26. Victoria
26
VICTORIA
“ W hy did you tell Connor I ran over your roses?” Tanner asks me as we walk back to the shed with a flashlight, him with a pile of blankets and me with two hot coffees. It is now late. After we got everything organized and I cleaned up my boxes in the living room, we decided to sit with Garry for the night and ensure she is okay.
“Because you did.” I scoff at him as we set up our picnic place in the shed, sitting in a clear area, some straw underneath us to soften the floor. I am so relieved that he is here. I wasn’t sure if I should call him or not, but I am so glad I did. He dropped everything for me and was here the moment I needed him. That feeling is like a balm to my skin, enveloping me in warmth that this man cares about me.
“No, I didn’t,” he says with a frown. We both take a seat, and I sigh. We are back to bickering already.
“Yes, you did. I think it happened the other day when you tore out of here to fix the problem at the distillery,” I tell him, waving my hand around. I see him deep in thought.
“Who else came past here the last few days?” he asks, and my eyes narrow on him.
“No one. That's why I went to town because I was so bored. I noticed the roses when I got home,” I tell him, wondering why he is not admitting it.
“So you did go to town?” Smirking, he quirks an eyebrow. I think he’s enjoying calling me out. Shit .
“Fine. Yes, alright,” I say with a huff, knowing full well he thinks I should have been resting and elevating my ankle to ensure I don’t overuse it, but we both know I am fine.
“Rochelle told me,” he says with a chuckle.
“I thought she was on my side!” I gasp. What happened to women sticking up for women?
“Baby girl, everyone in this town is on Whiteman’s side.”
I swoon where I sit when he calls me baby girl. It is like a tonic, immediately softening me and wrapping me up in a soft Tanner cocoon.
“Back to the roses. I know it was you because you left one in the living room for me,” I say with a smile. He’s not the only one being called out today.
I feel him tense next to me and snap my head up to look at him. His face is stern, deep concern etched into his brow. “I promise you, it wasn’t me, Victoria,” he assures me, and my body seizes a little. “Someone must have come here when you were gone.” He is serious, and I believe him. But that doesn’t have me feeling any less uneasy .
“But if it wasn’t you, who was it?” I ask, confused and a little scared. Thinking about who it could be, I shiver.
“You need security around here,” he says adamantly, taking my hand and softly squeezing it.
I sigh, my lips thinning as I think. I don’t really want this place locked up with cameras everywhere. That alone would make me unsettled. Josh did mention coming here when I answered his call… Maybe he left the rose. All the signs point to him, and he sounded desperate enough. I look at Tanner, wondering if I should tell him.
“You might be right,” I say, quietly nodding to him. “I’ll do some research on what cameras to get.” I tell him, already adding it to my mental to-do list, having no idea where to even start with all that. I don’t like the idea, but safety needs to come first.
“Will you let me help you? I have a team. They can get the cameras and install them. It’s your home, so you just tell them where to put them, but I can get them here for you,” he asks, his eyes searching mine.
I am so used to doing everything on my own, I feel almost odd accepting his offer. But he isn’t being bossy. He isn’t telling me what to do. He is asking me and respecting my independence, and as I take a deep breath, I find myself smiling. I am not annoyed by him wanting to take control. Instead, I like how he is being protective. It’s kinda sexy and makes me feel cared for. I’m not sure I can use my words right now, so I nod.
“Good,” he says with a matching smile, and as if he senses my fear, Tanner changes the subject and lets me calm my remaining nerves .
“I thought maybe you ran over the roses yourself with your injured ankle. How is it feeling anyway?” he asks, lifting my leg and placing it on his lap, where he inspects the small purple scar that now runs across my ankle before he starts to massage it.
“You massaging it is making it all so much better now,” I murmur, smiling, as his large hands run up and down my shin, his thumbs kneading my muscles. I’m putting the rose issue behind me. I am sure it was just someone who came by for a visit. A friendly neighborly gesture or something, and although I thought I had, I mentally scold myself for not locking the door.
Tanner chuckles, but his hands don’t leave my skin. He looks relaxed himself, his shoulders lowered, his normal scowl faded into a content smile.
Garry bleats, and we both look at my goat who is doing a great job, moving around a little before settling again. I don’t know how I know, but I feel like it is getting close.
“What’s your plan for this place once you’re done with renovations?” Tanner asks, and we sit back against the wall, getting more comfortable.
“I was thinking I would make it a farm stay for women who need a place,” I tell him, smiling.
“Why's that?” He looks at me curiously.
“Well, I needed a place. It came just at the right time in my life when I needed a change. I feel like others might need one too. Somewhere to help them get through a tough season in their life. I just think about the women who experience heartbreak or trouble from their husbands like my mom did or their boyfriends, who may not be as lucky as me. Maybe I can give them a place to get over their heartbreak or bad situations in life,” I say, trying to formulate it, the idea still brewing in my mind as I talk.
“So, are you planning on staying long term, or just here for your season of change?” He’s not looking at me now, his jaw set as he stares straight ahead at Garry.
“The more time I spend here, the more I love it. It is starting to feel more like home than the city ever did. I am not exactly sure what I will do for work from here, though. Whispers doesn’t have a lot of options in that regard.” I take a sip of the hot coffee, letting out a little moan as he rubs my calf.
Small towns are great in many aspects, but employment can be scarce, especially for someone from the city. I haven’t thought too much about my long-term plans. When I took on Marie’s place, I did it to get myself out of the bad situation I was in. I was running away from something, not running to something. But now things are better, and my life feels like it is aligning and more settled, like I was always meant to be here. But I have no idea what I would do for work, and while renting out Marie’s Place will be able to pay some bills, I don’t think it is something I could rely on.
“I think Whispers looks good on you,” Tanner says, and I catch him watching me.
“I think it does too,” I say softly, smiling, and I get one in return, before Garry bleats out loudly and Tanner moves my legs to jump up.
“It’s time,” he says, and my panic flares.
“I am never having children,” I say adamantly as I try to recover from what I just saw. A baby goat lies next to Garry.
“Hold up, there is a second one,” Tanner says from where he is positioned next to the goat.
“A second one? What do you mean, a second one? How many do they have?” I shriek. They did not teach this at my school in the city, that is for sure.
“I think just the two,” Tanner says, grabbing an old towel just as the second kid is pushed out, and I need to hang on to the fence of the pen to get a handle on the situation. Garry has been birthing for hours and now we have two baby kids. Both white, looking almost identical, except for a black patch that looks like a collar around one.
“Another girl,” Tanner says, standing to come closer to me. Garry is still panting.
“Is Garry alright?” I ask him, and he looks at me funny.
“You know you need a new name for your goat.” He chuckles.
“Gertrude. Maybe Gertie for short,” I tell him, having already thought about it.
“Well, Gertie is fine. She just needs to finish the birthing process and she should be right as rain,” he says, looking down at her. I step forward tentatively.
“Good girl, Gertie. You did a good job, momma.” I stroke her head. She gives me a little bleat and a soft nudge, and I now know we will become friends after this .
“I can’t believe we had babies!” Standing up and smiling at Tanner, my eyes water.
“Babies are a lot of work, you know.”
“Speaking from experience, I assume? Had baby goats before?” I tease, as we look back down and see Gertie feeding her babies, the whole thing completely happens naturally.
“I had a baby human, and he was hard enough work.” Tanner scoffs, leaning against the wall and taking me with him. His hands settle on my waist as mine rest on his chest. “But it was all worth it.”
“I can imagine,” I say, feeling admiration for him.
“Do you want kids? Baby humans, I mean?” Tanner asks, and his question takes me by surprise.
“I think so. It isn’t something I think a lot about, but I would like to be a mother.” I wait to see if he makes an excuse and leaves. But he doesn’t, so I test the waters a little. “What about you? Ever thought about having another child?” I ask tentatively.
“I have never really thought about it, but I guess if the right woman came along…” he says, our eyes catching intensely as a moment of truth runs between us that has my heart racing. “Besides, if I did it again, it would be a hell of a lot different than thirty-five years ago, that is for sure.” He smiles, which is contagious.
“Tell me about that time.” Tilting my head, my fingers play with the collar of his shirt. He lets out a breath, like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.
“Some of the hardest years of my life. I had this little person, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I was distraught because his mom had up and left. Thank God for my parents, because they did so much for Connor and me, especially in those early years,” he says, and my heart feels heavy.
“Was he an easy baby?” I ask, smiling, and Tanner smirks.
“No. Not at all. Never slept. Hardly ate. In the end, I finished high school with him strapped to my body in a carrier because he wouldn’t settle unless he was with me. Once school was done, I stayed home with him, helped out my parents, helped out others around Whispers, and made money that way. I spent time with my father making whiskey because it was a hobby he had for a lot of years. When I took a keen interest, he taught me everything he knew. I ended up doing local college at night, and when Connor went to school, I made whiskey during the day. Batches and batches of whiskey,” he says, chuckling.
“Sounds like you worked pretty hard.” I have no idea how I would cope in a similar situation. His resilience and work ethic make him even more attractive.
“The days were long, but the years were short. Our whiskey became popular around Whispers and the surrounding towns. It grew slowly but strategically and purposefully, and by the time Connor got a bit older, Whiteman’s Whiskey was a fully-fledged company turning a good profit. I had made enough money to send him to the best college, where he made some great contacts there, and they have helped us along the way. The rest is history.”
I smile, loving his story. He has achieved so much. His life already so full, while I feel mine is only just beginning. Our age difference is sizeable, and most of the time, I don’t feel it, but hearing about what he has accomplished, it is noticeable.
“You have done an amazing job, Tanner. With everything. The whiskey. Connor. He looks a lot like you, you know,” I say, leaning closer.
“He has been a good son. But obviously an adult who doesn’t need his old man much these days.” Shaking his head, his hands meet behind my back to embrace me.
“Well, maybe you can now help me with these baby goats. Because we both know I have no idea what I am doing,” I say to him, grinning, before I turn in his hold to look back at them, his hands lowering to my hips. “How did I not know she was a female?” Moaning, I rub my face, and he chuckles. “I am such a bad farmer.”
“You are coming around. Nice to see you in the boots I got you,” he says, as I lean my back against his chest, resting my head on his shoulder, looking up at him.
“They are surprisingly comfortable,” I admit, kicking my leg up and wiggling my foot.
“Speaking of comfortable. We need to shower,” Tanner says, and I look us over. He is right, we are a mess.
“A shower for two?” I smile, raising my eyebrows in question.
“You read my mind, baby girl,” he growls as he cups my cheek and kisses me, leaving me breathless.