"He's not my boy," I said softly, not wanting anyone else to hear.
Harlan scoffed. "Not right now, maybe. But if I were a betting man, I know where my money would go."
I took the food and walked away. There was nothing I could say to change his mind, nothing that would make anything different. Harlan was as stubborn as they came, and if he thought that this was how things would go, then that was it.
Breakfast was mostly quiet. Some of the guys looked like they wanted to figure out the reason for Tanner's appearance; others were happy to see him. I wasn't lying when I said he was pretty much family here.
As soon as the others finished, Atticus and Sean directed them on what needed to be done for the day and sent them off. They asked me to stay behind, and I wasn't sure if it was because they wanted extra ears or because I was the one who'd welcomed Tanner and they wanted to verify everything that happened.
When it was just the four of us, we moved into the living room. I sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace while Sean and Atticus cuddled on the couch. Tanner stood and paced around the room, wringing his hands together.
"I'm sorry if I'm an imposition," he said quickly. "I can find somewhere else to stay. I know this is kind of sudden."
Atticus raised his hand to halt Tanner's words. "You don't need to apologize for anything. We're happy to have you. There's plenty of room and plenty of food. As long as you're not missing vital work or something, you're welcome to stay as long as you want."
Tanner's shoulders dropped, the tension bleeding out of him. "That would be amazing, and I don't have anything that I can't switch around. I… I need the time off."
"That's understandable," Sean said gently. "Do you want to tell us why this feels so sudden and…"
"Maybe why you feel so restless?" Atticus added.
Tanner looked to me, and though I wasn't quite sure what he needed, I gave him a subtle nod as if to encourage him.
I'm here, bud. I've got your back. You don't have to do this alone.
Tanner took a deep breath and dove into the story. He explained about his client and how the case that should have been easy wasn’t. About how the other lawyers found holes inevery piece of evidence and every idea he brought forth. Before he knew it, his client had lost, stormed away, and the children were stuck in a situation that wasn't ideal for them.
My heart broke hearing it, especially with the way that Tanner's voice seemed to crack as he spoke. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, wanted to hold him close and tell him that it would be okay—that the universe would find a way to balance it all out, to bring those children to safety. That maybe they could go back to trial later.
Not that I had a law degree or anything, but surely there had to be some type of contingency for these things. Instead, I squeezed my hands into fists until my knuckles were white and held still, giving him the space to finish.
Sean did not have the same kind of restraint. He leaped from the couch and wrapped Tanner in a tight hug. The two of them swayed side to side as Atticus turned to me.
"I think Tanner needs to stay a while, don't you?"
I gave him a nod. "Yes, sir. Already told him I would go pick up some clothes for him today while he settled and rested."
There was a glimmer in Atticus's eye at my confession. He was pleased to see me stepping up—that I was including myself in this. Though I felt like I was a part of the ranch, I had kept a certain level of distance.
But there could be no distance when it came to this. Not when it came to Tanner being taken care of.
"I think that's a great idea," Atticus said. He pulled out his wallet and handed me a credit card. "Use this. Get what you need for him. At least two weeks' worth. We can wash and rotate other stuff."
I took the card and tucked it into my pocket. While I could have paid for it myself, I wasn't going to tell my boss no. It was part of who he was, part of the mission here at the Coleman Ranch. They took care of others in every way they could.
So for me, it came down to accepting that. While I wasn't paying for things, I would be the one purchasing them and selecting them. Everything that touched Tanner's body for the foreseeable future would be something that I put together, if not something I owned.
The idea was heady. It made my body light up with a possessive urgency that should have alarmed me but instead felt entirely natural.
Sean and Tanner were whispering to each other, heads bent close together. I stood, which drew their attention.
"I'm going to go ahead and head into town," I said. "I need to run some errands. You know, get ready for Christmas and everything."
Sean nodded as Tanner bit his lip, looking uncertain. "That's a good idea. I know we've got a lot coming up between ranch activities and the Secret Santa, and—" Sean paused, turning to Tanner. "I won't ask you to be a part of Secret Santa, but don't be surprised if someone pops up with a gift for you. It totally happens every year, even for the people who don't participate. Isn't that right, Simon?"
I shook my head and smiled. "Yes, even though I don't participate, people tend to buy me gifts. You might as well say it's mandatory at this point."
Sean gasped and pressed his hand to his chest in offense. "I will not make it mandatory, thank you very much! The point is, everyone should be in the holiday spirit, and everyone deserves a present."
