Meant To Be

By Deanna Shiew

Disclaimer- I do not own any of these characters.  They belong to Passions, NBC, Outpost Farm Productions, or any of these characters.  This is strictly for entertainment purposes and the authors aren't making any profit from these stories.  Feedback: Please don't forget to leave feedback to the author of this story!

CHAPTER THREE


THE DOORBELL rang just as Theresa finished applying the final touches to her makeup.  She drew a deep breath then took one last look in the mirror.  "Well, Theresa, it's now or never."

Theresa walked into the living room just as Luis opened the front door.  "Theresa, your dates here!"

"I'm right here, Luis.  You don't have to yell."

"Sorry," Luis said giving her a rueful smile before turning back to her date.  "So where are you and Theresa going tonight?"

"I thought we might go to The Seascape for dinner.  If it's alright with Theresa, of course."

Theresa smiled.  She could, of course, tell him she wanted to go to The Lobster Shack, but that wouldn't exactly fit in with her plan.  "The Seascape is fine by me.  I've only been there a few times."

"You look beautiful."  Alex said giving her a gorgeous grin. 

"Thank you."  Theresa said grabbing her jacket off the back of the chair.  "I'm ready if you are."

Luis gave her a kiss on the cheeck as she stopped in the doorway. "Have fun."

Theresa turned giving Alex a smile.  "I'm sure we will."

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ETHAN didn't know why he'd let Gwen talk him into having dinner with his parents at The Seascape.  He understood his mother was anxious to hear about the wedding plans, but tonight Ethan was anxious to spend time with Gwen alone.  Maybe if they were alone, Theresa wouldn't be invading his thoughts so much.

Ethan knew the moment Theresa entered the room.  He felt it.  It was strange, the connection he and Theresa had.  It was even stranger that they ended up at the same restaurant tonight.  Theresa would call it fate, but that was ridiculous.  Fate couldn't be that cruel.

"Look Ethan,"  Gwen said interrupting his thoughts.  "It's Theresa and her date.  Hmm, he's very handsome.  They make a cute couple.  Don't you think so?"

"Sure."  Ethan said as he shifted in his chair.  He hoped no one else noticed how uncomfortable he was.  But then he saw the gleam in his father's eye and realized someone else had noticed.  Just his luck.  His father had been trying to het him to sleep with Theresa for months now.  It was his fault Ethan was having all these fantasies about Theresa.

"Why don't we ask Theresa and her date to join us?"  Leave it to his father to make him even more uncomfortable.  Couldn't the man leave well enough alone?

"Ooh, that's a marvelous idea Julian."  Ethan couldn't believe it.  His mother was actually agreeing with his father?  "I'd love to hear some of Theresa's ideas for the wedding."

Gwen nodded her head in agreement.  "I'd like to hear her ideas too."

"Don't you think Theresa and her date would like to be alone?"

"It wouldn't hurt to ask them, would it?"

Ethan closed his eyes and prayed this wasn't happening.  He did not want to spend the evening with Theresa and her "date."  That would be pure torture.

"Hello, Ethan, Gwen, Mr. and Mrs. Crane."

Ethan's eyes flew open the moment at the sound of Theresa's voice.  When he looked up he found himself staring into Theresa's deep brown eyes.

"Hello Theresa.  Who is this handsome gentlemen you have with you tonight?"  For once, Ethan wished his mother didn't like Theresa so much.

Theresa smiles.  "This is my date Alex.  Alex, I'd like you to meet Mrs. Crane, Mr. Crane, Gwen Hotchkiss, and Ethan Crane."

"It's nice to meet you all."  Alex replied putting his hand on Theresa's back.

"You too, Alex."

Ethan remained silent.

His father gave him a grin before asking Theresa join them.  "We're dying to hear more about the wedding plans you and Ethan have been working on."

"Oh, um, can we do that another time?  Alex and I were hoping we could spend the evening alone.  You understand don't you?"

"Of course we do."  Ethan said a little too quickly, which prompted Gwen to give him a curious look. 

"Okay, well, Alex and I are going to go find our table.  I hope you enjoy your evening."  With that, she was gone.

Ethan didn't know which was worse.  Actually sharing a table with Theresa and her date or watching them from across the room and wondering what they were saying to each other.  Ethan only knew one thing for sure.  He had never seen Theresa look happier and that fact bothered him immensely.

Read Chapter Four

Chapter Four coming tomorrow!