Chapter Thirteen
Everly threw her bag onto the back seat of her rental car. She closed the door and took a moment to look up at the beautiful mountains before she got behind the wheel. She hadn’t called Tanner yet. She’d call him once she was on the road. Nothing about this trip had worked out the way she’d hoped, and now it was all about to be over.
She started the engine and drove away from the lodge, wondering if she’d ever see it again. She’d sent Corinne an email, hoping that her old friend was still in the habit of ignoring her emails on the weekends. Of course, Everly would love to talk to her, but it was just easier this way. There was nothing for it; she had to go home. Nothing Corinne could say could change that.
She stared at her phone before finally telling it to, “Call Tanner,” as she turned out onto East River Road. As she listened to it ring, she pictured his beautiful face in her mind’s eye. He really was beautiful. She sighed. She was sad to face the fact that he was about to become nothing more than a beautiful memory.
“Hey, darlin’. Did you get my message? Do you want me to come pick you up?”
“It’s okay. I’m on my way. I just left Remington Ranch. I’ll be there in a little while.”
“Do you know the way?”
She laughed. “I think I can manage it. I don’t have the best sense of direction, but even I managed to figure out that all I need to do is get on the main road, head north for a couple of miles, and then keep an eye out for the MacFarland Ranch sign.”
He laughed with her. “Okay. I know you’re more than capable. Just drive safe, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Is everything alright?”
She didn’t want to tell him over the phone. She wanted to see him. Wanted to feel his arms around her again.
“What is it, Everly? Tell me?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there.”
“You’ve got me worried. Are you okay?”
“I… I’ll be fine. I… I heard from my dad this morning.” It wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the whole truth.
“Okay. You just get here safe, alright? We can talk about it. You’re going to be fine, darlin’.”
Tears pricked behind her eyes. He was such a good guy, and she felt so bad that she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. “I’ll be there soon.”
“I’ll be waiting. I’ll come out front to meet you so that you don’t get swamped by the whole crowd the second you arrive.”
“Okay.” She liked that idea. It was going to be bad enough telling him that she had to leave, she wasn’t looking forward to facing his family as well. “See you soon.”
When the call ended, she sighed. She should have known better – she should never have even dreamed that she might get to be with the sexy cowboy. That wasn’t the way things worked in her world.
A few minutes later, she turned off the highway and under the big wooden sign that already seemed so familiar. Her heart sat heavy in her chest as she wondered if she’d ever see this place again.
As she approached the big house, she could see Tanner standing out front, waiting for her. Life just wasn’t fair – but she already knew that. Her mistake was having hoped – if only briefly – that this time things might somehow work out in her favor.
~ ~ ~
Tanner had spent most of the time pacing since he came down from taking his shower. He didn’t know what was taking Everly so long to call him back. He didn’t like it. He wasn’t worried, not for himself. He was just concerned about what she might have going on.
He’d hung out by the grill with Ty for a while, but he’d grown tired of his little brother spouting supposedly sage advice. He’d finally given up and decided that he might as well take a walk out to the barn to check on the mare while he was waiting. Just as he rounded the side of the house, he smiled when he saw Travis’s white pickup truck parking at the end of what was already a long line of trucks.
“Hey, Tan!” Travis called as he climbed out.
“Hey, Trav. How’s it going?”
“Be right with you.” Travis jogged around the hood of his truck to the passenger door. He opened it and lifted a laughing Retta out.
Tanner had to laugh at the way Travis came striding over to him, carrying Retta as if he were carrying his bride across the threshold, and as if she weighed no more than a small child.
“I hope your leg’s okay?” Tanner asked her. “This is just Trav being Trav, right? You’ve not injured it again, have you?”
“My leg’s fine, thanks. I’m fine. It is just that this guy forgets sometimes that I’m perfectly capable of standing – and walking – on my own two feet.” She looked up at Travis. “And you can put me down anytime you like.”
Instead of setting her down, Travis hugged her tighter against his chest. “I don’t forget, Retta, darlin’. I just like to make the most of every chance I get.”
Retta smiled at Tanner. “It looks like we’ll just have to have our conversation like this. How are you, anyway? I haven’t seen you for a while.”
Tanner grinned. “I’m doing great, thanks. Better than I’ve been in a long time. In fact, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Travis cocked an eyebrow at him. “You mean, tell me? Or …?”
Tanner winked at Retta. “As a matter of fact, it’s something that I need to tell Retta – since I promised her that I would. But since you’re here, I don’t mind telling you too.”
“What kind of promise have you made my lady that I don’t know about?” Travis pretended to scowl, but there was no hiding his smile. The man didn’t have a jealous bone in his body, and he loved anything and anyone who made Retta feel included, like she was one of the family.
Retta’s eyes were wide as she looked at Tanner. “I think I know. I didn’t expect it’d come around this soon, though.”
“Neither did I,” said Tanner. “It came out of the blue. Took me by surprise.” He grinned. “And I couldn’t be happier.”
Travis gave him a puzzled smile. “Come on, fill me in. What’s going on?”
“What you don’t remember,” Retta told him, “is that Tanner promised me that I would be the first to know when he met his girl.”
Travis grinned. “Well, damn! I do remember. Are you saying…?” He looked up at the house. “Is she here?”
Tanner checked his watch. “Not yet, but I’m hoping that she will be soon.”
Retta reached out and touched his arm. “I’m so happy for you, Tanner. I want to hear all about her. What’s she like? How did you meet her?”
He glanced at Travis. “She came into the bar on Friday night while I was working, and before you say anything, I know you’ve heard that before, but this is different.”
Travis raised his eyebrows. “Far too many times, but go on, tell us more.”
Tanner shrugged. “She’s just… She’s awesome. She’s not like the girls I usually go out with.”
Travis turned away and pretended to cough as he said, “Go home with.”
Retta slapped his shoulder. “Stop it. Let him explain.”
Tanner grinned at her. “Thanks. I can’t blame him, but it really is different this time. Everly’s different, she’s like one of us – she could be one of us.” He looked from Retta to Travis and added, “I’m hoping like hell that she’s going to become one of us.”
Their reaction wasn’t what he’d hoped for. Far from it. Retta looked concerned, and Travis looked out right stunned. “Run that by me again, Tanner. What did you just say her name is?”
“Everly. I…” The sound of his phone ringing interrupted him. “Shit, sorry. This is her. I’ve been waiting for her to call me back. I’ll catch up with you guys in a little while, okay?”
He dug his phone out of his pocket as he spoke, then swiped to answer. “Hey, darlin’. Did you get my message? Do you want me to come pick you up?”
He walked away from Travis and Retta, heading for the front of the house when Everly told him that she was already on her way. One of the reasons that he’d wanted to go and pick her up was that he wanted her to himself for a while. He loved that his family liked her so much, but he wasn’t as keen on sharing her with them.
After he ended the call, he went to sit on the front porch to watch for her car. He’d hoped that when she finally heard back from her dad, she might be able to work things out with him. Of course, he wanted that for her sake, but it might also help him. While he, Janey, and Brooks had worked with the sick mare this morning, he’d allowed himself to dare to imagine what life might look like if he could persuade her to move here. It wasn’t such a crazy notion. She’d been thinking about moving here anyway – she’d come for a job interview.
He propped his feet against the porch railing and set the old wooden rocking chair moving as he waited for her. He was prepared to do whatever it would take to make her feel at home here. He’d have to have a word with Wade later. He always needed help around the lodge; Everly would need a job, and that was the kind of work she was used to doing. He could probably help her get some shifts behind the bar at Chico. That made him smile; it might be fun to work together. There were so many possibilities that he was feeling pretty good about it, until he remembered that he didn’t even know if she’d want to stay.
“Are you done on the phone, Tanner? I need a word.” Travis was sticking his head out of the front door.
“Sure, come on out, but as soon Everly arrives, I’m going to run out there to meet her.”
Travis didn’t smile. He looked far too serious for Tanner’s liking.
“What’s wrong? It’s not like you to look so grouchy.”
“I’m not grouchy, Tan. I’m… I dunno. It might be fine.”
“What might be?” Tanner turned to look up the driveway; there was still no sign of her. “What’s going on, Trav?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know who Everly is?”
Tanner’s heart started to race. “I thought I did, but from the look on your face there’s something I don’t know, isn’t there?”
Travis nodded. “She hasn’t told you about her dad?”
“As a matter of fact, she has. From the sound of it, he’s an asshole. He was supposed to meet her on Friday night, but he let her down – didn’t show, didn’t even send a message. From what she said, it’s not the first time, more like par for the course. But wait, why? What do you know? Do you know him?”
“I do. And the thing is, you know him, too.”
“I do? Who…?”
“Zeke,” Travis explained. “Zeke’s her dad. And he’s not an asshole, so don’t go calling him that. He’s had his struggles – we all have. He might not have dealt with them in the best way over the years, but he’s been off the booze for a while now.”
Tanner’s heart was thundering in his chest. He couldn’t process it. Zeke? Zeke was Everly’s dad? It kind of added up. Zeke was supposed to have gotten back from Salt Lake on Friday afternoon. Everly’s dad was supposed to meet her on Friday night. Zeke hadn’t shown. Everly’s dad hadn’t shown. But… Jesus!
Travis’s hand came down on his shoulder. “You’ll be able to work it out with him, I’m sure you will. But…” Travis gave him a pained look. “Your reputation isn’t exactly a secret, is it? Zeke knows what you’re like. And… Dammit, Tanner, you know I love you, kid, but if I were a father, I wouldn’t want you within a hundred miles of my daughter.”
Tanner took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair. “Shit! I get it. But Trav, it’s not like that – not with her. She’s different. I’m different with her. I… I’m just gonna have to talk to him. I don’t imagine he’ll be thrilled in the beginning, but I’ll talk to him. I’ll show him, no matter how long it takes.”
He turned to look when Travis looked past him up the driveway. Everly’s rental car was halfway to the house, and a big, black pickup truck had just turned in off the road behind her.
“Looks like you’re going to get your chance to talk to him sooner rather than later.”
Tanner nodded slowly. His palms were sweating, and his heart was pounding. Did Everly know that her dad was coming? Had she figured out that he and Tanner already knew each other? Had she told Zeke about him? He had no clue, but he was about to find out.
~ ~ ~
Everly’s heart leapt into her chest when she saw Tanner standing on the front porch. He was talking to another man, an older guy with a full, gray beard, wearing a cowboy hat. She hoped that he’d get rid of him when she arrived. She really wanted to talk to him by himself.
She checked the rearview mirror and saw a big, black pickup truck following her down the driveway. Perhaps the man who Tanner was talking to was waiting for whoever was in the truck.
As she got closer, Tanner came down the front steps, but the other man hung back. She stopped the car next to the fence and got out. She went to Tanner but hesitated when she saw the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
She didn’t understand the way he looked at her. Then, he turned to watch the truck as it pulled up behind her rental car.
“Did you know he was coming?”
“What? Who? What are you…?” She followed his gaze, and her mouth fell open when her dad climbed out of the truck.
“Oh my God! Tanner? Do you know him?”
He met her gaze. “I do. I…”
“Everly?” Her dad came hurrying toward them. “What are you doing here?” He dragged his gaze away from her to look at Tanner. He scowled. “What’s going on?”
Everly just stared at him for a few moments. “I want to ask you the same thing. What…?”
Her dad’s shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry, Everly. It’s like I said, I ran into some trouble…”
“Yeah. The kind of trouble that you just can’t tell me about, right?”
Tanner swung his head to look at her. She knew that her tone was sharp, and she sounded bitter. If he knew more of her history with her dad, he’d understand.
“I’m sorry. I…”
“It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”
“How do you know him?” He jerked his chin toward Tanner.
“I don’t owe you any kind of explanation, Dad.”
He glared at Tanner. “Tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”
“It isn’t what it looks like,” said Tanner.
She looked up at him. Was he going to deny that they were together? The look in his eyes reassured her, but not as much as the feel of his arm as he wrapped it around her shoulders. “I know what you might think of me – Everly knows, too. We have no secrets. I know I haven’t been the kind of guy any father would want for his daughter, but I promise you, that’s changed.”
Everly wrapped her arm around his waist. She felt awful; Tanner had no idea that she’d only come to say goodbye to him.
Her dad glared at him. “Are you expecting me to believe that you’re the kind of leopard who can change his spots at the snap of a pretty girl’s fingers? I understand how Everly could turn your head around – she’s worth a million of the girls you usually chase. I like you well enough, Tanner. But you’re right; you’re not good enough for her. And I don’t believe for one second that you’re ready to give up the kind of life you live so that you can take on Everly and my grandson.”
Everly’s heart thudded to a halt as Tanner sputtered, “Say what now? Your who?”
Everly’s dad turned to her. “You haven’t told him?” His expression gentled. “So, no matter what Tanner thinks, you’re not…”
She could barely focus on what he was saying. She was more concerned with the way that Tanner had stepped away from her. He was staring at her as if he didn’t know her. She couldn’t blame him. She’d told him as much – told him that he really didn’t know her – just this morning. How she wished that she’d managed to find the right moment to tell him about Ashton.
“You have a son?” he asked slowly as if he was still trying to process it.
She reached out to touch his arm, but her heart sank when he stepped back again out of her reach. “I do. I kept trying to tell you. I didn’t think it mattered at first, and then, when I realized that it did, we kept getting interrupted – last night, with the deer, this morning when you got the phone call about the mare.”
He nodded along, as if he were agreeing with what she was saying, but she could tell that she’d lost him.
“You could’ve just told me. You should’ve told me.”
The hurt in his eyes broke her heart. “I was going to. I promise you. I’m so sorry. I…”
“Don’t you go apologizing to him, Everly. You did yourself a favor. He’s a good guy. But he’s not good enough for you and Ashton.”
She wanted to yell at her dad, to tell him to shut up and leave them alone, but he kept on talking. He turned back to Tanner.
“I’m not blaming you. I can see how Everly would make you want to change your ways. I can see how you might even have tried to convince yourself that you could change for her. But tell the truth – be honest with yourself – you’re not ready to be a father, are you?”
Everly felt as though someone had wrapped steel bands around her chest and was squeezing all the air and the life out of her. Of course, she’d hoped. Even though she’d only come to say goodbye to him, she’d still hoped that maybe… Somehow… But any hopes she’d had were being crushed right before her eyes.
Tanner looked at her, then at her dad. When he turned back to her, he met her gaze and shook his head sadly. “I guess I’m not.”
She squeezed her eyes closed against the tears that threatened to fall. It was ridiculous. It was totally unreasonable of her to expect any other answer. Not only had the poor guy been blindsided, he also believed that she’d been lying to him deliberately ever since she met him.
She sucked in a deep breath, pulling herself together as she opened her eyes. “I get it. I understand, I’m sorry. Goodbye, Tanner.”
With that, she hurried back to her rental car and climbed in. Tanner and her dad seemed frozen as they watched with matching stunned looks on their faces while she turned the car around and pulled away.
Tears streamed down her face as she raced back up the driveway toward the main road. She could still see them in the mirror; two men in cowboy hats, like some Western silhouette yard art. She sobbed when the thought hit her that they were the only two men whom she’d ever loved, and yet, she couldn’t have either of them in her life.
She turned out onto the highway, headed for the airport. She needed to get a grip. It was crazy to claim that she loved Tanner – but the ache in her chest sure felt like her heart was breaking as she left him behind.