquerade ball and arranged for him to ask his staff if any of them wanted to
moonlight as extra servers and bartenders. She knew Chris didn’t mind if they
occasionally worked a side job, since they could all use the extra cash, and he’d
even offered to create a few specialty drinks for the occasion.
    With that task complete, she
packed up a few items from her desk, then looked across her office, wondering
how the hell she was going to make it to the doorway without passing out. She’d
wanted to wait until her partner had got back from a meeting, but she needed to
go home.
    Now.
    She could call out to Eli—their
assistant who doubled as their receptionist—but if he knew just how sick she
was, he would probably have her carted off to the hospital. He was a worrier,
and looked out for both her and Jamie as if he was more like a brother instead
of just an employee.
    Making it as far as the couch
near the doorway, Tessa sat down to catch her breath. Jesus, her body ached. She
felt chilled, but when she reached up to feel her forehead, she realized it was
blazing hot. Not good...not good at all. Glancing out the window, she heaved
out a sigh. It was snowing again. That would make getting home interesting. Giving
herself a few extra moments to rest, she pulled out her cell phone to call
Drake. Over the last few days she’s spoken to him several times, but that didn’t
change how much she’d miss seeing him.
    She’d been looking forward to
their dinner at Devine’s tonight, but now that she had the flu, there was no way
she was going to be able to attend. She placed the call. To her surprise, instead
of getting his voicemail, Drake answered on the second ring.
    “Tessa.”
    Just hearing his voice made her
shiver. Or was that the fever? “Hi. Are you back yet?”
    “Yes. What’s wrong?”
    Geez, did the man have radar or
something? How could he tell something was wrong with just a few words? “I
think I’m dying,” she blurted out. “Not really, but I just feel like it. I’m
sick. You’re going to have to go to the tasting without me tonight.”
    “Forget about the damned tasting.
We can reschedule. Jesus, you sound horrible.”
    Tessa winced. “Gee, thanks.”
    “Where are you?”
    “At work, I—”
    “Go home.”
    Maybe it was all the time they
had been spending together, but his terse command didn’t even phase her. “That’s
the plan.”
    “Take a cab. Don’t be stubborn
and try to walk.”
    It was only three block to her
apartment building, she thought. Still, she knew he was right. With the way she
was feeling, she would probably trip and fall into a snow pile on the way home.
They probably wouldn’t find her body until the snow melted...
    “Tessa, did you hear me?” Drake
snapped.
    “Hmm? Did you say something?” His
growl of irritation was loud over the phone. For some odd reason, it made her
smile. “Drake?”
    “Yes, Tessa?”
    “I’m sorry I have to cancel, I
was looking forward to seeing you tonight.” Crap. Did she really just say that? Hang up. Hang up now! “I mean, the tasting...I was looking forward to
the tasting. Can you apologize to Nico for