Roswell Fanatics

Round Eight

Best Supporting Portrayal of Tess Harding
Funniest Fanfic

After a rather upsetting experience, I needed some major *fluff*, and finally felt comfortable enough to post this fic...Hope you enjoy.

Author: Raychel

Summary: Isabel Harding had always said that she’d marry rich and live happily ever after. But her sister, Tess, and two best friends, Maria DeLuca and Liz Parker, thought she was nothing but deluded. Yet, when Isabel snags herself a multi-billionaire, the one and only Alex Whitman, her friends begin to wonder if she wasn’t so delusional after all. Awe-struck by Isabel’s luck, Tess, Maria, and – albeit a bit reluctantly – Liz, embark on dating journeys and discover that some things are just better….rich.

Rating: TEEN

Category: ML (but Candy, Stargazer, and Lamptrimmer friendly)

Disclaimer: Characters of Roswell do not belong to me, and neither does the quote I’m using as the title. I have no idea who that belongs to, so...

Author’s Note: Isabel and Tess are sisters. This makes it so that Max and Isabel are not related, and in no way affiliated with each other. Though all main characters will play a role in this fic, it will mainly be a Dreamer story. The style of writing I’m using in this fic is different from any style I’ve ever used before (Different from Absence). I don’t know how that will affect the quality, but I’m hoping you enjoy it. Also, I’m sorry, but you guys won’t get the whole 11-15 pages to read like you did in Absence…. Some of you may or may not be happy with this. But writing that many pages took a long time, and it made it easier for my mind to stray. So, the most you’ll get is probably 10, and no less than 5. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy.

…This fic has to be dedicated to Sarah*Marie for her endless threats to my muse, freakin’ Sofia. Without her, this fic may never have been written. Ever.

Title: “Coffee, Chocolate, & Men…”


Banner by: mrsjbehr

<center>Part One</center>


They made quite a sight together. Three best friends, lounging quite unlady-like in their chairs, with the skirts of their pastel yellow gowns hiked up to their knees in an effort to cool down their over heated legs. Two blondes and a lone brunette sat in compatible silence, relishing in a few moments of relaxation. The night had been exhausting.

The staff over seeing the wedding reception had all left upon cleaning up the messes left by the guests. Tables had been cleared of dishes and food particles, and the floor had been mopped of smashed pieces of cake and chunks of vomit from an over zealous drinker who liked to do the Hokey Pokey. Everyone had left, and now it was just the three of them.

A deep, tired sigh passed between one blonde’s lips. Her sea green eyes glimmered with exhaustion as she tried to suppress a yawn with a fist to her gaping mouth. “My feet hurt.” She mumbled almost incoherently past her yawn.

There was a beat of silence and then, “Yeah, well my butt hurts.”

“And I can’t breathe.” The third friend pathetically chimed.

Her complaint elicited a feminine chuckle. “You really shouldn’t have eaten all of that cake.”

“I know,” Tess Harding sighed miserably and clutched at her stomach; that third piece had been the killer. She then lifted her azure gaze to stare at her friends imploringly. “Will someone please unzip me?”

“I would, but my feet hurt.”

Tess rolled her eyes at Maria’s incessant reminder. “Liz?” She asked hopefully, and rolled her head around to gaze at the petite brunette. She tucked out her bottom lip for a helpless effect, and then smiled endearingly. “Help a friend out?”

“I suppose getting off my butt will help in ceasing the pain.” Liz murmured as she hefted herself out of the dinner chair. Her butt practically sighed with relief from being released from the pressure of her slight weight.

The skirt of Liz’s flowing gown rustled as it brushed against the gleaming tile floor. Tess leaned forward in her chair, and waited impatiently for the pressure to dissipate. The scratching sound of a descending zipper echoed throughout the empty room, followed promptly by an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Tess leaned back in her seat and gripped Liz’s hand in her own. Her eyes drooped sleepily, and she offered her best smile – showing off her glittering, pearly whites. “Thanks, Lizzie. You’re the best.”

“Hey, new update,” Maria spoke up. “My feet still hurt.”

“Yeah, well, I told you not to sing in those heels,” Tess retorted in an admonishing tone as she turned partially in her chair to regard Maria. “Now stop complaining.”

There was a brief moment of silence as Maria contemplated her performance, and then, “Did I sound okay?” Came her fretful inquiry. Being in front of a crowd – no matter how small or large – always unnerved her. She wondered if she had been at the top of her game; she should have been, if not for herself, then for her best friend.

“You sounded marvelous,” Liz answered honestly, and with a tired smile. She leaned against the dinner table, instead of sitting back down. The chairs were cushioned, but even the softness had caused her butt to fall asleep from sitting so long. “I’m sure Isabel will love you for it.”

“She had better,” Maria murmured good-naturedly, and kicked off the offending heels. She sighed, and wiggled her toes in exaggerated relief. “It wasn’t fun watching you guys enjoy the dance floor all evening.”

“You volunteered.” Tess pointed out, and reached behind her for the half piece of cake still left on the table. Her dress was unzipped after all; she could probably fit in a few more bites.

“Besides,” Liz added with a scowl. “I wasn’t enjoying the dance floor. I sat on my butt all night watching everyone else.”

“Hey, that’s your fault,” It was Maria this time, and she narrowed her eyes condescendingly at the pretty brunette. “I noticed several guys – hot guys, might I add – come up and ask you to dance. You shot down everyone of them.”

“One of them asked me to dance during the Hokey Pokey,” Liz deadpanned, and then rolled her eyes in exasperation. “And the other two asked me to dance during those hip hop songs. You know I can’t dance.”

“She’s right,” Tess commiserated through a mouthful of chocolate cake. “She really doesn’t have any rhythm.”

There was a moment of silence as the three friends absorbed the events of the day. Just four hours ago, they witnessed the fourth member of their group – Isabel Harding – say “I do” to the man she supposedly loves.

The term “supposedly” is used because Isabel is notorious for her unrealistic expectations for the men she’s dated in the past. And somehow, Alexander Charles Whitman just didn’t fit the mold. Isabel is into the tall, dark, and intense type – the kind that just oozes masculinity and sex. Alex just didn’t fit that label; not in the conventional way at least.

He’s a sweet guy, and all the girls absolutely adore him. But he’s also a goofball; he’s too quirky for Isabel’s taste. There’s no doubt that he’s quite attractive, but in that endearingly unsure-of-himself kind of way. Alex is just more of a girl’s best friend than Isabel’s boyfriend – and now husband. He’s the guy who’ll sit down and watch an eternity of chick flicks and enjoy them. There have been many a night when they all watched an endless marathon of Knotting Hill, and he had fit right in, commiserating with them, and passing along the Kleenexes. Thus is why it was so baffling to find out that Isabel was dating him, and – later – that she planned on marrying him.

Until it was discovered that he is reportedly worth 45.2 billion dollars.

Alex is the creator of new computer software that rivals Bill Gates’ Windows. Next to Mr. Gates, Alex is the second richest man in the world. And Isabel had snagged him.

A small crinkle formed on Liz’s forehead as she pondered. Was that the only reason she had married Alex? For his endless amount of money?

Concerned, Liz took a breath, and staring straight ahead, asked, “Do you think she really loves him?”

Up until that point, the large reception area had been utterly silent. The question seemed to bounce off the walls, booming and reverberating in loud proportions.

Her question had come out so softly that her friends were momentarily unsure if she had spoken at all. But when Liz looked them very pointedly, they knew she had indeed asked.

To some the question may not seem all that important – who cares what people do with their lives? But to Liz , the type of person who had ventured to the movie theatre twelve times just to see “A Walk to Remember” and then cried her eyes out each time, the question weighs prettily heavily. Liz Parker is a self-proclaimed romantic. Her world is seen through rose tinted glasses, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Liz turned to face her friends upon their silence. Her gown rustled against the floor with her movement, swaying gently. Maria and Tess glanced warily at each other before returning their gazes back to Liz.

“Well?” Liz prompted softly, and was suddenly overcome with uneasiness. It was never any secret that Isabel had wanted to marry rich, so that she may never had to lift a finger ever again. But it was never expected for her to actually find that person, and in someone was sweet as Alex Whitman who deserved to be loved in return.

Finally, after deliberative silence, Maria stood from where she sat at the oblong dinner table. She grimaced at the painful protest of her sore soles, and limped over to her friend.

Her lush, golden hair was piled high atop her head, with only a few tendrils escaping to frame her face. She pierced Liz with her green gaze, and offered her a reassuring smile.

“Of course she does, sweetie,” Maria answered and engulfed Liz in a friendly embrace. Liz wrapped her arms around Maria, needing that comfort that only a best friend could offer. “Iz wouldn’t jump into a marriage unless she truly loved him.”

Yet, Liz didn’t feel the sincerity in her answer. The skepticism in Maria’s voice was apparent; it was as if she was not entirely sure if she were lying to Liz or not. So, instead, Liz turned to the one person who may know Isabel best of all.

“Tess?” Liz uttered softly. Her friend’s blue gaze slowly fluttered to meet hers. “She’s your sister. What do you think?”

If there was one thing that Liz admired most about Tess Harding, it was her brutal honesty. She was never one to try and sugar coat anything in an effort to spare feelings. There was no reason for her to be dishonest with Liz now.

As she silently regarded her, Liz came to realize that her impending answer didn’t appear too promising. “Tess?”

Finally, Tess met Liz’s gaze head on, and Liz held her breath. “No,” Her friend whispered. “No, Liz. The only thing that lured Isabel to Alex was his bank account.”

And all of Liz’s romantic illusions crumbled down around her. She had believed that Isabel was living a real life fairy tale. She had perceived Alex as Isabel’s Prince Charming, galloping in on his white horse – or cruising in a black jaguar, whatever – to save Cinderella (Isabel) from a life that should have meant more to her. However, it became glaringly apparent that instead of playing the part of Cinderella, Isabel has played the part of one of the evil stepsisters, plotting the ways in which she could snag herself Mr. Rich.

Well, if that wasn’t a slap in the face…

“Now, Liz,” Maria tried to intercede and perform some major damage control. “Surely, Isabel wouldn’t do something like that. Granted, she’s always had such high expectations for her potential boyfriends, and she really is quite –“

“Shallow?” Tess suggested slyly.

“Fickle,” Maria corrected pointedly, her glare blazing heatedly in Tess’s direction before she returned her softened gaze back to Liz. “But Isabel wouldn’t have married Alex unless she loved him.”

“Oh, c’mon,” Tess laughed. “I think I know my sister a little better than the two of you, okay?” She crossed her pale arms over her torso and regarded Liz solemnly. “Listen, babe, I’m sorry, okay? But Isabel married Alex for his money – nothing more, nothing less.”

“Tess, you’re not helping,” Maria hissed viciously, and then turned and gripped Liz’s shoulders in her hands, forcing Liz to meet her gaze. “Liz, don’t listen to her sweetie. She’s just jealous.”

Tess snorted outright at Maria’s response, but didn’t say anything else. Liz gazed over Maria’s shoulders and at Tess, silently searching for answers. “So, you’re saying that Isabel is incapable of having any loving feelings whatsoever?” She inquired.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Tess corrected, and then subtly lifted a slender shoulder. “I know for a fact that Izzy is capable of such feelings, especially if it comes in the form of paper and/or plastic, and can buy her sparking jewels and Louis Vuitton handbags.”

Maria hissed out another admonishing “Tess,” as Liz lightly shook her head.

It wasn’t as if Liz had never been disappointed in Isabel during the course of their friendship, but this new information takes the cake. How could Isabel do something like that? How could she utter such eternal vows, make a life long commitment, without loving him?

“Listen,” Tess muttered softly and stood from her chair to reach Liz’s side. Her eyes softened and it became clear that she wanted to try to make amends. But how can she fix something like this? “I’m not saying that Isabel can’t or even won’t come to love Alex eventually. I’m just saying I don’t think she does right now. That’s all.”

Liz forced a smile, and nodded mutely. Not even the knowledge of the possibility of blossoming love was reassuring at that point. Liz’s rose tinted glasses have been ripped from her face, thrown to ground, and stomped on by expensive stiletto heels. And it sucked.

“C’mon, Lizzie,” Maria whispered and looped her arm companionably through Liz’s. “Lets go home, slip into our pajamas, and watch sad chick flicks until we can’t cry another tear. It’s what Isabel would want us to do.”

Liz rolled her eyes at Maria’s dramatics, but laughed despite the situation. Tess looped her arm through Liz’s free one, and she gave her a tender squeeze. “Sounds good, doesn’t it?” She asked, smiling.

And she couldn’t help but nod in agreement. Because it did sound good – anything sounded good in the company of friends.

<center>* * *</center>

Café Chocolate was the name of the girls’ prospering café. Just as the name signifies, they offer caffeine in the forms of liquid and hard chocolates, and they’re a big hit.

It was a pretty risky step for the four of them to put their pennies together and open up a café right in the middle of the Starbucks craze, but, luckily, they had survived. And their decision has proven to be worthwhile. The bottom floor of the three-story warehouse has been renovated to emit that welcoming French café feel. The two upper floors consist of the living quarters. With a living room, kitchenette, bedrooms, and two baths, it was quite quaint. By no means were the girls rich from the earnings of their business, but they did live comfortably.

Tess opened the door to the apartment and trudged inside, with Maria and Liz right behind her. She flipped on the overhead light, and the room brightened vibrantly. Home. Liz smiled and stepped past Maria and Tess, intent on heading to her room and changing into some pajamas when – suddenly – she just stopped.

It promptly struck her that something was out of place. Liz was an obsessive compulsive; she has a sixth sense for these things. Everything has a specific place and order, and something was obviously not where it should be.

Her caramel eyes squinted into slits as she walked in a slow circle just inside the foyer. What was it?

She scanned the foyer, and then peered to where it opened into the kitchenette and dining area. Nothing. She took a step forward, determined to find the source of the hackles at the back of her neck. Tess and Maria watched on, no strangers to their friend’s odd behavior when it came to her sense of something being out of place. They would often tease her about it.

“What is it, Lassie?” Tess quipped at that very moment, as she followed Liz into the living room. Liz could hear the grin in her voice, rather than actually see it. “What is it, girl?”

Liz ignored her, and the snicker from Maria, and didn’t spare them a glance over her shoulder for a much deserved eye roll. She just kept going, her eyes searching dutifully. And then she saw them, sitting prettily on her wrought iron coffee table, with a sleek glass surface.

“Gifts!” Liz exclaimed excitedly and raced toward the three white gift bags placed on the table. The “racing” part was not easily done in three-inch heels and a bride’s maid gown, but Liz still got to them before either Tess or Maria, and she gave a triumphant, victorious squeal.

She knelt down onto the hard wood floor with no regards to the expensive gown. After all, it’s not like she ever intended on wearing the stupid thing again. And she hurriedly looked over the three bags. There were no names to indicate which gift belonged to whom, so she snatched one just as Maria and Tess reached the table.

Calm over took her then, and she gingerly took out the white tissue paper and peered inside. Inside each respective bag were a box of chocolates, a coffee mug with coffee mix, and the last – much to the chagrin of Liz – a calendar of naked men.

“Hot damn!” Tess exclaimed as she sifted through the pages of the calendar, letting loose a shrill, appreciative whistle. “Hellooo, Mr. January. I’ll be seeing you in my dreams tonight.”

Liz’s face flushed even redder. God! Even her friends embarrassed her.

“Oh, Mr. September has my vote,” Maria chimed and peered over Tess’s shoulder, even though she clutched her own calendar to her chest. “Holy hell. Thank you, Isabel.” She murmured gravely.

Liz rolled her eyes, because that was all she could do to keep from launching her calendar into the fireplace. So, instead of partaking in the heavenly vision of naked men, she opened her box of chocolates and plucked a piece into her mouth. Oh, coconut. Yum.

“Hey, there’s a card.” Tess garnered Liz and Maria’s attention and bent down to pick up a white envelop from the coffee table. She ripped it open and pulled out a card. Liz barely got a glimpse of Isabel’s slanted handwriting before Tess began to read aloud.

“To my favorite girls:

Coffee, chocolate, and men…Some things are just better rich.

Love,
Izzy”

Tess allowed Isabel’s written words to hang in the air as she stared at Liz over the card. She didn’t say anything; though, she didn’t have to because her eyes said it all. I told you so. Liz frowned, but steadily returned her gaze.

Finally, Tess set down the card, only to return her sparkling eyes back to the calendar. She smiled wistfully. “Sugar plums and naked men shall dance through my head.”


TBC...Now remember folks, my beta is on vacay, so forgive my errors.

Hope you enjoyed.

Raychel

Hi guys! First, I just wanna say “woah!!” I am in complete awe at the response that this fic got. Hehe! You guys have exceeded my expectations; thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

Next, I wanna say that you guys have absolutely *nothing* to worry about, this piece has fluff all around. No worries guys.

All right, before I give y’all the new part, I wanna thank you for the amazing feedback. So, thank you to….
RASaero611
Elci
FSUMSW94
kay_b
RoswellScripter
LittleHottie510 – well how could I *not* dedicate to you, hon? You helped me literally kick Sofia’s ass to get this fic written! Love ya too!!
Sternbetrachter
begonia9508
Spacegal17
Emz80m
Taressa05
Michelle
Hopeless Romantic - *teehee!* Glad you like it hon! And we’ll definitely have to get you a super cool nickname. Just say something stupid!! That’s how all of my nicknames have found me.
LoVeRGurl
Mica
maxandliz4ever1357 – Just wanted to say thanks for the FB you left me on my WBA page! I really appreciate knowing that.
alienmom – Hey MOM! (Mind if I call ya mom? ) I just wanted to say that I *love* that you call me Ray. Makes me sound tough!!…And I’m not, so this is good! Thanks! And I’m glad you’re loving this!
Grace52373
ShatteredDreamer
A Rose Is True Blue – ERIN!! I LOVE YOU!! Hehe!! I’m glad you like this. Your opinion means bunches to me. Love ya!!
Ariadne
frenchkiss70
tequathisy
Sologirl102
Behrsgirl77 – TANYA! You *crack* me up! And I love you for it! I’m glad you like this. It’s fluff y’know. Maybe you and Sarah will take the hint and put a lil FLUFF in FFA, eh? No? Yeah, didn’t think so…;) LOVE YA!!
brighteyes
InTheStars
trueblue
behrlyliz – Hehe! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Tess. And you crack me up! Thanks!
Innocent Eyes
Michelle in Yonkers - LMAO!! Your FB cracked me up, and scared me at the same time! I'm not sure if I can do the nookie part! *sigh* I'm such a freakin' wuss!! ...but, we'll see.

All righty, y’all. Without further ado….


<center>Part Two</center>

“So, where is she this week?” Maria asked wryly as she rounded the counter, her arms loaded with Styrofoam cups. With an expelled breath, she dumped the cups on the counter, each emitting a hollow popping sound they met the surface. Then she peered over Liz’s shoulder at this week’s post card sent by Mrs. Alexander Charles Whitman.

“Taking in the magnificent sights of such extraordinarily built pyramids in Egypt.” Liz read aloud before she passed the card onto Maria. As Maria silently read for herself, Liz pushed her way through the swinging door and into the employee lounge. A large map of the world hung on the far wall, noticeable for anyone who entered to see. As of right now, eleven red tacks marked all the countries in which Isabel has visited thus far while going on the third week of her honeymoon. Traveling goes by fast when your husband has an aviation license and owns a jet.

Dutifully, Liz grabbed a tack from a side table, and pressed the tack into the map with her thumb to mark her friend’s latest visit. Egypt marks the twelfth country, which has exceeded Isabel’s expectations, for her list of places to visit only when to eight.

Liz’s went to ten, and Egypt was number one.

She took a step back and scanned the map with silent reverence. They had tackled most of Europe, a few key spots in Asia, and now they had entered Africa. Though, her envy for Isabel’s adventures ran deep, Liz muttered a quiet prayer – praying for her friend’s happiness and well-being.

“This is unbelievable,” Maria boomed as she shoved her way through the swinging door. The post card was gripped tightly between her delicate fingers, bending beneath an enraged force. She began to pace the length of the lounge in fury. “She just knocked off France, Spain, Italy…”

When Maria seemed to struggle to recall the others, Liz happily assisted. “Greece.”

Maria nodded rapidly. “Greece, thank you. And, uh, you know, she’s been to plenty of other countries. And now Egypt? For God’s sakes! She’s going to run that poor man dry.”

“Doubtful,” Tess responded gruffly as she entered from the inventory closet, a large cardboard box in her tiny arms. She dropped the load onto the couch with a sigh and wiped her hands on her jean-clad thighs. “He rakes in about a quarter billion a year. Not even Isabel will be able to wipe him out,” Upon Liz and Maria’s curious gazes, Tess shrugged nonchalantly. “I did some research on him. He’s a very rich man. Donates a lot to charity.”

Tess’s unnecessary remark caused Maria to groan fiercely, and toss the card to the side. Liz’s eyes followed the post card as it fluttered to the ground, and she valiantly resisted the compulsive urge to grab it, and tack it to the wall in the diner to add to the ever-growing collage of post cards.

“You know, it was okay and, yeah, a little exciting, in the beginning – I mean one of us traveling the world. I thought she was so lucky to be able to visit all those places. Now, it’s just pissing me off,” Maria’s rant ended as she fell on to the couch with a huff and her arms crossed over her torso. “I had better be getting some pretty damn good souvenirs, let me tell you.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Tess finally spoke, “You know, girls, I’ve been thinking.” She murmured as she seated herself next to Maria, a sigh escaping her lips as she sank into the lush cushions.

Liz and Maria fixed each other with speculative gazes at her comment, before they turned their inquisitive eyes onto their friend. Tess narrowed an eye at them, reading their gazes. “Now, don’t look at me like that,” She ordered heatedly. “There is not always a product of evil every time I think!”

“Ohhh, is that so?” Liz inquired with a smirk, as she crossed her arms. “I do believe you were the mastermind behind the plan of watching The Grudge,” She said, and then added with a pointed glare. “In the middle of the night!”

Maria’s blonde locks whipped around to caress her cheeks, due to the sharp movement of her head when she turned to pin Tess with a glare of her own. “Yeah!” She agreed unhappily. “I watched the shadows in the corners of my ceiling for weeks!”

“And I heard the death rattle!” Liz added, and involuntarily shuddered at the sinister noise that had haunted her dreams for days on end.

Tess, who held a look of shock at her friends’ outbursts, lost it at the mention of the death rattle, and broke out into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. Maria and Liz watched her, unamused, their glares intensifying. Finally, Tess regained enough composure to peer at Liz from behind the blur of her tears. “That was me!” Her confession was chased by another mirthful laugh and a high-pitched hiccup.

It took Liz a full minute to realize what Tess was talking about, and by that time Maria had already joined her in laughter. When realization finally dawned on her, Liz’s mouth fell agape as she stared in horrified shock at her best friend.

“And I knew she was doing it!” Maria confessed as well, and then proceeded to shift onto the couch until she buried her face into the cushions like an ostrich, her butt poking prominently into the air, all in an attempt to stifle her giggles.

Calmly, Liz approached the couch and reached for the throw pillows. Grasping one in each hand, she slowly brought them above her friends, as they giggled and guffawed unsuspectingly. Then, Liz ruthlessly began to pummel the girls with the pillows like a mad woman. She completely ignored their surprised screams as they fought against the blows. She continued on, soft thuds emitting from the whacks. When she felt she had done enough damage – smeared makeup, disheveled hair – Liz just as calmly replaced the pillows neatly on the couch. Then she straightened, and her hands went to her slender hips as she regarded her friends with a stoic expression.

“You’re both bitches.” With that, Liz turned on her heel to go toward the kitchen, intent on ignoring them both. But not before she stuck her tongue out at them from over her shoulder.

Before she could even reach the swinging door that led to the kitchen, however, Liz was promptly flanked by her laughing friends, and dragged back to the couch. They threw her into the cushions and followed her down, successfully pinning her.

“We’re sorry, Lizzie!” Tess apologized, even as the giggles ensued.

“We?” Maria asked indignantly. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Exactly,” Liz cried, and turned her heard to the right to glare at Maria. “You didn’t tell me it was Tess all along! I slept on your floor for two nights!”

Liz’s admission only caused the girls to laugh some more. Tess dropped her head onto Liz’s shoulder and covered her mouth, her entire body quaking with the force of her mirth. Liz sighed and rolled her eyes, forcing herself to come to terms with that fact that her friends were laughing at her expense.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” Liz murmured. “Really, I am.”

Maria let out an unattractive snort, feeling her face flush, whether it from laughing so hard or from embarrassment. “Woo,” She breathed and leaned back into the cushions, hoping the tightening in her stomach would cease. “Okay, girls, lets chill. My stomach muscles are hurting like crazy.”

“So, are you finished?” Liz asked expectantly.

Maria nodded, while Tess continued to let out random little chuckles. She looked unapologetically at Liz, her cheeks rosy from the laughter. “I’m just getting ‘em out of my system,” She said breathlessly, and waved her hand dismissively. “Give me a minute.”

It took five minutes before Tess’s tiny chuckles completely subsided.

“Okay!” She announced gleefully. “Back to what I was saying.”

Liz bit her tongue to keep from saying something sarcastic. She was still a bit miffed to learn that it had been Tess making that spine-chilling noise at night. She could kill her.

“I’ve been thinking,” Tess started again, her face taking on a serious expression, daring them to make another snide remark, before she continued. “What is it that Isabel has that we don’t?”

Maria and Liz were quiet for a brief moment, contemplating Tess’s words. Maria frowned and was the first to respond. “You’re looking for an answer other than boobs and legs?”

Tess rolled her eyes. “Yes.”

“Hair.” Liz added with a shrug.

“Yeah!” Maria agreed exuberantly, her eyes wide and exuding her envy. “Isabel has really nice hair.”

Tess groaned, somewhat exasperated. “I’m talking personality wise, girls, not superficially,” She shook her head, sending her blonde curls a bouncing. “The way I see, we’re just as desirable as she is. Why can’t we find a guy like Alex?”

Maria opened her mouth to respond again, but stopped before she could even utter a syllable. She narrowed a speculative eye at Tess, and then tried again. “When you say like Alex, you mean….”

“I mean,” Tess continued. “A guy with his size wallet.”

Again, Maria and Liz remained silent. Which only exasperated Tess further.

“Don’t just sit there,” She urged. “Say something!”

Liz and Maria looked at each other, both of them advising the other to comment first with only their gazes. After a particularly ugly glare given by Maria, Liz sighed and turned to face Tess.

“Tess, I’m just going to get to the point okay?” This earned an earnest nod from the blonde. “Whatever you are thinking, get it out of your head, now.”

Tess rolled her eyes, as Maria shook her head. “What Liz means to say, Tess,” She began slowly, carefully. “Average girls like us don’t get filthy rich guys like Alex. You want to make believe that Alex married Isabel for her personality when he could have married her because she looks like a super model.”

After Maria’s ending comment, Liz threw her hands up in disgust. “Oh, so now you’re insinuating that Alex only married Isabel because of her looks,” She pointed out, already becoming irritated. “So the whole marriage is a sham?”

“I said, could have,” Maria reiterated immediately. “It doesn’t mean I’m right.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Tess interjected, and looked pointedly at Maria. “Back to what you said. Why can’t we get guys like Alex?”

“Because we’re average-“

“How are we average?” Came Tess’s rebuttal. “We have plenty of above average attributes.”

Maria gave her a skeptical stare. “Oh yeah?” She challenged. “Like what?”

“You have an awesome set of pipes on you, Miss DeLuca,” Tess reminded her, to which Maria immediately beamed. She turned to Liz then. “And Liz has to be the smartest person I know.”

“In the world!” Maria added, and grinned toothily.

Liz rolled her eyes, yet despite herself, she couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face.

“And we all know how cool I am when I turn myself into a human pretzel.” Tess contributed for herself. Four years on the Varsity cheerleading squad had done her good.

Still smiling, Liz eyed Tess. “Okay, so what are you getting at?”

“What I’m getting at is if we play our cards right, girls, we may just be able to snag ourselves an Alexander Charles Whitman,” Realizing how that sounded, Tess shrugged it off. “Or someone like him.”

Grimacing at the idea, Liz turned to look at Maria. She could practically see the wheels in her friend’s head already turning, and she knew she’d get know help from her.

Liz sighed then, and sank deeper into the pillows. “I want it to be noted that I think that this is a very bad idea.”

Maria shrugged, ignoring Liz’s comment. “I’m game,” She then looked anxiously at Tess. “What’s the plan?”

<center>* * *</center>

The plan was for Liz to make a list of attributes, for Maria and Tess each, that she thought they should stay clear from when in search for a future husband. Somehow along the plotting, she had been wrangled into making lists for both Maria and Tess, while they only had to work together to make hers. She had strongly objected to this, saying it was not fair, to which they replied: “Two heads are better than one.”

In their case, Liz would have to wholeheartedly agree.

It was Tuesday, and Liz’s turn to close down shop. So, while Maria and Tess were conspiring upstairs, she went about sweeping and mopping the floors downstairs. It wasn’t so bad cleaning up the place, but she dreaded the nights when she closed and had kitchen duty on top of that. Cleaning up melted chocolate out of the oven was too much of a hassle, and made for a long night. Thankfully, it wouldn’t be tonight.

Liz sighed, and began to hum some random tune she had heard on the radio that morning, as she went about wiping down the counters in the front. Her mind drifted to Isabel, and she wondered what she was doing at that exact moment.

Probably lounging on some beach, her already golden skin soaking up the sun’s rays. She’d probably have one of those coconut drinks in hand, or maybe a large glass with one of those little umbrella thingies. Or maybe she was cooped up, all warm and cozy, in a lush hotel room, with attendants swarming in and out on her every whim.

Liz wasn’t entirely sure she was so envious of Isabel after all.

Knocking on the glass entrance doors broke Liz from her reverie. She lifted her head, and through the blinds hanging over the doors, Liz could see the all too familiar figure standing outside. Smiling, she rounded the counter and made her way over. She turned the deadbolt, and unlocked the knob with her keys, before she swung the door wide open.

“Hi.” She greeted cordially.

Max Evans looked down at her, his contagious smile warming her. “Hey.”

Liz stepped aside and allowed him entrance. Max stepped over the threshold, and then turned to face Liz again. Once she closed the door, and she turned to look at him, he whipped something from behind his back.

“Got the new book.”

Liz’s brown eyes widened in excitement as she grasped the hard cover edition of M.E. Philips newest novel in her hands. “I didn’t know it was coming out so early!” She declared in shock, and peered up at him with curious eyes. “How did you get this?”

Max shrugged, his mouth twitching into a sexy grin. “I have connections,” And then he winked at her. “This one is supposed to be exceptionally good.” He told her as he shrugged out of the light weight jacket he’d worn.

Liz really wanted to comment that all of Philip’s work was exceptional, but she was too awe struck to get the words out.

“This is just amazing,” She settled for saying and flipped open the back cover, hoping that she’d discover the portrait of the ever elusive best-selling author. Liz sighed when she once again found a blank page. “Still no picture.”

Max took the book from her then, and captivated her with that devilish smile of his. “Why don’t you go get us a slice of chocolate cake, and then we can start on the prologue.”

Liz didn’t have to be told twice, and was racing through the back within moments. For the past month, Max Evans has been visiting her on the nights she closed. It had all started when he dropped by one night, just as Liz was about to lock the doors. He said that he’d heard nothing but good remarks about her establishment, and really wanted to see for himself. It had been after closing, however, and Liz almost said no. But he looked so harmless, that she finally relented.

She had given him a piece of her infamous chocolate Earthquake cake, and he made noises of such delight that he had her blushing. Liz spent over an hour downstairs with Max that night, where they immediately bonded over their favorite author: M.E. Philips. Max had ended his visit with “we should do this again sometime.” And they did.

When Liz returned to the front, Max was already seated at the small table that he had deemed theirs. He had the book opened to the very last page, and he appeared to be reading…

“Max!” Liz said in an admonishing tone, trying desperately to hide her humor. He jumped at the sound of her voice, and flipped the book shut again.

“What?” He asked her innocently, the tips of his ears turning a bright red.

“I’ve told you, time and again, not to read the last page!” She held a stern tone in her voice, even as she set the plate of cake in front of him. “It spoils the entire novel.”

Max picked up his fork and frowned at her. “I have to know it ends happy,” He told her for what seemed like the millionth time. “You know this.”

Liz gave him a mock glare as she cut a bite-sized piece out of his cake with her own fork. “And what are you going to do when you come across a novel that doesn’t end happy?”

Since that has yet to happen to him, Max shrugged, his fork poised in front of his mouth. “Not read it?” He asked and then took a satisfying bite. As per usual, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he moaned in pleasure. “Heaven.”

She was so used to him making such remarks, that all she could do was shake her head. Liz grabbed the novel, intent on reading the little synopsis on the inside flap, while Max was occupied with his cake.

M.E. Philips’ novels were murder thrillers, with a hint of romance involved; the characters were complex, and often had dark pasts. The hero and heroines had amazing chemistry together. All around, it made for a very excellent read. Liz owned seven of Philips’ previous novels; the spines of the books creased terribly, the tell-tale sign of how many times she’s read the novels.

“All right,” Max said as he pushed his empty plate aside, and Liz was not at all surprised by the speed in which he consumed the dessert. “Shall we begin?”

Every night they met, they’d take turns reading to each other. It was Max’s turn tonight, and he’d read to her, page after page, until his voice grew soft with tiredness. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence for him to stay until almost midnight reading to her, or listening to her read to him.

Liz folded her arms on the table, and leaned down to rest her chin on her hands. She loved it when he read to her. He had the most captivating voice; it drew her in like no other voice she’d heard before. Sometimes, that voice made it difficult for her to pay attention to the storyline. She sighed as she heard his husky voice drift to her ears.

She listened on as Max opened the story for them, reading the words magnificently put together to intrigue their minds. Max simply poured over the pages, completely enraptured as he read to her. He read on through the short prologue, only pausing when he had to turn the page, until he finished the rather lengthy first chapter that left her begging for more. Afterwards, he marked the page by closing the book around his index finger, and gave Liz a thoroughly delighted smile.

“Wow. That’s amazing,” Liz said, smiling a bit sleepily. Then, she sighed dreamily, once again giving silent kudos to M.E. Philips. “She’s my favorite author.”

Max frowned at her comment, as he always did. “Liz,” He groaned. “We’ve been over this. M.E. Philips is so a guy.”

Liz straightened, and shook her head insistently. “No, sir,” She disagreed, and grabbed for the book again, careful to mark the page. She opened it from the back, as if she were hoping that the author’s picture would suddenly appear and end their month long dispute. “Philips is a woman. No doubt about it.”

Max leaned back in the chair, and crossed his arms over his chest. The muscles that bulged beneath his sleeves didn’t go unnoticed by Liz, but she did do an admirable job at pretending they did. “What makes you think Philips is a chick.”

It was Liz’s turn to frown at Max, and she did it somewhat disapprovingly. “Cause only chicks,” She emphasized his chosen word. “Can be so in touch with what a woman wants. And Philips does an amazing job in her novels at conveying that.”

“Hey!” Max said indignantly. “Guys can know what women want too, okay?”

His statement earned an unlady-like snort from Liz. “It just so happens,” Max went on, ignoring her look of incredulity. “That I was voted Most In Touch With His Feminine Side in high school.”

Liz’s eyes darted up to meet his, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing out right. “Is this something you really want to attest to?” She asked after a beat.

Max rolled his eyes and leaned his forearms back onto the table. And again, those muscles rippled. “Okay, so I was kidding,” He admitted, and ignored the unconvinced look from Liz. “But I still maintain that guys can be in tune with what women want,” As an after though, he added. “Not this one of course, but some guys can, I’m sure.”

Liz chuckled lightly as she brushed her hands along the smooth cover of the book. “Okay.” She conceded with a shrug. If he wanted to believe that, then she wasn’t going to be the one to bust his bubble.

Companionable silence fell upon the duo. The quiet offered Liz’s mind the opportunity to race back to Isabel and Alex. Again, she wondered…

“So what is it that women want, Liz?” Max asked suddenly. When she met his gaze, she saw the humor swirling in his eyes. “It’d be nice to get a woman’s point of view.”

She laughed and set the book down in front of her. “Max, I don’t even know what we want, so I can’t possibly answer that question.”

Her answer seemed to puzzle him, but the smile never left his lips. “So, you don’t understand why girls go to the bathroom in hordes?”

Liz grinned, but shook her head. “Never understood it,” She answered honestly. “All I know is that it really pisses me off when I go in there, really having to pee, and there are sixteen girls blocking my way.”

Max chuckled. “Well, what is it that you want then?” He settled for asking.

His question caught her off guard, and she had to take a few moments to think about it. She stared at him in a kind of wonder. What did she want? It was a question she had never asked herself.

Finally, Liz shrugged, a tiny, unsure smile gracing her face. “I don’t know,” She replied. “I guess just to be happy with life and my choices - to be confident that I made the right ones.”

Hearing her own response brought forth the reminder of what she had agreed to that very day.

“Oh, geez.” She moaned and dropped her heads into her folded arms.

“What?” Max asked, amused puzzlement in his tone.

“I just remembered,” Liz said as she straightened. She covered her face in her hands and groaned again in earnest, before she looked at him. “I agreed to something very stupid today.”

He arched a dark eyebrow. “Which was?” He prompted curiously.

Liz sighed heavily, and slouched back into her chair, crossing her arms. “Okay, so three weeks ago, one of my best friends got married,” She began, figuring she might as well explain the story behind the plan. “She married a very wealthy man. You might have heard of him. Alex Whitman?”

Max had just pressed his finger to a tiny chocolate crumb on his plate, and brought it to his mouth when he’d heard the name. He froze, mouth open just slightly for the admittance of his finger, as he stared uncertainly at Liz.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Liz shook her head, feeling her hair sway in her ponytail. “No, sir,” She answered. “THE Alex Whitman. Yeah, weird, right?”

“Or something.” He murmured and suddenly lost interest in the chocolate speck. He motioned her to continue.

“Anyway, my other best friend - the sister of the bride - got it in her head that we can land ourselves rich guys just like Alex,” She continued, and then quoted, “If we play our cards right. So, anyway, probably as we speak, my two friends are upstairs conducting a list of qualities for me to stay away from when I begin my, uh, hunt – as Tess had called it, for Mr. Rich.”

Liz finished on a defeated sigh, realizing how ridiculous the entire thing sounded. “How crazy is that?” She asked him, her face scrunching up in disbelief.

Max was quiet for the briefest of moments before he shrugged. “Not so crazy,” He answered so softly, that Liz wasn’t quite she she’d heard him. “A lot of girls want to snag themselves a rich husband if they think that is what’s going to make them happy,” Max paused then, and regarded Liz gravely, his brilliant eyes boring into hers. “Is that what you want, Liz? Will that make you happy?”

Liz stared at the front cover of the latest M.E. Philip’s novel as she pondered his question. Finally, her eyes met his and she shrugged.

“I don’t know. I guess I’ll just have to find out.”


TBC...

For those of you interested Absence... it's quite ready yet. But it'll be the next to be updated.

Raychel

PS

Sorry for any mistakes!

Hey guys! Again, I’m so sorry about the delay, but here I am with a new part! (Special thanks to my *fantabulous* beta, Nichole) I am so glad y’all are enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. So, thank you all!

taressa05
trueblue
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kay_b
roswellian504 –hehe- Well, one seen, that freaky dead lady literally forms out of the shadows in the ceiling corner of the room. And the death rattle is that sound that freaky dead lady made all the time. Yeah… -lol- Crazy stuff.
behrlyliz
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I am a dreamer – that’s an interesting perspective you’ve pointed out in your edit. Clever. PM me if you *really* wanna know.
Ariadne
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obsession
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Innocent Eyes
alienmom –hehe!!- hi, MOM!
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Michelle in Yonkers – actually, yeah! -lol- reading your FB was the reason I posted. I was intending to make y’all wait long, but, damn my willpower!!
Luvya –hehe!- thank you. I’m glad youre enjoying it.
Mica
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A Rose Is True Blue – ERIN! *tackle* -teehee- Thanks, hon!
Behrsgirl77 – Tanya! -hehe- You *know* I don’t mind if you bug me.
aussietrueblue

Again – thank you *all* so much. I appreciate it! Now, without further ado…


<center>Part Three</center>

Liz exited the kitchen via the swinging door and entered the employees’ lounge. She glared at the clock nailed up high on the wall as it ticked by another precious minute. Fiercely, she whipped the rag from her apron pocket and wiped at her moistened hands. They were late, and with every passing second, it put Liz on an even tighter time schedule. She briefly wondered how long her friends had stayed up last night creating that stupid list for her.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Liz tucked the dishtowel back into her pocket and then crossed her arms. A few moments later, she heard the thundering of footsteps from up above. Finally.

“Okay, so this is what we’ve got!” Tess announced excitedly as she and Maria bounded down the stairs list in hand. Liz glanced pointedly at the clock, before returning her dark gaze back to her friends, one delicate eyebrow arched. They heeded her no attention.

Liz sighed dejectedly. The store was just minutes from opening, and they still needed to fill the display cases with the desserts waiting in the kitchen. The desserts she had spent all morning making with very little help from either Maria or Tess. But, alas, she knew that it would have to wait until they exchanged slips of paper. She most definitely was not looking forward to what her friends had to offer her, and knew she’d eventually come to regret this particular scheme. She was already regretting it now as it was interfering with her work schedule.

Instead of saying so, however, she simply held out her hand expectantly, wanting to get the process over with as quickly as humanly possible.

“Huh-uh!” Maria declared suddenly, and prevented Tess from releasing the list by gripping her hand. “Liz goes first.”

Liz contained her groan and swiped some loose tresses of dark hair from her face, but remained closed mouth. There was no point in voicing her irritation when it would get her absolutely nowhere. Finally, she reached into her back pocket for the two lists. After she glanced briefly at them to determine which went to whom she happily handed them over thankful they were out of her possession. “There.”

She had been so tired last night after saying goodbye to Max that she had simply jotted down a few key words that would serve as reminders to what she had in mind. Unbeknownst to the others – or Liz for that matter – a small smile stretched across her face at the thought of Max. He was such a sweet man, and she enjoyed his company immensely. Especially considering that she hated being downstairs alone; she didn’t feel comfortable. Yet ever since Max had shown up that night, her designated closing shifts had become more bearable. She’d even come to look forward to them.

Eagerly, the girls reviewed their lists. Returning her attention to the subject at hand, Liz gave herself a mental shake. The night before she had carefully considered everything that she knew about her friends, and decided upon the characteristics in men she recommended them to steer clear of. Overall, she was pretty happy with her suggestions, and gave herself a mental pat on the back for being so intuitive in regards to her friends.

As Maria read over her list, a confused frown pleated her brow and her mouth fell open just slightly. Then, she looked curiously up at Liz. “Onions and Eeyore?” She implored softly, slowly, even hesitantly.

“Stay away from guys with layers, and emotionless jackasses.” Liz explained easily.

“Oh,” Maria nodded slightly in understanding, but the frown remained. “Why?” She challenged.

“You can’t leave things alone, so you’d pick away at the man’s layers trying to see what he’s all about. He’ll hate you for it, and neither of you will be happy,” She shrugged nonchalantly, knowing that she was right. “And besides, you’re a very emotional woman anyway. You need someone who can be expressive with his own feelings, instead of an emotional retard.”

Maria made a noise of understanding, and seriously considered abiding by Liz’s suggestions, before she peered over Tess’s shoulder. “What’s yours say?”

“Supermodels.” That was it.

Tess looked up incredulously, her own light brows furrowed together. “What?”

“You’re too insecure. Dating, much less being married to someone so high prolific will only make you unsure of yourself. You don’t need that.”

“Ohh,” She murmured absently, and then, “Hey!” Her voice took on an indignant tone, as she placed her hands on her slender hips and pinned Liz with a pointed glare. “So, are you saying I should just marry some ugly, rich guy?”

Maria snapped her fingers and looked at Tess. “Hey, that might not be such a bad idea. You won’t have to worry about other women trying to steal your hubby.” She pointed out.

Tess rolled her eyes skyward, before pinning Maria with a dubious stare. “I wouldn’t be marrying him for his looks, Maria. Think about that for a second.”

She did. And it clicked.

“Ooh. Gotcha.” Maria whispered dramatically, and then topped it off with a conspiratorial wink.

Tess rolled her eyes – again.

With an impatient sigh, Liz attempted to get the conversation back on track, and eyed Tess carefully. “No, I’m not saying you should marry an unattractive guy. Just don’t marry a man who knows he’s sexy,” She shrugged again, and then extended her hand, keenly waiting for her list to be handed over. “My turn.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” Tess asked, ignoring Liz’s outstretched hand. “You either know you’re hot, or you don’t.”

“That’s for you to decide,” Liz muttered impatiently, and continued to clench and unclench her hand expectantly. “Lets go. I wanna see mine before we open.”

Reluctantly, Tess handed over the folded piece of paper. Liz anxiously unfolded the slip and quickly scanned the contents. Her brows furrowed together as she read over it again. Her mouth opened to make some sort of comment, but nothing came out. For the first time in her life, she was speechless. Finally, Liz found the strength to look up at her two friends, wondering what exactly they had been doing last night. “Between the two of you, you could only come up with one attribute for me to avoid?” She questioned uncertainly. Two heads are better than one sang mockingly in her ears.

Tess glanced at Maria, and then shrugged as if it were no big deal. “We figure you have a pretty good head on your shoulders,” She answered with a smile. “You’ll know what’s right.” Maria nodded in agreement.

“So, you want me to stay away from,” Liz paused and read over the words one more time, just to be positive she was correct. “Political leaders?”

Having heard the disbelieving tone in her voice, Maria stepped forward. “Liz,” She said gently, and touched her tenderly on the arm. “Tess and I feel you’re the type who doesn’t like to stand in the way of people’s obligations.”

“Right,” Tess agreed gravely. “So, we find that it would be in your best interest for you to stay away from Presidents, Princes, and Kings.”

After a moment of silent shock, she uttered, “Oh, my, God,” and stared incredulously at her friends. Once again, Liz recalled how ridiculous the entire charade was. Stay away from Kings? Because they are just so many kings walking around for her to choose from, right? She sighed, and resisted the ever-present urge to roll her eyes. “Great. Fine. Thanks for the suggestion. Now, help me fill the display cases –“

“Wait!” Tess exclaimed hurriedly and raised her hands as means to prevent anyone from moving. She glanced at the clock to determine they still had a couple of minutes yet. “We have to decide who goes first!”

“Who goes first for what?” Came Liz’s clipped retort.

Exasperated, Tess inquired with a fold of her arms, “Were you not listening to me yesterday when I was detailing the plan?”

Liz raised her eyebrows; a little surprised at the blonde’s tone, and mimicked her gesture. “Honestly? No, but please, refresh my memory.”

Maria snickered as Tess glared playfully at Liz. “All right,” She began, and tossed her blonde locks nonchalantly over her shoulder. She knew not to let her friend’s usual morning disposition deter her. “We’ll take turns having Fridays off, which will be our designated Rich Hubby Hunt Night.”

Inwardly, Liz sighed at the proposal. Taking Fridays off was definitely not a good idea. Especially when it’s considered to be one of their busiest days of the week. The nights itself weren’t particularly busy, though on occasions they could be, but the whole cleaning up process took a lot of time and usually required help

Liz’s train of thought ceased. She had cleaning duty on Friday nights. If she went out in search for a “Rich Hubby” then she wouldn’t have to hang around to clean up. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“So, how do we decide who goes first?” Maria asked, genuinely liking the idea. And why wouldn’t she? Who wouldn’t love to take a Friday off from work to go scope out hot guys? Not her.

Tess bit her lip, contemplating the matter. Obviously, she hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I don’t know.” She finally answered a bit hesitantly.

“Well, we can think about it later,” Liz ordered, immediately shifting into work-mode. “We got some desserts in the kitchen waiting to be put on display, girls.”

“But-“ Tess attempted to interject; she didn’t want to end the discussion just yet.

“No buts! Lets move, ladies!”

And with a mock salute, Maria was the first to literally march into the kitchen. Tess stayed behind to glare at Liz, showing her obvious disapproval of her demands. Liz remedied the situation with a chaste kiss on the Tess’s cheek.

“I love you, Tess,” Liz smiled affectionately, and patted the blonde on the head for good measure. “But you’ll really have to move that ass of yours if we want to open in time.”

Tess narrowed her eyes even more at her friend’s patronizing tone, and feigned indignation as she stomped into the kitchen after Maria. With a satisfied smirk, Liz followed closely behind. She loved her job.

<center>* * *</center>

Maybe they could draw numbers to determine who would go first. Pick names from a hat? Oh! They could draw straws!

Tess immediately forced that thought out of her mind; there was no way in hell Liz would allow her to tamper with the store’s straws. Never mind the fact they had a gazillion-and-one of them. Who cares if a handful of them are used and then thrown away? There’s plenty more where they came from.

Tess continued to swipe the crumbs from the table that were left by a previous customer, all the while her mind seeking for anyway to determine who would be the first to have the coming Friday night off. God knew they all needed it! She couldn’t remember the last time she – or any of them, really – had a decent date.

Liz had gone out a couple of times with some guy named Doug Shellow. Tess smirked at the thought as she began to wipe off the chairs.

Yeah, that had been a big mistake. She recalled Doug being handsome and suave, and a delightful conversationalist – if you liked bugs. That’s right. Doug Shellow was an entomologist.

As if to prove to them exactly what she had to go through on here less-than-stimulating dates with Mr. Shellow – whoops, Dr. Shellow – Liz invited him over to the apartment one evening for dinner. The topic of conversation ranged from the many species of roaches and spiders, to how many eyes a fruit fly really had. The girls ate very little that evening for they found the conversation so repulsive.

As Liz showed him to the door, Tess had cleared the table and fleetingly wondered what Dr. Shellow would have thought if he knew she had squashed a rather massive spider with her Scooby Do slippers earlier that morning. She was half tempted to run and get the slipper and have him do with it whatever he wanted.

Now, there’s rarely a moment when one of the girls see a line of marching ants, or annoying little gnat, or a dew moistened spider web without thinking of Dr. Doug Shellow – Entomologist.

Even though Maria had found a slightly less disgusting, slightly more interesting date in some guy named Billy Darden, he just wasn’t stimulating enough to keep her attention. Sure, they shared the same love for music and dancing, but, unfortunately, Maria didn’t quite understand his infatuation with Bea Arthur from the Golden Girls. After one afternoon of watching the Golden Girls marathon on Lifetime, Maria decided to call it quits. She left really, really hoping that he found happiness with Bea and the other spinster ladies.

Tess had some dating misadventures of her own. Brody Davis had been cute but quirky. He wasn’t overtly handsome, but at the time she had been swearing off the suave and sexy type – they only brought trouble. She later found out that all of Brody’s quirks were due to an alien abduction five years ago.

It was a chore to force herself to listen to all of his stories, but Tess had remained mentally conscious enough to gather that he had been driving, at the dead of night, somewhere in Minnesota. Then, suddenly, a bright light engulfed him and his vehicle lost all function. As his car sat in the middle of the road, Brody realized that he couldn’t move a single muscle in his body. Then, he lost consciousness.

When he awoke, he was somewhere in the foothills of West Virginia. He was such an invigorating date that she was saddened to see it end. Really.

Tess spent two weeks screening her phone calls before he finally got the hint.

After Brody, an old friend from college wanted to set her up on a blind date. Thinking that no one could be as bad as Brody, Tess agreed.

Milton Ross was over fifty years old, and though, thankfully, he didn’t share the same enthusiasm for aliens the fact that he was thirty-some years her senior was just a total turn off. She hasn’t been on a single date since.

For once, she just wanted a normal guy! With a more than normal size bank account, of course. Was that so wrong? Isabel had wanted that since they were little, and she finally got it. So, why couldn’t she?

Tess straightened and inspected the gleaming table surface in front her. Satisfied that it was up to Liz’s par, she tucked the rag in the waistband of her hip-hugging jeans and walked to the counter, where she ducked under the partition it provided. She had just grabbed a Styrofoam cup to fill with some delicious mocha flavored coffee, when the entrance door swung open and in walked a customer.

“Good morning!” Liz promptly beamed in a friendly salutation. “May I help you, sir?”

With a quiet sigh, Tess replaced the cup and turned her attention to the newest customer. It didn’t look professional for workers – let alone co-owners – to be slacking off in front of a customer. Since when was having a small break, and enjoying a nice coffee slacking off? Oh, yeah, since Liz decided it was.

“Uh, yeah, a friend of mine told me you could help me out.” The man said in an unsure voice.

Liz kept her friendly smile even though her eyes held confusion. “Well, I can try, sir. What can I help you with?”

The man, who Tess assessed to be early twenties, pushed some of his light blond hair away from his forehead and stepped closer to the counter. From where she stood, she could see the shy gleam in his brown eyes.

“I want to propose to my girlfriend,” He went on. Tess smirked at the hesitancy in his voice, and the utter bafflement on Liz’s face. “He, my friend, said that you could help – that you put the ring in a candy or something like that. I don’t remember all that he said.”

Realization dawned on Liz and she smiled, as Tess practically melted into a glob of goo at the man’s bashful uncertainty.

“Oh, yes!” Liz exclaimed happily, and by the light flush in her cheeks, Tess knew that she hadn’t been unaffected by the cute factor of the sweet man. “Actually, we don’t really put the engagement ring in the candy, because we make all of our candies here, and we have to heat them to melt, and so on. Which, wouldn’t be too good for the engagement ring, you understand.”

He nodded. “So, what do you do?”

“Well,” Liz began, and dipped at the knees to pull one of the many display models she had ready on the shelves beneath the counter, just for moments like these. “Once we make the candies, instead of placing them in a box, putting a layer of paper over them, and closing the lid, we’ll individually wrap each candy in foil. Then, when you bring the ring, we’ll wrap the it into numerous layers of foil until it is the shape of a candy,” Liz smiled, and demonstrated the task with a plastic mood ring. Then she looked up at the young man as he watched in fascination. “Your girlfriend will have to unwrap each layer to get to the inside. It will actually be quite a nice surprise for her.”

When she finished, the man beamed at her, and both girls knew that the idea was sold. “Great! I’ll do it!”

Tess grinned as Liz turned her head and silently indicated for her to take over. She pushed herself away from the counter where she had been casually leaning, and strolled down to another display case. “If you’ll follow me, sir,” She began in her most polite and professionally cordial tone. “I can show you our engagement packages.”

“Packages?” The man asked warily, and Tess immediately knew that he wasn’t the type who liked a lot of choices.

“Mmhm,” Was her only reply. Either way, she had to go through the entire spiel. “We can go simple and just give you the box of candies. Or there’s your next choice, which is slightly more expensive. We can not only give you a box of candies, but a heart-shaped box of your choice of chocolate covered fruit – the most popular choices being strawberries and cherries. Or you can really woo and romance her with all of that and a bottle of the best champagne,” Tess pinned him with a beguiling smile, as her hand encompassed his choices. She felt oddly like that Wheel of Fortune Lady.

“So, what’s it going to be?”


“Thanks for stopping by! Don’t hesitate to come by again; we do wedding cakes!” Liz called enthusiastically after the mesmerized man as he exited the café. Then, she turned to Tess just as she finished documenting the sale. She had sold the second package of candies and chocolate covered strawberries. Apparently the man thought he could get cheaper champagne elsewhere.

Oh, well.

“Do you realize what you may have gotten yourself into?” Tess asked as she closed the booklet and slipped it under the counter.

“What?” Liz asked innocently and she brushed past the blonde to enter the lounge. She needed to check the kitchen to be sure they had enough supplies for the package. Otherwise, she’d have to do some shopping.

“What happened the last time you made a wedding cake, Liz?” Tess inquired hot on her heels.

“I’m getting better!” Liz insisted as she whirled around to face her friend. “Honest! I’ve been practicing.”

Tess gave her a disbelieving look, but nevertheless patted her shoulder in affection. “If you say so,” She commented. “So long as you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“I’m getting better!” Liz exclaimed again, and followed Tess through the door. When she entered, she immediately halted and stared in horror at the mess that was her kitchen. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder instantly went on overdrive.

“Maria!”

The guilty blonde lifted her head from the magazine she was reading, and cast an impish glance over her shoulder at the mess. “Huh?” She finally murmured.

“You were supposed to clean the kitchen!” Liz shrieked in aghast, her eyes wide in despair. A dainty hand went to her chest and rested over her rapidly thumping heart. She was having a heart attack!

“Relax,” Maria cajoled and closed the front flap of the magazine. “I’ll get it cleaned up,” she looked at Tess then, and smiled happily. “I figured out a way to determine which one of us lucky ladies gets the first night off.”

Tess’s interest immediately piqued, unperturbed by the mess, and she grinned eagerly. “Oh, yeah? What?”

“Look at this sink!”

Both girls successfully ignored Liz’s screech of outrage, instead their focus on the presently waiting Friday evening. “I think we should engage in some friendly competition.” Maria’s lush, pink lips quirked mischievously. She knew that idea would entice Tess to no end; she was the most competitive person Maria had ever known. She was ruthless at the game Monopoly, and had cleverly – or so she thinks – nicknamed herself “The Monopolizer”. Yeah, a nice friendly competition was most definitely in order.

Tess’s light blue eyes narrowed devilishly, and she drew the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth. There was skepticism in her eyes, but the challenge was there as well. “Keep talking.” She coaxed.

“Starting now,” Maria began. “We’ll keep strict tabs on every sale we make for the rest of the day. Whomever makes the most sales at the end of the day gets to go first. Easy as that.”

It did sound easy enough, and Tess could effortlessly use her seductive flirtation to make some simple sales.

“Well,” Liz bellowed from across the kitchen, her tone indignant. “I’m glad to see you actually loaded the dishwasher, but was it really necessary for you to place the glasses so closely together? An inch apart, Maria! How many times do I have to tell you?”

“Hey, Liz,” Maria said in exasperation, and turned to eye her friend impatiently. “Why don’t you put your OCD in hold for a second, and come join this conversation, hmm?”

Maria’s query went straight over Liz’s head, and a moment later she gasped, appalled. “You put my best spatula in the dishwasher?” Her dark ponytail swung around to whip the side of her neck due to the force in which she swung her head around. “Maria! That’s my best spatula! It needs to be hand washed!” She reiterated furiously.

“Oh, my God.” Maria murmured in disbelief. Her eyes rolled skyward and her hands came up to cup her cheeks in despair.

“Liz, babe, calm down!” It was Tess this time, and she struggled to remain serious and fight the smile from spreading across her face at the same time. “Listen, Maria’s got an idea –“

“You didn’t rinse!” Liz exploded and ran her hands over her scalp in sheer frustration. Tess and Maria joined in her groaning. “You’re supposed to rinse before you put them in the dishwasher! Otherwise they don’t get clean thoroughly enough!”

“Liz!” Maria boomed. “We need to focus!”

“I am focusing!” Liz finally seemed to be hearing what the girls’ are saying. “I’m the only one focusing! I’m focused on all the un-rinsed dishes in the washer! I’m focused on the dirty sink! I’m focused on – would you look at this? This counter is covered in chocolate! How am I ever going to get it out – oof!”

Tess and Maria had to literally lift Liz and carry her out of the kitchen. Maria gripped the hyperventilating brunette under the arms, while Tess grabbed her by the ankles and lifted. Together, they carried her out of the kitchen and then tossed her on the couch.

“Now you stay there!” Tess ordered in an authoritative tone, and Liz immediately ceased in her efforts to scramble to a sitting position. “You need to calm down! This cannot be healthy.”

Maria nodded her head in commiseration. “We need to put you on some meds or something, girlfriend. It’s just a dirty kitchen.”

“Yeah,” Liz muttered sarcastically. “Dirty.” She swiped a loose tendril of brown hair from her face and took a deep breath. It was evident that she had calmed down considerable since the catastrophe was no longer right in front of her.

“Okay, now listen,” Tess spoke, her voice softer now. “We have a solution to our problem.”

“Scrubbing bubbles?” Liz asked hopefully. Maybe the chocolate would come out after all! “409?”

Maria chose to ignore Liz’s comment. “We are going to have a little competition to see who gets the first Friday night off.”

“Oh,” Liz murmured, her hope effectively deflated. Then, she regarded her two friends warily. “What kind of competition?”

In a single breath Maria explained how it was going to work, and ended with, “…if you had been listening instead of having your mini freak-out, you’d know this.”

Tess giggled. “There was nothing mini about that freak-out, Maria.”

“Whatever,” The blonde rolled her eyes and then crossed her arms over her chest as she regarded Liz challengingly. “So are you in, or are you out?”

Liz’s eyes narrowed and she promptly stood from the couch. She took a moment to smooth the wrinkles from her shirt and pants and tighten her ponytail before she nodded briskly.

“I’m in,” She answered, and then grinned. “You, however, Ms. DeLuca, are out until that kitchen is spotless.”

Tess out right laughed Maria’s fallen face, and Liz’s grin widened. “No buts,” She said again, effectively cutting off Maria’s protest. “We’re starting without you.”

Maria crossed her arms and then spun on her heel to re-enter the kitchen. “I suggest you clean fast, Maria!” Liz called. “Otherwise you’re going to have a little difficulty catching up with us!”

Upon Maria’s colorful choice of words, Liz and Tess snickered and then re-entered the front.

Let the games begin.


TBC

Okay, guys. Since I’m doing the same thing for absence, y’all can just PM me with your email addresses if any of you are interested in me emailing you with any updates for Coffee…

Next to be updated – eventually – is Absence…

Raychel

Hey, y’all. =) Thanks for being so patient! I *love* you all!

Here’s part four, and of course, a *big* thanks for my beta Nichole. She’s awesome. =)

And thank you all so much for the tremendous feedback. I appreciate it so.

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A Rose Is True Blue - *snort!* Totally fitting in “fanspaztic” btw. Somewhere.
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Behrsgirl77 – LMAO! Fernando is sleeping now. I hope you had fun while you were away! I MISSED YOU!

And on with the new part…

<center>Part Four</center>

It was no surprise whatsoever that Tess climbed the stairs victorious that night. She was tenacious when it came to competitions, and had used whatever means necessary to assure she won the competition. Since there had been no rules established, it was a mutual decision amongst the three girls that the competition was pretty much no holes barred.

And Tess definitely hadn’t held anything back.

She wasn’t overtly endowed, but the wonder bra truly was rather wondrous, and Tess had mentally applauded herself for choosing to wear the undergarment that morning. Yet even with the illusion that she had a large set of breasts, she had known not to rely too heavily on the girls, and was always sure to garner eye contact with her every customer. Her mother had taught her how to keep the guy’s attention with just her eyes, among other things, and it had been a gift she cherished greatly. So, she was sure to flutter her eye lashes just enough to be flirtatious, but without coming off as a ditzy twit.

Her lips had been another asset she used during the game. Right before she entered the café, she had put on a generous amount of vanilla flavored lip-gloss. The shine was sure to attract attention to her lips, and the flavor gave her extra incentive to give them a quick little lick.

Thinking back to that Wednesday night, Tess chuckled giddily to herself and held a black mini skirt to her body, as she gazed contemplatively into the mirror.

She’d had every male customer eating out of the palm of her hand, which assured her this Friday night off to begin her hunt.

Surprisingly, however, Maria pulled rank over Liz, and came in second. She had entered the game an hour after it’d started, and still beat Liz by a handful of points. It hadn’t made sense; one minute, Liz was champing at the bit, ready to pounce on whomever unfortunate enough to enter the café, and the next it was like she just didn’t care anymore.

Tess shrugged off whatever reason Liz had for slacking off on the competition, and scowled at herself in the mirror. No to the black mini. She wanted attract attention, yes, but not the kind that yelled out “sex me up!” Or did she?

With a frustrated sigh, she waltzed to her closet and began to paw through the many garments hanging inside. She wanted to go for sexy, but comfortable. Her attire had to be eye catching, but not sleazy. She groaned. Why was it so difficult to find middle ground?

Tess pulled out the little black dress that every woman – single or otherwise – owned. With the plunging neckline, and the spaghetti straps, it definitely was her favorite choice thus far. She nibbled on the corner of her bottom lip and studied the dress. With an indecisive huff, she draped it neatly over her bed and returned to the closet.

As she regarded the rest of the items inside, Tess tapped her finger against her chin and bit the corner of her lip.

“Decisions, decisions.”

<center>* * *</center>

“Hey!”

Liz whirled around, broom in hand, and eyed her seeker. When it registered who she was looking at, her eyes widened and her mouth fell agape.

Tess giggled. “Well, I guess there’s no point in asking how I look, huh?” She ventured, but then decided to ask anyway. “How do I look?”

With a laugh, Liz blinked several times as she took in her best friend’s choice of clothing. It had taken her well over two hours to finally choose the ensemble, but she looked amazing. She was dressed in a knee-length black skirt that settled low enough on her hips that a glimpse of her flat stomach was revealed. Her top was a red halter-top with draping ruffles that were cut asymmetrically. To Liz, it looked like Tess had taken a pair of scissors to the top. A rhinestone diamond centered between her breasts was the focal point of the entire apparel.

“Wow. You look great, Tess.” Liz finally managed to speak.

Tess did a little twirl as she showed off, and then she stepped over the threshold of the doorway and into the café. She waggled her eyebrows suggestively at Liz, before her mouth broke out into a grin. “I am so ready to party.”

Liz laughed again and leaned the broom against the counter top. “Where are you going?”

Her hands fluffed through her thick, blonde locks. She had decided to leave her hair down, and had taken the curling iron to some miscellaneous strands to give a spiral effect. Finally, she answered Liz’s question with a shrug. “I’ll hit Rush and Division,” She elaborated. “And then go from there.”

Immediately, Liz frowned. “I don’t think you should go alone,” She told her, and Tess caught a glimpse of worry in her friend’s face. “Maybe Maria or I should go, too.”

“Huh uh,” Tess promptly refused. “No way. I’m doing this on my own, babe,” When she caught the stubborn look on Liz’s face, she sighed dejectedly. “I’ll call every couple of hours, okay? Just so you know I’m all right.”

Liz chewed on her lip more to keep from negotiating when she could call than out of worriment. “And you won’t lose sight of your drink?” Upon Tess’s sigh of exasperation, she immediately clarified. “Someone could put something in your drink! There are a lot of date rape drugs going around, and I don’t feel like kicking someone’s ass if they try to take advantage of you!”

Tess snorted at this, and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, as if you could,” But she nodded her head nevertheless. “I’ll keep a strict eye on my drinks, Liz. Don’t worry.”

“Someone has to.” She murmured softly, and ignored Tess’s laugh as she was pulled into a hug.

When Tess put her at an arms length away, she smiled reassuringly. “I’m going to be all right,” Then, she kissed her cheek, her face bright with excitement of the impending night. “Okay! I’m going! I’ll call you.”

Liz laughed as Tess flounced towards the doors with a final wave. “Bye!” She called, though she was almost certain that Tess hadn’t heard her.

With another wistful smile playing on her lips, she reached for her broom just as her cell phone began vibrating at her hip.

“Hello?”

“Lizzie!!”

For the second time that night, Liz’s eyes widened. “Isabel!”

“Oh. My. God. Guess where I am!!”

Liz laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm, and looked skyward as she thought of where Isabel was at that moment. “Um, on a yacht?” She guessed lamely, and then added with more emphasis. “Off the coast of Spain?”

It was Isabel’s turn to giggle. “No. We already did Spain. Though, I wouldn’t mind going again… Her voiced trailed off, obviously reminiscing about the time she had spent there, before she finally got back on track. “I’m in Boracay!”

Boracay? Liz’s eyes squinted as she tried to think of where that was; geography had never been her best subject in school, but the country sounded vaguely familiar. Was it even a country?

“It’s an island in the Philippines,” Isabel clarified when her friend remained silent. “It’s so beautiful! I could live here!”

Liz’s eyes drifted shut as she heard the happiness in her long time friend’s voice. Happiness was something she’d always wanted for Isabel, for she never seemed content with mucking around in the kitchen, and dealing with a mass of people everyday. She obviously found what she was looking for in Alex Whitman, whether Liz agreed with the reasoning or not.

“Oh, my God. It’s so amazing, Liz,” Isabel went on. “During the day Alex and I lounge in the sun on a private beach, drinking pina coladas. Then, when we get too hot, we go for a dip in the ocean. The water isn’t cold like in Hawaii; it was so warm, and so blue and so clear! I could live here!”

With a giggle, Liz brushed a tendril of dark hair behind her ear. “So you’ve already said,” She replied easily, and could practically see Isabel lounging on the beach, with the sun beating down on her, giving her skin a bronzy color. She sighed. “I’m glad you’re having so much fun.”

“It’s been a blast!” Isabel agreed, and then launched into another spiel. “At night, we travel to the other end of the island where all the night clubs are, and we dance and party the night away. I love it!!”

“When are you coming home?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” She answered vaguely. “It depends on Alex. He’s the travel coordinator.”

“Well, I miss you, Is,” Liz honestly replied. “We all do.”

“Aww,” She crooned, obviously touched by her friend’s words. “I miss you girls, too. I’ll call you as soon as we get home, and you can come to the house!”

“House?” Liz inquired curiously. Last she heard they were going to live in Alex’s penthouse.

“Oh, yeah! I talked Alex into buying a new house, and he’s been talking to some realtors throughout the trip,” Liz could practically see Isabel’s beaming features. “It’s going to be so beautiful! You girls have to help me decorate, okay?”

“Sure,” Came Liz’s bland reply. “Whatever you want, Is.”

“Okay, well, I just wanted to call and check in. I tried the line to the apartment, but it’s busy, so I decided to call you,” She explained. “Alex and I are going to go for a walk on the beach. Isn’t he romantic? So, I’m going to go change, and I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Okay. I love you, Is.”

“I love you, too, sweetie! Kisses! Bye!”

Liz ended the call and flipped her cell phone shut. As she pressed the phone against her chin, her expression turned thoughtful. The true circumstances of Isabel’s relationship with Alex will always torment her, and the need to let it go seemed too much of a feat. She liked Alex, and if Isabel didn’t love him, it wasn’t fair to him.

The rhythmic tapping against the glass window of the doors immediately withdrew Liz from her thoughts, and a smile splayed across her face. Placing her phone on the counter top, she walked over to the doors to give admittance to her guest.

When she opened the door for him, Max smiled sheepishly down at her. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here tonight.”

Liz’s brows furrowed together curiously, though the smile stayed. “Why?” She asked, and stepped aside to allow Max to enter. Once she closed and locked the doors behind him, she turned.

That sheepish smile of his remained and Liz thought it was so endearing. “Well, I wasn’t sure when this, um,” His smile turned impish. “This Rich Hubby Hunt would start, so I had no idea if you’d be out prowling the streets or be here waiting for me.”

Liz rolled her eyes at Max’s playful expression, but laughed despite herself. “Actually, Tess just left to begin her hunt,” She rolled her eyes again, as she led him towards their usual table. “I begin my hunt,” The word reeked of disdain. “In two weeks. We took turns taking Friday nights off to go out. Tonight is Tess’s turn. Next Friday is Maria’s, and then, of course, mine.”

Max grinned and held her gaze, as he played with the pages of the novel. “Are you excited?”

Liz snorted. Normally the action would have embarrassed her; it was so unlady like! But with Max, she had grown comfortable around him. She could do anything.

“No,” She finally answered, and was sure to reveal with her facial expression just how much she disapproved of the entire charade. “But what am I going to do? I agreed to it. I’m not a quitter.”

“Of course you’re not,” Max agreed with a firm nod, and his expression softened as he studied her. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Me too.”

Silence settled over the duo for several moments, before Max interrupted it by clearing his throat. “So?” He began, and held up the book in hopes of gaining Liz’s appeal. “M.E. Philips awaits.”

The corners of Liz’s lips stretched into a wide smile, and she held out her hand. “My turn to read.”

As she opened to the marked page of the novel, Liz recalled how nervous she had been when she’d first read to him. It seemed ridiculous for her to be doing such a thing, and she had suddenly become self-conscious of her voice. It wasn’t until she had glanced up and noticed how completely enraptured with the story Max had become, that her lack of confidence was put at ease.

Liz cleared her throat dramatically, which earned another adorably wide grin from Max, before she began to read. Within moments, they were both caught up into the webbing spun by the author’s words.

She didn’t know how much time had passed or exactly how many pages she read, but she knew she couldn’t stop. Once she completed one chapter, they discovered a rather harrowing cliffhanger and had to continue. Three rather length chapters later, the reading began to take a toll on Liz’s voice. Once the last words on the page left her mouth, she closed the cover, a contemplative scowl pleating her brows.

“So,” Max prompted after a moment of silence. His eyebrows raised and he regarded her skeptically. “Who did it?”

Liz smiled softly as she tried to pin a suspect. It was too difficult, especially this soon in the novel, so she shrugged in answer.

“I bet the best friend did it.”

His answer obviously appalled her, for Liz’s eyes widened in shock. “No way,” She immediately protested. “She wouldn’t do that.”

Max snorted this time, eerily mimicking the manner in which Liz had snorted earlier. She narrowed an eye. “Please. She’s always been jealous of her best friend, and she’s kind of wacky,” He added. “I think she has anger management issues.”

All of this was true, but Liz couldn’t bring herself to believe the Philips would mold a killer out of someone whose characteristics showed a tinge of motive. No, the killer was someone they’d least expect.

“What do I get when I’m right?” Max asked, upon the slight shaking of Liz’s head.

This earned a laugh from her, as she shoved the book aside. “Hmmm,” She pretended to think a moment. “Chocolate cake?”

He grinned. “You’re on,” And with a shake of hands, Liz was up to go retrieve a piece of cake just because. As she rounded the counter and headed towards display case where she’d stored a fresh piece earlier, Max shifted in his seat to follow her with his gaze. “So, hey. I heard from a very reliable source that this M.E. Philips guy –“

Liz’s retort was instantaneous. “Girl.”

Max chucked, but forged ahead. “Is going to be at Barnes and Noble next month for a book signing.”

The desert plate nearly fell from her grip. Her eyes bright with excitement zoned in on Max. “Are you serious?” She asked a bit hesitantly. M.E. Philips’s first appearance ever? It was too much.

“Yep,” Max replied, and motioned her over with an impatient expression on his face as he eyed the cake that was just too far away. “So, I was thinking we should go. Together.” He added as an after thought, once she’d reached the table.

“Yeah!” Liz could hardly contain her excitement. “Of course we should! We will!” She blushed suddenly. “Can we?”

Max’s laugh was muffled by the piece of cake in his mouth. Once he chewed and swallowed, he smiled at her. “Yes,” He answered, and his smiled deepened at the look of sheer giddiness that came across her face. “It’s on a Friday from one until four. Is that okay?”

“Perfect!” Liz made a mental note to tell Maria and Tess she was going to take that entire day off. Excitement coursed through her like an electrical current; she felt like she was trembling.

“Great,” That smile brightened his face again. “So, I’ll come by here around noon, and we’ll head out together?” His question was tentative.

Liz nodded eagerly, words having failed her.

“Great,” Max said again, and lifted his fork to poise in front of his mouth. He winked at her then. “It’s a date.”

<center>* * *</center>

Exhausted, Tess sank into the barstool. Sweat trickled an annoying path down her back, and she fidgeted fretfully at the feeling. The moment she had set foot into the club, she had broken out into a sweat. The building was packed full - probably exceeding the regulating limit - and all the body heat had immediately engulfed her.

Exerting herself with dancing had only served to make her even hotter. She felt sure that her top was plastered to her body due to all the sweat, and all she could think was thank God it’s dark inside.

“What can I get you?”

Tess blinked, and then focused her attention on the woman behind the bar. She sighed, and tapped a perfectly manicured finger against the scratched top of the counter. “A Cosmopolitan.” She finally murmured.

Tess had no idea what she was doing. The Original Mother’s was the third establishment she has entered that night, and she has yet to find her Mr. Rich. Consequentially, she was getting tired and cranky. Why the hell did she think she could do this all in one night?

In all honesty, she had no idea what she was looking for. Really now, how do you discover if the guy you’re hitting on is rich or not? Wasn’t there a way to tell by what he wears, or what kind of watch is on his wrist? If it’s a Rolex, does that mean he’s raking in the dough? How the hell do you tell if it’s a Rolex?

Once the bartender placed the drink in front of her, Tess took a dainty sip, contemplating her situation. If he had a manicure did that mean he was rich? Or that he was gay?

Why in the hell was this so difficult?

The steady thumping of the music was beginning to give her a headache, and with much disappointment, she began to rise from the stool, her drink forgotten. Tonight had been a total waste.

“Hi.”

She barely heard the voice over the squall of the overzealous karaoke contestant butchering Bob Seger’s classic “Old Time Rock & Roll”. When she turned, her elbow knocked into a hard body, and she took an instinctive step backwards.

“I’m sorry!” Tess gushed before she even risked a glance at whom she’d almost collided with.

A harmonious chuckled drifted to her ears, and her eyes glided upwards upon their own volition. Tess was immediately pinned by a pair of amazing blue eyes. Her throat immediately parched, and she suddenly wished she had something to drink.

“Hi.” She forced out, and licked her dry lips.

He chuckled again. “Hi,” His second greeting was clearer now that Tess had tuned out the horrendous singing, and she nearly swooned. “I’m sorry I startled you.” The apologetic expression that swept across his face made her want to kiss him; she really struggled not to.

“Oh, you didn’t,” Tess immediately defended. “I just wasn’t sure if I heard you or not, and…Yeah.”

The smile widened on his face, and he extended a hand to her. “I’m Kyle.”

Tess slipped her tiny hand into his, and returned the smile while her eyes roamed over the chiseled features of his face. He was pretty damn gorgeous. When her hand remained locked in his and she’d yet to say anything, Tess finally regained her bearings and forced a response past her lips. “I’m Tess.”

“Tess,” The way her name rolled off his tongue sent a shiver down her spine. “It’s nice to meet you. Were you leaving?”

Her light colored brows rose just slightly, as she registered his question. She had been leaving, but now it didn’t seem to be an option.

“Oh, no, I was just, um,” She struggled for an excuse as she casually reseated herself. “I was just stretching.”

Kyle grinned and motioned to the empty stool beside her. “May I?” When Tess nodded eagerly, he climbed onto the stool and pinned her with another smoldering gaze. “Having fun?”

Unconsciously, Tess fiddled with the rhinestones on her top. “I am now.” She answered before the words had completely registered in her mind. But once they were spoken there was no reason to try to take them back, or to even seem embarrassed by them. So instead, Tess offered him a flirtatious smile of her own.

As she studied his features, Tess began to wonder if she’d met him before. There was something about him that seemed vaguely familiar. They certainly hadn’t dated; she would have remembered, and she sure as hell wouldn’t let him go. Had be come into the café before?

His eyes were an intriguing shade of blue that drew her to them like a beacon. His hair was dark, but that could be an attribute of the shadows; she couldn’t tell. When they’d been standing, she’d reached his chin, which was comforting. He wasn’t too much taller than her. Tess didn’t usually date guys who towered over her; it made her uncomfortable, inferior.

Now Kyle was the perfect height. And he’s cute too.

Tess nibbled on the corner of her bottom lip, as she narrowed and scrutinized eye at him. “Have we met before?” She asked uncertainly. “You look so familiar.”

To her surprise, a flush crept up Kyle’s neck to tinge his cheeks. “Well,” He hedged. “You may have seen me around.”

Curious, she arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh, yeah?” She inquired. “From where?”

Instead of answering directly, Kyle cleared his throat and scratched at the surface of the bar with his fingernail. “I work for Calvin Klein,” He finally responded, and then risked a glance at her face. “I’m an underwear model.”

Amusement flashed in Tess’s eyes for the briefest for moments, before realization dawned on her.

“Holy shit.”

He wasn’t lying. Tess’s mouth fell agape even as she tried to cover up with her hand. Oh. My. God.

“Yeah,” Kyle muttered, the blush still lingering on his cheeks, and he shrugged. “It’s a tough job, right? Someone’s gotta do it.”

Tess laughed. “Oh, yeah.” Liz’s list of attributes for her to say away from suddenly popped into her mind, but Tess shoved it aside without further thought. Kyle was hot. He was funny. And if he’s a model, he has to have some cash.

They’d make the perfect couple.

“So,” Tess fixed him with a sexy smile. “Do you wanna dance?”

TBC

Keep a look out for pt 13 of Absence…

Raych

All right guys. My *new* muse, Riley, has been *wonderful* (-teehee-, Tanya & Alex). And so, here’s a new part.

*BIG* Thanks to Nichole for being an AWESOME beta. I *heart* her.

First, thanks for all of your patience. I’m going to be busy, but I’ll try to write as much as I can.

At any rate, thanks again for all your patience, and you’re awesome feedback! It’s much appreciated.

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jeja911
Erina258
nibble2


And here's the next part! It's transition-y, but I hope you enjoy nevertheless.

<center>Part Five</center>

Silently, Tess crept up the stairs that led to bedroom floor. She had no idea what time it was, only that the sun was just now stretching its sleepy arms and allowing tiny rays of sunlight to peak over the horizon. She also was aware that she’s very, very drunk.

Mindful of the fact that Liz wasn’t due to awake for several hours yet, that she may not even be asleep at all, Tess had taken off her shoes to ensure that her trek up the stairs and down the hallway was as silent as possible. Quickly, she stifled a giggle with her hand to her mouth. She had called every couple of hours, just as she had promised, in the beginning at least. But when she’d started dancing and drinking with Kyle, everything else had just slipped from her mind. Liz was gonna be so pissed!

Finally, Tess reached the closed door of her bedroom – or she hoped it was hers – without rousing Liz from her own room just down the hallway.

She squinted into darkness, urging her eyes to adjust so she could be sure that the door in front of her was indeed the entrance to her room. It would be infinitely stupid for her to waltz into the wrong room and risk waking Liz.

Okay, yeah. She was definitely at the right room, because to her left – Tess swung her head to the left – was Maria’s room. Liz’s room was on the right; Tess’s in the middle.

Hmmm, Maria.

Tess dropped her hand where it hovered over the doorknob and slowly began her journey down the hallway, using the wall for support. Maria’s room was just a short distance away, and Tess knew she had to tell someone about Kyle, otherwise she’d pass out and never remember the details of the night.

Other than that he was hot, so deliciously hot. She’d like to melt chocolate all over him and…

She frowned. That might burn a little; spreading whip cream over him would be better. Another girlish giggle passed between her lips, and she immediately covered it by clamping both her hands over her mouth. If she wasn’t careful Liz would wake up, and that definitely would not be good.

The doorknob turned without a hitch for Maria wasn’t prone to locking her door. Quietly, she pushed the door opened, but kept her head turned to the right as she did so, worried that Liz might step out at any moment and her cover would be blown. When the opening was wide enough for her petite figure to pass through, Tess shifted sideways and slipped right through the crack…

…And fell right on her face.

The thud knocked the breath out of her, and caused the annoying little bells to ring in her ears ceaselessly. Tess frowned stupidly down at the floor, as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She blindly palmed the floor around her. What had she tripped over?

The distinct feeling of something hard connecting with her left shoulder caught her off guard, and then the room was flooded with blinding light.

Maria’s shrill screech burned Tess’s, as the freshly wakened blonde launched something else in the direction of Tess’s head. Fortunately for Tess, it just missed.

“Maria!” The hiss was muffled by the whistling of another unidentified soaring object, as it flew past Tess’s ear. “What the hell are you doing?!” Tess ducked again.

Maria froze just as she’d reached for the cordless telephone on her nightstand; she had no intention of calling the police, but instead to planned to launch the device with deadly accuracy in hopes of knocking the intruder out. However, she hadn’t been expecting the intruder’s voice to belong to Tess.

“Tess?” She blurted, and she brought her hands up to shield her eyes from the still blinding light. Her lids blinked rapidly. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for target practice ‘parently,” Tess slurred, and gingerly rubbed her shoulder. Her blue gaze finally adjusted to the brightness of the lamplight, and she immediately took notice of purple alarm clock lying at her side. Her brows promptly furrowed together, as she studied the object. “You threw an alarm clock at me,” The statement held a kind of wonder in her voice. “Didn’t hurt.” She added.

Maria narrowed her eyes at Tess, and regarded her curiously. “Are you drunk?” She asked suspiciously.

Tess giggled, and then arched a conspiratorial eyebrow. “Maybe.”

Maria nodded. “You’re drunk,” She shoved draped the covers back over her legs. “And you’ll feel it tomorrow. Now, go to bed. Your room’s down the hall.”

“I know.” Came Tess’s chipper response, and then she launched herself into Maria’s bed, sending the mattress springing.

“Tess! What are you –“

“And you’re right! I am dr-dunk!”

“Yes, I know, sweetie,” Maria spoke as if Tess were a small child. “You can go to sleep now. In your own bed.”

Tess nestled her head into the pillow next to Maria, a dopey smile on her face and her blue eyes glassy. “But don’t you want to hear about my night?”

Maria’s brows furrowed incredulously. “Yeah, but you can tell me in the morning. When I’m awake and cognitive enough to understand it all.”

Now, Tess pulled the covers up to her shoulders, and she yawned. “But I’m so drunk I won’t be cogcious enough to tell you,” She murmured. “You should listen now.”

Maria sighed dramatically. “If I must.”

Tess giggled again. “Okay, so, I met a guy.”

“Good for you.”

“His name is Kyle, and he’s sooo hot,” Tess moaned and closed her eyes in bliss. “He. Is. Gorgeous.”

“Always a plus,” Maria noted. “What about Liz’s advice, did you use it?”

Tess snorted. “She only gave me one criteria, that hardly qualifies as advice,” She answered vaguely. “Anywho, his name is Kyle –“

“You mentioned that,” Maria pointed out, and then narrowed a skeptical eye at Tess. “Did you follow Liz’s criteria or what?”

Tess nibbled on the bottom corner of her lip for a moment, before her mouth broke into a wide grin. “No!” She declared happily, and the buried her face into the pillow to stifle more giggles. When she finally resurfaced, her eyes were gleaming even brighter. “He’s an underwear model!”

At this information, Maria pursed her lips in appreciation and waggled her brows. “Oh, yeah?” She grinned. “Ralph Lauren?”

“Calvin Klein,” Tess corrected giddily. “And I definitely approve.”

Maria laughed and wondered if she’d seen Kyle on billboards or in magazines. Then she turned to Tess and wondered aloud.

“He looked really familiar when I first got a good look at him,” Tess answered. “So, I’ve probably seen him somewhere, and then, of course, you would have too. I’ll look through some magazines, see if he’s there and then show you. He’s yummy!”

“Hmm, I wonder if he was in that calendar Izzy got for us.” Maria mused.

This caused another snicker to pause through her lips, followed by an ungracious snort. “Maria,” She admonished drunkenly, and then quickly sobered. “We should check!”

“Oh, I doubt it,” Maria finally amended. “Anyway, so, what happened?”

She wasn’t sure if it was because of the excessive alcohol in Tess’s system or if it was a dreamy look that passed over her gaze, but Maria noticed the glint that came over her eyes.

“We danced,” Tess finally answered, her voice soft and wistful. “He’s a good dancer. He has rhythm.”

“Well, that’s always good.”

“And the way his hands fit on my hips,” She sighed and hugged the blanket closer to her body. “He was so warm, I just wanted to curl into him and never let go. He’s a good kisser too.”

This astounded Maria, and she sat up on one elbow. “You kissed him, so soon?”

“We didn’t just kiss,” Tess taunted mischievously. “We had a full blown make out session. It was hot.”

Maria narrowed her eyes again, this time playfully. “Details, girlfriend.”

“Well, we were both pretty drunk when we left the club, and he didn’t want me to go home alone – “

“Aww, a such a sweet heart!” Maria gushed.

“Yeah, I know. So, he got us a cab and I told the driver where I lived, and then the next thing I know, my back was pressed against the window and we were attacking each other,” Her blue eyes closed for another blissful moment. “It was great. We didn’t stop kissing until the driver pulled up to the curb, and even then he had to honk the horn to get our attention. That’s how out of it we were.”

When Tess divulged no further information, Maria shook her shoulders impatiently. “And?” She prompted.

“And I gave him my cell phone number, he told me he’d definitely call me, and I left. End of story.”

Not quite as satisfied with the ending as she’d hoped to be, Maria lay back down and stared at the ceiling. “Do you think he’ll call?”

Tess yawned widely before she answered. “He’d better, or else I’ll hunt his underwear modeling ass down, and kick it to whatever country I find Isabel in next. I don’t care how hot it is."

At the mention of their absent friend, Maria rolled her eyes. “She called today. Liz talked to her, and apparently she’s on some little island, sipping pina coladas out of coconuts, and get fanned by hot naked men,” Of course, that was a great exaggeration, but it irked Maria never the less. “And Liz is pissed at you, I might add. You didn’t call.”

Tiredly, Tess cracked open one eye and regarded her warily. “Can you blame me? I was doin’ the bump and grind with an underwear model,” She clarified with a dreamy smile. “I’m sorry, but Liz isn’t the first person to pop in my mind when that happens.”

“I know, me either,” She agreed, and then the room fell silent. As she stared at the ceiling above her, Maria began to ponder about her own fortune on Friday. Would she find herself a delicious looking underwear model? Well, any model would do, really. Or maybe he’d be a hot music producer who could launch her singing career, and at the same time heat up her sheets.

Maria smirked. Yeah, that’s who he was. And he was out there waiting for her.

Slight snoring jerked Maria from her reverie. She swiftly turned her head and stared, shocked, into the sleeping face of her best friend. She glared.

“Wake up,” Maria insisted angrily, as she gave Tess’s shoulder a hard shake. “You’re not sleeping in here.”

Tess’s face crumpled as she tried get out of the away of Maria’s shoving hands. “I wasn’t sleeping!” She lied, and once Maria had quit shaking her, she settled back into place. “I was just clearing my throat.”

Maria snorted, and nudged Tess with her foot this time. “I’m for serious, get out.”

But Tess had already fallen back to sleep. Maria’s green eyes narrowed. Either that or she was faking it.

With another groan, Maria rolled over and flipped off the lamplight. For a fleeting moment, she resented the fact that she hadn’t actually launched the seven-pound lamp at Tess to begin with.

When the room plunged into darkness, Maria settled herself beneath the covers to sleep. The silence, however, only lasted long enough for Tess to roll over, and murmur an incoherent “G’night” before falling back to sleep.

Annoyed, but growing tired with every second, Maria sighed and hugged the blanket closer to her. “Good night.”

<center>* * *</center>

The downstairs was quiet, save for the heavy, iron wrought clock in the shape of the Eiffel Tower, ticking away on the kitchen wall, and the humming of the refrigerator. Normally, the ticking of every passing second would irk her to the point where’d she’d turn on the television just to have some background noise to drawn out the clock.

But this morning was different. It’s quite possible that Liz Parker was too giddy to be annoyed on a Saturday morning. The dirty dishes in the sink didn’t bother her. The coffee ring stain on the kitchen table, just beside her own mug of hot chocolate didn’t send her screaming and running for the 409 spray. The fact that the utility and rent bills still sat on the coffee table, that Maria was supposed to mail yesterday, didn’t even register in her mind.

And despite the fact that she almost broke her neck after she tripped over Tess’s shoes while coming down the stairs, Liz was still in a great mood!

She was going to meet M.E. Philips!

Liz stirred her hot chocolate twice, and then lifted the mug to her lips for a sip. Her favorite author was going to be in the local Barnes and Noble, and she was going to be there for the book signing. It seemed too surreal to even fathom. But it was true, and she was going with Max.

Her smile widened. Max. He was so sweet! And she sincerely enjoyed his company. He was one of those people who you could just sit and tell your whole life story to despite the fact that you’ve just met. In essence, that’s pretty much what they’d done the first night they’d met.

She’d told him about how after college she and her friends had wanted to start a business together. There could have been a number of things for them to turn the place into: a florist shop, an aromatherapy store, a bookstore – the possibilities were endless considering that they all loved different things.

But the one thing they had all shared a love for was chocolate. So, it had made sense, and everyone loved it.

Except for Isabel, not at first at least. She was a bit of a health nut, and didn’t really eat all that much chocolate. It had been her idea to sell the fruit as well – never mind the fact they were dipped in chocolate – and felt better about her contribution to the store.

Liz had relayed to Max how she’d met each of her friends, and how easily they had adjusted to each other. Instantaneously they became a tight-knit group.

She told him stories about Tess’s devilish ideas that, more often than not, got her (or all of them) into trouble. And despite her petite size, she was definitely the toughest in the group. She could kick ass like no body’s business. Tess would be the one to crack smart-ass remarks or dish out a load of sarcasm. She kept everyone else on their toes.

Maria was Tess’s faithful sidekick. The two would conspire together and form the most outlandish of ideas, but they had fun in the process. When Maria wasn’t being the devil’s advocate, she’d be serenading a kitchen spoon or playing the air guitar instead of melting chocolate. Her musical talent proved to be a great source of entertainment for the other women, along with her quick-wit and endearing sense of humor.

If there was anyone who could compete with Liz in the “most neurotic” category, that would have been Isabel. Max had laughed when he’d heard how organized Isabel Harding was. Everything had its place, and it seemed that Liz was the only person who respected that. Isabel often scheduled how long each of the girls was permitted to be in the bathroom at one time. Liz was happy to say that her OCD didn’t reach that severity.

In essence, Max knew almost everything about Liz and her life. He had listened intently, and, remembering the look on his face, he seemed to be genuinely interested in all that she had to share. Once she had finished telling her story, Liz had immediately offered to hear his.

Time ceased to exist once he opened his mouth and began to weave the story of his life. He’d moved from the small town of Roswell, New Mexico, to the big city of Chicago, Illinois when he was only eight. His father was a defense attorney, and his mother, a stay-at-home-mom. She loved every minute of it.

He has an older sister – by three and a half minutes – named Serena, who still loved to torment him. She moved back to Roswell, where she now works as a special education teacher.

Now, Max, he was a licensed attorney and could practice law at anytime. He told Liz that his father constantly mentioned how he was reserving a spot within the practice for him. But Max was always so reluctant to join the team. He enjoyed law, and he knew he’d be content working as a lawyer for the rest of his life, but he wasn’t sure if it was what he truly wanted.

Liz understood the dilemma. She hadn’t, not when he’d first mentioned it to her, but she had been empathetic. Now, she could sympathize.

Before, she felt as if she had everything she wanted. Wonderful friends surround her, and she co-owned a thriving business. She was happy with her life… or at least she had been.

Now, she wasn’t so sure. How long would the magic last? Ever since Tess had decided they pursue this rich man hunt, Liz had begun to question what she wanted out of life. Obviously, Maria and Tess wanted more. Liz knew that they were just as happy with the business as she was, but apparently they wanted the life Isabel was obviously going to lead. Would they be content enough to work side by side with her, in the tiny little shop, for the rest of their lives?

Would she?

Did she really want to have a husband whose philosophy was “money is no object”? A husband who could buy her jewels and cars, and furs and houses? Did she want to spend the rest of her life roaming a luxurious mansion in an Egyptian silk nightgown and not have to worry about work or finances?

Wasn’t that all apart of life?

“Is that what you want, Liz? Will that make you happy?”

Max’s words reverberated off the inner walls of her mind, and she shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Holy shit!”

Liz jerked her head up just in time to see Maria latch onto the stairway banister for dear life. Her foot had slipped out from under her, and she had come dangerously close to tumbling down the stairs. When she regained her balance she pushed her mused, gold locks out of her face and scowled.

“Who left their shoes on the stairs?” She demanded angrily, and kicked the death devices out of the way. “Of all places… Now really!”

Relieved that Maria was all right, Liz took another sip of her chocolate. “That would be Tess,” She answered after she placed her mug back down. “I almost broke my neck this morning, too.”

“Why didn’t you move them?” Maria asked. Her tone held curiosity instead of incredulity. Normally, something like that would set Liz off like a rocket.

Wordlessly, Liz shrugged, and silently confirmed that this morning she definitely wasn’t acting herself.

“What time did she finally get home?” Liz finally got around to answering. “Do you know?”

Maria poured herself a steaming mug of coffee that Liz, thankfully, had remembered to turn on. Tess and Maria were the only ones who drank the stuff, whereas Liz preferred her hot chocolate, never mind the fact it was first thing in the morning. It’s one of her guilty pleasures.

“I have no idea,” Maria mused with a grin. “She came into my room and I threw the clock at her. Almost knocked her out cold.”

Which, Maria thought bitterly, would have been the best idea. Tess would have been unconscious on her floor instead of unconscious in her bed. She was a mattress and blanket hog. Bitch.

With a sigh, she sank into the chair across from Liz and took an appreciative sip of her hot coffee. Immediately she felt the caffeine invading her system, and she knew that within a few minutes time she’d be able to function more normally.

“She met a guy last night,” Maria spoke after another generous sip. “That’s why she came into my room. She felt the need to share.”

Liz finished her chocolate and rose to rinse it out at the sink. Her brows furrowed together in bafflement. “So soon?” She questioned, and then turned around and leaned back against the sink counter. “I thought for sure it would take a couple of weeks at least.”

Maria’s blonde locks bounced from side to side, as she shook her head. “Nope, she scored the first night. Not literally, of course, but apparently she found herself a keeper.”

Considering this information, Liz crossed her arms and nibbled on her lower lip. Her eyes focused on something just beyond Maria, and she remained silent for several moments.

“That easy?” She finally voiced. “After one night she’s already found herself a potential husband? And he’s rich?”

“Yip.” Maria gulped down the last bit of coffee, and Liz vaguely wondered if it had burned on the way down.

“Well,” She prompted. “What does he do?”

Maria hesitated by wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and she avoided looking Liz in the eye. “I don’t know,” She mumbled. If anyone was going to tell Liz that Tess had gone against her advice, it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Maria. No way, she’d let Tess handle that. “I don’t think she said.”

Liz narrowed her eyes as she pondered who this man could be. Then, she shook herself out of her reverie. And instantly, her mind was focused on work. She glanced at the clock – it was twenty ‘til nine.

“We open at ten today,” Liz muttered unnecessarily. “I suppose I can let her sleep in a little longer.”

“That’s probably a good idea, cause she’s pretty out of it,” Maria agreed. Then she grinned mischievously as she recalled the lack of sleep she’d gotten. “I say wake her up at nine.”

“And give her kitchen duty?” Liz asked, her own devilish smile playing on her lips.

“And she should run the morning errands.”

Liz shook her head. “You said she’s out of it. She’ll probably screw up. We definitely can’t have that.”

“So, wake her up at ten, give her kitchen duty, and make her stand out on the walk with samples,” Maria’s green eyes sparkled. “She hates that.”

Liz pursed her lips in consideration. The twinkling of Maria’s eyes let her know she wasn’t going to settle for anything less, and she caved. “Fine. You wanna be the one to wake her up?”

Now, Maria rubbed her hands together and cackled. “Oh, yeah.”

TBC.

Absence... will be updated next. I only have 2 pgs written, but hopefully I'll get the rest out soon. Thanks!

Raychel

Hey guys. I’m finally back with a new part. College is in full swing now, and I’m still in the middle of mid-terms, so I ask y’all to please be patient. I’ll update as often as I can.

Before I continue, I first want to thank you all for the tremendous nominations y’all have made for this fic. It was such an awesome surprise! I’m always excited to know you’ve been enjoying it! So, thank you all so very much. I’m very proud of all of them!

So *BIG* thanks to maxandliz4ever1357, Luvya, LittleHottie510, Dmartinez, Hopeless Romantic, omwf & Behrsgirl77 for the following nominations. =)

Funniest Fanfic
Favorite Unconventional/Unique Friendship (Liz/Tess and/or Liz/Tess/Maria)
Favorite First Chapter
Best Supporting Portrayal of Tess Harding
Best Lead Portrayal of Liz Parker
Best Fluff Fic
Favorite Lead Portrayal of Max Evans
Best AU without Aliens
Favorite Supporting Portrayal of Maria DeLuca

…and

Most Underpraised Author & Most Improved Author

Again, thank you *all* so very much for the noms. I’m very humbled and proud! You all make writing this worth it, so, thank you again.

And of course, thanks for the tremendous feedback!

FSUMSW94
Grace52373
frenchkiss70
RoswellRulz
BelevnDreamsToo
dreamer destiny
Timelord31
Heavenli24
maxandliz4ever1357
brighteyes

alienmom
Roswell 10/2/00
Fehr’s Bear
obession
ShatteredDreamer
tequathisy
Michelle in Yonkers
POM
NorafanofMaxandLiz
Luvya
ps_dreamer
ISLANDGIRL5
Hopeless Romantic
linliz68
RASaero611
hazz
roswell3053
RosAngBuff16
Empress_luci
I am a Dreamer

*Great BIG!* thanks to Kaela for returning home and being my beta again. She's awesome! Also, a big thanks to Nichole for being such a great temp! Love ya!

Ok! Without stalling any further…here’s the update! Enjoy!!


Part Six

“I’ll get it!!” The shrill cry that pierced both Maria and Liz’s eardrums could only have belonged to Tess. The petite blonde launching herself airborne, and landing bodily across the couch in the employee’s lounge later followed the ear-splitting shriek.

Maria and Liz watched wide-eyed as their obviously possessed friend grappled for the cordless phone perched on its base on the corner table. A moment later, Tess answered the ringing device with a breathless, “Café Chocolate, Tess speaking. How may I help you?” The laborious heaving of her taxed lungs concealed the usual professional inflection of her voice. Instead of calm and collected, she sounded as if she had just finished running a marathon.

Enraptured by her reaction, Liz and Maria watched intently as their friend with disheveled golden locks. Tess listened to the caller for a moment or two, and then she rolled her eyes dramatically and slammed the phone down with surprising force. She groaned irritably and began to shift her position. Once she had situated herself on the couch, so that neither Liz nor Maria could see up her skirt, Tess crossed her arms with a huff, a perpetual scowl etched on her face.

“O…kay,” Maria mutters cautiously, and eyed her best friend with a peculiar twinkle. “Who was that?”

Apparently in a foul mood, Tess’ only response was a shrug of a slender shoulder. This blasé gesture immediately set Liz off into a panicked frenzy.

“What do you mean?” She blurted, her hands suddenly flailing out at the sides, and almost knocking Maria upside the head in the process. Maria ducked just in time, and sent a glare in Liz’s direction. “That could have been an important customer, and you just hung up! What on Earth poss-“

The clamping of Maria’s hand over Liz’s mouth ceased the frantic brunette in mid-rant. “Geezus, woman!” She exclaimed, and slapped a vial of her cypress oil into Liz’s shaking hands. “You obviously need to inhale this more than I do. You also need to just shut the hell up a minute!” The appalled look that crossed Liz’s features was almost laughable, until her brows furrowed into an unmistakable glower. Immediately alarmed, Maria returned the scowl. “Don’t you dare lick my hand.”

At the thought, she promptly retracted her appendage, just as Liz stuck her tongue out. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” she responded, and sniffed primly. “That would be very unsanitary. Not to mention disgusting.”

Maria rolled her green eyes skyward, as if begging for God to strike her dead at that very moment. Sometimes Liz was too much to handle. Finally, she redirected her gaze on Tess. “Would you look at her?” She questioned, and nudged Liz with her elbow. Liz, however, had been in the process of opening the vial, and Maria’s surprised action caused some of the contents to spill all over her hands. Another piercing glare was sent in Maria’s direction.

“She’s sitting there, throwing herself a pity party - all by herself,” Maria obliviously continued, and emphasized the pathetic situation with a disapproving cluck of her tongue and shake of her head. “We should join.”

And just like best friends should do, Maria and Liz promptly seated themselves on either side of their distressed best friend. No stranger to the invitation, Tess obediently draped her legs across Maria’s lap, and then twisted until she could lay her head on Liz’s. Her friend’s fingers immediately began to sift through Tess’ blonde tresses.

“All right, Tessie-poo,” Maria cooed motherly, and patted her friend’s pale, bare legs comfortingly. “Tell us all about it.”

The nickname was usually awarded with a swift kick to whoever used it, but at the moment, Tess was far too troubled to do much of anything.

Instead, she sighed dejectedly, pouted, and then fluttered her lashes over her shiny blue eyes. “He still hasn’t called.”

There was no need for clarification; it was glaringly obvious whom Tess was referring to: Kyle. The delicious man that Tess had danced the night away with, and then proceeded to make out heavily with in the back of a dingy cab. Liz knew some of the details, the most important detail waiting to be unveiled later – much later. Somehow, Tess didn’t think that Kyle’s profession would sit well with her best friend.

It didn’t matter anyway. He hadn’t called, and it didn’t look like he intended to. Another pitiful sigh passed through her lush lips.

“Damnit.” She murmured angrily, that scowl once again creasing her forehead. Not even the threading of Liz’s fingers through her hair could sooth her disposition.

“So, he’s an ass,” Maria shrugged it off, not really seeing a reason to be so upset. “There’s another hottie out there for you, babe. And you’ll find him. I swear.”

Tess crossed her arms again, her lips seemed to be twisted into a perpetual pout. She didn’t want “another hottie”. She wanted Kyle. “I don’t want to play anymore.” Came her childish response.

Again, Maria shrugged, a grin playing on her lips. “More Fridays for Liz and I.” She cast a wink in the brunette’s direction.

Before Liz had a chance to object to the idea – wanting, yet again, to voice her disapproval of the entire charade – Tess bolted up right into a sitting position, her eyes shining.

“This is ridiculous!” She boomed with renewed drive.

Liz gave a swift nod agreement. “I completely agree. I think we should – “ whatever she had meant to say next was lost as Tess launched herself spirited, rapid speech.

“Would you look at us?” She began, and glanced back and forth between her two best friends, whom she adored more than anything. “We’re hot! What in the hell is wrong with the world’s men? Are they blind? Gay? Cause, to me, those are the only explanations as to why we haven’t found ourselves some decent husbands so far.”

“Amen,” Maria concurred, successfully interrupting her friend’s rant, and shared a triumphant high five with Tess. “But, I must express that it’s not like we’re spinster sisters here, babe. We do have plenty of time. Where’s the fire?”

“Speak for yourself!” Tess tossed back. “We’re approaching thirty,” - granted, it would be several years yet, but it was still fast coming. “I don’t know about you all, but I want to get married, pop out a kid or two, and then live my life of luxury.”

Liz didn’t even bother to try and interject. There was no point in voicing her concerns by now. True, Tess was the only one who had gone out on the town thus far, but Maria’s day was fast approaching, and soon to follow was hers. Even if Liz had the guts – or lack thereof – to quit this game, she knew that her friends would harp on her until she agreed to get back out there. It just wasn’t worth it. She’d have to see this through after all.

“Bleck,” Maria muttered and shivered in disgust, drawing Liz’s attention back to the topic at hand. “Not me. I’m going to adopt, thanks. I have a very low tolerance for pain.”

As if to test the theory, Liz reached out and gave the tender flesh on Maria’s arm a sharp pinch.

Astonished, and obviously pained, Maria’s green eyes widened and a second later a strident yelp escaped her full lips. “Ow!” Then she stared in shock at the Liz’s innocently schooled expression, and she narrowed an eye. “Bitch!”

Liz released an ungracious snort and promptly slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle any further sounds. All the while Maria continued to glare heatedly in the brunette’s direction, undoubtedly concocting any means necessary to get even. She foresaw chocolate covered counters. Glass rings on the sleek coffee tables due to “missing” coasters. The DVD collection out of alphabetical order…

“Um, excuse me?” Tess asked impatiently, and snapped her fingers in front of the women in order to garner their attention. “Back to me, please. Can we focus here?”

Maria gave her tender arm a final, soothing rub and sent another piercing glare at Liz, before she appeased Tess’s wishes. “Sorry, babe,” she murmured, and blinked her green eyes rapidly. “Were you not done venting?”

“Uh, no!”

“It’s only been three days,” Liz tried to rationalized. “Maybe he’s trying to play it cool, you know? He doesn’t want to come off as too anxious. Maybe he wants to take it slow.”

Tess gaped after Liz. “Were you not listening?” She asked, her lashes once again fluttering, as she regarded her best friend inquisitively; seriously questioning her sanity. “I don’t have time for him to take it slow! Who cares if he comes off as anxious, at least I know he’s interested.”

It hurt – more than she was willing to admit. Tess had expected, had hoped, that Kyle wouldn’t be able to wait twenty-four hours before calling her. She had been so anxious to hear from him again, to spend more time with him - on an actual date - that Tess hadn’t even considered the possibility that he was just a sleaze.

The attraction that sparked between them seemed so significant. Tess had expected to be in a whirl-wind, salient relationship, but it didn’t appear that it was going to happen that way. And at that moment, she’d never envied her sister more in her life. Isabel made it all look so easy.

“Listen,” Liz spoke softly, her hand reaching out to lace fingers reassuringly with Tess. Sparkling blue eyes met vibrant brown. “If he doesn’t call then he’s not worth it. Maria’s right. He’s an ass and doesn’t deserve you,” she paused, hoping that her words reassured Tess in some way – no matter how small. “If you don’t hear from him this week, or the next, then you can take my Friday night to try again.”

Liz’s proposition obviously astounded Tess, as well as Maria, for both their mouths fell agape and they regarded her curiously for several, long moments. “What?” Tess finally found her voice to question, not entirely sure she’d heard her friend correctly.

“Did you say what I think you said?” Maria added uncertainly. “Are you seriously going to give up your Friday, just like that?”

Tess shifted until she was facing Liz fully. “Liz, I appreciate the thought, but we’re in this together,” she glanced over her shoulder at Maria, wanting her to know she was included on this. “We’re a team. We’ve always been a team. I won’t let you just hand out your Friday night like that. It’s a nice incentive, really, and I appreciate it. No thanks.”

Before she even had the chance to open her mouth and reiterate her suggestion, a deep voice rang out from the front of the café.

“Anyone here?”

At the phantom voice, each of the girls stilled. The realization that they had left the front café completely unattended struck them instantaneously. Liz’s perpetual case of OCD kicked in at the moment, and she jumped from the couch to storm through the swinging door, Maria and Tess right behind her, each of their hearts pounding.

Tess was the last to shove her way through the door, and once she entered the café, she stopped immediately in her tracks.

She recognized him immediately.

“Kyle?”

The smile that spread across his face nearly stole her breath. It was beautiful, if a little sheepish, as he approached her slowly, nervously. Just seeing him standing before her, in her café, made Tess completely forget that she was mad at him for his negligence of calling her. Just his presence seemed to perfect things.

“What are you doing here?” The excitement in her voice effectively concealed the skepticism lurking beneath.

At her query, Kyle faltered a step and scratched nervously behind his ear. He risked a glance to his left, uncomfortably aware of Maria and Liz watching his every move. Maria’s green gaze traveled over him in appreciation, while Liz’s eyes held a curious glint, her head tilted at one side.

“I, um,” with his cheeks flushed a light shade of red Kyle focused his attention on Tess. “I lost your phone number,” he finally blurted, and grimaced and how awful that may have sounded. “In the cab the other night. But, uh, I remembered you told me that you owned a little café, so I spent the past several days looking…for you.” His tone softened as his voice trailed.

There was a brief moment of silence, and then the dramatic sighs that passed through Liz and Maria’s lips filtered through the air. Kyle blushed more fiercely.

“Really?” Tess beamed, a wide grin stretching across her face, completely oblivious to her friends’ constant scrutiny. “You really spent the past several days looking for me?”

“Well,” Kyle tried for nonchalance, and shrugged a shoulder. “I mean, I had other things to do, too. I had plenty of errands to run, and I really was running low on coffee grounds, and fruitcakes…” He sighed as he watched the amusement spread across Tess’ face. He briefly noticed how beautiful the expression was. “Yeah. I really spent the past couple of days looking for you. I went into every café that I could think of, and when I found out you didn’t work there, I felt so guilty that I had to buy something. So, needless to say I’m pretty stocked in the coffee department.”

“How about chocolates?” Maria quipped, and whipped out a box of chocolate-coated candies. “Never can have too many of those.”

“Maria!” Tess hissed and promptly tossed her a warning glare. Then, she rewarded Kyle with an endearing smile. “So, um…why were you looking for me?” It was a ridiculous question, but Maria and Liz were aware of their friend’s motives. And so they watched on with bated breath, anxiously awaiting Kyle’s answer.

Much to his chagrin, Kyle’s cheeks flushed another shade of pink, and he glanced down at the floor before once again meeting Tess’ blue gaze. “Well, I thought that was obvious, Ms. Harding,” and for the first time, the three women heard a hint of a southern accent in the inflection of his voice. The urge to swoon was overwhelming. “I came to ask you on a date. And if it’s not too much trouble, I’d prefer to go someplace that doesn’t sell coffee. Period.”

His statement earned three girlish giggles. Tess cast an imploring gaze in her friends’ direction. She wasn’t disappointed when both Liz and Maria hustled her along with adamant motions of their hands.

“Go!” Maria vocalized, her green eyes sparkling with a vibrant intensity. “Have fun, girlfriend. I’ll close for you tonight.”

Kyle gave an acknowledging nod in Maria and Liz’s direction, hinting at his appreciation. Tess smiled, her face glowing with excitement. “I just need to grab my purse…” She gestured vaguely to the back room, before she turned on her heel and bolted through the swinging door. Liz was right behind her, giggling with barely restrained exhilaration.

Maria stayed behind, and when Kyle turned his head in her direction his smile immediately fell. Gone was the benevolent smile on the blonde’s face, and in its place was a stern and intimidating expression.

“Okay, listen here, buddy,” her voice held a menacing intonation, completely at odds to how she had sounded just moments before. “You hurt her, and I’ll peel your brains out with a potato peeler. Got me?”

Kyle swallowed, but nodded his head in mute understanding. At that very moment, Tess came rushing through the doors again, her face aglow. Her smile immediately put him at ease. “Ready?” She asked.

He nodded and offered her his arm once she rounded the counter and reached his side. The smile spread across his face once more, and he cast one last gaze in Maria’s direction. The excited expression once again donned her features, but he caught the measuring glint in her eyes, and he was sure that she could sense his nervousness like a predatory lioness.

As they reached the doors of the café, Maria lifted her hand to wave, and called out enthusiastically, “Have fun you two!”


TBC

I have four pages of Absence... written, so it's not quite ready yet. But keep an eye out for it.

Hey guys! I just wanted to drop this off before I head to work. Thank you all SOO very much for your nominations. You guys are all awesome, and I'm so excited to be a nominee! yay!!



Best Supporting Portrayal of Tess Harding
Best Unconventional/Unique Friendship - Liz & Tess

I've got one paper finished, another to go, and then two presentations. -lol- Still a lot, but things are going by quickly and pretty soon I should be able to focus on this. Thanks for being patient!

Raychel

Hi y'all!

I just wanted to drop this off. I'm 0h-so proud of it! And I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. Thank you all so much for you nominations, votes, and continous encouragement. I love you!


Best Supporting Portrayal of Tess Harding

*Ginormous* congratulations to DMartinez who is the offical victor.

Thanks again!

Raychel