Chapter Nine
Everly studied her reflection in the mirror – she didn’t look bad. She’d spent far too much time debating with herself as to whether she should wear the short denim skirt that she’d brought with her. In the end, she’d decided against it. She’d only packed it for the trip at her mom’s suggestion. She couldn’t remember the last time that she’d worn it.
She’d opted instead to wear her favorite butt-hugging jeans and a pretty, floral, V-neck top. The top wasn’t exactly low-cut, but it was flattering. She leaned in closer to the mirror. She’d had another debate with herself about her makeup. When she worked behind the bar at home, she made an effort. Other than that, she preferred to go fresh faced with just a little mascara and lipstick. Tonight, she’d wondered if she should go with her full-on going out look but had decided against it.
The girl in the mirror looked much the same as she had last night. It might be tempting to make more of an effort to impress Tanner, but it didn’t feel like the right move. He liked her for who she was; she knew that. If he wanted a girl who was more concerned with the way that she looked, then he had plenty of them to choose from.
She hurried to grab her phone from the bed when it beeped with an incoming text. She laughed when she read it.
Tanner: Are you nearly here yet?
She was about to tell him that he sounded just like Ashton, but then she remembered that he didn’t know about Ashton yet. She really needed to tell him as soon as she could. It wasn’t that she’d tried to hide it from him. It was like she’d told Corinne earlier; she just hadn’t found the right moment.
Everly: Not yet. Cassidy and Shane are giving me a ride. I’m meeting them in the lobby at eight.
She wondered what he’d have to say about them giving her a ride. She didn’t know which explanation was more embarrassing – she’d either have to tell him that she’d been so caught up in spending time with him that she hadn’t even thought about how she was going to get her rental car back after leaving it at the bar last night, or that she was assuming that he’d bring her back again tonight.
Tanner: I know! I told Shane that I’m holding him personally responsible for making sure that you show up.
That made her smile. It had been years since she’d dated anyone, but in her experience, guys tended to play it cool. She loved that he was being so open about wanting to see her again.
Everly: I told you I’ll be there.
Tanner: I know, but I didn’t want to take any chances. Are they going to take your rental car back to the lodge for you?
Everly: Cassidy offered to drive it back for me – if you don’t mind giving me a ride again?
Tanner: You know I don’t – or you should know. Gotta get back to work. See you soon.
Everly: Okay. See you there.
Tanner: And hurry up, would ya? Not trying to be bossy; I just can’t wait to see you again.
Everly: Aww. Looking forward to seeing you, too. Won’t be long.
She picked up her purse and made sure she had the room key before heading down to wait for Shane and Cassidy in the lobby.
~ ~ ~
“What’s with you tonight?” Brody scowled at Tanner as he reached in front of him to grab the soda nozzle. “You’re off your game.”
Tanner grinned at him. “Sorry. I’m just keeping my eye on the door. I promise I’ll get my shit together once she arrives.”
Brody cocked an eyebrow. “Who? Oh wait, you mean the girl from last night?”
“I sure do.”
Brody chuckled. “What’s the deal? It’s not like you to go back for more.”
Tanner scowled at him. “I want to be mad at you, but I can’t. Normally, you’d have a point, but this is… Everly’s… She’s different.”
“I figured she must be. I was just seeing if I could get a rise out of you. I could tell last night – for one thing she was hanging out with your family, and for another, you were different. Tell you what, I’ll cover for you if you want to finish early.”
Tanner narrowed his eyes. “What’s the catch?”
Brody laughed. “Dammit, Tan! There’s no catch. Can’t I do you a favor without there being a catch? I’ve never seen you like this before. I like it. There’s something special about this chick. If this ends up going somewhere, I want to say that I lent you a helping hand at the beginning.”
All Tanner could do was stare at him. “Thanks. I… I don’t know, bud. I like the idea of it going somewhere, but I don’t see how it can – she’s only here for a week.”
“Maybe so, but I know you; you won’t let that get in your way if you don’t want it to.” Brody finished adding soda to the drinks in front of him. “But we can’t stand around here gossiping; we have thirsty customers to keep happy.”
Tanner came back to the moment with a bump. Brody was right; the bar was lined with people who were all trying to get their attention so that they could order their drinks. He got back to work with a big smile on his face.
By the time they’d served almost everyone who was waiting, Tanner waved when he saw Ty and Shay come in with Laney and Luke. Once they were settled in their usual spot at the end of the bar, Tanner made his way to them.
“Where is she?” Laney asked with a frown.
“On her way,” said Tanner. “And by the way, hi,” he added with a laugh.
Laney shrugged. “Hi. I wasn’t dismissing you, I’m just excited to see her again.”
“How did it go today?” Luke asked.
Ty laughed. “Pretty damn well, if you ask me. He brought her over to the ranch.”
Luke raised his eyebrows, but before Tanner could say anything, Shayna chimed in.
“And it was so cool. You know what the guys are like,” she told Laney. “They were all trying to give him shit, and Everly kept standing up for him.”
Laney grinned. “I like it. I mean, the poor girl’s misguided if she thinks that you need anyone to stand up for you, but I like that she wanted to try.”
“Yeah,” said Tanner. “Are you all having the usual?”
They nodded, and he started to fix their drinks while he spoke. “You’re right that I don’t need anyone to stand up for me, but I’ve got to say that I liked it.”
The others looked puzzled, but Luke met his gaze and nodded. Luke had been Tanner’s best friend since kindergarten. Tanner didn’t think that the others were aware of it, but he’d always felt a little adrift within the family. The rest of them were all paired up. Ty and Kolby, and Laney and Janey, had always had each other. It was a twin thing. Ford and Wade were only a year apart in age, and they were close. It left Tanner as the odd man out in the middle. Their eldest brother, Cash, was quite a bit older than the rest of them, and he’d left the ranch when Tanner was just a kid. So, although Tanner felt like he and Cash had a special bond – that Cash went out of his way to make sure that he wasn’t left out in the cold – he still felt like a bit of a loner.
He shrugged, not necessarily wanting to explain that to them. It wasn’t as though he needed anyone.
After a few moments, Laney smiled. “I get it. I can’t say that I’m sorry that I kind of stole this guy from you.” She slung her arm around Luke’s neck. “But I get it.”
Tanner nodded as he finished making their drinks.
“Did she hear from her dad today?” Shayna asked.
“No. At least, she hadn’t heard anything when I dropped her back at the Remington place. I think she was going to give him a try this afternoon.”
Shayna shuddered. “I hope he had a good excuse for not showing up.”
Ty frowned. “I know what you’re thinking, sweetheart. You shouldn’t worry so much.”
“What’s up?” asked Tanner.
“She’s worried about Zeke. Travis still hasn’t heard anything from him.” He gave Shayna a reassuring smile. “But I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Did Trav talk to Eli?”
“He did. Eli said that Zeke left Salt Lake yesterday morning. Apparently, he had something he needed to be back here for last night. Eli’s absolutely convinced that he wouldn’t have started drinking again. He thinks it’s more likely that he’s taking his time coming back here because he doesn’t want to face whatever he has to do.”
“What does he have to do?” Laney asked.
Ty shrugged. “I don’t know. I think Trav knows but he’s not telling. And that’s fair enough. It’s none of our business, is it?”
“I guess not,” said Tanner. “I just hope he’s okay.” Tanner had gotten to know Zeke when he first arrived in the valley; he’d served in the Navy with Cash and Travis and the rest of their friends, and he was staying in one of the cabins at Travis’s place. Tanner hadn’t spent all that much time with the guy, but they’d had a few good conversations. He knew that Zeke had some regrets in life, even if he didn’t know what they were.
“Here they come,” said Ty, jerking his head toward the entrance. “Did you know that Shane and Cassidy were coming?”
Tanner’s heart pounded in his chest when he spotted her. She was gorgeous. He didn’t know what it was about her, but she just took his breath away. It was strange to see her standing between his brother and one of his oldest friends. She was flanked by Kolby and Callie on one side, and Shane and Cassidy on the other. It hit him for the first time that she wasn’t all that tall. For some reason, that just added to her appeal.
He heard Shayna laugh. “It looks like he’s dumbstruck, but I can tell you that they gave her a ride here so that she can figure out getting her rental car back. You know when I talked to her earlier? She said that she was coming with them. She knows Corinne and Beau, too.”
Tanner just nodded his agreement. The sound of the conversation faded to no more than a buzz as he watched her make her way through the crowded bar toward them. He was vaguely aware that Shane and Cassidy were watching his reaction and smirking at him as they came, but all he could focus on was the way Everly was smiling at him.
~ ~ ~
It had only been a few hours since she last saw him, but the sight of Tanner standing behind the bar, smiling at her, took Everly’s breath away.
“Well, how about that?”
She turned to look at Cassidy, who was grinning.
“How about what?” Shane asked.
“Tanner,” Cassidy explained. She leaned around Shane to look at Everly. “He’s all yours, if you want him.”
Everly didn’t know what to say to that.
Cassidy laughed. “You don’t believe me? I get it. Honestly, I do. But I know how it goes.” She wrapped her arm around Shane’s waist. “I know all about big, good-looking guys, who are used to women falling at their feet.”
“She’s talking about me,” Shane explained with a grin. “She just doesn’t like to say it out loud in case it makes me big headed.”
Cassidy laughed. “You’re already far too big headed. The only reason that I don’t say it out loud is so that I can deny it if ever I need to. But …” she turned back to Everly “… my point, before I was so rudely interrupted, was that you have Tanner on the line; all you need to do is decide if you want to reel him in. And I have to tell you, I think you’d be crazy not to.”
“Excuse me, wifey. Husband, standing right here. You know, just in case you forgot.”
Cassidy laughed. “How could I ever forget? And what are you complaining about anyway? There’s no denying that Tanner’s a good-looking guy. It’s not as though I’m stating a personal preference, it’s just an objective fact.”
Shane gave a good-natured shrug and smiled at Everly. “It’s true. I mean, he’s so good-looking that if you’re not interested, I might just have to ask him out myself.”
Everly, Callie, and Kolby all laughed at that, and Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Just ignore us.” She pointed. “Go and say hello while he has a minute.”
Everly watched as Tanner made his way to the end of the bar and let himself out through the hatch. Her legs felt a little shaky as she hurried to meet him.
Instead of feeling more nervous, she relaxed when he rested his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes.
“Hey, darlin’.”
She closed her eyes as he leaned in and gave her a quick peck. “Hey.”
He straightened up with a smile. “You really like me calling you that, huh?”
She gave him a guilty little smile. “I do, but I’m not sure if my reaction was more about you calling me darlin’, or just…”
He tilted his head to the side. “Just… What?” he asked with a small smile.
She chuckled. “Just … you.”
“I’ll take it either way.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Unfortunately, for now, I need to get back to it.”
“That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to come out here. But I’m glad you did,” she added hurriedly.
He slid his hands up to cup the sides of her neck as he gave her another quick kiss. “Me too,” he told her as he backed away.
As he let himself back behind the bar, Shayna reached out to touch her arm. “Here you go, I saved you a seat. I’m glad you made it.”
“Me too,” Everly told her honestly. By the time she was settled in her seat, Tanner was setting a glass of wine in front of her.
“It’s the one from last night,” he told her. “Is that okay?”
She nodded happily. “It’s great, thanks.”
She thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with them all. They were a fun group last night, and Shane and Cassidy only added to the fun. They were both big personalities, big egos, if she were honest, and she liked them a lot. It was obvious that the others did, too.
The evening flew by, and it surprised Everly just how much she felt at home with them all. It struck her that despite having worked in the bar at home for the last couple of years, she didn’t have friends like this there. Not that she’d be able to hang out with them if she did. That thought took her mind back to Ashton. Perhaps she should just go home to him. What was the point in getting to know people here when she was only going to have to say goodbye to them all at the end of the week? She missed her little boy, and as much as she needed a break for herself, it didn’t feel right to be away from him.
She was surprised when a big hand came down on her shoulder, and she turned to see Shane smiling at her.
“We’re leaving now. We’ll leave your keys at the reception desk.”
She slid down from her stool to give him and Cassidy a hug. “Thanks so much for this.”
Cassidy grinned at her. “You are most welcome. It worked out well for us, too. I wouldn’t have wanted to come out for the whole night, but this way we got to say hi to everyone for a while.”
“We’ll see you guys soon,” Shane told the others.
“Yeah,” said Ty. “We should figure something out to get everyone together. It’s been too long.”
“Give me a call,” Cassidy told him. “We’ll set something up.”
Shane laughed and looked around at the others. “That’s me put in my place. She only keeps me around for decoration.”
Cassidy laughed with him. “Are you saying that you’d rather I leave you to make the arrangements? Are you saying that you wouldn’t whine about having to do it if I did?”
Shane turned to Ty. “We all know that I’m no good at that kind of thing, but she could at least pretend that I’m useful for something.”
They all laughed when Cassidy slapped his ass and said, “We all know what you’re useful for. And I’m sure that they all know that’s why we’re ducking out early.”
“Fair enough,” said Shane. “In that case, let’s go home, woman, so that you can fulfill your wifely duties.”
Everly laughed out loud at the way Cassidy glared at him. “You know where that kind of talk will land you, cowboy.”
“In the doghouse,” said Kolby.
“No such luck,” said Shane. “The doghouse would be way better than having to sit here all evening, watching her dance with one cowboy after another, just to prove a point.” He slung his arm around Cassidy’s shoulders and hugged her to his side. “We both know that I’m only joking, but when I push too far, my lovely wife is well within her rights to push back.”
Cassidy cupped his cheek with her hand and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Just like we both know that sometimes your lovely wife is a bit too sensitive about things like that.”
Shane chuckled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Take me home.”
Everly laughed with the others as they watched them go. Laney turned to her with a grin. “Shane used to be just like Tanner, you know. When guys like them fall, they fall hard.”
Everly just stared at her. She didn’t know what to say. She was enjoying this, enjoying knowing that Tanner was attracted to her in a way that was out of the ordinary for him. This whole thing was out of the ordinary for her, too. But no one was talking about falling for anyone – were they?