Restless in Texas: A Champagne & Truffles Series

One T he weather was unusually bright and sunny for late winter in Switzerland. Rays of sunlight offered a “welcome out” as they gleamed in the chateau’s kitchen. The housekeeper quietly entered the bedroom where the honeymooners from the United States were still asleep, and, as requested by Mr. Tyler the previous night, she used the remote to open the drapes. She quickly slipped out of the room, knowing that Mr. Tyler would get up now that daylight had entered. The sun beamed directly on the bed where Jake Tyler and his new bride, Tess Golden Tyler, were sleeping, awakening Jake as the darkness gave way to daylight. With his arms still around his sleeping bride, he kissed her neck and cheeks and aroused her from sleep. “Bonjour Madame Tyler. Avez-vous bein dormi?” Good morning Mrs. Tyler. Did you sleep Well? An arousing Tess stretched and rested her hand on his head, rubbing the curls on the nape of his neck. “Oui Monsieur Tyler. Je dors très bein. As tu?” Yes, Mr. Tyler. I slept very well. Did you? “Every night, I sleep next to you, Tess, I sleep well.” “Are you going to feel this way when we get home, Jake?” “Baby, I will feel this way for the rest of our lives,” he said as he lightly patted her on her derriere. She rolled over, looked at the clock, and said, “If we’re going to see Nicolette at her shop, we need to get up, get dressed, and get going. I don’t want to leave Switzerland without my chocolates, and she is holding a special bottle of champagne for me.” . Jake got up, stood on the side of the bed, and said, “Let’s shower together quickly. We’ll get an early start to tour La Chaux-de-Fonds after we visit with Nicolette. Tomorrow, we return to Texas, baby, the honeymoon trip will end, but the honeymoon will last the rest of our lives.” “That better be a promise, Mr. Tyler, and I’m going to hold you to it.” He leaned over, kissed her, sat on the side of the bed, and said, “It is, baby, it’s a promise.” Tess said, “I’m going to hate leaving this Chateau, this Castle. I feel like a real princess here.” “That’s because you are my princess, and wherever we live, I will make you feel like royalty.” He gently kissed her lips again and said, “Now, let’s get ready to see your friend.” She leaped out of bed and followed him into the shower. She didn’t want him to know that she had been awake earlier because she had the dream again. She had recurring dreams of being traumatized on the night her late ex-husband left her and on that same night, she saw a stranger in her bedroom. However, the dreams were real. Why now? she thought. I can’t believe this is happening on my honeymoon. Why isn’t this behind me, in the past, where it should be? Having spent two weeks in France on their honeymoon, Switzerland was the last visit before Jake and Tess would return to the States. She met him when he was the singer at a lounge he owned in Houston. Tess was captivated by his smooth voice, his deep blue eyes, and his gentle touch when he later held her in his arms. They fell in love and were married on Valentine’s Day, six months later, in Riverton, South Carolina, her hometown. When they met, she was a divorcée with a five-year-old daughter, Alli. Her ex-husband, Mike Morgan, died three months before she and Jake were married. When Tess came into his life, Jake was a widower with an eighteen-year-old son, Deuce, enrolled in college. Jake is a wealthy businessman and a senior partner in Tyler Oil Company. He’s also a musician with three albums recorded that made the top ten on the Country and Pop music charts. He owns several businesses and properties in several cities in Texas. Tess had some concerns about her relationship with Jake, mainly because she is African American, and he is Caucasian. She was just getting over a painful divorce and was not interested in a relationship, although when she met him she was instantly attracted to him. Once he held her in his arms, she felt such safety and contentment, a feeling that she belonged, something she had never felt in her marriage to Mike. She soon forgot about their differences and knew this man had to be in her life. Jake had been involved with several women, beautiful and famous, but he quickly discovered that they were superficial and only wanted the lifestyle he could give them. They wanted publicity and to be seen with the wealthiest man in Houston. Despite feeling lonely after Deuce left home, Jake felt resigned to being alone with his music and his businesses until he met Tess. Once he looked into her beautiful bright, amber-colored eyes, he was mesmerized and instantly fell in love with her. Jake believed he could have the happy and blissful marriage with Tess that he did not have with his first wife, Beth. That was a secret he kept from everyone, especially his son. He often wondered how long he would harbor the guilt for what happened in his marriage, and if he would ever stop blaming himself for her death.