Chapter 34
Aisling
Present day
I tug the brim of Tanner’s khaki cap a little lower over my eyes, glancing out of the G-wagon’s passenger window at the emerald larch trees towering over us, enveloping the long stretch of lower-mountain road.
I rub my palms down my thighs, over the baby pink cotton of my long sundress. I didn’t have a huge array of meet-the-parents clothes options with me, but seeing as this dress covers me from neck to ankle I’m hoping that it’ll suffice.
Tanner takes one of his hands off the wheel, eyes remaining on the road as he stills my twiddling fingers and gives them a loving squeeze.
I take a deep breath and shake out my hair, trying to psych myself up as we approach the edge of Larch Peak.
“Maybe you should, like, tell me what to expect,” I say to him, my voice breathless and a little more high pitched than usual.
I shoot my eyes up to Tanner and there’s a hint of a smirk on his handsome face. His hair is pushed back from his tan forehead, the sides buzzed in that neat military-fade cut, and he’s wearing a cotton pull-over with sleeves for probably the first time ever – most likely some attempt at male modesty, to hide the thick biceps and forearms beneath.
I keep one hand entwined with his and use the other to gently squeeze his pumped muscles.
He grunts quietly and flashes me a smirk.
“Why the sleeves?” I ask him, because, sure it’s a little cloudy and overcast, but it’s still crazy summer degrees out here.
He grins down at me. “Can’t go into a military household with guns blazing, baby.”
I cover my eyes with one of my hands, laughing out loud. Tanner squeezes my hand tighter with his, a smile crease in his cheek when I peek back up at him.
“So what are they like?” I ask him, a tiny bit more at ease than I was a second ago.
“My mom and dad?” he asks me, his voice still low with morning gravel. “Probably exactly what you’re imagining when you picture the people who raised me.”
“All I’ve imagined so far is, like, a total DILF.”
Tanner breathes out a laugh, releasing my hand from his so that he can playfully squish my cheeks.
“Okay, naughty girl. What d’you wanna know?”
I purse my lips, considering. “Maybe, like… how they met?”
Tanner nods his head, quiet for a moment as he manoeuvres his giant SUV through a tight exit.
“Yeah, okay,” he rumbles. “So my dad’s military – a higher-up – and maybe a couple of years after he was fully enlisted there was some kind of… dinner, I guess. Black tie. You know just before we graduated and Carter U had that sports gala? I guess it was something like that, but more serious. More intense.
“My dad’s always been a quiet guy – straight-laced, no nonsense. And uh… he also didn’t… date around,” Tanner continues, putting a little more emphasis on the word date so that I can catch his meaning without him having to say it. “But then he’s at this dinner celebrating all of these incredible military men and women, and it’s winter so they decided to have… winter entertainment.”
He rolls his shoulders and takes my hand with his again.
“That’s, uh… where my mom comes in.”
I wrap my free hand around his wrist, massaging his flexing forearm and silently asking him to continue.
“The main reason why I play hockey?” he says quietly, his voice rasping as if he’s nervous. “It’s because of my mom. She was an Olympic figure skater. And with a house full of military guys, doing all of these dangerous missions, I wanted to continue her legacy, while also giving her one less person to ever have to worry about.”
My eyebrows lift in surprise, because I definitely hadn’t expected that.
I squeeze Tanner’s hand tighter.
What an amazing man.
“That’s really beautiful,” I breathe out.
“Uh, thank you,” he rumbles shyly, lifting my hand so that he can brush a kiss to it. Then he swipes his tongue over his lower lip and says, “Always wondered which path was the right one for me.”
I swallow quietly and ask, “Like, hockey or the army?”
“Yeah.”
“And do you… think that you picked the right one?” I say, feeling a little breathless.
A smile crease appears in Tanner’s cheek. “Yeah,” he says simply.
“How do you know?” I ask.
“Because I met you.”
I press my palm over my chest, feeling my heart thunder as I look up at him.
He gives me a loving squeeze, laughing quietly when I squish up against his biceps.
Then he gets back to telling me his parents’ story.
“So at this military dinner they set up a rink for her to recreate her gold-medal-winning performance on, and as soon as my dad saw her he was like… he just knew. And bear in mind, at this point my dad barely spoke to his co-workers, let alone total strangers. But after her performance when everyone was free to mill around, he just walked straight up to her. Asked her if she wanted to dance.”
Tanner casts a glance at me, a secretive smirk tugging up the corner of his lips.
“I should also probably mention the fact that she didn’t speak a word of English.”
A surprised laugh leaves my throat and I ask, “Then how did they talk?”
He clears his throat. Hard. “They found other ways to communicate.”
My jaw instantly drops. And from the set of Tanner’s jaw, I can tell that he’s a little less comfortable with this part of the story.
“So… did they dance?” I ask, feeling Tanner’s hand tighten around my own.
He rolls his shoulders, glances down at me, and simply says, “Yeah.”
“…And?” I ask, biting back a smile at how rigid he’s suddenly sitting.
He shifts uncomfortably on his seat, his wrist flexing as he grips the wheel.
“They, uh… they danced. All night. He didn’t let her out of his sight after that.”
I watch him carefully. “Didn’t she need to… go home?”
Tanner cracks his knuckles, eyes refusing to meet mine.
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “But, uh… she didn’t.”
I can’t take it anymore. Uncontrollable laughter bubbles out of me and Tanner breathes out a nervous laugh of his own.
“Sorry,” he laughs. “I know this is awkward as hell to talk about.”
“Oh no, don’t stop now,” I tease, and he half-laughs half-groans, his cheeks turning ruddy. “So if she didn’t go home then–?”
“She went home with him,” he finishes quickly, gruff and matter-of-fact. “They moved in together that night. That’s the end of the story.”
“I bet,” I say dryly, smiling up at his embarrassed expression. “So did they–?”
“Yeah,” he grunts. “I’m one of three boys. My oldest brother Morgan… yeah, that was his night.”
“Oh my God,” I laugh, burying my face against his biceps to smother my giggles. “Okay, that was so mean of me. I shouldn’t have made you finish that story Tanner, I’m sorry.”
Tanner keeps his eyes on the road but a brief smile touches his lips.
“It’s okay,” he rumbles, even though his dark red cheeks say otherwise.
I lean up to press a kiss against his cheekbone and his smile grows a little wider, his chest expanding contentedly.
“What’s your other brother called?” I ask, resettling on my seat.
“Wyatt. Morgan’s the oldest, then Wyatt, then me. And by the way,” he says, amusement glinting in his eyes, “when you hear my parents say the name ‘Mason’, they’re talking about me.”
“Oh my God!” I exclaim, shooting him a glare. “Very funny,” I mumble dryly, folding my arms over my chest.
His grin widens as he wrestles one of my hands back into his.
I stare sulkily at our entwined fingers.
Am I ever going to live down not knowing his first name?
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Tanner drawls, grinning wider when I gasp.
“Oh great, now I’m saying my private thoughts out loud,” I whimper. I look down at my love-heart freckle and say, “This is all your fault.”
Tanner breathes out a laugh, bringing my hand to his mouth so that he can kiss it.
“While we’re on the subject of shit I probably should have mentioned before I brought you here, you’re not afraid of dogs are you?” he asks, using our joined hands to move the shift.
I blink up at him, eyes wide.
“…Only big ones,” I say slowly. I swallow hard and squeak, “Why?”
He swipes his tongue over his bottom lip, staring hard at the road.
“Tanner!” I exclaim. “What the hell?! Fine, just tell me. How big is it?”
He presses an apologetic kiss firmly against my wrist.
“He’s… normal size, baby. Totally normal.”
“Define normal,” I say dryly, well aware that six-foot-four Tanner’s perspective of size is not the same as mine.
He grunts quietly, clearing his throat. “Uh…”
“Tanner,” I warn.
“He’s regular size,” he rumbles cautiously, “…for a fully grown Alsatian.”
“Tanner!” I shout, horrified.
“Look, baby, if it makes you feel any better we also have a Pekinese.”
I slap my free hand over my forehead and squeal, “What kind of owners get an Alsatian and then also get a Pekinese? ”
He breathes out a laugh and bites playfully at my wrist.
“I’m going to be eaten alive,” I whimper, soaking in my last ever look at the larch trees that Tanner is gunning past.
“By me maybe,” Tanner smirks, flashing me a cocky grin when I peek up at him. Then he has the grace to look a little guilty and he squeezes my thighs over my dress as he returns his attention to the road. “They’re both rescue dogs,” he says. “And Cookie’s only got three legs.”
“Oh my God,” I whisper, closing my eyes. “You have a three-legged Pekinese, and you freaking named it Cookie.”
Tanner snickers, rubbing his thumb more firmly into my thigh.
“The Alsatian’s called Cobie.”
“Great,” I deadpan. “A name for my killer.”
“Baby,” Tanner says, laughing kindly. “Please don’t believe those stereotypes about big dogs. He’s a total sweetheart, my mom trained him so good.”
I purse my lips, unconvinced. “Dogs don’t like outsiders,” I say, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.
“He’s fine with everyone, and he’s even better with family.”
I look up at him. “I’m not family, Tanner.”
Something like a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Baby, he’s a dog. He’s going to know that you’re mine.”
I arch a petulant eyebrow. “And why’s that? Is he also a mind-reader?”
Tanner tries to bite back his grin. “Ash.” He flicks a glance my way. “What I meant is that his senses are stronger than a human’s. He’s going to know that you’re family because he’s going to smell my scent all over you.”
I blush so hard that my cheeks turn darker than my dress.
Twenty minutes later we’re driving through Carter Ridge, and Tanner is pulling up outside a small local florist’s to get something for his parents.
“Wanna come in? I’ll be two minutes, tops,” he says. He clicks open his seatbelt and wraps his forearm around the headrest of my seat.
I blink at his biceps straining through the dark cotton of his shirt, before looking up at him with love-struck eyes and shaking my head.
He smirks down at me, grabs my chin, and kisses me hard.
“Two minutes,” he murmurs, before hunching beneath the roof of the G-wagon and trudging heavily into the shop.
A little bell tinkles about a minute and a half later, and Tanner leaves the florist’s holding the largest bouquet of sunflowers that I’ve ever seen.
He grins when he sees my surprised expression and he muscles his way into the driver’s seat.
“Wanna smell them?” he asks, gently tilting the bouquet my way when I lean forward. I pull back after a second and offer him a little smile.
“Your parents are super lucky,” I tell him, and he smiles even harder, shifting the bouquet to his other side so that he can kiss me again.
“Close your eyes,” he murmurs as he pulls back a little.
“My eyes are already closed,” I giggle, but I swallow nervously in anticipation anyway.
I hear a lot of shifting around, the rustle of bouquet cellophane, and then there’s only stillness in the cabin of the car as he waits for me to open my eyes.
“Open them,” he says and my heart thunders in my chest.
Because in Tanner’s hand is a single red rose.
I squeal and practically throw myself on top of him, making a chuckle rumble in his chest as he splays his free hand over my back, hunching down to meet my kiss.
“Like it?” he asks gruffly, pulling back so that he can pass it to me.
“Cinnamon roll,” I whisper up at him, totally entranced.
He shakes his head as he laughs before dipping down to kiss me again.
“You know that I have no idea what you mean when you say stuff like that, right?” he asks, helping me climb back over to the passenger seat. The sunflowers are now sitting in the back and my rose is laid carefully on my lap.
“You’re the most thoughtful person ever,” I say, staring up at him as he backs out of the parking spot. “Why’d you even get it for me?”
He squeezes my thigh with his right hand. “A beautiful rose for a beautiful rose.”