Chapter 6
TANK
T his Thanksgiving wasn’t shaping up at all like I’d planned. I’d bought the smallest turkey at the grocery store, along with some boxed dressing mix and canned green beans, corn, and cranberry sauce. The plan had been to have a solo dinner at the table, slam back a few beers, and watch the game.
Sounded like a perfect Thanksgiving to me. Until, that was, I met Candace.
She stood next to me at the stove, stirring the green beans and corn while I carved the turkey. My mouth was already watering as it hit me that in just a few minutes, we’d dig into this delicious food.
"You know," she said, bumping my arm with hers as she reached for the salt, "I never thought I'd say this, but boxed stuffing might actually be better than homemade."
"Blasphemy," I said, grinning as I arranged turkey slices on the platter. "Next, you'll tell me canned cranberry sauce is gourmet."
"Hey, that ridged cylinder shape is iconic. It's tradition." She laughed, and the sound made something warm settle in my chest. "My grandmother always made everything from scratch. Took her three days to prep for Thanksgiving. This is so much more relaxed."
"Relaxed is good." I set down the carving knife and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against my chest. She melted into me, and I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I like relaxed."
"Mmm." She leaned her head back against my shoulder. "I like this. Us. The way we work together."
The simple words hit me harder than they should have. In thirty-six hours, this woman had turned my quiet, solitary world upside down, and somehow it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
"We do work well together," I said against her hair. "Who knew disaster could lead to something this good?"
"Best disaster of my life." She turned in my arms, rising on her toes to kiss me softly. "Thank you. For taking me in, for taking care of me, for making this feel like?—”
The doorbell rang.
We both froze. Nobody used my front door. Hell, most people didn't even know who owned this cabin.
"Expecting someone?" Candace asked, her eyes wide.
"No." I released her reluctantly. "Stay here."
I grabbed a shirt from the back of a chair and pulled it on as I headed for the door. Through the window, I could see a tall, older man standing on my porch, snow dusting his gray hair and wire-rimmed glasses.
I opened the door. "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for my daughter." His voice was crisp and authoritative. "Candace Murphy. Her car's in your driveway."
Shit. Her father.
"Dad?" Candace appeared beside me, tugging at the hem of the T-shirt she was wearing. My T-shirt. Which barely covered her thighs and made it pretty obvious what we'd been up to.
Her father's gaze swept over her, taking in her bare legs, the oversized shirt, and her mussed hair. His jaw tightened.
"Dr. Murphy," I said, extending my hand. "I'm Tank Williams. Your daughter's been safe here during the storm."
He studied my face for a long moment before shaking my hand. His grip was firm, assessing.
"Safe,” he said. “I see."
"Dad, it's not what you think—” Candace started.
"It's exactly what he thinks," I interrupted, earning a sharp look from her. "But it's also more than that."
Dr. Murphy raised an eyebrow. "Is it?"
"Come in," I said, stepping back. "It's freezing out there."
He entered, his sophisticated vibe making my cabin feel smaller somehow. His gaze swept the space, landing on the couch with its rumpled throw and the kitchen table we'd made love on just twenty-four hours ago.
"How did you find me?" Candace asked.
"You texted us that you were safe with someone named Tank Williams, remember? Your mother was worried sick, so I called around town until I found someone who knew where Tank Williams lived." He looked at me. "I tracked down Luca."
"Luca," I said, nodding. "Of course he'd know how to find me."
"Luca was very helpful," Dr. Murphy continued, his tone turning cold. "He also mentioned you have quite the reputation with women in town."
"Dad." Candace's cheeks flushed.
"It's okay," I said quietly, meeting her father's stare. "Dr. Murphy, I understand your concern. If I had a daughter, I'd want to know she was safe too."
"Safe." He repeated the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "My daughter shows up missing for two days, and I find her wearing your clothes in your cabin. Safe isn't the word I'd use."
"She was safe," I said firmly. "The roads were impassable. She couldn't have made it anywhere in that storm. I gave her shelter, food, and my protection."
"Your protection." His laugh was dry. "And what else did you give her?"
"Dad, stop it," Candace said, stepping between us. "I'm twenty-three years old. What I do is my business."
"Not when you're putting yourself at risk with strangers."
"He's not a stranger. Not anymore." Her voice softened. "Tank took care of me. He made me feel…” She glanced at me, color rising in her cheeks. "He made me feel like I mattered."
Something shifted in her father's expression. The protective anger was still there, but underneath it, I saw recognition. Understanding.
"You matter to your mother and me," he said gently.
"I know that, but this is different." She looked at me again, and the trust in her eyes nearly brought me to my knees. "Tank, tell him."
I took a deep breath. This wasn't how I'd planned to have this conversation, but life rarely went according to plan.
"Dr. Murphy, I won't pretend this was just about the storm. Your daughter is…” I struggled for the right words. "She's incredible. Smart, funny, and brave. She turned my world upside down in thirty-six hours, and I'm falling for her. Hard."
Candace’s father studied me for a long moment. "You just met her."
"Sometimes that's all it takes." I met his gaze steadily. "I know how this looks. I know you don't know me from Adam. But I care about her. More than I've ever cared about anyone."
"What are your intentions?"
The old-fashioned question should have made me uncomfortable, but it didn't. "To convince her to give me a chance. To see where this goes. To treat her the way she deserves to be treated."
Candace's hand slipped into mine, her fingers squeezing gently.
Dr. Murphy was quiet for a long moment, his analytical mind clearly working. Finally, he sighed.
"Your mother's worried sick," he said to Candace. "She's made enough food for twelve people, and it's just going to be the two of us now."
"I'm sorry, Dad. I tried to make it."
Candace’s dad suddenly shifted his attention to me. "Mr. Williams, do you have plans for dinner?"
I blinked. "Sir?"
"Thanksgiving dinner. My wife has been cooking since dawn, and she’s made way too much food. You're welcome to join us. Both of you."
Candace looked at me hopefully. "Would you want to? I mean, we made all this food here, but?—”
"We can bring it," I said. "Contribute to the feast."
"That would be perfect." Dr. Murphy's expression had warmed considerably. "My truck has chains. Much better for these roads than whatever you're driving."
I glanced out the window at my pickup. "You're probably right about that."
"Pack up the food," he said. "Let's go give my wife the Thanksgiving surprise of her life."
As Candace hurried to get dressed, Dr. Murphy lingered by the door. "Mr. Williams," he said quietly. "Tank. My daughter doesn't trust easily. If she trusts you, that means something."
"It means everything to me, sir."
He nodded slowly. "Don't make me regret this."
"I won't."
Twenty minutes later, we were loaded into Dr. Murphy's truck, our Thanksgiving feast packed in containers between us. Candace sat in the middle, her hand resting on my thigh as her father navigated the snowy roads with practiced ease.
"Mom's going to flip when she sees us," Candace said, grinning.
"In a good way?" I asked.
"The best way. She loves surprises. And cooking has become her new hobby since they started spending more time at their vacation cabin.”
Dr. Murphy caught my eye in the rearview mirror. "Fair warning—she's going to interrogate you. Thoroughly."
"I can handle it," I said, squeezing Candace's hand.
As we climbed higher into the mountains, toward family and a future I'd never dared to imagine, I realized this was turning out to be the best Thanksgiving of my life. And I had a feeling it was the first of many with this amazing woman.