of my life with. How am I going to balance both?” Torie took a sip of wine. “Maybe I’m being greedy to even try,” she concluded.
“That’s complete nonsense. There are lots of successful actresses who have it all. Look at Jada and Will Smith. He had a kid already when they got together. And…and how about that guy…that comedian you like? He had two kids by what’s-her-name when he hooked up with his second wife and they’ve been together for years.”
“True, but obviously those women wanted to be mothers…stepmothers, whatever. Point is, I don’t even know if I want to have kids. On top of that, Monte’s boys are seven and nine years old and, unlike your examples, they are not the product of a divorce. Their mother died, Lisette, and they’ve been dealing with that loss for the past three years. Who’s to say they even want me to come into their lives?”
“Well, my little worrywart, there’s only one way to find out the answers to all of your questions,” Lisette said, chugging the remnants of her glass back dramatically.
“And what’s that?”
“Just jump in and let the currents take you where they might.”
Torie allowed Lisette’s advice to settle between them as she silently sipped her drink. Torie didn’t know how to adequately express her feelings about Monte and his children to Lisette without coming off sounding selfish. She wanted Monte, there was no doubt about that. Despite her well-laid plans to focus on her career and take a break from men, she found herself longing for his touch, his taste and his presence. He’d stirred her soul like a master chef and that was not something she could just walk away from. However, Monte was a package deal. He came with two little human beings attached to his hips, and that was an unexpected twist to an otherwise enticing road.
Chapter 9
Hesitant Heart
T orie had reviewed the contract with Knight Productions to shoot the pilot and six episodes of Higher Learning earlier in the day and she was in the mood to celebrate. She could think of no one else she wanted to celebrate her success with other than Monte. She was relieved when he accepted her offer of a candlelight dinner for two at her apartment. She spent the afternoon shopping for ingredients for a fresh vegetable salad, a turkey lasagna that was to die for and a key lime pie that would blow his socks off.
When the doorbell rang at seven o’clock sharp, Torie had just put the finishing touches on dinner. She checked her hair in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door, smoothed the form-fitting dress she wore and took a deep breath in an effort to calm the excitement that had her feeling buzzed. She greeted Monte at the door with a warm kiss and a tight hug.
“Whoa, girl, I almost forgot how good you look,” Monte said.
Once inside the apartment, he pulled her back into his arms and squeezed her body against his. His mouth found hers, andit was obvious from the heat of his kiss that he’d missed her just as much as she’d missed him.
“You’re wearing my favorite tie,” Torie remarked when they came up for air.
She smoothed the red tie around Monte’s neck; it was the same tie he’d been wearing the first time she’d ever laid eyes on him.
“And you’re wearing my favorite smile, beautiful,” Monte said.
“Come in and have a seat,” Torie said.
She took Monte by the hand and led him into the living room. Monte removed his suit jacket and sat down on the overstuffed sofa. He glanced around the room, immediately taken by the coziness of it. This room was the perfect reflection of Torie’s personality—it was tasteful, not overdone and full of interesting little fixtures. There were small African sculptures and crystal figurines on the frosted-glass shelves that hung from one wall. There was a deep oak entertainment center against another wall that housed a stereo system and dozens of books. The coffee table in the center of the room was made of wood
“That’s complete nonsense. There are lots of successful actresses who have it all. Look at Jada and Will Smith. He had a kid already when they got together. And…and how about that guy…that comedian you like? He had two kids by what’s-her-name when he hooked up with his second wife and they’ve been together for years.”
“True, but obviously those women wanted to be mothers…stepmothers, whatever. Point is, I don’t even know if I want to have kids. On top of that, Monte’s boys are seven and nine years old and, unlike your examples, they are not the product of a divorce. Their mother died, Lisette, and they’ve been dealing with that loss for the past three years. Who’s to say they even want me to come into their lives?”
“Well, my little worrywart, there’s only one way to find out the answers to all of your questions,” Lisette said, chugging the remnants of her glass back dramatically.
“And what’s that?”
“Just jump in and let the currents take you where they might.”
Torie allowed Lisette’s advice to settle between them as she silently sipped her drink. Torie didn’t know how to adequately express her feelings about Monte and his children to Lisette without coming off sounding selfish. She wanted Monte, there was no doubt about that. Despite her well-laid plans to focus on her career and take a break from men, she found herself longing for his touch, his taste and his presence. He’d stirred her soul like a master chef and that was not something she could just walk away from. However, Monte was a package deal. He came with two little human beings attached to his hips, and that was an unexpected twist to an otherwise enticing road.
Chapter 9
Hesitant Heart
T orie had reviewed the contract with Knight Productions to shoot the pilot and six episodes of Higher Learning earlier in the day and she was in the mood to celebrate. She could think of no one else she wanted to celebrate her success with other than Monte. She was relieved when he accepted her offer of a candlelight dinner for two at her apartment. She spent the afternoon shopping for ingredients for a fresh vegetable salad, a turkey lasagna that was to die for and a key lime pie that would blow his socks off.
When the doorbell rang at seven o’clock sharp, Torie had just put the finishing touches on dinner. She checked her hair in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door, smoothed the form-fitting dress she wore and took a deep breath in an effort to calm the excitement that had her feeling buzzed. She greeted Monte at the door with a warm kiss and a tight hug.
“Whoa, girl, I almost forgot how good you look,” Monte said.
Once inside the apartment, he pulled her back into his arms and squeezed her body against his. His mouth found hers, andit was obvious from the heat of his kiss that he’d missed her just as much as she’d missed him.
“You’re wearing my favorite tie,” Torie remarked when they came up for air.
She smoothed the red tie around Monte’s neck; it was the same tie he’d been wearing the first time she’d ever laid eyes on him.
“And you’re wearing my favorite smile, beautiful,” Monte said.
“Come in and have a seat,” Torie said.
She took Monte by the hand and led him into the living room. Monte removed his suit jacket and sat down on the overstuffed sofa. He glanced around the room, immediately taken by the coziness of it. This room was the perfect reflection of Torie’s personality—it was tasteful, not overdone and full of interesting little fixtures. There were small African sculptures and crystal figurines on the frosted-glass shelves that hung from one wall. There was a deep oak entertainment center against another wall that housed a stereo system and dozens of books. The coffee table in the center of the room was made of wood
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