Sam’s heart beat quickly, so she slowed her pace. Took some deep breaths.
Now was not the time for her to think about Tanner and coffee and the way his cologne smelled like pine and salt and musk. No, now was not that time. Not when she was 99 percent certain Harry had a clandestine bingo game going down in his room.
The three usual suspects of the underground gambling ring at the retirement home hadn’t attended the puppet show.
Which meant she could track them and ignore the butterflies in her stomach that fluttered around the thought of Prince Tanner.
Tanner. He was only a guy. Just a normal guy who showed up and got thrust into a puppet show.
That’s all. That’s all it was.
Chapter Four
TANNER
What didhe do about Samantha Johnson? He’d rolled over the events of the afternoon. Rewound them. Rolled over them again.
Clarity was being an elusive fucker on this one.
“What do you think, Harley?” Tanner asked after telling Bax and Courtney’s baby all about Sam.
Harley wasn’t talking yet, which made her an excellent listener. Wasn’t great with the advice though—given the whole no-talking thing.
One of the bonuses of the Dimefront guys moving Tanner and Mach into the neighborhood was they got a built-in pair of babysitters for little Harley.
Uh-huh. That’s also why they shelled out for Mach and Tanner’s house, he was pretty sure. Tonight when lead singer Bax and his wife Courtney hit him up to chill with baby Harley, he agreed. He was a sucker for Harley, so this was not a hardship.
“I should text Linx,” Tanner said, dropping his ass to the leather sofa Mach had picked up for the great room. “Don’t you think?”
Harley shoved the play-keys in her mouth instead of answering.
The quiet sometimes got overwhelming. The house was too big. Too much space for a person to get lost in. But since it was also home, and his makeshift family had offered it, he did his best to ensure everyone knew he was grateful.
Even if the ceilings were too high and the finishes too expensive. He’d get used to it. Someday. Maybe if there was something to come home to other than a generally grumpy-as-hell guitar player/brother?
That could be what the house needed… not a place to be home. But someone to make the place a home.
Like what Linx found with Becca. Bax with Courtney. Knox with Irina.
He shot off a quick text to Linx, since he’d spent part of the day pretending to be the guy.
Tanner: How did you know Becca was the one?
Linx: Who’s asking?
Tanner: It matters?
Linx: Yes
Tanner: Me
Linx: …
Tanner: Quick answer. Don’t break your brain thinking.
Linx: You met Sam, didn’t you?
The flow of blood to Tanner’s brain stopped because, hold up, how did Linx know about Sam?
