Page 27 of Hot Blooded

Her curls had decided to play nice today, so she left her hair down, cascading down her back in loose black spirals. Bending over, she fluffed her roots and flipped her head back up. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smoothed her hands over the dramatic curve of her body from waist to hips, admired the romantic drama of her hair, and smiled at herself. Self-satisfied, but nervous, she threw her coat on and headed downstairs.

“Baby?” Ma looked up from the couch as Tessa passed the living room, taking in her jeans and unbound hair. “Not working tonight?”

“No. I’m going to be out for a little bit, though. I’m not sure when I’ll be home.”

Ma’s face brightened. “Oh! Are you going to watch the kids for Robbie? I knew you’d change your mind!”

“No,” Tessa said, struggling to keep her voice level as she felt her temper rise. “I made plans with a friend.”

Ma’s smile fell away. “On Robbie and Sarah’s anniversary? You couldn’t spare a little time for your family?”

“No,” Tessa gritted out. “I made these plans long before Rob asked me to babysit.”

“With a friend? What friend? Family is more important.”

Tessa drew in a slow breath. She would not yell at her mother. For a while after Dad died, Ma had become a passive shell. The return of her real personality—the bossy, family-obsessed matriarch—should be cause for joy. Except that, before Dad died, Ma would shout right back at you when you shouted. Now, when Tessa raised her voice, Ma looked like a kicked dog. It made arguing with her impossible. It made the guilt Tessa constantly felt that much worse.

“Ma,” she said softly. “I deserve to have my own life. I hardly ever have any free time.”

“All the more reason to go over to your brother’s. When’s the last time you saw the kids?”

“I just saw them on Saturday when they came over.” And Thursday before that, and Tuesday as well, because whenever Sarah had to work late, Rob brought the kids over to Ma’s so he wouldn’t have to cook dinner or look after his own children.

Ma waved that away. “They love their auntie. And Robbie could use the help.”

What about me? she wanted to scream. Who’s going to help me? If everyone loves me so much, why am I constantly drowning and getting no fucking help?

But she kept that all tightly bottled. “Robbie can pay a babysitter. It won’t bankrupt him. I’ll see the kids again next time they’re at the house. I’m going out now. Lock the doors behind me.”

“Well, goodnight then,” Ma said archly.

“Goodnight, Ma.”

As Tessa stepped outside, the toe of her boot connected with something small and hard. It skittered down the steps, flashing red in the porch light. At the bottom of the steps, she crouched to pick it up. It was a red glass button, fashioned like a smoothly polished ruby in a filigreed brass setting. How it had ended up on her front steps was anyone’s guess, but Tessa liked it, so she slipped it into her pocket.

As she made her way to the train station, the sun sank below the horizon. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she fished it out. She had an e-mail from HemoMatch. Concerned that something had gone wrong, she opened it immediately. It was a receipt for her full contract—a year long—paid in full and deposited into her account.

What? Tessa opened her banking app as she walked, checking her accounts. Sure enough, she had a deposit of nearly seventy-eight thousand dollars. Instead of sticking with the monthly payouts, Amos had fronted her the cost of the entire contract. After she’d just admitted to him that she needed the money.

As always seemed to be the case when it came to Amos, she was torn between two feelings. The abject relief at having that money at hand, coupled with the outrage that he had taken it upon himself to do such a thing. Did he think she had no pride? Did he think he could buy her affection? She didn’t want to believe it, but who just threw seventy-eight grand away like that?

When she reached her stop, Amos was waiting for her on the platform. She marched over to him, throat tight.

“What is this?” Tessa demanded, shoving her phone in his face.

Amos caught her wrist, steadying her hand so he could look at the screen and read the invoice. His brows drew together. “The cost of your contract. Is something wrong?”

“Yes, Amos, something is wrong! What were you thinking, throwing all this money at me?”

His frown deepened and he released her wrist. “I was thinking that you said you needed money, and I’ve got money, so why not just give it to you now?”

“Seventy-eight grand?” Tessa choked.

A passerby let out a low whistle as she walked past the two of them. “Take the money, babe.”

“Mind your own business,” Tessa snapped at the eavesdropper, without looking away from Amos. “You just handed over that much cash out of the goodness of your heart?”

“Yes,” Amos said evenly, patiently. “Why is this an issue?”

---