“A little better. How was Tanner?”
I roll my eyes and help unload the bags of food.
“He was good. He said the apartment above the bookstore is still available. Fully furnished.”
I glance over at Winnie who has cuddled up under Lauren’s arm now.
“You can go swing by and look at it,” Rhett directs over tome. “Dollie said now would be a good time and we can watch Winnie for a little bit.”
I almost forgot Lauren asked me to stay. Though she offered for me to stay at the cabin, I remember those early pregnancy days when you want to do nothing other than start setting up the nursery. It was all I focused on. I was keeping myself busy by obsessing over the nursery being perfect. The first house was a law school graduation gift for Ethan. His parents made it clear that it washisgift by putting the deed only in his name. When he wanted to sell it and build something custom, Paul made sure we got my name on the new deed incase anything happened.
I spent those late nights while he was working just decorating the nursery. It was really the only room he was okay with me doing anything to, so I painted it myself, moved the furniture myself, sat in the rocking chair feeling the baby kick myself.
Now, Rhett and Lauren’s cabin only has one spare room and Winnie and I are sleeping in it. So, if I stay for the summer, I need my own place.
“I’ll go look,” I cave. “But I'm not making any promises.”
The front door nudges open and in comes Rhett’s dad’s golden retriever.
“Storm, come here baby!” Lauren calls her like it isn’t at all weird that a dog just strolled right into her house.
Winnie pats the dogs head as she climbs up between her and Lauren, and I take the time to slip away. If I stay for the summer, I will have to set some rules with Tanner. I don’t want me staying to give either of us false hope. I want it to be clear that we are just friends and my purpose of being here is to support Lauren and Rhett. Not to fall for some golden-haired, kind-eyed man. No matter how good he is to me.
9
Ipark behind the bookstore like Rhett said to. He also said to look for Dollie, the older woman who owns the shop and apartment above it. Sitting here in the sparsely filled parking lot, it crosses my mind how silly this all is. Moving here for an entire summer? I almost throw the car in reverse and leave, but I think of Lauren’s pleading eyes, and how alike she and Winnie look when they’re trying to get what they want. I grab my bag and slide out of the van.
The brick backside of the bookstore is painted white and has a single door. I look up to see a little balcony with empty planter boxes on the banister, when a flash of dirty blond hair catches my eye.
Tanner.
The top half of his coveralls are dropped off his shoulders and hanging around his waist exposing his white sweat-stained T-shirt and that silver chain necklace I have dreamt about. There’s a smear of grease across his forehead and deep smile lines around his eyes. He wipes his hands on a dirty rag and uses his wrist to wipe the sweat from his brow. Just beyond him is the auto shopwhich means this is the parking lot he where he parks every morning. Where he walks to his car every night. The parking lot he has called me from on his breaks.
“Staying for the summer?” he asks nodding toward the bookstore’s door.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
He smiles at my lie and digs a key out of his pocket. “Dollie is on lunch and asked me to show you the place.” He beckons me with the tilt of his head. “Come on.”
I follow Tanner inside and past the backdoor to the bookstore then up the stairs to the apartment.
“Is this like a side gig for you?” I quip, feeling the need to fill the silence. “Showing vacation rentals to people while you should be working?”
This gets a laugh out of him. He puts the key into the lock and pushes the front door to the apartment open. “I may have ulterior motives here.”
I step past his smirking grin and into a little space with damn butterflies in my stomach. It’s a bit stuffy in the apartment with the fans off and windows shut, but the place seems untouched. I set my bag on the counter to my right and step past the kitchen and into the living room.
“The furnishings are included?”
“Yes ma’am.” He leans against the doorway with crossed arms.
He looks like he belongs here. This apartment. This room. Even with his greasy clothes. I force my eyes away from him with every ounce of self-control.
“What?” he laughs.
“Nothing,” I snap and look out the window to see the view of downtown. A family walks along the sidewalk below and the wind blows the American flags hanging from the light posts. Ifsmall-town America town had a poster child, this would be it. I try to take it in, but I am all too aware of Tanner and I can’t blame the humid heat of this place as to why my cheeks burn under his watchful eye.
“Nothing?” he pushes.
