“I heard he went to check on you during Sunday school.”
She glanced up. “I still can’t believe you took my class.”
He couldn’t believe it himself, but it seemed the right thing to do when he’d overheard the head of the Sunday school ministry say that Anita hadn’t shown up. “Like I said, it was fun. Who knows, I might volunteer to teach again.”
“We can always use substitutes.” She smiled.
His pulse jumped. Dressed up or dressed down, she was beautiful inside and out, and he had to have been blind all these years not to notice how much.
“I have to thank you for something else, Tanner.”
She spoke the words so quietly he had to strain to hear everything she said. “What’s that?”
“Last night.”
He stilled. “What about it?”
“I remember what happened.” She gulped, her cheeks turning red again. “I remember everything.”
Chapter11
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Anita wanted to disappear.What am I doing?
She sank farther into the purple and gray cushions on the Castillos’ old but comfy couch. She should have just thanked Tanner for taking her home last night and left it at that. But no, she had to confess that she remembered everything from last night—and she rememberedeverysingle thing now, including asking him to spend the night with her. Why, why,whyhadn’t she pretended not to remember? He hadn’t even asked her about it.
Stupid, stupid.
She was staring at her tea glass again, and he had to think she was a complete lunatic. She sure felt like one. But it was hard to look at him and not remember seeing him without a shirt in the kitchen. Or how hard it had been to pull her gaze away. He was so hard to resist. Obviously, since she’d basically asked him to sleep with her last night.
How humiliating.
“The cosmos did a number on you, didn’t they?”
His gentle tone was irresistible, allowing her to finally look at him. There was no judgment in his eyes, only kindness. “I’m never drinking those again,” she said. “Or anything else. Tanner, I’m so sorry for the things I said... and did.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He rested his ankle on his knee.
Of course he had great legs, too, and this wasn’t the first time she’d seen them. She’d played behind him in the outfield last summer on the church softball team while he played shortstop... and she had noticed a lot more than just his legs.
“You’re not the only one who’s lost their senses when they’re drunk,” he continued. “I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants, and most of them sold alcohol. Have I got some stories.”
His words, while kind, didn’t ease her shame much. “Thanks for understanding.”
His gaze held hers. “You don’t have to thank me, Anita. I’m glad I was able to be there for you.”
Despite everything, she was glad he had been. “Me too.”
He hesitated, then got up from his chair and came to sit next to her. “You’re not the only one who needs to apologize. I acted like a jerk yesterday.”
She’d been so mortified about last night she’d forgotten about their fight in the pantry. “I still don’t understand why you had a problem with my dress.” Or why he’d said she was dumb for wearing it.Ouch. Her feelings were getting hurt all over again.
“I was concerned it would get stained.”
Her brow lifted. “Really? That was it?”
Tanner rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. That was it.”
She set the tea glass down on the end table beside the couch. “Then why didn’t you just say that?”
