Tanner stood.“I’m just gonna go chat with them.”
Bree grabbed Tanner’s hand.“He didn’t say or do anything.Really.”
His thumb trailed across her wrist.“I’m not going to make a big deal.It never hurts for a deputy to say hello to people who work in town.”
Tanner walked over to their table while Bree headed to the server station to get some coffee.When she brought the two mugs back, Tanner was still over talking to the construction guys.
“This is some really pretty country,” Scott said.“Some of my favorite so far.Are you like Tanner—lived here all your life?”
Bree wasn’t sure how much of her story he’d told Scott.Probably not much, if anything.They’d agreed to stick with a cover story of a violent ex-boyfriend if anyone ever really needed information.
“No, I’ve just moved here recently.Needed to get out of the situation I was in.”
She looked over at Tanner.What was he saying to the men?She didn’t trust the creepy guy, but neither was she trying to disrupt the whole town.
A few seconds later, Tanner turned and walked back to his table.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything about you.Just chatting with them about the building progress.Normal Risk Peak stuff.”
“Okay.”She let out a sigh.“I’m probably being paranoid.”
“I know I don’t know what’s going on,” Scott said.“But sometimes it’s good to be a little paranoid in this world.Even chubby middle schoolers know that.”
Scott’s rueful smile had her feeling better.She walked back to the kitchen to place their order.
But when she looked over her shoulder, creepy guy was staring at her again.
“ARETHECONSTRUCTIONworkers giving your lady friend a hard time?”
Tanner watched as Bree walked back into the kitchen then glanced over to find that the man in question was indeed watching her.
He’d told her the truth about the talk he’d had with the guys—it had been friendly, neutral.No threats, veiled or otherwise.
But it had been a reminder that Tanner was here.Was always around.That anything that happened in this town was going to go through him.And he especially wasn’t going to let anything happen to Bree.
He didn’t think the creepy, thin guy had any dubious intent toward her, but he made Bree uncomfortable, which was enough for Tanner to make his presence known.Since there weren’t any laws he was breaking just by looking at her, there wasn’t much more Tanner could do other than that.
Sticking close to her hadn’t been a problem.True to his word in that bathroom two weeks ago, Tanner had made sure he was around.
He knew she hadn’t told him the full truth that day.There were still huge chunks of info about her situation he didn’t have.But trying to force or bully the truth out of her would just cause her to shut down and withdraw.She would revert into that thick shell of hers.
So for the past two weeks he’d been trying togentlethe truth out of her.
This prickly woman had plenty of defenses against someone trying to force her to do something, but she seemed clueless when it came to someone being kind to her.
Of course, he should probably put her in protective custody.That would be the safest thing for both her and the babies.And he still might have to do that.
He grimaced at the thought.Bree would hate it.Would hate him.
But at least she would be safe.
“Tanner?”
Tanner brought his attention back to Scott.The younger man looked concerned.Having anybody shadowing the department was an annoyance, but at least Scott was easygoing and likable so far.
Tanner shook his head.“The construction guys aren’t going to be a problem.Bree is just a little skittish.”
Scott took a sip of his coffee.“She said she just moved here a few weeks ago.She running from something?”
