Chapter 2 #2
Wrong, shouted in her mind, and her eyes migrated to Tarr as he once again took her hand and led her over to the table. Tarr didn’t look at her right now, but he’d definitely looked at her with that soft, loving edge in his eyes that only confused her more than anything.
“You’re here, sweetheart,” he said, pulling out her seat. “I’m right next to you.”
Bobbie Jo sat on her other side, with Tucker next to her. Across from Briar sat Alaska, with Cord and Jane down on this end of the table too, and Deacon and the kids flowing down and around the end of the table where Molly and Hunter sat.
She blinked fast and sat very still, letting the glorious, familial energy wash over her.
“Let’s pray,” Molly said into the settling silence at the table, and everyone seemed to know what to do. They joined hands, and Briar quickly latched onto Bobbie Jo’s on her right and sighed silently as Tarr once again secured her smaller hand in his much larger one.
“Ryder, buddy, you’re up,” Hunter said.
“Please remember it’s Thanksgiving,” Molly said. “It’s not a race to see how fast you can say the prayer, okay?”
Her son grinned at her, and Briar bowed her head as everyone else did. These movements, this thing they all knew, it grounded her. She found herself exhaling as Ryder started with, “Dear Lord, we are so grateful for Thy bounteous blessing in our lives.”
He spoke at a normal speed, and he went through his gratitude for the farm, the horses, the cattle, and their friends and family before he asked for a single thing.
Like a lightning bolt to her mind, Briar knew she needed to be more grateful. Even the little things needed to be recognized, and she lifted her head after Ryder had said, “Amen,” properly chastened.
Tarr took her plate as he stood. “Be right back.”
She stared after him as others queued up to get food too. Tuck and Bobbie Jo remained at the table, and only Cord went with Clint to get something to eat, leaving Jane behind as well.
“You look amazing in purple,” Jane said kindly, and it took Briar a moment to realize she was talking to her.
“Thank you,” she blurted out. “This is one of my favorite sweaters.”
Jane smiled and nodded. “So, are you and Tarr seeing each other?”
Briar reached for her glass of ice, and then the sparkling apple-grape cider. “Uh, no,” she said. “He’s just persistent and irritating and wouldn’t let me stay home today.”
Jane’s smile faltered completely, and she glanced over to Bobbie Jo. “And I thought you were salty,” she said good-naturedly.
Bobbie Jo turned toward them. “Is Briar being thorny?”
“It’s Tarr,” she said by way of explanation.
Bobbie Jo grinned and nodded. “He rubs her the wrong way.” She got to her feet as Tucker did, and she squeezed Briar’s shoulder as she passed. Bobbie Jo was a bit salty from time to time, but she and Tucker were also the cutest couple in the whole world.
He treated her like royalty, and she respected him like a king.
Tarr returned with their plates, and he set a fully loaded one in front of her with the words, “I’m going to go snag the strawberry jam.”
Jane got up as Alaska returned, and Briar wasn’t sure if she could pick up her fork and start eating or not. Despite her reservations about coming, the turkey steamed in front of her, looking juicy and delicious with the gravy and mashed potatoes alongside it.
No cranberry sauce, she noted, but plenty of bread and butter. Tarr really knew how to earn gold stars, that was for dang sure.
“How long have you and Tarr been dating?” Alaska asked as he returned with his coveted jam.
Briar stared at her now, wondering what everyone else saw when they looked at her with him. “I’m sorry, what?”
Alaska sighed. “He knew exactly what to get you—and not to get you. He’s so sweet, the way he took care of you.” She beamed over to Tarr as he tuned into the conversation. “I so need a boyfriend like him.” She grinned, her blue eyes brightening. “Do you have any brothers?”
Tarr, to his eternal credit, blinked at her in apparent surprise. Briar sat frozen, throat tight.
“So, how long have you been together?” Alaska finally put a bite of cooked carrot in her mouth, and Briar almost wished she’d choke on it.
Briar’s heart beat so loud she could barely hear the noise from the rest of the Thanksgiving crowd, most of them returning to the table now, the chatter increasing into a dull roar that made zero sense to her.
Tarr turned to look at her, brows drawn down slightly. “How long have we known each other?” His eyes searched her face, and horror washed through her, because she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t have words for the way he made her feel sometimes. The way he made her want to feel.
Tarr smiled, gentle and sure. “We’ll have to work it out tomorrow, while we’re on our breakfast date.” He scooped up a bite of creamed peas and put them in his mouth.
Briar stared at him. “Breakfast? Tomorrow?”
Together? screamed silently through her mind.
“Just say yes,” he said quietly, tapping her fork with the tines of his. “We’re eating now, sweetheart.”
She wanted to argue against a breakfast date tomorrow morning. And snap at him that she knew how to pick up her fork and start eating. She couldn’t, not with so many people around.
Oh, this Tarr Olson. Smart and handsome, he’d brought her to a Thanksgiving meal to show her that some families were normal, and then asked her out in an environment where she couldn’t say no.
She put her hand on his knee, satisfied that he flinched and that his gaze flew to hers. “Yes, I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow. Should be a real scream.”
She gave Alaska a tight smile she hoped didn’t come across as too manic, then she picked up her fork and cut a piece of turkey. Laughter rose up from the other end of the table, leaving Briar to stew as she put that first juicy bite of turkey and gravy in her mouth.
Thoughts flew from one side of her mind to the other, things like, Why does Tarr make me feel like I’m on fire? to What do other people see when they look at us? to How did he know to get me double mashed potatoes, no peas, and extra bread?
In short, when had Tarr Olson snuck into her life, and why couldn’t she seem to kick him back out?
Worse, why didn’t she want to?
Yes, she had a lot to talk about at breakfast tomorrow—assuming she didn’t cancel between now and then.
Even if you do, she thought as the salted butter melted over her tongue. Tarr will just stand on your front porch until you agree to go with him.
She glanced over to him, and blast him all the way to the moon, he gifted her with a small smile, the kind meant only for her.
He knew he’d won, and she knew she’d be dining with him tomorrow morning whether she wanted to or not.