Chapter 40
Hayes
“Tanner, what are you doing here, buddy?” Theo asks, taking the steps two at a time and looking over his son’s head to me.
Gone is the look of the cocky, self-assured man that I’ve experienced up until now, and in his place stands a concerned father.
“I didn’t want to go to Mom’s,” Tanner says, avoiding looking at his dad.
“And that required a police escort?” Theo’s eyes are still on me and my uniform.
Stepping forward, I offer him my hand. “Tanner was at a party and needed a ride home.”
Fear like none I’ve ever seen before falls over Theo’s face. He grabs Tanner’s shoulder in a gentle grasp and examines his son’s face. “Were you drinking?”
The question is laced with such raw emotion that I’m tempted to turn my head, but I need to make sure Tanner is safe.
“No, sir.”
Theo’s shoulders sag in relief. “Good. That’s good.”
Tanner’s whole body tenses up. “And so what if I was? Were you going to disappear again because you couldn’t deal with me?
“Tanner, that’s not why I—”
Tanner interrupts him. “I don’t care, Dad. Can I stay here or not?”
“Of course, you can, but I have to tell your mom where you are.”
The look of betrayal on Tanner’s face is heartbreaking, and just by listening, I’m starting to piece his story together.
Divorced Mom and Dad. Dad who is suddenly back in his life again. A stepdad who puts too much pressure on him.
It’s like the perfect cocktail of stress for a kid Tanner’s age.
“Whatever, Dad. Just call in the morning. You know how she is about her beauty rest.” He takes off towards the steps, shoving past his dad, and when he’s on the top one, he turns back to me. “Thanks for listening tonight, Coach.”
I nod. “You’re welcome.”
Theo watches his son disappear into the house, then turns back to me. Anger bubbles just below the surface. “Do you care to explain what you’re doing with my son?”
“I told you. He was at a party. He wasn’t drinking, but I couldn’t let him leave either, so I delivered him here. I’m also his football coach, but you would know if you bothered to come to any of his games—or were around, period. I didn’t even know you existed until he begged me not to take him to his mom’s house tonight.”
Theo’s face flushes. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then tell me because from where I’m standing, you look like a deadbeat dad who would rather hit on my girl than show up for his son. I’ve been the one trying to get through to your kid and protecting him from the expectations of the man who calls himself his stepdad. What have you been doing?”
My breath comes out in puffs as I try to wrangle in my anger.
I would be mad at this situation even if it weren’t Theo, but adding him to the mix is the icing on the cake.
Theo’s face is red with rage. His fists are clenched, and I worry he might take a swing at me.
But the truth hurts, and he needed to hear it.
“Get off my property,” he says through gritted teeth.
As an officer, I know better than to antagonize, but this guy is a jerk. His son deserves better.
“Gladly. But maybe consider helping your son.”
The gleam in his eye turns dangerous. “Why do you think I’ve been trying to get your girl? She has the connections I need to help my kid.”
All I see is red.
My fist connects with his jaw, and he laughs, spitting out blood.
“I’ll give you that one shot because you took care of my kid tonight. Now get off my property.”
I don’t look back. Hopping in my car, I put it in drive and pull away.
Tanner got the raw end of the deal with both his parents.
I’m not much better, but I know someone who is.
______________________
“Hurry up, MJ. We have places to be.”
“Hayes Miller, what have I told you about telling me what to do? You have the patience of a billy goat.”
“How do you know how much patience a billy goat has?” I call.
She’s in my hall bathroom finishing her makeup, and if she doesn’t finish soon, I’m going in and dragging her out. I picked Tanner up from his house forty minutes ago and came back to find her still not ready. I think she’s dragging it out just to get a rise out of me.
Things have been weird for us since that night we read Langston’s journal. All those feelings of unworthiness threaten to pull me under, and I think she knows that. But I meant what I said. I’m not going to make the same mistakes.
Poking her head out to look at me, she says, “If you’ll recall—you and Langston wanted to see how long it would take to make Old Man Smith’s billy goat angry. I was inside the fence. It took all of ten seconds for it to chase me down. I cried while you guys laughed. That is how I know.”
On the couch beside me, Tanner snorts, and heat creeps up my neck.
“It was an accident,” I deny. She lifts a brow. “Okay, maybe it wasn’t.”
Flipping off the bathroom light, she walks toward the living room. Her hair flows down her back, and there’s a peacefulness on her face that I haven’t seen in a long time. She looks happy.
“Where are we going anyway?” she asks when she’s standing beside the arm of the couch.
I stand, tugging her waist and dropping a kiss on her lips. “I want you to meet someone.”
“That tells me nothing.” She lifts to her toes, kissing me again.
“Gross,” Tanner gags.
I turn my head. “Hush, kid. You’re ruining my moment.”
He gags again. “Can you have your moment later?”
Since the day that I dropped him off at his dad’s house, he’s been lighter around me.
Turning back to MJ, I grin. “You heard the kid. We have to postpone this until later.”
She sighs dramatically. “How will I ever survive?”
Tugging on her hair, I grin. “Somehow, I think you’ll be okay. Now, come on. We have to make a pit stop on the way.”
Tanner follows out to the truck, and with both of them tucked into the seats, there’s not much room to move.
“Have you ever thought of getting a bigger truck?” MJ asks.
She’s smooshed against my side, unable to move an inch, and I love it.
“Why would I do that when it means you would have room to sit somewhere else?”
“Coach,” Tanner groans, dropping his head against the window.
My hand finds MJ’s leg. “What? Too cheesy? I could teach you a pickup line or two if you need them.”
He gives me a side-eye. “Believe me. I don’t need them. I have rizz when I want it.”
“Rizz,” I mouth, wondering when I became so uncool.
MJ notices and giggles. “It’s okay, Old Man. I’ll keep you up on all the slang. In this case, it means he’s got game.”
“Now that I understand.”
I take a right turn, taking us into the drive-thru of the local ice cream shop.
Sitting up, Tanner suddenly becomes interested. “What are we doing here?”
“Tanner, where we’re going, showing up without a milkshake is dangerous.”