“Do you think he does feel something more for you?”
He says so, which is something I can’t fathom. I drain my drink and turn to face her. “Can we bury this for now?”
She nods. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is. It’s the way it needs to be. So, do you want to shove stuffing up that turkey’s ass, or should I?”
“I can honestly say, I have never had my hand up the ass of a bird.”
“Whoa, what did we walk in on?” Colton says, coming into the kitchen with Nelson sitting on his waist, both looking a little sleep-dopey and gooey eyed for their girlfriend and mama.
“Hey, cowboy,” Sas says, sidling up to my brother and kissing him before stroking Nelson’s hair.
I use the turkey’s ass as my excuse to look away because I’m as green-eyed as the broccoli I’m roasting later.That’s what I want.
Colton brings Nelson to me and I kiss his head, then tell them, “Daddy’s outside tidying round the pool and blowing up inflatables. Tanner’s had the most ridiculous bouncy castle delivered – a giant bear. Nelson will love it.” I roll my eyes. Nelson absolutely does not need a ginormous bouncy castle for his mostly adult party but I know he’ll be delighted later when Tanner takes him on there.
When the boys leave Sas and me to it, again, I tell her, “Sas, what I said about Tanner…”
“Don’t worry. There’s nothing to tell.”
“Thanks.” The last thing we need is my brother blowing up. Or Tanner finding out how badly I’m falling for him. “In a complete change of topic, I’ve booked my road test.”
“Oh my goodness, when is it?”
“A few weeks. I got a cancellation.”
“Are you nervous?”
I don’t answer because the unmistakable roar of a Tanner Pace car grows closer to the house. I give the food a quick safety glance – we’re all set and on time – then run out to the porch to see Tanner wrestling a giant cuddly bear out the driver’s side of one of his sports cars.
Soft toy aside, he looks every bit a professional athlete. Hair styled, beard trimmed, dark shades in place, a shirt that hugs every perfect inch of his muscly torso and wraps around bulging biceps, tucked into dark pants that look like an emotional support garment for his thick thighs.
Praise the Lord for the distraction of Darcy, who I’m thankfully becoming less star struck around since Dallas (and multiple video calls where she and I have ended up chatting at Pace’s place).
She gives me a hug before looping my arm through hers. “I’m so excited to be here. Tanner’s told me so much about the ranch and it’s as magical as he made it sound.”
“Where’s the big man?” Tanner asks, pressing a kiss to my cheek that makes my skeleton wobbly.
“Colton or Nelson?” I ask, swooning.
“Come on. Nelson, my man.”
“By the pool.”
He nods and leads us that way, Sas intercepting us midway and stealing Darcy from me. I fall into step alongside Tanner, a big bear under one arm, as he brings his other around my shoulders. Touchy in a way that’s too much in front of my family but also aspirational. “Hey, Mama. Congratulations on surviving your first year.”
He winks at me over his shades in that way that’s equivalent to him tearing off my panties. “It’s been made a lot easier in recent months, thanks to you.”
He kisses me again – temple this time – and I’m left a little… dumfounded. There’s been an awkwardness between us whenever we touch, since the night on his sofa, or maybe since the hotel sort-of-date-but-not. Today, though, he’s easy breezy.
Which is in complete contrast to me, nervous Herbert, wondering how today will go if Auston turns up like he’s said he will.
Nelson beams when he spots Tanner – or the ridiculous bear in his arms – and comes tottering toward us, leaving his granddaddy, who’s been acting lifeguard.
My one-year-old’s arms are outstretched, for the bear, I think, until he says, “Da-da.”
I finally understand the meaning behind the saying “it felt like the earth moved beneath me”. My hands come to cover my gaping mouth as I hear an intake of breath from someone, and I hold my own, wondering how Tanner is going to react to my son calling him Daddy.
