Page 73 of California Dreaming

Because there was no way that she was the first woman who had ever wanted all of him. No doubt he’d move on as soon as he was back in his regular world, while she’d be back in hers, taking care of someone else who needed her skills.

But all he said was, “Let’s do it!” in just as bright a tone. “And let’s take my Porsche. It’s been sitting in the garage too long.”

Tessa had never even seen Arch’s Porsche. Didn’t know he had one.

She must have been frowning, because he laughed and said, “I’ll admit it is a bit of a boy’s toy, but it’s so fun to drive—you have to try it.”

He grabbed his keys from the hall table and led them out to the garage. It was a gorgeous afternoon. She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes for a moment and enjoying the warmth on her face.

Arch clicked a fob, and the white garage door slowly opened. She walked to his side and saw three cars housed inside, each cloaked in a cloth cover.

“Let’s take the Porsche Carrera Cabriolet,” Arch said. “It’s sporty but timeless. Drives like a dream.”

He went to the smaller of the three and took off the cover. The car beneath was a two-seater, sleek and metallic gray.

Tessa laughed nervously. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to such a nice car, let alone driven one.”

Arch tossed her the keys. “First time for everything. Until my boot comes off, you’re in charge behind the wheel. And don’t worry, you’re gonna love it. She’s easy to handle.”

Tessa slid into the black leather driver’s seat as Arch put down the roof. He was nuts to let her drive a car this rare and expensive. “I’m not so sure about this.”

Again, he reassured her that it would be fun. “You’re an excellent driver, and it’s such a gorgeous day. There’s nothing like the feel of the open road with the wind in your hair.”

With trepidation, Tessa adjusted the seat and mirrors, then put the key in the ignition. The engine roared, and it took all her strength not to jump in surprise.

“Listen to that beauty,” Arch murmured. “I’ve missed this. Thank you.”

Tessa carefully pulled out of the garage and into the driveway before turning onto the main road into downtown Monterey. At first, the power of the car unnerved her, but as they joined the flow of traffic, she found she was actually enjoying herself. With the top down, her hair flowed behind her and her cheeks cooled with the breeze. The car was fluid, and it felt like she was driving on silk. When Arch put his hand on her knee, she was in seventh heaven.

Soon, they reached Monterey, and Arch guided her to where to park.

“Fun, right?” he asked as she turned off the engine.

“So fun!” she replied, and he kissed her, clearly not at all worried that someone in the parking garage would see them.

Downtown Monterey was one of her favorite places to shop, and Tessa was as excited to show Arch her special spots in Old Monterey as he had been when they’d gone to the aquarium. Downtown was a real hot spot of cultural and historical diversity, and its thrift stores reflected this.

She wanted to take his hand, but resisted the urge. There was no reason to add fuel to a fire in public that was burning down to its last embers. Tessa led him along a series of cobbled streets off Alvarado Street until they reached Angel’s.

“I love this spot. It’s more curated than other boutiques, and they have some really special things.”

Arch smiled and followed her inside.

An old disco song was playing on the vintage jukebox by the customer service desk, and the sales associate was dressed like a fifties pin-up, with ruby-red lips, figure-hugging black pedal pushers, and a white crop top. She greeted them both and let them know she was there to help. Immediately, Tessa felt the thrill of their impending bargain hunting. She eagerly approached the dress section, ready to rummage through the colorful racks. She also appreciated that the sales associate didn’t make a big deal about Arch. Tessa got the sense the woman didn’t even know who he was. Amazing, but thankfully, true.

Arch followed Tessa as she carefully combed through the offerings for the perfect find. He looked a little bemused, but in good spirits. As for Tessa, she was determined to show him that you didn’t need to pay a small fortune to look good.

“This place is wild,” he said as he drifted to the opposite rack and showed her a men’s white tuxedo. “This looks like something Fred Astaire wore onstage.”

Tessa laughed. “It may well be! You should try it on.”

“The pants are too short,” Arch said, laughing. “But I do like this red top hat.”

She loved how much—and how quickly—he was getting into the fun of thrifting. She’d been a tiny bit nervous that he’d turn up his nose at secondhand clothes, but he placed the hat on his windblown hair and kept it there.

“Somehow, you make it look good,” she told him as she turned back to the dresses. A deep-red silk caught her eye. She held it up and admired the flowing bias cut. It was a classic shape and very understated.

“What do you think? Would it be suitable for Moonrise?”

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