“Was. I’m…Colleen?”
“Okay, but do you know him?”
“Coll?” Teyler questions again. “I think we should talk.”
“Mom?”
Colleen breaks down. Has a complete meltdown on the floor of her shop, covering her ears to avoid hearing either of them reprimand her, tell her that she ruined their lives. “I can’t,” she states. “I need a minute.”
Teyler hauls her to her feet like she’s a feather, like he was able to do that summer, like she hadn’t gained thirty baby pounds then tacked on another fifty over the last twenty or so years. Jeez, she thinks as she does the math, how had she let herself get to this point?
But Teyler doesn’t seem to notice as he gently touches her cheek then lets his huge thumbs run under her eyes to wipe away her tears while gently soothing her with his calm voice and powerful arms now wrapping around her.
“What’s your name?” Teyler asks the girl who is now checking him out from head to toe and mentally comparing herself to his image.
“Taylor. Same as yours apparently. What’s going on?”
“I think your mother and I need to speak in private. Can you give us a little bit? Lock the door on your way out and I’ll have her call you when she’s calmed down a bit?”
“Um…” Taylor hesitates to leave her mother alone with a strange man.
“It’s okay,” Colleen manages. “I’ll call you in an hour. Flip the sign and lock the door. Please.”
Taylor reluctantly sighs and leaves the couple staring at each other in silence inside Spill the Tea.
“You okay?” Teyler asks as he stands with his firm hands still gripping Colleen’s arms to hold her upright.
She looks down at where their skin is touching and smiles, her pale flesh looks translucent next to his darker hue. In her mind, she sees them swirling together, the outcome, the perfect flesh tone of their daughter. “Tey, I can explain.”
Teyler laughs. “Yeah, I’d say you have a lot to tell me. What the fuck were you thinking, Colleen?”
Another deep sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t do this to hurt you. I did it to help you, protect you.”
“Help me?” Teyler roars in a tone he’d never used on Colleen before. “How the fuck is keeping me away from my daughter for over twenty years helping me?”
Needing some time to think of the right way to explain things, Colleen stalls. “Let me make tea or coffee or something. We can sit down, and I’ll explain. Just give me a second to think.”
Teyler nods and follows her into the kitchen in the back. She’d wanted a second to think alone, but after all this time, now that he’s got her close by again, he’s got no intention of giving her even an inch of space.
“Tey, I need…”
“Don’t tell me what you need, Coll. Not right now. Not after my needs haven’t been taken into consideration…ever.”
“That’s not…”
Teyler lifts a silencing hand, then uses it to grip the back of his neck. “Fuck.”
Colleen nods and turns her back to prepare their drinks and grab them a few snacks. She needs her guilty pleasure, sugar. It’s all she’s had for so long. She’ll go back to focusing on why that is later like Dr. Hughes instructed her to whenever the cravings hit, but for now, she needed to just survive.
Colleen turns toward Teyler and asks, “Tea or coffee? Do you drink either?”
“Coffee, I’m not a pussy,” he says with a smile.
Colleen manages one too. No, he’s not and never was. Teyler Walker was more of a man at eighteen than any man she’s met since. And he was never a pussy.
“How do you like it?”
A huge grin crosses Teyler’s handsome face. “Dark, the way you used to like your men.”
Colleen can’t help but laugh too. Then she pours Teyler a cup of steaming coffee, dark brew, and herself a cup of chamomile tea that she adds two heaping spoonfuls of sugar to and a splash of creamer.
Teyler raises his eyebrow. “So, the shop is yours now? How’s Dorothy?”
A sad expression makes its way over Colleen’s pretty face. “Um, dead, actually,” she states as another tear escapes. She hasn’t been this emotional since she found out she was pregnant at eighteen with her summer fling’s love child. “Cancer. She passed away about eight years after you were here.”
“I’m so sorry, Coll. I didn’t know.”
Colleen shrugs. “How would you? I cut all ties way before then.”
“Mmm, yeah, you did. Ready to tell me why?” Teyler asks as he takes his first sip of the best coffee he’s ever tasted. “Wow, that’s great.”
Colleen laughs. “Yeah, I’ll make a sign that says, ‘Teyler Walker thinks my coffee is great!’ when the new fancy coffee shop opens.”
“I heard about the revitalization. It’s great for the town.”
“Yeah. Is that why you came back? The revitalization? You planning on opening a basketball thing?”
“I came back for you.”
Colleen is forced to gulp down the hot liquid in her mouth as she sputters it back out. “What? Why would you ever want to do that? I heard what you said on the phone, but now in person…Tey, look at me. I’m sure you’ve spent years with models and actresses.”
“I am looking at you. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you.”
Colleen blushes and pulls at her baggy tunic to hide the bulge of her belly. “You’re out of your mind. How did you even know I’d be here?”
“The revitalization made the national news right alongside the fall of the legendary Teyler Walker. It got me to thinking about shit. Like fate or something. And I realized that this place was the last place where I was truly happy. I started researching the town and your name came up. There was an article about your shop turning over into this place but keeping Dorothy Hamilton’s famous fudge and saltwater taffy. I lost my breath when I saw your picture, Colleen. You’re still gorgeous, baby.”
“I saw you go down on the court. I must have missed when you hit your head.”
Teyler chuckles. “Saw that, huh? Why, baby? You watch me play?”
“Yeah, I’ve watched you play.”
They’ve moved into the main space and are sitting at the counter. Colleen reaches into the new rounded display case and plates a few desserts for them.
“Please tell me that’s Dorothy’s mint chocolate chip fudge recipe,” Teyler says as he takes a large piece and pops it into his mouth with a groan. “Oh, thank fuck, it is. That’s a taste I’ll never forget.” He raises a playful eyebrow. “My second favorite Falls Village taste.”
Colleen clears her throat. “Wh-What’s your first?”
Teyler leans in closer to her and whispers softly into her ear, “You.”
Colleen instantly backs away. She’s not good at flirting, hasn’t done it since the last time she was with this man, and so much has changed that she’s not that same lighthearted girl anymore. Changing the subject, she says, “I add a few new seasonal flavors four times a year and do a taste testing for the customers. It’s an elaborate process, score cards and all.”