After a brief lunch with Tessa, J.C. realized he was growing to like her. She was pleasant and witty and easy to talk to. Most of all, she was real and honest with him. She didn't try to be the salesperson and she had an actual interest on his ideas.
He decided that he might even give Xtreme a second chance.
"Well it was very nice to meet you," Tessa said, sticking out her hand.
J.C. gladly accepted it and gave it a firm shake. "Same goes for you. I will think about this and I'll let you know."
Tessa smiled. I did it! I actually accomplished something!
Don't count your chickens before they hatch, the voice mocked her.
"Oh, and tell your sister, I apologize for this morning. I'm really not like that," J.C. requested.
Tessa nodded shyly. "I'll let her know. I'm pretty sure she had a hand in it, too, so I apologize for her in advance."
J.C. smiled warmly and walked away, leaving Tessa with her thoughts.
Great job! You just met the guy and you already lied to him, the voice laughed.
I didn't have any other choice. This is my chance to prove Missy and Elise and Sharon wrong, that I CAN do this job, Tessa defended.
Keep telling yourself that, CB, and maybe you'll believe it, the voice said. After all, you'll only have to pull this off for a few MONTHS.
Tessa groaned. How in the world am I going to get through this?
Little does she know, she is a better liar than she thinks.
~!~Later That Afternoon~!~
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss Too-Big-For-Her-Britches," Elise smirked as Tessa walked into the building.
Rebecca ignored Elise's remark and approached the intern. "How did it go?"
Tessa grinned. "It went well. He said he'll think about it and get back to me."
"Sorry to be the one to break it to you, sweetie, but that usually means 'don't hold your breath'," Sharon laughed from behind her desk.
"That's farther than your short skirts got," Rebecca retorted. That wiped the smile off of Sharon's face.
Tessa smiled gratefully in Rebecca's direction. "I don't think so, Sharon. I wouldn't be surprised if he called before closing today."
"My, haven't we gotten a little confident over lunch?" Missy said, walking in on the conversation.
"Missy," Tessa greeted. "Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to represent Xtreme. I hope you'll be pleased with the results."
"He hasn't called yet, dearie," Elise said through gritted teeth, obviously envious and angered by the other girl's success.
"Oh, he will," Tessa smiled sweetly. She walked off humming, leaving the other women thoroughly surprised. All except for Rebecca. She knew Tessa could pull it off.
"You better be careful, Elise. She may be after your job," Rebecca said. "What is it you do here again?"
Elise merely scowled and returned to her "work," leaving Rebecca with a satisfied look on her face. She had no doubt that Tessa was going to change the place and shock them all.
~!~Back At Tessa's Apartment Hours Later~!~
Tessa stood in front of her apartment door, hesitating for a moment. She hadn't stepped foot in the place since that morning. Not since she had woken up to an empty bed.
The coward had left her a note explaining why he had to leave and she had been forced to go to school before she could deal with it all.
Now she was home and she was going to have to face her demons.
Tessa slowly opened the door and stepped in. On the outside, the apartment looked the same. A passerby wouldn't have noticed anything amiss, but Tessa could.
He wasn't sitting on their couch watching TV, waiting for her to get back from work. His coffee cup wasn't in the kitchen sink, stained with the brown liquid waiting for her to wash it. His jacket was not hanging in the closet next to the door. His shoes weren't in the stand next to the entrance. It was like he had never been there at all.
Tessa placed her suitcase in the closet and turned towards the kitchen. She grabbed a glass of water and sipped it to clear her mind. What had happened?
He was done with you, the voice reminded her. He just needed someone to warm his bed for his stay in Los Angeles and now he's moved on. He found someone new who could support his acting career. You're useless now.
Tessa bit her lower lip, unsure if she was upset because he used her or if she was upset that he was gone. She placed her glass of water in the sink and decided that she needed a shower. Something to take her mind off of it a little while longer.
*ring**ring*
But the shower would have to wait.
"Hello?" Tessa answered.
"Congratulations, girl," a female voice spoke.
"What for?" Tessa asked.
"We got the account! Connor is thrilled, Elise and Sharon are green with jealousy and it's all because of you."
"Rebecca! Oh my gosh, I don't know what to say. I mean, I really wanted to do this for the company and prove myself to Connor, and it felt good to tell off those two witches, but . . . I am speechless. I can't believe I did it!" Tessa squealed.
"Well you did, so you're just gonna have to accept it," Rebecca laughed. "Now get dressed. The client wants to discuss things over dinner tonight. You must have really impressed him, girl. He wants to see you again already."
"Tonight?" Tessa asked in shock.
"Yeah, at Ricardo's, that upscale place that just opened."
"Yes, I know the place. That's where I met him this afternoon."
"Well, have fun and knock 'em dead. Lord knows you surprised Connor with this one. She's still wondering how you did it. But whatever it was, keep it up!" Rebecca encouraged.
"Thanks for telling me, Rebecca," Tessa said, unsure how to contain her excitement.
"No problem."
"I'll see you tomorrow," Tessa stated.
"You better. I want to talk to you. I think it's about time I start getting advice from YOU," Rebecca smiled.
Tessa blushed. She couldn't believe that Rebecca wanted advice from HER. "Sure."
Tessa hung up the phone and collapsed on a stool. Wow, it's really happening. I nabbed an account all by myself.
I think you've forgotten one little detail, the voice said. You lied to him. Now you're going to have to deal with it.
Tessa frowned. How was she going to pull this off?
Maybe he won't mention my "sister", she thought hopefully. Yeah, he'll probably forget about it and we can focus on the project.
Tessa got up to get ready for the meeting, her heart heavy because she couldn't believe her own words.
~!~At Ricardo's An Hour Later~!~
Tessa stepped into the restaurant, smiling at the bright candles and the colorful decorations. People dressed in formal wear were actively milling around, chatting with each other. The sound of jazz music filled the background as Tessa approached the host.
"I am here to see a Mr. Chasez," Tessa explained.
The host looked through his log book. "I'm sorry, we don't have anyone by that name here."
Tessa frowned. Could Rebecca have made a mistake? Or, what if he changed his mind?
Suddenly, Emily came up from behind the host and smiled warmly at Tessa.
"Tessa, dear, I'm so glad you could make it. Josh is waiting for you in the main hall," Emily said, taking Tessa by the hand.
"The host said he wasn't here," Tessa whispered to her old friend as she followed Emily to the dining area.
"Josh tends to attract all sorts of media and fans. This morning, some news crew had caught him at the local gas station and so everyone knows he's in town now," Emily explained in a soft voice. "We didn't put him in the log book so that he wouldn't have any unwanted guests tonight."
"How awful," Tessa commented. "I can't believe he can't even go out for dinner without being harrassed."
Emily nodded in agreement. "Yes, but he understands that it's one of the sacrifices he needs to make for his career. He knows what precautions to take and he's used to it by now."
Tessa absorbed the information with sympathy.
"Here we are," Emily said, gesturing Tessa to a table in the corner. "He's right over there."
Tessa thanked her friend and walked towards the table. "Hi," she greeted shyly.
J.C. looked up with a smile. "I'm glad you could make it. I wasn't sure if they gave you my message."
Tessa sat down in the chair across from him. "Yeah, Rebecca called me."
J.C. picked up the menu and browsed through. Meanwhile, Tessa pulled the portfolio from her suitcase and placed it on the table.
She began to open it up when J.C placed his hand over hers. She looked up in surprise.
He grinned. "Let's eat first. We'll talk business later."
Tessa blushed. "Oh, of course."
Smooth, CB. Very smooth, the voice mocked her.
She quickly closed the folder and picked up her menu. She eyed the menu carefully. She wasn't sure how these dinners worked. Would she pay or would he? If it was a date, she was pretty sure that the man would pay, but this was a business meeting and she was the one trying to attract the client. On the other hand, he was the one who invited her.
"Is something wrong?" J.C. asked, noting her perplexed expression.
Tessa turned red. "Oh, no, nothing's wrong. I just can't decide what to eat, that's all."
You're turning into a professional liar, CB, the voice laughed.
"Well, I'd recommend the dried cod in virgin olive oil," J.C. suggested. "It's great with the Vernaccia."
"Vernaccia?" Tessa asked.
"Oh, it's Tuscan white wine," J.C. explained.
"Oh, I don't drink wine," Tessa blushed.
J.C. grinned. "It's okay. I still suggest the cod, though."
Tessa nodded. "I'd love to try it."
The waitress, a young blonde woman, approached with a bright smile on her face. "What can we get for you tonight?"
Tessa observed the openly flirtatious look that passed between the waitress and J.C.
"We'll both have the cod," J.C. smiled at the waitress.
"And to drink?" the waitress asked in a husky voice.
"Water is fine," J.C. answered, to Tessa's surprise.
"You don't want the wine?" Tessa interrupted.
"Are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?" J.C. asked, a sly smile on his face.
Tessa gasped, blushing profusely. "No, no, I--"
J.C. turned to the waitress. "That'll be all. Thanks, sweetie."
"Okay, we'll get that for you right away," the waitress said.
Tessa smirked as the waitress winked at the man across from her.
J.C. turned to face her. "So when do you think you can get a basic outline for the website?"
Tessa eyed him. "You did notice that waitress falling all over herself, didn't you?"
J.C. smiled at her question. "Yes."
Tessa frowned. "And you encouraged her."
"Is there something you disapprove of?" J.C. asked.
"Well, I don't know. It's just that I think it's pretty cruel to be leading her on when--"
"She doesn't have a chance?" J.C. finished.
"Well . . . yes."
"What makes you think she doesn't?"
Tessa stared, open-mouthed with shock. "You mean, you'd actually consider---"
"Consider what? Lowering myself to date someone who isn't rich and famous? She's human just like you and me. Why wouldn't I? Did you think I was some stuck up celebrity who thinks he's too good to date someone of the working class?" J.C. questioned.
"No, no, it's not that," Tessa began, backtracking in embarrassment.
J.C. smiled inwardly. She was adorable when she was nervous. "Then what is it?" he asked, egging her on.
"Forget it," Tessa said quickly. "Ummm, you mentioned an outline?"
J.C. laughed. "Yes, I wanted to know if you could get some kind of schedule together for me to show to Johnny and Melinda."
Tessa nodded, composing herself back into business mode. She opened the portfolio. "I threw together a basic plan, along with some samples of other websites Xtreme has produced. There are functions and component lists for you to choose from, along with options for special features. Our arts director has drawn up a basic outline for a group such as yours and our promotions department has some examples for you to look over."
Tessa stopped speaking when she noticed J.C. staring at her.
"When did you come up with all this?" J.C. asked, amazed at how quickly she worked.
"Ummm, after I talked to you."
"Oh I see, so you thought you had me pegged and the account was in the bag," J.C. commented.
Afraid he was offended, Tessa quickly shook her head, "Oh, no, I didn't assume anything, I just thought---"
"I'm impressed," he interrupted. "I didn't think you were so insightful."
Surprised by his compliment, Tessa didn't know what to say.
"Is it alright if I take these with me?" J.C. requested.
"Oh, yes, of course," Tessa stammered. "You can look over them and maybe we can meet again next week so we can discuss--"
"Sounds great," J.C. interjected. "Okay, enough business talk, time to eat."
The waitress arrived with their food and placed the dishes before the two.
Tessa stared at her plate.
"It doesn't bite, you know," J.C. teased.
Tessa carefully placed her fork into the food and picked up a small piece. She slowly brought it to her mouth and ate it.
She closed her eyes to evaluate the taste. It was heaven. The spices and the oils made the fish completely irresistible.
"Good?" J.C. asked.
"Yummy," Tessa said, going for another piece.
J.C. smiled. "Maybe it's the lighting, but you look very young when you eat. You look like your sister."
Tessa froze. She quickly chewed the food and swallowed. She grabbed the water glass and took a huge gulp.
J.C. laughed. "Okay, I take it back. You eat like my friend Joey."
Tessa nearly choked, coughing because she drank the water too quickly.
"Are you okay?" J.C. asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," Tessa said, feigning a smile.
Nice job, CB. Great try at being calm, the voice spoke.
J.C. watched her skeptically. She could tell he thought her behavior was bizarre.
"Speaking of your sister, was she still mad at me after you gave her my apology?" J.C. asked innocently.
"My-my sister?" Tessa stammered.
J.C. raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Yes, the one I ran into at USC this morning." He leaned in towards her. "Are you sure everything's alright?"
Tessa slowly leaned back, intimidated by his nearness. "Oh, I'm fine. Ummm, well my sister wasn't home so I didn't get the chance to tell her."
J.C. accepted her statement, though skeptically, and asked, "So you two live together?"
Tessa thought quickly. Would it be better to say this imaginary sister DOES live with me or would it be better if she doesn't?
Well if he ever drops by, won't he be suspicious that this sister of yours is never there when you are and you are never there when she is? the voice predicted.
"No, she doesn't live with me. She stays, um, at the dorms on campus," Tessa lied.
J.C. nodded. He looked over her shoulder and smiled. When she turned, she noticed Emily walking towards them.
"How is dinner?" Emily asked the both of them.
"It's wonderful," Tessa smiled.
"As always, Ricky made some great fish," J.C. agreed.
"So what have you two been talking about over here in this dark corner?" Emily teased.
"Just about work and business," Tessa explained.
"Oh and don't forget, your sister," J.C. added.
Tessa went white.
"Your sister?" Emily questioned, a lost look on her face.
J.C. observed Emily's reaction with confusion. "You know, Tessa's twin sister?"
I guess your lie is going to backfire sooner than you thought, the voice laughed.
Oh, God. How am I going to get out of this one? she thought.