TESS McGowan stuffed a copy of the closing papers into her leather briefcase, ignoring its cracked handle. A couple more sales and maybe she could afford a new briefcase instead of this hand-me-down from the thrift store.

She switched off her computer and slipped on her jacket. The other offices had gone silent hours ago. She passed by the copier room but stopped when she heard shuffling. Her eyes darted to the end of the hall, making certain nothing obstructed her path in case she needed to run. She leaned against the wall and peeked around the door.

“Girl, I thought you went home hours ago.” Delores Heston startled Tess as she stood up from behind the machine and shoved a tray of paper into the mouth of the copier. She looked at Tess and her face registered concern. “Good Lord! I’m sorry, Tess. I didn’t mean to scare you. You okay?”

Immediately Tess was embarrassed at being so jumpy. The paranoia was a leftover from her old life. She smiled at Delores while she leaned against the doorjamb and waited for her pulse to return to normal.

“I’m fine. I thought everyone else was gone. What are you still doing here?”

“I’m catching up on some paperwork.” Delores punched some buttons, and the machine whizzed to life with a soft, almost comforting, hum. She had started Heston Realty nearly ten years ago and had made a name for herself in the area; quite an accomplishment for a black woman who had grown up poor. Tess admired her mentor who, after a full day of work, still looked impeccable in her custom-made suit. Delores’s silky hair was swept into a bun, not a strand out of place.

In contrast, Tess’s suit was wrinkled from too many hours of sitting. Her thick hair frizzled from the humidity. She was probably the only woman alive who dyed her blond hair a nondescript brown in order to buy herself more credibility and to avoid sexual advances.

“So, girl, what are you doing here so late? Don’t you have a handsome man you should be home snuggling with on a Friday evening?”

“Just wanted to finish all the paperwork on the Saunders house.”

“That’s right. I forgot you closed this week. Excellent job, by the way. I know the Saunderses were in a hurry to sell. How much of a beating did we take?”

“Actually, it turned out well for everyone. We beat their two-week deadline, so on top of our commission we’ll also be receiving the selling bonus.”

“Ooh, I love to hear that. There’s no better advertising than surpassing a customer’s expectations. But that bonus is all yours, dearie. You deserve it.”

For a minute Tess didn’t know what to say. The bonus was almost ten thousand dollars. That was almost six months’ pay back when she had been bartending. She managed a weak smile.

“It’s an awful lot of money. Are you sure you want to—”

“Absolutely. I know what I’m doing, girlfriend. I’m investing in you, Tess. Don’t need you going out on your own and becoming my competition. Now go home and celebrate with that handsome man of yours.”

On the way home Tess wondered if it was possible, the part about celebrating with her “handsome man.” Daniel had been so angry with her last week when she’d refused to move in with him. She wasn’t sure she blamed him. Why was it that every time a man wanted to get close, she pushed him away? No matter what she did, the past seemed to follow her around, sucking her back into its comfortable, but destructive, cocoon.

Tess found herself pulling her leased Miata into the parking lot of Louie’s Bar and Grill. She decided to pick up a bottle of wine. Then she’d call Daniel, apologize for last week and invite him over for dinner to help her celebrate. Surely he would be excited for her.

She tried to remember why she felt she needed to apologize again. Oh, well. It didn’t matter, as long as they put it behind them. She was getting good at putting things in the past. Yet, if that were true, what was she doing back here at Louie’s? Shep’s Liquor Mart was only three blocks down the street. What did she need to prove?

She reached for the ignition and was just about to leave when the back door swung open, startling her. A stocky, middle-aged man came out, his hands filled with trash bags, his apron grimy and his balding head glistening with sweat. A cigarette hung from his lips. He heaved the bags into the Dumpster and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. As he turned to go back in he saw her, and then it was too late.

He tossed the cigarette to the ground and strolled up to the car, carrying his bulk with a swagger. He thought he looked cool. When, in fact, he simply looked like a pathetic, overweight, balding, middle-aged man. Despite all that, she found him endearing, the closest thing she had to an old friend.

“Tessy,” he said. “What the hell you doin’ here?”

“Hi, Louie.” She got out of the car.

“Nice ride ya got here,” he said, checking out the shiny Miata.

She let him examine and admire it, neglecting to tell him it was a company car and not her own. One of Delores’s mottoes was that to be successful you must first look successful.

Finally, Louie turned his sights on Tess. She felt his eyes slide down her designer suit and his whistle made her blush.

“So whatcha doin’ here? Slummin’?”

“Of course not,” she snapped.

“Hey, I’m just jokin’ with ya.”

“I know.” She smiled, hoping she sounded convincing and not defensive. “I need to pick up a bottle of wine. Just thought I’d give you the business rather than Shep’s.”

“Oh, really?” He stared at her, his eyebrow raised. “Well, I appreciate it. And you know you’re always welcome.”

“Thanks, Louie.”

Suddenly she felt like that restless, going-nowhere bartender she had left here five years ago. Would she ever be rid of her past?

“Come on,” Louie said as he swung a muscular arm up around her shoulder. The smell of body odor and French fries made her stomach turn, only she was surprised to find it was homesickness she was feeling instead of nausea. Then she thought of Daniel. Later, he would smell the smoke and the burgers. She realized that would be enough to ruin the celebration.

“You know what, Louie. I just remembered something I forgot back at the office.” She turned and slipped out from under his arm.

“What? It can’t wait a few minutes?”

“No, sorry. My boss will have my ass in a sling if I don’t take care of it right now.” She climbed inside her car before Louie had a chance to object. “I’ll stop in later,” she said through the half-opened window, knowing full well she would not. “I promise.”

She turned the car onto the street, and when she knew she was safely out of sight, she gunned the engine. But it took several miles before she could hear the radio instead of the pounding of her heart. Then she remembered that she had passed Shep’s Liquor Mart. She didn’t care. She no longer felt as if she deserved a celebration, yet she tried to concentrate on her recent successes and not the past. In fact, she remained so focused, she hardly noticed the dark sedan following her.