New Amsterdam: Tess by Ashley Pullo Page A

pinching Meg’s thigh under the counter.
    Thessaly arches her eyebrow and complies. “Fine. Mason wanted to hook up.”
    “End your sentence with yo for emphasis.”
    “Mason wanted to hook up, yo!” Thessaly chirps.
    Meg and Seth smile and demand in unison, “Continue.”
    “So he came by and we messed around a little – but I wasn’t feeling it. Maybe I realized something was missing. Like, where’s the passion? The give and take?”
    “Go on,” Seth instructs while chomping on ice.
    “He had me pinned against the wall,” she reveals, suddenly ashamed. “Anyway, all I could think about was the need for honey sticks.”
    Snickering, Seth asks, “Should I insert a joke now?”
    “I’m talking about honey in sticks. They’re treats.”
    “I bet they are,” he panders.
    “You killed the mood, didn’t you, Tess?” asks Meg.
    “Not even close. Mason is tenacious and always gets what he wants. Very few things will stop him.”
    “Like?”
    “Like, I told him I wanted to date other people.”
    Meg laughs while Seth shakes his head. “Lemme guess . . .” he starts.
    “Now he wants you, right?” Meg snorts.
    “He didn’t want to believe me about the dating, he’s so arrogant, but this morning, he sent me five texts – the five stages of jealousy.” Thessaly reads from her phone in a deep voice. “I love you. We belong together and I was stupid for not seeing that sooner. We have a history and a future. No prick is good enough for you. I won’t wait for you to change your mind.”
    Meg’s jaw drops as Seth whistles.
    “Wow, that’s some lame shit,” Meg says flatly.
    Seth grabs Thessaly’s phone and insists, “Don’t text him back! I want to see how far this goes.”
    Standing from the island, Thessaly yanks her phone out of Seth’s hand. “He won’t give up.”
    “Maybe you need a sexy farmer with a hankering for ice cream to kick his ass,” Meg suggests with a smile.
    “Maybe so.”

    Using the iPad to research Shelter Island weddings, Thessaly quickly checks Pinterest to gather a few ideas. She always tries to stay away from cheesy puns when it comes to using her products as gifts, and the best way to avoid clichéd phrases is to show an elegant bride how overused that crap really is.
    Aware that her two o’clock appointment arrived early, Thessaly watches as they wander around the store. Overhearing their remarks about the gorgeous packaging of the confections and the exquisite modern design of her shop, Thessaly takes the opportunity to approach the ladies.
    “Hello, welcome to The Hive. I’m Thessaly Sinclair.” Extending her arm and motioning toward the island, Thessaly adds, “We can chat over here.” As the women sit with their designer handbags and remove their iPads and folders, Thessaly signals to Meg standing near the register. Taking her cue, Meg heads to the kitchen to retrieve the glorified refreshments.
    Smiling and arching her Botox-ridden eyebrows, the wedding planner exclaims, “Thessaly, it is so nice to meet you – I’m Mindy Hollis-Klein. We’re absolutely in love with your shop!” Tapping the island in front of the bride, she adds, “Heather and I were discussing how your honey and jams are like little pieces of art.”
    “Thank you,” Thessaly replies, sitting down across from the two women. “I take great pride in my family’s farm – it was only right to share it with the Seaport.”
    Meg arrives at the island carrying a wicker tray of warm cornbread, and a sampling of jams and honey. Thessaly places a small plate in front of each woman with a smile. “I hope y’all are hungry.”
    Heather’s eyes expand with horror, terrified of ingesting unwanted calories before her wedding. “It smells delicious, Thessaly, but I’ll just have a water with lemon.”
    Mindy uses the serving tongs and places a small portion of cornbread on her plate. “Think of this as a tasting, Heather. Jam or honey?”
    Suggesting something lighter, Thessaly