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  “I love you, Luke! I will never stop loving you!” she declared to the heavens.

  6 Weeks Later

  The school instructed the students to clean out lockers before Spring Break. The custodians were going to paint them over the vacation. Tesse waited until the last second, not caring about school, vacation or anything. She hadn’t heard from Luke. Nothing else mattered.

  Her relationship with her mother had changed after his sudden departure. Tesse no longer called her Mom, only Julie. Her mother had stopped calling her Pumpkin. The little girl Tessa was gone.

  Julie kept up on the latest information concerning Luke. According to police, his father had been spotted near the school soon after their departure, but there had been no sightings since. Tesse held onto the fact that no news was good news. Luke had to be alive. She would have felt it in her heart if he weren’t.

  As a personal gift to herself, Tessa changed her name legally to Tesse against Julie’s wishes. She felt like Tesse now. She had ever since Luke told her it fit. She didn’t care that everyone thought she was weird.

  That afternoon before Spring Break started, Tesse threw her school crap into her backpack without any thought. She grunted as she picked up the last few pieces of paper. That was when she saw it—a piece of paper folded up into a tiny square. Just big enough to fit through the slits in the locker…

  Her hands shook as she unfolded it. Why hadn’t she noticed it before? Tesse held her breath as she read his words.

  Dear Tesse,

  I can’t believe this happened. I can’t believe the asshole found us so easily. We have to run. I hope you understand. My mom needs me. I have to protect her.

  I’m leaving not only for her, but also for you. I couldn’t forgive myself if he hurt you, Tesse. I can’t come back until he is behind bars again or dead. But I will come back, I promise. Even if you have moved on by then, I want to see you again. I have to.

  Thank you. Thank you for loving me in ways I never thought possible. I didn’t believe I was worthy of such blind affection and then you came into my life. You have changed me and you are right, I need to honor Randy by making something of my life. I hope to do it with you someday but even if that is not possible, I promise I will live, Tesse. Truly live. Your love has given me the strength to do that.

  I am grateful for the last nine days. I have lived a lifetime in this short amount of time. I will always remember you, my beautiful Tesse. Wherever you go or whatever path you take, you will always have the support of a man who loves and respects you for the incredible woman you are.

  Take care. Be strong and do not fail to live life to the fullest.

  All my love,

  Luke

  Tesse sank to the floor with his letter in her hands. She clutched it close to her heart and allowed herself to cry. The pain she had carried the last six weeks transformed while reading his letter.

  Luke loved her and was coming back. Tesse knew it in every fiber of her being.

  9 Days and Counting

  A tale about sacrificial love

  This sequel to In 9 Days is an emotional reunion

  of the two long-lost lovers

  9 Days and Counting

  Copyright © 2012 by Red Phoenix

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  [email protected]

  Edited by RJ Locksley

  Book cover design by Red Phoenix. Phoenix symbol by Nicole Delfs.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.

  Adult Reading Material

  Disclaimer: The material in this book is for mature audiences only and contains graphic sexual content. It is intended only for those aged 18 and older.

  The Countdown Begins

  Tesse giggled into Jerrod’s shoulder. This was her third attempt to sing the most difficult part of the theme song to The Phantom of the Opera. Her voice struggled to reach the highest note.

  “Don’t give up yet,” he encouraged. “You nearly had it that time.”

  “I’m never going to get it. Mr. Reagan is going to murder me this afternoon. He expects perfection. We only have eight days until opening night and he’s already flipping out on the cast.”

  Jerrod leaned towards her and whispered, “I believe in you.” His lips landed on hers before she could react, his kiss firm and inviting. Tesse pulled away, surprised by his boldness. Although she was attracted to Jerrod, they’d never kissed before—and at the courtyard in the center of campus of all places! He smiled down at her. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

  Tesse’s cheeks burned but, in truth, she didn’t mind. They’d been friends for almost two years and he’d made it clear from the beginning that he wanted it to be more. She was the one who resisted because of her love for Luke. Luke—her first boyfriend; her soulmate. He had left her three years ago to escape his murderous father, but Luke had promised he would come back for Tess. He never had. No phone calls, no letters, nothing. It had been almost three years since that day and she knew she needed to move on. “You just surprised me,” she answered Jerrod.

  “Then can I try again?”

  She wasn’t sure why she felt uncomfortable kissing him, but she did. Thinking fast on her feet she blurted, “Only if I sing all my notes right.”

  “Then let’s do the last scene. I’ll play the Phantom.”

  “I don’t need to rehearse the ending. I can sing that in my sleep.”

  “Prove it,” Jerrod said with a wicked little grin. In his best Phantom imitation, he demanded she make her choice.

  Tesse knew the scene well. It was her favorite part of the show because it was the sexiest—and the saddest. The Phantom disappeared after Christine’s passionate kiss, just as Luke had in her own life.

  Luke abandoned me…

  The ache squeezed her heart like a vice. She used it to help her get into character and looked at the Phantom with painful resignation, singing that she would stay with him. Just as in the musical, Tesse kissed Jerrod with hesitation and then pulled away in surprise. She moved in for another kiss, giving into her desire for the Phantom.

  The courtyard erupted in whistles and catcalls when Tesse finally broke away. She blushed a deep shade of red, waving off the attention. “Just practicing for the musical. Get over it people.” Tesse glanced at Jerrod. The lust in his eyes was almost comical. “Come on, Jerrod. I was just acting.” She grabbed her backpack and gathered her things, wanting to make a fast exit.

  He shook his head. “I don’t believe it for a second, Tesse. That was a real kiss.” He slung his backpack onto his shoulder and followed her. “You’re not getting away from me that easily, young lady.”

  Tesse hid her grin. She was grateful for Jerrod’s persistence. Any other guy would have given up on her by now. Tess needed someone who could see through her like he did. She’d had it once before with Luke, but he’d broken her heart and Tesse wasn’t sure if she was capable of opening it up to someone else. It was the reason she was running away from Jerrod now.

  Just as she was leaving the courtyard, Tesse noticed someone out of the corner of her eye. For a second she thought she saw a tall man with sandy blond hair and red burns on his face. Tesse did a double take, but whoever it was had already disappeared into the crowd. Tesse was tired of seeing Luke wherever she went, but this time it pissed her off.

  Her life had been on hold since Luke left her behind, and Tesse was sick of it. She stopped in the middle of the stream of students and wrapped her arms around Jerrod. Tesse kissed him with the pent-up passion of three years alone. This time when she pulled away, both of them were left speechless. She definitely felt attracted to hi
m and it unnerved her.

  Tesse scurried to her dorm, confused by her growing feelings for Jerrod. She heard him following behind her and said without looking back, “Meet you in the cafeteria for breakfast. K, Jerrod?”

  His footsteps slowed down. “Okay…”

  Tesse ran into the building and up the stairs wanting to avoid people. She shut the door behind her and collapsed on her twin-sized bed. Tesse stared long and hard at the picture of Jerrod pinned on the corkboard hanging on the wall. It was the one with the two of them sporting goofy grins while holding pints of green ale on St. Patty’s Day. Jerrod was her good friend and Tesse wanted to start something with him, but damn, her heart still ached for Luke.

  “Stop haunting me!” she screamed up at the ceiling.

  That night she had a dream about Luke. They were back in high school at his house sitting on the couch. The look in his deep blue eyes drew her to him like a magnet. She lovingly touched his scarred right cheek and leaned in for a kiss. Just before their lips touched, he disappeared. She spent the rest of the dream frantically searching for Luke but never finding him. Tesse woke up to a tear-stained pillow. The pain of his abandonment hit her fresh and raw, as if it had happened only yesterday.

  8 Days & Counting…

  Tesse met Jerrod for breakfast and apologized for leaving so abruptly the day before. “I wasn’t feeling myself last night.”

  “Look, Tesse, if you’re not ready, I’m willing to wait. You know that.”

  She sighed, fidgeting in her seat nervously. “I know I’m a mess but I think I’m ready. We just need to take it slow and I’ll do my best not to freak-out on you.” Tesse gave him a quick peck on the cheek to prove she meant it.

  Jerrod held up his orange juice for a toast. She followed his lead, clicking her plastic cup against his. “Here’s to the beginning of a beautiful courtship,” he said with a wink.

  After breakfast, they went their separate ways, agreeing to meet at the library that afternoon. “Have a great day, gorgeous.” Jerrod pinched her butt as she passed. She jumped with a start and then laughed. Tesse enjoyed his flirtation, but she had to swallow down the guilt that immediately followed.

  Her drama class was devoted to the upcoming musical. For some reason, Tesse had an especially difficult rehearsal. Her voice cracked several times, causing her director to lose it.

  Mr. Reagan raged from the auditorium seats. “Tesse, what’s wrong with you? You sound like a prepubescent boy!”

  “Sorry, I didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “Well, it shows. Take some sleeping pills if you must, but come here rested or don’t come at all.”

  Tesse cringed. Mr. Reagan was known for being unreasonable just before an opening. She didn’t take it personally, but still it wasn’t any fun disappointing the man. She heard the creak of the auditorium door and saw the silhouette of someone leaving. Tesse couldn’t blame the person. Her singing was so off she would have left, too.

  Tesse dragged herself through the rest of the day, grateful when three o’clock finally rolled around. She longed to veg at the library. Even though she had a research paper due, it was on a topic she was familiar with and wouldn’t require much effort on her part.

  She placed her backpack next to an empty table and collapsed into a chair. She sat there for several minutes with her eyes closed. When she opened them, Tesse couldn’t help noticing that the back of the guy sitting in front of her looked an awful lot like Luke. She growled under her breath. Why was she seeing Luke everywhere she went? It was irritating and only made the pain worse. She nestled her head in her arms, shutting her eyes tight to keep back the tears.

  A few minutes later, she heard a hearty, “Hey, Beautiful! Fancy meeting you here.”

  Tesse lifted her head and put a finger to her lips. “Do you think you could have said that any louder? We are in a library, you know.”

  Jerrod sat down next her and scooted his chair close. “Sorry, can’t help myself when I’m around you. So how was your day?”

  She grunted, “Don’t ask.” He put his arm around her shoulders in concern. Even though she hated to admit her failure, she told to Jerrod, “I really sucked at rehearsals today. It was humiliating.”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

  “It was, trust me.”

  “If you want, we could practice your lines again.”

  “Um… no.” She laughed softly. “Practicing with you is more distracting than helpful.”

  “At least let me take you out for a proper meal. You need sustenance after such a difficult day and I know how you are when you get stressed. It’s all Ding Dongs and Ho Ho’s.”

  She snorted in self-defense. “Well, I do find my comfort in chocolate.”

  “So, dinner with me tonight?”

  He was trying to make it sound casual, but this was going to be their first official date. Did Jerrod realize he was only adding more drama into her already chaotic life? Still, a tasty meal away from the campus would be nice and Jerrod looked so handsome sitting beside her. He was delightful eye candy with his long dark hair, baby blue eyes and manly cleft chin. “Dinner would be nice,” she finally answered. It was sweet the way his eyes lit up when she agreed to go.

  “Excellent! When do you want to head out?”

  “I still have to get my research done, but it shouldn’t take long.”

  “Can I meet you back here in say, an hour? I’ve got a quick lab I need to complete in Chemistry.”

  “Make it an hour and a half. I need to make copies of some of the materials.”

  “You got it!” Jerrod brushed his lips against hers before getting up. “See you soon, Honey Pie.”

  “Honey Pie?”

  “Just testing out different pet names for you,” he said with a grin.

  After Jerrod left, Tesse pulled a folder and pencil out of her backpack. She’d have to get cracking if she was going to finish by the time Jerrod returned. Tesse noticed the man in front of her get up to leave. He turned slightly when he pushed his chair in and Tesse swore the side of his face looked scarred.

  Could it be?

  “Hey, Luke,” she called out. The man hesitated. It had to be him! “Luke, is that you?”

  The man turned around slowly. He gave her a lopsided grin, the burn scars preventing a full smile. Time stood still, just before Tesse felt the blood pound in her ears. She couldn’t breathe.

  “Hi, Tesse.”

  Her body was numb and unresponsive. Tears formed, blocking her vision. Tesse blinked them away, only to have more take their place.

  Luke walked towards her hesitantly. “I’m not here to mess things up for you, Tesse. I just had to know you were okay.”

  She gasped in disbelief. “You were planning to leave without a word?”

  “I didn’t want to be a distraction for you.”

  Tesse ignored his lame excuse. “You never wrote me, Luke. You never even called!”

  “I’ve been out of the country, Tesse. My mother and I moved to Africa to escape my psychotic father.”

  “But you never contacted me… and you promised.” The tears fell, though she desperately tried to stop them. Tesse wiped her eyes several times, willing herself to stop.

  Luke was standing over her now. He looked so different. His boyish face had thinned out, his cheeks and chin more prominent then she remembered. He was tan and his sandy hair was shades lighter, probably bleached by the sun. The scars on his face had lightened slightly with the passage of time. Luke looked like a grown man, not the boy she had fallen in love with. But his eyes were the same. Still a deep ocean blue and magnetic… Her whole body hummed like an electrical current having him near her again.

  “I came back as soon as I could, Tesse. My father died in a car accident less than a week ago. After years of torment, we are finally free of the bastard.”

  Her brain was struggling to come to grips with the fact Luke was standing in front of her. This wasn’t a dream, even though it seemed impossible.<
br />
  “Do you mind if I sit?” She shook her head, so Luke sat in the chair previously occupied by Jerrod. “I’ve been in Africa doing missionary work with my mother while we waited for the authorities to catch the asshole. It is a fortunate twist of fate that my father died trying to hunt us down.”

  “But why no contact?” she finally whimpered, a tear escaping despite her best efforts.

  He wiped it away tenderly, his touch sending shivers through her. “The authorities had reason to believe my father knew about you and was keeping tabs on both you and your mother. I couldn’t chance it, Tesse. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

  It seemed a reasonable answer, but Tesse was too angry and hurt to forgive him yet. “I waited all that time, Luke. It’s been torture not knowing what happened to you both.”

  “I’m sorry, Tesse.” His eyes reflected her pain, but he shook it off and abruptly changed the subject. “It looks like you are doing well these days. I heard you at rehearsal. You sound amazing. I never knew you had such an angelic voice.”

  Tesse blushed, knowing that what he had heard was a terrible version of her singing. “I decided to follow my own dreams instead of my mother’s. She wanted me to become a lawyer, but when I was a kid I dreamed of being a singer. The summer after high school, I attended drama camps and took intensive singing lessons. My singing coach told me I have a natural talent, so I came here to see if I could turn it into a career.”

  “You’re being true to your heart and talent. I’m proud of you, Tesse.”

  Her heart fluttered at his praise. Of all the people in the world, Luke’s opinion meant the most to her. “What about you? What have you been doing in Africa?”

  Luke’s eyes lit up, as did the tone of his voice when he answered. “It’s been amazing. My mother is a registered nurse, so I basically became her apprentice. We’ve been visiting remote villages all over Africa providing limited medical services.” He gazed deeply into her eyes, making it difficult for her to breathe. “Every day I try to honor my little brother’s memory by making a difference to these children. It’s been rewarding, but I have missed you.”