“And what about Nanabelle?” His voice stayed gentle but firm. “Has Nanabelle ever left you or let you down?”
“Course not.”
“Of course not,” he repeated. “And they never will.”
His words settled like a revelation. Kenzie had never abandoned her. Nanabelle had been steady as a rock through every hard year. Not everyone she loved had left.
And neither did Tanner. Not really.
After all, he’d texted and called her to check on her. And he’d mailed her a present every year on her birthday. Her chest relaxed a bit, allowing her to breathe. How had she forgotten all that?
Some people stayed. Some people chose her, over and over again, no matter how extra she was.
Tanner’s voice dropped even lower. “I know I hurt you when I went to ride the rodeo circuit.”
Junie started to shake her head. “No, no, you didn’t?—”
He slipped a finger under her chin and gently covered her lips with it, silencing her. “Yes, Cupcake. I did. I’m not saying what I did was wrong, but we can both admit that it hurt you. And I am so sorry for that. I didn’t want to hurt you then, and I never want to hurt you now.”
His thumb brushed tenderly across her bottom lip. “Anything that could take me away from you is in the past. I am here to stay. I am here for you.”
She let those words sink in, turning them over in her mind. The tight knot of fear in her chest loosened another fraction. A small,fragile spark of hope dared to flicker to life. Maybe, just maybe, she could trust what he wanted them to build together.
“Your mother and your father both chose to leave, each in different ways,” he continued, voice steady and sure. “But, Cupcake, I’m not them.”
He held her, humming a low, soothing note under his breath as he rubbed circles on her back. “You’re safe with me,” he whispered again. “You’re loved. You’re wanted. And I’m going to spend every day proving that to you until you believe it.”
Junie melted deeper against Tanner’s chest, letting the last of the tight, painful tension slowly leak out of her body. For the first time in hours, the heavy ache in her chest felt lighter… smaller… almost bearable.
She slipped further into Little space, allowing herself to be small, this time in a good way, and soft and held. She didn’t have to be strong all the time. Not anymore. She didn’t have to hold everything together. She could justbe.
Then he gave her the words that rocked her world and settled her back on solid ground.
“Listen to me, babygirl. Life itself is a risk, and when you love someone, you both agree to deal with that risk together. I love you, Juniper Kate Morgan, and whatever your fears are, you’ll never have to face them alone. Not ever again.”
Tanner kept his arms wrapped securely around her, his hand continuing to caress her back with those slow, soothing circles, letting the silence wash over his words while he whispered gentle praise and promises against her hair. His deep, steady breathing provided proof of the life he was giving to her.
“Daddy,” she murmured.
“Yes, Cupcake?”
“I’ve always loved you.”
Her breathing gradually evened out. Her eyelids grew heavy. And for the first time all day, Junie let herself truly rest, safe and loved in her Daddy’s arms.
He pressed one last kiss to her temple and murmured, “Let’s close up shop for the day and get you home, little one. Daddy’s going to take care of everything.”
Junie didn’t argue. She simply tucked her face into the warm curve of his neck, breathing in the steady, comforting scent of him, and let him carry her out of the bakery.
Safe.
Loved.
And held so securely in the strong circle of his arms that, for the first time in forever, the heavy ache inside her chest finally loosened its grip.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Junie stood in her booth at the farmers’ market, carefully arranging the last of the morning’s chokecherry turnovers on the big wooden display tray. The cinnamon rolls had sold out before nine, the lemon-lavender scones disappeared by ten, and even her honey badger cookies, the ones she decorated to look like Nibbles, were down to the final two dozen.
