Chapter 11
Tanner arrived at Garrett’s house a little earlier than usual because he wanted to make sure he got there before April.
They had talked on the phone and exchanged several text messages since last night, but despite his many offers to pick her up, she’d insisted on taking an Uber to Garrett’s house.
He knew there was a story behind her not having a car or driving, but whenever he pushed April about it, she always seemed to shut down on him.
He’d have to be patient and just wait until she was ready to open up.
He just hoped today didn’t end the way it had a few years ago for Caden and Hallie.
Talk about a disaster. Luckily, the two of them found their way back to each other and worked things out just in time.
Garrett put a few steaks on the grill. “Need a hand?” Tanner asked. Garrett’s property was large for being so close to the heart of the city. It also had a private dock with access to a large lake that he and his friends often used for fishing, and sometimes even swimming.
“I’m good. How are you doing? How’s the case coming along?”
It seemed everyone in the law enforcement community knew Tanner was heading up the Arlo J murder case.
Tanner just wasn’t really allowed to discuss it.
He’d finally mustered up the courage to ask Blake for his alibi, and his friend had actually reacted much better than Tanner thought he would.
Blake claimed to have been meeting with a vendor at the time, and Tanner was able to confirm it with said vendor, so Blake was definitely in the clear.
But there were still too many unaccounted-for variables, including the question of how Blake’s hair had ended up on Arlo J’s body.
The only other person who could’ve transferred that hair onto Arlo J was Skyla, and Tanner doubted she killed the man, even if she had met with him for some reason that morning.
If Skyla had wanted to kill him, she’d had years of opportunity in which to do it.
Instead, she’d allowed him to blackmail her until Blake came into her life and put a stop to it.
Tanner did plan on asking her why she’d met with Arlo J, but he didn’t see a reason to rush it. The woman healed people. The last thing she’d ever do is hurt someone, let alone kill them.
In answer to Garrett’s question, Tanner merely shrugged, giving a non-committal grunt as he popped open a cold beer.
Reese stepped out of the house carrying a bowl of more marinated steaks. “Hey, Tanner. When did you get here?”
“Just a few minutes ago.” He was still getting used to her keeping her eyes downcast to avoid meeting his gaze.
“How’s the gallery set up coming along?” Reese was an artist who was finally settling into her life in Dallas after a huge ordeal with her stepbrother who’d had her committed after she’d seen something she wasn’t supposed to.
Mainly, the moment of his latest victim’s death.
Much like the other women in his friends’ lives, Reese was gifted with an incredible ability that allowed her to see the moment of someone’s death when she looked into their eyes.
“Amazing,” Reese said with a huge smile. “The owner is loving all my pieces. I think if the opening goes as well as I think it will, she might want to keep my stuff permanently on a rotating basis.”
“That would be awesome,” Tanner said.
“It would be,” Garrett said with a smile, stepping away from the grill and pulling Reese into his side. “But then again, Reese is awesome and quite the talented artist, so I have a feeling Dallas is in for a real treat.”
Reese blushed at her boyfriend’s words and pecked him on the cheek as she pulled away. “I’ll be right back. I prepped some vegetables I think will go great with those steaks. Maybe you can grill them for a few minutes.”
“Sure,” Garrett said. “Bring them over.” Reese went back to the house, and Tanner didn’t miss how Garrett’s gaze followed her before turning back to Tanner with a shit-eating grin. “So, you invited a date, eh? This better not be a repeat of the Caden and Hallie show.”
Tanner cringed, remembering how everyone had given Caden hell for inviting Hallie to one of these get togethers when she was a person of interest in an FBI case.
No one could’ve imagined that she’d actually been the one who’d saved Blake’s life because of the glimpse she got of him getting hurt nearly a week before the shooting actually happened.
Hallie’s glimpses weren’t usually of anything specific that his friends could stop, but they’d gotten lucky with Blake, and then again when she saved an entire church, and a classroom full of preschoolers from being blown up due to a leaky boiler that nearly detonated a half century old hand grenade.
Hallie was a true hero, even if she would never admit to it.
Before Tanner had a chance to respond to Garrett, the metal gate on the side of Garrett’s house squeaked.
Caden and Hallie walked into the yard, smiling and carrying something in two overstuffed brown paper bags.
“The bakery was out of the muffins everyone likes, so we got a few different pastry options instead,” Caden said.
“We also brought a homemade cake, but I’m not sure it turned out so great. I may have substituted eggs for applesauce and used oat milk instead of dairy milk,” Hallie said.
Tanner smiled. “May have?” It was no secret that Hallie’s most recent project was to make everyone in the group eat a little healthier by making her desserts vegan friendly whenever possible.
Hallie rolled her eyes. He took the bag from her with one hand while wrapping her in a side hug with the other. “I’m just experimenting, and all the bloggers seemed to think it was a great idea.” She shrugged. “And it probably was. In theory.”
Garrett barked out a laugh. “Honey, I think there are a lot of things that sound good in theory, but should rot in hell in practicality.”
“Hey!” Hallie pretended to be offended, even as her smile widened. “My cake might be a little mushy, but sending it to hell is a bit extreme, don’t you think?”
“Who’s sending your cake to hell?” Orly asked as she and Luke came into the yard behind them. “Pastries definitely go to heaven,” she protested, giving Hallie a hug as she balanced a cheese platter in her free hand.
“Like dogs,” Luke offered, setting down the bag he was carrying and taking the platter from his wife.
“Exactly,” Hallie said. “I’ve actually been trying to convince Caden to get a dog.”
Tanner turned to look at Caden, who purposely avoided eye contact with all his friends, sending a clear signal that he had no intention of discussing that subject matter at the moment.
Tanner wanted to press him on it, not quite sure why his friend was against having a dog, when his phone buzzed with an incoming message. While his friends continued to discuss the fate of Hallie’s cake, he pulled out his phone and smiled.
April: I’m here. Or at least I think I’m here. Does your friend live in the woods or something?
Excited to see her, Tanner double timed it out to the front yard where he spotted April getting out of a blue sedan with an Uber sticker on the back window.
“Hi,” he said with a huge grin. There was something about being in her presence that just put him both at ease, and at attention, in the best possible ways. “I’m glad you made it.”
April waved goodbye to her driver, then turned her attention back to Tanner. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in a simple pair of jean shorts and a green top that really brought out the moss green color of her eyes. “You look amazing,” he said, opening his arms in invitation.
She came to him easily, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you. You said it was casual so I decided to go with comfort.”
“If you never wear anything but running clothes, skinny jeans, and graphic tees, you will still be the most stunning woman in the world to me.” He lowered his head until his mouth was just a few breaths away from hers and waited a moment, in case she pulled back.
But she closed the distance and he felt the softness of her lips as he caressed them with his, gently tasting her sweetness.
Their first kiss had been out of this world, but this one, this one was just as good, if not better.
It was slower, more patient, and absolutely addictive.
Her soft little moan brought him out of his daze, and he pulled back just enough to let his forehead rest on hers.
“You never have to worry about impressing my friends. And as for me, I’m pretty much a goner. ”
She giggled and he tightened his hold around her, wanting to feel the vibrations of her chest against his body. “You look nice,” she said, looking up at him. “Though I have to admit, the cowboy hat is doing things to me that not even the jogging shorts could achieve.”
Tanner tipped his hat with a crooked grin.
“I’d like to see you wearing this hat one day.
And nothing else. But more on that some other time.
Let’s get you inside before I get any other crazy ideas and we end up skipping this barbecue altogether.
” He let his lips brush over her ear and didn’t miss how she reacted to his words, and then to his touch.
Yeah, he was a goner, and he was glad to know she liked him just as much as he liked her.
He couldn’t stop replaying Ethan’s words from last night in his head.
She’s already in way too deep. There was so much he wanted to say to her.
To ask her. But she’d been so tight-lipped about her past and her job, Tanner had a feeling she’d shut down completely if he started demanding answers.
That’s why after talking to her last night and hearing that she made it home safe, he decided to play it cool and let her take the lead.
He’d be there for her if or when she ever needed him.
But for now, he would trust that she knew what she was doing.