“Nothing.”
“You’re a bad liar.”
I shrug and lean my head into a door off the living room. A twin-sized bed, a nightstand and a dresser are squeezed inside with a small window seat.
“The balcony is off your room,” Tanner tells me.
The cool I’m trying to play is quickly dissipating as he motions for me to follow him back across the living room and into what could be my room. A queen-sized bed, a small dresser and a matching nightstand.
“You get evening sun in here.” Tanner steps toward the double doors and swings them open. “Morning sun will be in Winnie’s room.”
“Do you get evening sun in your room too?”
His smile quirks at the question. One I have no business asking.
“Morning sun.” He steps onto the balcony, flicking the door frame as he passes through. “I usually wake up to the sun in the summer. You’ll need an alarm in here.”
When Winnie and I made our summer bucket list, watching Tanner Auclair walk around what could possibly bemysmall balcony and inspecting it, sure as hell was not on the list. I feel like I have stepped out of my life and into this little pretend one where handsome men check the flower planters and if there is too much wiggle in the banister. Now it’s my turn to lean in the doorway and watch him move about.
“So?” He spins to me and leans back against the railing. “What do you think?”
I pull my eyes up from where the tiniest sliver of skin is exposed above his belt line. It’s the most unfair thing a man can do. Look this good in a T-shirt and dirty coveralls.
“If Winnie's in, I'm in,” I tell him.
A grin appears under that mustache, and I have to stop myself from walking across this balcony and into his arms. I have to remind myself of the truth here.
“We have to be just friends,” I tell us both. “I'm going home in a few months, and with Winnie, it just makes it?—”
“Complicated,” he finishes for me.
“Exactly.”
He pushes off the banister and walks over, only to stop just shy of me. His dark eyes and freckled nose are touchable. His eyelashes flicker on his cheeks. “Just for the record, I'm not scared of complicated. I'm not scared of baggage, or him, or kids. Like you said. If we came down to it, and you wanted to try this out, if Winnie is in, I'm in.”
They are—until they aren’t. My dad was in, at one point. Ethan was in, at one point. Now both are gone. Despite being my blood, and despite our wedding vows, neither was truly in.
When I don’t respond, Tanner simply reaches into his pocket and pulls out the key. “Bring Winnie by. Dollie said she’s holding it for you, and if you sign Winnie up at the Y, give them my name. They’ll have a spot for her.”
“Thank you,” I tell him but he’s too busy studying me to smile.
“Anything for you.” He tips his head. “I should get back.”
And without another word, he slips past me and into the apartment. A moment later I see him down in the parking lot, rubbing the back of his neck as he strolls over to the shop. He shrugs his coveralls back on, then turns and looks at me over his shoulder, shooting me a wink.
It’s almost a surprise when I am lying in bed later and myphone begins to ring. Winnie barely stirs as I scramble to answer it.
“Tell me about your day.” His voice is soft and convoyed by wind chimes and a breeze.
“Even the boring parts?”
“Especially the boring parts.”
10
Rhett and Lauren started their morning early and left for the doctor before I even got out of bed. So now Winnie and I sit on the back deck eating the sugary cereals she convinced Rhett to buy for her.
“So. Win.” I lean forward, reaching for my cup of coffee. “I have a question.”
