Return to The Game of Love Chapter Sixty-Six



The Game of Love
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Author: Shai
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Unfortunately neither Tara nor Willow are mine. Neither's anyone else in this fic for that matter!


On Tara's instructions, Marie led Willow further down the hall from what the blonde had said was her room, to the guest room where Willow would be spending the night. The redhead's mind was still repeating the sentence 'Tara is going to be spending lots of time with Faith, oh God, oh God, oh God...' like a stuck record, and it wasn't really helping Willow think straight. Absent mindedly she followed the Hispanic housekeeper through a door, and it wasn't until she felt the dark haired woman lightly touch her elbow that she realized that they were in the room. "This is your room Miss Rosenberg. The dresses that Miss White had sent over for you are hung up in the closet, and if you need anything else at all just ring the bell and I'll be right with you," Marie said, starting to move towards the door. Willow nodded her head as she took her first look at the room and just about had the presence of mind to say "Marie?"

The housekeeper stopped at the door and looked at her questioningly. "Thank you so much, and please don't call me Miss Rosenberg. The name's Willow," she said, smiling kindly at the older woman.

Marie returned the smile. "Alright then. You're welcome Willow," and with that she exited the room. Willow stood taking in the room. Like the rest of the house the room was elegantly done, this time in greens and whites. It was spacious and Willow noticed that it also had a balcony. Walking out she saw that the balcony overlooked a large swimming pool, which led to more gardens. Willow noticed that tables had been set up there, and there seemed to be waiters in black jackets preparing for the party. 'Hmm, I think Tara hit the nail on the head when she said she didn't think it would be a little get together' she thought, smiling to herself before she once again remembered about Tara's handball, and the Faith factor that went along with Tara's being recalled to the training camp again this year.

Willow sighed soft. 'There's no point in fretting about this now.' She knew she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it, but at least she could TRY! Looking around Willow noticed that her bags had been brought up, and she immediately moved to them to take out her toilet kit. 'Might as well start getting ready' she thought, walking into what she presumed was the walk in closet. As soon as she entered the closet she looked up at three dresses neatly hung up waiting for her inspection, and although all three were wonderful, there was only one that made her gasp at its sheer beauty. 'I'm definitely wearing THAT one!' she thought, moving closer to take a better look at the most beautiful piece of clothing she'd ever seen.


Tara asked Marie to take Willow to her room, and walked into her own room, taking a look around. Nothing had changed, because in her absence her mother insisted that Tara's room be left the way it was. Tara had heard lots of stories from her friends about how their parents had turned their rooms into gyms, TV rooms and the likes the moment they left for college, so she was thankful that she still had her own space every time she visited her mother. Of course the fact that her mother had a gym, a TV room with a big screen and the works, and many, MANY other rooms in the house to play around with helped!

Tara walked up to the bed and plopped herself on it, lying down and looking at the ceiling. She was still buzzing from the excitement of being called to the camp that would decide the California team for this years' Team Handball Nationals, and even though it was something she'd gotten used to from now, it didn't make it any less exciting! It was nice that Anya, Cordelia and Faith had got call ups again too. She made a mental note to call them tomorrow and congratulate them. She had a feeling that her mothers party would wind up too late for her to call them later tonight, and she really needed to start getting ready now.

Getting up from her bed she walked towards her closet, and saw that her mother's designer friend had sent over 3 dresses from which she could pick the outfit she wanted to wear that night. Walking closer for a better look, Tara inspected the 3 dresses closely and settled for a black backless number that she knew her mother would approve of. The dress fitted tightly up to the waist, before flaring out, and ended just below her knees. Tara noticed that a pair of black sandals had been placed beneath the dress to go along with the outfit, and a pair of earrings had been placed behind the dress to go with it, and deciding that she would definitely wear the dress, Tara made her way towards her bathroom to take a shower.


45 minutes later Tara walked down the stairs to the reception area, to see her brother standing talking to another man who's back was turned to her, but seemed to be around the same height and built as him. Donny was dressed smartly in a black tuxedo, as was the man he was with. Looking up Donny looked at his sister and let out a low impressed whistle which made Tara grin. "10 years ago if someone had told me that my tom boy sister would one day turn into a beautiful swan, I'd have told them to go get their heads checked" Donny said, making Tara blush, and the man he was with turn around.

"And I second that!" the man said. Tara realized that it was Steve, Donny's childhood friend. The two had gone to the same grade school in Sunnydale, and even though Steve's family had moved to LA a couple of years ago, the two had still made sure they kept in touch. When Susanna and Donny moved to LA, Donny and Steve had once again become great friends. "How are you Tara?" Steve asked, running his fingers through his shoulder length brown hair.

"I'm great Steve, and you?" Tara asked, smiling at him. "Good, good" Steve replied, and the three of them proceeded to make small talk. "The guests should start arriving at any minute" Donny said, and Tara nodded, thankful that most of her mothers friends were the kinds who liked to get out early, though there was the younger lot who liked to make a late appearance and party late, and Tara knew that Susanna would have definitely invited some of that lot as well. At that moment Susanna came down the stairs, on her way to check that the last minute details were alright. She looked over at the three of them and stopped for a second. "Oh look at my beautiful children" she sighed, before walking up to them and kissing Steve on each cheek, "And you're looking very handsome too Steve".

"As are you Susanna. But then again, what's new about that?" he complimented, and it was true, Susanna had chosen a beautiful knee length dress that was the faintest shade of pink possible, and teamed with a simple pair of diamond earrings and necklace, she was the very picture of elegance. "Thank you Steve" Susanna smiled graciously, before adding that she really needed to make sure that everything was set for the guests and disappeared in the direction of the party area.

Someone knocked on the door, and Tara and Steve turned to see who Marie would be letting in, when Donny, who was still facing the stairs leading upstairs let out another low whistle of appreciation. Tara turned to see what he was so impressed with, and was rendered speechless at the sight.

'I couldn't have said it better myself' she thought, trying to keep herself from drooling as she watched Willow walk down the stairs.


Continue to The Game of Love Chapter Sixty-Eight


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