Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SARAH
“ M aybe I shouldn’t go.” I bite my lip and stare out the passenger side window as Tanner drives me from his house to Three Sisters Kitchen. “I don’t want to get yelled at again.”
“If Scott yells at you,” Tanner says as he turns a corner, “you get up and leave. Simple as that. Did he say what he wants?”
“No.” I twist my hands in my lap. “He just asked me if I’d meet him for lunch at Three Sisters. Our last conversation didn’t end well.”
“I say, see what he has on his mind. Just text me when you’re finished, and I’ll come get you.”
“You know, this is stupid.” I turn in the seat and face him as he parks by the curb. “It’s been a week, and nothing’s happened. Nothing at all, yet everyone thinks I need to be babysat. If I’m not with you, I’m at work or with one of the girls.”
“You know it’s the safest thing right now.” He reaches over and drags his knuckles down my cheek, sending little currents of awareness down my body. “We’re keeping you safe, sweetheart. You’ll have your independence back soon.”
Sighing, I nibble on my lower lip and then nod. “Okay. I’m stalling. I’ll let you know about the ride.”
I lean over and kiss him, then climb out of the car and walk inside the restaurant.
I love this place. The three women who own it, Cordelia, Mira, and Darla, are southern sisters who, I’m told, moved here several years ago and opened this beautiful, farm-to-table restaurant in the heart of Huckleberry Bay. The atmosphere is classy and is something Joanna Gaines would be proud of with that farmhouse-style décor that I salivate over.
The white walls, with glossy wood tables and little pops of green here and there from potted plants, make my heart sigh happily.
I am so excited that the sisters have gone into business with Luna, taking on the kitchen portion of the inn. I can’t wait to see what they do with it.
“Hi there, Sarah,” Cordelia says with that sweet southern accent. “How are you today, my darlin’?”
“I can’t complain. How about you?”
“Oh, I’m just right as rain.” She smiles with excitement. “Did you hear that we’ve started moving in appliances at the inn?”
“No, I hadn’t heard. That’s so exciting!”
“We are just beside ourselves. The next time you’re there painting, come on back, and we’ll show you around if we’re there. Of course, Mira’s been there the most for this part of the process, as the kitchen is her baby. I swear, that girl has moonbeams in her eyes whenever she stares at that stove.”
“She’s going to make some delicious things on it.” I grin at her. “And I can’t wait to sample everything.”
“She’s come up with even more things since the last time we all got together. We’ll have a girls’ night and eat until we’re bursting.”
“Count me in.”
“Oh, and Sarah, when you have time, I’d love to sit down with you and discuss the possibility of commissioning you to paint some pieces for the restaurant here. I just love what you’re doing for the inn. I hope you don’t mind that Luna gave me a sneak peek, but we could definitely use some local art for our walls.”
I blink at her, surprised. “I’d like that.”
“Great. Now, what can I do for you? I’m sure you didn’t pop in just to have me talk your ear off.”
“I always love chatting, but I’m meeting my brother, Scott, here.”
“Oh, yes, he’s here. Follow me.”
She leads me through the dining room where Scott’s sitting. Surprisingly, when I approach, my brother stands and pulls my chair out for me.
“Are you buttering me up for something?”
Scott shakes his head and sits across from me. “Thanks for meeting me here. I didn’t know if you would after the way I spoke to you when you came to my place.”
“I didn’t know if I would, either,” I reply and take a sip of ice water. “Did someone die, and now you have an opening on your friends list?”
He winces and leans his arms on the table. “I owe you an apology. For that, and for a lot of things. I just?—”
He sighs and rubs his hand over the back of his neck.
“You really hurt me when you left, and I know I’m not a teenager anymore, but those feelings didn’t just go away because you came home and said you were sorry.”
I nod slowly. “I understand.”
“But, I didn’t have the right to snap at you like I did. That wasn’t right, and I’m sorry for it.”
“Thank you. Apology accepted.”
His eyebrows climb in surprise. “Just like that?”
“Sure. Like you said, you were hurt. I wish it had been different. In my mind, it would have been different, and I have no one to blame for that but myself.”
“Bullshit. You were married to a piece of garbage who controlled your every move. Luna and June have filled me in.”
“I’m a grown woman,” I counter. “I should have been stronger and stood up to him.”
“Maybe,” he says softly. “But I think it’s more complicated than that.”
“You’re probably right.”
My stomach has settled, my raw nerves are soothed, and I just want to reach out and hug my baby brother.
But I don’t. Not yet.
“I heard that you’ve had some break-ins at your house,” he says after we’ve ordered lunch. “Any news on that?”
“No. There were no fingerprints, and the cameras didn’t see their face. They were dressed in black, with a hoodie pulled low. Couldn’t get a good look at them.”
“Jesus, Sarah.”
“I know. But, Tanner hasn’t let me out of his sight unless I’m at work or with the girls, so I’m never alone. It’s really annoying.”
“You have to be careful,” he says.
“Now you sound like Tanner.”
“So, you’re back with him, huh?”
“Yeah.” I nod, watching him. His own shoulders have relaxed since I got here. He’s so handsome, muscular, and tall. I bet the girls clamor for him. “You always liked Tanner, back in the day.”
“Still do,” he says. “He’s a nice guy. He was stupid when he was young and broke it off with you, but most guys are stupid at that age.”
“Even you?” I raise an eyebrow and watch as he laughs.
“Especially me.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Nah. I work crazy hours at the firehall. It’s a tough job to have and maintain a good relationship. Unpredictable and dangerous.”
“I think you speak from experience.”
Our salads are set in front of us, and our water glasses refilled, and Scott continues.
“I’ve had a few girlfriends. I think chicks think the fireman thing is hot, no pun intended.”
“Oh, yeah. I can vouch for that.” I lick ranch dressing off my thumb. “Super hot.”
“But in reality, it’s being gone for days at a time, getting called in on your days off, and just generally not having a life of your own.”
“You make it sound so glamorous.”
He grins at me, and I can feel the shift in us. Things are going to smooth out and be fine. It might take some work, but I think I finally have my brother back.
“There’s something else I have to tell you,” he says, his face set in serious lines now. “And I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”
“Am I an aunt?”
He smirks. “No. Mom died, Sarah.”
I blink at him and drop my fork onto my plate. “What?”
“She died. I just got word yesterday. I guess it was a few weeks ago. They found her in her car, about a hundred miles away from where she’d been living.”
“What happened?”
“Foul play, but I don’t know what kind because they wouldn’t tell me. It’s an ongoing investigation.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“He wasn’t with her. Authorities found him passed out in their camper, stoned and drunk. He claimed that he kicked her out months ago. Didn’t care where she was or if she was dead.”
“Jesus,” I breathe and stare down at my salad. “What did they do with her remains?”
“Cremated her. They’re sending her here, and I guess I’ll bury her with her parents.”
“June bought the property with the cemetery. No new internments.”
Scott sits back at the news. “She bought a cemetery ? Why in the hell would she do that?”
“It’s attached to the church, and she’s going to turn that into a house.”
“Who would want their backyard to be a cemetery?”
“You’ll have to ask her. The point is, I don’t know if we can bury mom there. Maybe June will make an exception for us.”
“She probably will,” he murmurs. “I wasn’t sad, Sarah.”
My gaze returns to his. “What do you mean?”
“When I heard she was dead, I wasn’t sad. I didn’t feel much of anything .”
“Why should we be sad? Sure, she gave birth to us, but she was not a mother to us in any way that counts. They barely kept a roof over our heads. Our friends’ parents raised us, Scott. If they hadn’t, we’d likely be just like them.”
“I know it.” He takes a bite of his salad. “I’ll do the right thing and bury her, but I haven’t heard from her since I was fourteen. That’s longer than you were gone.”
I cringe, and he shakes his head.
“I didn’t say that to make you feel guilty. It’s just the truth. Like, did she even remember that she had kids?”
“She didn’t care. We were there to fetch them things and to make sure they didn’t OD.”
“You did most of that,” he admits.
“Honestly, I’m surprised they’re still alive. Well, you know what I mean. I figured they’d have passed a long time ago from the drugs and hard life they lived. I knew they were bad people from the time I was small. But when they walked away from this town, from you and me, and never looked back, I wrote them off.”
“I know. No wonder we have abandonment issues.”
“You’re not wrong. I didn’t help that.”
“No, you didn’t. But it also wasn’t the same. You wanted to come back for me and couldn’t. Mom and Dad didn’t give a rat’s ass.”
“You won’t take care of her alone, Scott. We’ll figure out the burial together. I’ll speak with June and let you know what I find out.”
“I appreciate it. And for the record, I didn’t ask you here today because of Mom. Yeah, I needed to tell you, but I wanted to see you so I could apologize.”
“I’m glad you did.” I smile over at him. “So, you’re not dating anyone ?”
He rolls his eyes and digs back into his salad. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?”
“I really want to be an aunt.”
“I need to bury someone in your cemetery,” I inform June later that night when she and Luna walk into the inn where I’ve just finished painting.
“I’ve got a shovel,” Luna offers. “And an alibi. Who did you kill?”
“See, you’re a good friend,” I reply, pointing at her. “That’s exactly the response you should have in moments like this.”
“But really, who did you kill?” June asks with a frown.
“ I didn’t kill anyone. My mom died.”
They both gasp, and I jump, looking around the room. “What? Is there a spider? I saw a big one earlier. You’re going to have to spray this place, Luna.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” Luna says as she and June hurry to me and wrap me up in a big group hug.
“I’m fine,” I assure them. “Really fine.”
“How did you find out?” June asks.
“I had lunch with Scott today, and it went surprisingly well. He apologized for being an asshat.”
“Good, he needed to,” Luna says.
“He just found out about Mom yesterday. They found her in her car a few weeks ago.”
I relay all the information I have, which isn’t much.
“Like I told my brother, I thought they both would have passed away a long time ago.” I turn to June. “Scott said he thought we’d bury her with her parents, but they’re in the cemetery behind your new house.”
“You can totally bury her there. I don’t care.”
“Don’t I have to tell the city?” I ask. “File something so there’s a record?”
“Probably,” Luna says, thinking it over. “I’m not sure. My ancestors are buried here on the property.”
June and I turn to her in surprise. “What? You never told us that. I’ve never seen any graves.”
“There’s a piece of land that sits back in the trees,” Luna says, pointing to the east. “They’re in the trees.”
“We seriously need to see that sometime,” June adds. “I’m disgusted that we didn’t know this sooner so we could scare the hell out of each other when we were kids.”
“I didn’t know until I stumbled upon it a few years ago. Asked my dad about it. I told him it was something I should know, since I’m the owner now.”
“Why do I get the feeling that there are a lot of things your dad didn’t tell you?” I ask.
“Because there were. I think he was just so excited to go with Mom somewhere warm to enjoy their retirement that he just forgot a bunch of stuff. So, I’m still learning as I go.”
The door opens behind us, and in walks Tanner, along with Wolfe and Apollo.
“The three amigos,” I say with a grin. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey yourself,” Wolfe says with a wink, making us laugh.
“Ready to go home?” Tanner asks, searching my face. I told him about my mom when he picked me up from the restaurant, and I think he expects me to fall apart any second.
“Sure.” I close the closet where I’ve been storing all of my supplies.
“What did you do to your hair?” Apollo asks June, a frown on his handsome face.
“I cut it, bonehead.”
With that frown in place, he circles June, examining the new ‘do. “I like it.”
“Well, what a relief,” she replies. “I didn’t cut it for you. ”
But her cheeks have livened up at the compliment.
“I still like it.” He tugs on a red strand as he walks past her toward the stairs. “I have to check something up here. See you guys later.”
“See you,” I call back with a wave and then turn back to Tanner. “I’m starving. Let’s go home.”
“Keep me posted on the burial,” June says.
“We’re here if you need us,” Luna adds.
“I have really amazing friends.” We’ve just pulled away from Luna’s when I reach for Tanner’s hand and give it a squeeze. “I’m seriously lucky.”
“They’re the best. All of them.” He lifts my hand to his lips and nibbles. “I figured June would be cool with you putting your mom with her parents.”
“Yeah, it’s all good. I’ll let Scott know tomorrow.” I stretch my legs out and lean back in his comfy leather seat. “I have to get back to work tomorrow.”
“What shift is it this time?”
“Breakfast,” I reply and let my eyes fall closed as the car moves through town. I always fall asleep so easily in cars. “Seven to four tomorrow.”
I feel the car come to a stop and open my eyes to find Tanner grinning at me.
“What?”
“Some things never change. You always fell asleep in the car.”
“I know.” I stretch and yawn. “But in my defense, I didn’t sleep this time. I was just resting my eyes.”
“If we had to go much further, you would have been snoring inside of two minutes.”
“I don’t snore.” I narrow my eyes at him before getting out of the car and walking with him to the house. I haven’t been in the little guest house since last week.
“It’s a delicate, ladylike snore.”
“I purr ,” I inform him as he unlocks the door. “There’s a difference.”
“Right. Okay.” He laughs, and I walk straight back to the bedroom to change into something comfortable.
But right after I’ve pulled off my shirt and pants, Tanner appears behind me and glides his hands over my belly.
“Well, hello there.”
His lips find the ball of my shoulder. “You’re beautiful.”
Tanner doesn’t seem to ever get tired of telling me how much he wants me. And frankly, I don’t get tired of hearing it.
“Did I interrupt?” His hands journey up to my breasts. My head falls back on his shoulder.
“I was just about to take off my bra.”
I feel him smile against my skin, and then my bra falls to the floor at my feet.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.” He nibbles a line up my shoulder to my neck. “I’m going to make love to you.”
“Oh, good, I thought maybe you were just teasing me.”
Suddenly, he pushes me forward, and sweet lust becomes primal arousal. “Press your hands on the wall.”
I do, without hesitation. I widen my stance just a little, and Tanner’s thumbs hitch in the sides of my underwear, then he peels them down my legs, and I step out of them.
I don’t feel him stand back up behind me, and I look over my shoulder, only to find him squatted there, staring at my bare ass.
His hands work magic from my thighs, up over the globes of my backside, and then he presses his thumbs on either side of my lips and spreads me wide.
I cry out when he covers me with his mouth, and when his tongue laps at my lips, then inside of me, then down to my clit, I turn, but Tanner simply shakes his head.
“Face the fucking wall, Sarah, and back to where I put you.”
I raise an eyebrow, but he’s so damn sexy with my wetness on his lips and the fire in his eyes that I do what I’m told.
And I’m rewarded with a light smack on the ass and his mouth devouring me. I still cry out, but I don’t move, careful to stay exactly where he wants me, even if I have to push up onto my toes and press harder into the wall.
It’s a wonder that I don’t break right through the drywall.
The first orgasm is a dam bursting. I can’t help but push back against his face, and my God, it feels like my knees will buckle.
But they don’t.
And after I’ve ridden that wave, he scoops me up and tosses me unceremoniously onto the bed and covers my body with his.
I reach for his cock, stroking it firmly from tip to root before he grits his teeth and sinks inside of me.
I expect this to be fast, maybe a little rough, but in true Tanner fashion, he surprises me and slows it down.
With his elbows planted in the bed on either side of my shoulders, he brushes my hair off of my cheeks and kisses the tip of my nose, then my lips so tenderly it brings tears to my eyes.
“You’re incredible,” he whispers.
“I love you,” I whisper back, and feel him pause as he stares down at me in surprise. “I know I haven’t said it back to you, but I don’t want you to ever doubt that I feel it. It’s just…scary to me.”
“Not here.” He shakes his head and pulls his hips back, then pushes in again in a long stroke that has my legs shaking. “Our love isn’t scary, Sarah.”
I cup his face as he kisses me, long and slow, and picks up the rhythm, pushing us both toward that beautiful edge, and then we fall over into oblivion together.
Later, when we’ve caught our breath, Tanner kisses my cheek gently.
“I’m hungry,” I remind him, and I know that he’s smiling into the darkness of the room. “I could eat my own cat at this point.”
“I just ate your cat, and it was delicious.”
The laugh erupts through me, and I push against him, rolling away. “You’re so classy.”
“No, I’m a man who gets to have sex on the regular with the hottest woman around. Also, you are delicious.”
I just shake my head and pull on some clean pajamas, then stride out into the kitchen.
I planned to make dinner for him tonight. No, I’m not a fabulous cook, but there are a couple of staples that I can prepare.
“I hope you like mac ‘n’ cheese,” I inform Tanner as he walks into the room. “We’re having that and hotdogs.”
He doesn’t say anything at all, so I turn to look at him. “What?”
“Are we nine?”
“It’s what I can cook,” I reply and pull the blue box from the pantry. “You shouldn’t have to cook every single day. I can do this. It’s food.”
“I’m not sure that’s true,” he replies as he pulls the box out of my hand before I can open it. “We’re not eating that tonight.”
I narrow my eyes at him and prop my hands on my hips. “Are you telling me that you’re too good for this simple, inexpensive meal?”
“Yeah. I am.”
“No, you’re not.” I take the box back. “I made this all the time for Scott and me, and I’m going to make it tonight, too.”
“Is he coming over for dinner?”
“No, but that’s a great idea.” I pick up my phone to text my brother when Tanner just laughs and picks up Petunia off the floor.
Me: Hey! If you’re hungry, come on over for dinner. I’m making our usual.
I set the phone down and grin at Tanner. “There. Sent it.”
“Okay.”
I eye him suspiciously. “You don’t mind?”
“If you have dinner with your brother? Of course not. Do I mind that you’re making pasta out of a box with plastic cheese? Absolutely.”
“Don’t be a baby.”
My phone pings, and I check it.
“He’s on his way over.”
“This should be interesting, Petunia. You get to meet your uncle Scott.”
“They’ve met.” I set a pot of water on the stove to boil. “He came the night of the fire to make sure I was okay. But she was pretty upset, so she probably doesn’t remember him.”
Tanner just laughs and laughs, and finally, I throw a piece of hard pasta at his head.
“Stop laughing at me.”
“You’re the most adorable woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
“I’m about to maim you.”
That doesn’t stop him from laughing, and then the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it,” Tanner says.
I love bantering with him. I enjoy his sense of humor so much. I know that this meal doesn’t thrill him. Tanner’s an excellent cook, and this is definitely not something he’d make for himself.
But since I saw Scott earlier today, I’ve been craving it.
I hear the two men talking at the door, and when Scott walks into the kitchen, I grin over at him. “Hey.”
“Thanks for the invite,” he says and watches me dump the macaroni into boiling water. “You really are making that.”
“Well, yeah. It’s the only thing I know how to cook.”
He smirks. “Seriously?”
“If you’re going to mock me, you can leave.”
But he just laughs and shakes his head. “Hey, it’s food, and I’m hungry.”
“ Is it food, though?” Tanner asks.
“Don’t you dare gang up on me,” I warn them both, pointing the business end of my paring knife at them.
“What are you using that for?” Tanner wants to know.
“I have to cut up the hotdogs, of course.”
He stares at me, then at Scott. “Are we going to die?”
“As long as you chew it, it’s not a choking hazard,” Scott says and pats Tanner on the back. “But I know the Heimlich, just in case.”