No More Wasted Time
to watch the expressions on their faces. Clearly,
they weren’t expecting Tom to bring his “girlfriend”, however their villa was
astonishing and Tess wanted to scope it out. I can look around later .
    Lisa’s eyes wandered from Tom to Tess, “Obviously you two
have been together. You’re browner than he is. Did you love it there?”
    “I do love it there.”
    Benny gripped Tom’s shoulder. “Let’s bring in your luggage
so you can get settled. You are staying here, aren’t you?”
    “Of course. You have to take Lisa to Bora Bora. You’d love
it, too. I can’t wait to tell you about our trip. It was amazing.”
    “Obviously,” Benny murmured, glancing at Tess.
    “The guest house is all set up for you. I’ll put some more
towels out there for the two of you.” Lisa directed her statement to Tom, but
her eyes fixed on Tess.
    Tess could hear Benny whispering to Tom, “Did you just call
her your girlfriend?”
    Tom nodded. “It’s a long story.” He said in Benny’s ear.
    “Your place is incredible.” Tess babbled, trying to hide her
anxiety.
    “Thanks,” Benny replied.
    Lisa put her arm around Tess, welcoming her into the living
room. Tom and Benny headed toward the front door to get their luggage when Tom
said, “Oh hey, wait a minute.” He reached into his jeans to find his phone.
“Benny go stand with Tess and Lisa.”
    Tom took a cell phone picture of the three of them together
with Tess in the middle.
    “Tommy if you wanted a picture I would’ve fucking given you
one,” Lisa rolled her eyes sarcastically. “We probably look like a reverse OREO
cookie. I can’t believe how tan you are.”
    Tom chuckled, raising his eyebrows. “JC will love this.”
    “Who’s JC?” Benny and Lisa asked at the same time.
    “My daughter,” Tess replied, shaking her head, laughing at
Tom. “They’re going to freak out when they see that picture.”
    “You have kids?” Lisa choked.
    Tess flushed, responding with a tongue-tied, “I do.”
    Tom was oblivious to their reaction, too busy forwarding his
picture to Tracy and JC.
    Lisa’s beautiful full lips appeared to be speechless, which
Tess assumed might be highly unusual for her. “Do…do they know Tommy?”
    “No, but he’s talked to two of them on the phone. I didn’t
know we were coming here or to Italy for that matter. Tom wanted to surprise
me, so he texted my girls telling them where we would be staying. Now he’s
really going to torture them with that picture.” Tess chuckled.
    “How many kids do you have?” Benny asked, surprise still
plastered on his face.
    “Three.” Tess was getting more uncomfortable by the second.
His friends were undoubtedly stunned.
    “No shit,” Lisa said, glancing at Benny with raised brows.
    Tom walked outside and Benny followed right behind him. Tess
got the impression his friends thought Tom had lost his mind in Bora Bora, gone
mad with island fever.
    Lisa inspected Tess from head to toe, blatantly sizing her
up. “Three? How old are they?”
    “JC is eighteen, Tracy is twenty-one and John is
twenty-three.”
    “No shit,” she replied again with her mouth hanging wide
open. “Wow.”
    If her mouth keeps hanging open like that, she’s gonna
have a bruise on her chin in the morning.
    “Don’t you have kids?” Tess knew the Levi’s had children. It
was plastered all over the tabloid magazines.
    “Umm hum, two. Tommy is twelve and Kim is six. You really
don’t look old enough to have kids that age.”
    Tess sighed heavily, overwhelmed by her reaction. “Thanks.”
    “Hey, I’m sorry. I’m a little shocked. I don’t think Tommy’s
had any dates who have kids. Let’s go in the other room. I’m dying to hear
about your trip. Would you like a glass of wine?”
    “Please.” Tess nodded, following Lisa into the kitchen where
she poured them each a glass of wine.
    When Tom and Benny returned Tess could’ve sworn Tom’s face
looked as red as hers. Watching the two of them laugh together,

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