Chapter 5 #2
He squeezes my hand gently, and my cheeks burn even hotter at the way he stares down at me. Forcing myself to move, I take my hand back and step away, motioning for them to follow behind me.
“Well, welcome to the Thanksgiving chaos. Let me show you both to the kitchen where my mom is, then I can get you both a drink.” I don’t bother to look over my shoulder to see if they’re following.
The sound of the front door clicking shut and the weight of Tanner’s gaze on my back tells me that all on its own.
Except, clearly my brain is malfunctioning in the presence of an attractive stranger because the second I step foot into the kitchen, it’s like stepping out of a heavy fog.
While my mom’s back is to us as she works at the oven, Dean immediately looks up at me.
He smiles, making my heart skip a beat at the way his entire face lights up.
But then his gaze flicks to look past me, and his lips fall slightly.
Ignoring the pang of guilt that forms in my stomach when I’ve done nothing wrong, I push on.
“Ma, Liz and her son are here.”
“It’s Tanner.” The man himself corrects so quietly, I’m sure it was only meant for me. Since I’m still looking right at Dean, the way his eyebrows scrunch together tells me he caught the interaction too.
I flash Tanner a polite smile, unable to fight the deepening heat in my cheeks when I find him already watching me.
My mom whips around with an excited gasp, slamming the oven door closed, and rushes over. “Oh goody! I was just about to text you.”
Liz steps forward, setting her tray down on the counter before turning back to us.
“Katherine, this is my Tanner!” She holds a hand out and I finally step out of the way, moving around the kitchen island and stopping a few feet away from Dean as we watch the interaction.
“Oh, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Tanner! Your mom has told me so much about you.”
“I hope she hasn’t set the bar too high. My mom seems to think I can do no wrong.” Tanner accepts my mom’s hand in greeting while his eyes find me once again.
Liz follows his attention and winks at me. “We mothers can never stop hyping up our kids.”
While I force an awkward laugh, my mom gushes over the man in front of her and I suddenly fight the urge to roll my eyes.
Yes, his attractiveness caught me off guard for a second when I first saw him, but the shock factor is quickly passing.
Especially as I watch him bat his eyes and lay his “charm” on thick while complimenting my mom.
From the corner of my eye, I find Dean inching closer as we observe the two moms in the kitchen very obviously talking Tanner up.
“Tanner, tell Katherine and Arianna about your perfect golf streak!” Liz offers, fidgeting with the collar of her son’s shirt.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Mom.” Tanner offers in a tone that does not hide how big of a deal he truly thinks it is. “You know what they say. Practice makes perfect and since I play four days each week, it’s no wonder that I hold the best score at the club right now.”
Finally remembering my wine, I hide my eye roll by chugging back the remains while Tanner goes on to brag about his perfect plays.
“Ari, be a dear and show Tanner where the drinks are?” My mom interrupts my judgy thoughts and I finally meet her stare with narrowed eyes.
As if she can read my thoughts, she smiles wider and quickly glances toward Tanner before looking back at me with those damn pleading eyes.
Her face practically screams “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but look at him! ”
Apparently, no matter how many times I tell her I don’t need to be set up, it wasn’t good enough for her. I shoot her back a glare that hopefully screams “this isn’t over” before caving.
Biting back a sigh, I lift my now empty glass.
“Since it appears I need a refill of my own, sure. Follow me.”
Pushing away from the island, I don’t even take a step before Dean speaks up.
“Ya know what, I need one too. All this cooking has left me parched.” He smiles at my mom. “You okay if I step away, Katherine?”
“What have I told you about calling me that?” My mom rolls her eyes, crossing the kitchen to gently shoo him away. “Go, go. I told you before that I didn’t need your help.”
“We all know you don’t need help, but we both know you love my company, Mom.” Dean emphasizes the fact that he calls her mom and I don’t miss the sly smirk he shoots toward Tanner.
“Well, Liz can take over keeping me company. Go get a drink and socialize.”
“Alrighty then,” I say, spinning on my heel and raising my still empty glass. “Anyone in need of a strong alcoholic beverage, follow me.”
Both men follow, the tension in the air almost as heavy as the weight of their stares. Refusing to even look at them, I lead them to the drink bar in the dining room and immediately find my favorite bottle of whiskey.
“Dean, do you want your usual?” I ask, sparing him a quick glance.
“Yes. However,”—Dean steps up to take the bottle from my hand and places a hand on my lower back—“you’ve been serving everyone else today. Let me make you one now.”
“You know how I like it.” I smile, caught up in his closeness for a moment before the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind us ruins the moment. Dean’s jaw clenches and he barely glances over his shoulder.
“What’ll it be, Tan?” Dean asks in his regular cheery voice.
“It’s Tanner,” he corrects while stepping up to my other side. “Whatever Arianna is drinking works for me.”
Once again, I fight the urge to roll my eyes. He doesn’t even know what I’m drinking. Instead of enlightening him, I step back and give Dean room to work. He’s one of the few people I would ever trust to make my favorite cocktail.
“So what is it that you do? Besides golf, that is,” Dean asks while adding ice to the shaker before pouring the whiskey in.
Tanner answers, going into a long and unnecessary description that could easily have been summed up by saying he’s in finance.
The entire time he drones on, I follow Dean’s movements as he adds in the apple cider, pumpkin pie spice, and lemon juice before shaking it.
Dean is better than me, nodding along absentmindedly and making it seem as if he’s listening. All while I watch the way Dean’s biceps flex and coil as he shakes up the drink.
By the time Tanner finishes his winded job description, the drinks are being poured and I’m practically drooling.
Over the drink, that is. Definitely not over my brother’s best friend in the middle of my parents’ dining room while standing beside the man my mom clearly had brought in hopes to set me up with.
Just as Dean finishes adding in the cinnamon sticks for decoration, Tanner reaches for one of the glasses and takes a sip. I have to bite my lip to hold back my laugh at the scowl Dean sends his way.
Ever the gentleman, Dean hands me a glass with a wink.
The first sip nearly makes me moan and my eyes slip closed as the sweet and slightly sour drink explodes across my tastebuds. It might not be a proven fact, but I’m fully convinced that any drink Dean Hayes makes turns out one hundred times better than when I make it for myself.
When I finally peel my eyes open, the look on Dean’s face is one I’ve seen countless times…
Right before he makes me come so hard I practically see stars.
“This is…interesting,” Tanner says, ruining the heated moment. I turn to him, finding his nose scrunched in disgust as he stares down at his glass.
“It’s my favorite,” I deadpan, unwilling to hear any criticism over this perfect beverage.
Tanner shakes his head, a practiced smile forming on his lips as he turns his full attention to me. “That’s no surprise. A sweet drink for a sweet girl.”
I blink at him. The guy doesn’t even know more than my name and has decided to call me sweet? Best to squash that down now, along with any of his hopes that our parents’ setup might actually go anywhere.
So I shrug and raise my glass to my lips. “I’ve always related more to the sour tones.”
Tanner laughs awkwardly, shifting his weight between his feet.
“So what do you—” Tanner’s question is cut off as Cora comes bounding into the dining room. She runs directly to me, jumping up and resting her front two paws on my knees.
“Holy crap, someone needs to control that thing,” Tanner sneers, taking a step back. Without looking, I hold my glass out toward Dean, which he takes without question. I bend down and pick up Cora, cradling her in my arms.
“What? This sweet angel?” I coo at Cora, hiding my snickering laugh into her tummy. Tanner clears his throat.
“Shouldn’t she be outside?”
My smile drops and I stare up at him as if he has three heads.
Yeah, he might be cute, but the second he opens his mouth, he loses all credibility.
“This sweet princess is exactly where she should be. I mean, everyone loves puppies. It’s a red flag not to. So she’s inside. Where everyone can give her all the love and attention she deserves.”
“Right…I just mean that you wouldn’t want to get dog hair on your dress,” Tanner says, taking a giant swig of his drink and barely hiding his cringe.
“Dude, you’re talking to the girl who would ruin an outfit in a heartbeat if she saw a pretty rock. Dog hair is nothing in comparison.”
A surprise laugh slips free and I focus on Cora, hoping to hide my shock that Dean remembers the time I wrecked a pair of white jeans at the beach just so I could get the rock I had my sight set on.
The sound of glasses clinking together draws my attention up and I look over at Dean, finding him balancing both our drinks in one hand while he holds up his phone with the other.
“Two pretty girls in one perfect picture.” He flips his phone to show me the photo and I know I’m blushing again.
Until, once again, Tanner ruins the moment.
The next twenty minutes are spent in a tense circle of trying to make small talk with Tanner, only for him to make a backhanded or a full-blown snide comment about something I say or do.
If Tanner’s true mission was to win me over so he could make our parents happy and ask me on a date, he ruins it by being a complete douchebag.
The entire time, Dean is right there, instantly backing me up and complimenting me.
Some of his comments border on outright flirting and it leaves me stammering to think of retorts.
When Mom finally announces that food is ready, my sigh of relief is audible to everyone.
However, my respite is short-lived.
All the guests make their way into the dining room, bringing their loud conversations and laughter as they all claim a seat at the long table.
Ever the creature of habit, I snag the same chair I always sit in, not thinking twice about who that puts me next to.
Dean plops into the seat at my left, placing himself between me and my dad, who sits at the head of the table.
His warmth beside me momentarily distracts me until the feeling of the seat to my right being taken pulls my attention.
I cringe as Tanner sits next to me, immediately continuing his ramblings about his golf buddies.
I look across the table, finding my mom already watching me, and level her with a glare that hopefully conveys just how unimpressed I am.
She at least has the decency to appear apologetic.
Not that it’s going to help her escape the earful she’ll get once everyone leaves for trying to set me up with a man she’s never met before.
Reaching for my drink that Dean graciously refilled before we sat down, I take a giant gulp and brace for my favorite meal to be ruined by the finance bro to my right trying to impress me.