she was in love with my best friend, and they’d been having an affair behind my back for six months. I went out and got so drunk that I woke up in jail the next morning,” he said. “I was sweating bullets by the time my mother bailed me out. I didn’t know if I’d killed someone in my drunken stupor, or raped a woman, or had gotten in a fight and put someone in the hospital. The entire previous two or three weeks were a blur.”
“And?” she asked.
“Mother bailed me out of jail, took me back to school, and told me that the next time she was sending the General. I suppose she thought that would scare me into not getting drunk again,” he said.
“Did it?” Teresa asked.
“I went out that very night, intending to go to the liquor store, but I saw a light in the window of a church, and something drew me over to peek in the window. The folks were having an AA meeting in one of the basement rooms. Maybe a dozen people were sitting in a circle, and this guy looked up and saw me. He motioned for me to join them, and I shook my head. I wanted to go buy a bottle of whiskey, but my feet were frozen to the cold ground. The man who had invited me in with a flick of his hand came outside and sat down beside me. I wound up attending my first meeting right then, and Jeff became my sponsor. I might add that he was one of my law professors. I haven’t touched a drop of liquor since then, but I have had issues with trusting women.”
Teresa scooted closer to him and laid a hand on top of his. “And, I’ve told you before, I’m afraid to drink because I’m afraid I’ll turn out like my mother if I ever start. And, honey, trust is hard for me, too. Even though you’re educated and I’m only a glorified nurse’s aide, we’re a lot alike.”
“I guess we are.” He tipped her chin up with his fist and brushed a sweet kiss across her lips.
“What was that for?” Her voice sounded breathy.
“For listening and not judging me,” he said. “You are a good person, Teresa Mendoza.”
“I should probably go back to Gonzales now that I have the time to do the paperwork.”
“I know a good lawyer who’s about to start up in town,” he said as he brought her lips to his for a long, lingering kiss.
Teresa wrapped her arms around his neck with a smile and tangled her fingers in his hair. Every nerve in her body tingled as she pressed closer to him, wanting more. Each kiss got deeper and hotter. The temperature jacked up at least twenty degrees, and not even the cool night breezes helped cool her down.
Finally, he drew back, traced her lips with his fingertip, and whispered, “Ever since you arrived in Birthright, I’ve wanted to see if that first kiss we had as teenagers was as good as I remembered.”
“Was it?” She smiled.
“No, darlin’, this was ten times better, but if we don’t stop now . . .” He paused.
She put her fingers to his lips. “You are right.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and was satisfied just knowing that maybe in the future there would be a time and a place to go beyond making out.
Chapter Fifteen
Teresa and Noah wandered hand in hand through a field of wildflowers. She liked the way her small hand fit right into his and the sizzle between them when he caught her staring at him and smiled. Someone whispered her name, but she didn’t want to share the time she could spend with him, so she didn’t turn around to see who was calling out to her. Then he let go of her hand and disappeared into a gray fog. She awoke from the dream in a horrible mood and got out of bed. On her way across the floor, she stopped long enough to see that Miss Janie was still breathing and then cracked open the door to see Kayla out in the hallway.
“Did I wake you? Can we talk?” Kayla whispered.
“Yes, and yes.” Teresa left the door cracked. “Kitchen or living room?”
“Kitchen,” Kayla answered and led the way. “I made a pot of hot jasmine tea, and there’s cookies. I couldn’t wait until morning to tell you everything that happened tonight. I had a wonderful evening with Will,