Free No More Wasted Time by Beverly Preston

if you talk to him will you fill
him in?”
    “What do you mean? Are you changing islands?” Tracy asked.
    Tess’ face turned beet red as she struggled to find the
right words. “Well, actually I’m not sure where we’re going.”
    Tom sat on the chaise, smiling, watching her pace around in
a circle.
    “ We? Who’s we? Who are you with?” Alarm sizzled
through the phone line and JC uttered something in the background about a
Polynesian fire dancer.
    “It’s kind of a long story, but I met someone. He’s taking
me somewhere else, but I’m not sure where exactly.”
    “What! You met somebody? Who is he? How do you know he’s not
some psycho?” Tracy shrieked, sounding more like a hysterical parent than a
daughter. “Are you joking? Where’s-”
    Tess cut her off. “I’m not joking and he’s not some psycho.
In fact, he’s quite wonderful.” She turned redder by the second. “He’s just
surprising me, that’s all.”
    “Are you out of your freakin’ mind? Do you even know
anything about this guy? What does he do? I can’t believe you’re telling me
this. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be running off in a foreign
country with some stranger! What the hell, Mom!”
    “Come on, Tracy, I’d never do anything stupid.”
    “No offense, but it doesn’t sound like the smartest
decision. You don’t even know this man.” Tracy frantically repeated the
conversation to JC at the same time she lectured her mom.
    Tess took a deep breath. “I’m here with Tom Clemmins. We’ve
been together for the last week. He’s taking me somewhere else, but won’t
divulge that information because he wants to surprise me.”
    “Tom Clemmins? The Tom Clemmins?” Tracy exclaimed. JC
shrieked with excitement in the background.
    “Yes.”
    “ The Tom Clemmins?” she asked again. “Hollywood
hottie, actor Tom Clemmins?”
    JC grabbed the phone from her sister. “Right on, you go,
Momma. How’d you hook up with him?” She squealed before Tracy yanked the phone
back.
    “I just wanted to call and tell you what was going on.”
    “Wow! How’d you hook up with Tom Clemmins? I bet you are
having a good time.” Tracy said with a touch of cynicism.
    “We met on a shark excursion. Actually, he tried to steal my
private tour, but it all worked out for the best. I’ll tell you all about it
later.”
    Tom raised his eyebrows. “I hope you’re not going to tell
them everything, and that’s not fair, I didn’t steal your tour.”
    “I’m just so…surprised. Isn’t he supposed to be a total…. you
know ….jeeze, Mom…doesn’t he date a lot?"
    “He’s very nice,” she chimed sweetly, winking at Tom.
    Tom motioned for Tess to give him the phone. “Can I talk to
her for a minute?”
    Tess eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he’d say, but
decided what the hell. “Hold on Tracy, he wants to tell you something.”
    After handing him the phone, she began pacing back and forth
again wondering if it was a wise idea to let him talk to her girls. She’d never
intended on needing a Dating 101manual .
    “Hi, Tracy. I don’t want you to worry about your Mom,” Tom
said in a sweet slow voice.
    Tess couldn’t hear Tracy’s end of the conversation, however
she could hear JC from across the room as Tom held the phone away from his ear,
yelling in the background, “Hi, Tom! Tell him I said hi!”
    He chuckled. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll get your
number from your mom and text you in a couple of days when we leave, so you can
have the address of where we’ll be staying. I just want it to be a surprise for
her.”
    Tom’s grin turned sober. “I promise. I’ll take good care of
her. I understand. Okay. I won’t. Yep. Thanks. It was nice talking to you. I
can hear your sister in the background, tell her I said hi. Have fun in Greece,
it’s beautiful there.” He handed the phone back to Tess.
    “I hope you’re having fun, I miss you and please don’t worry
about me I’m fine.