Chapter 24 #3
He swats at me, then leans back out of reach, smoothing back his hair. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing if you have a fever.” When he rolls his eyes, I add, “You have to recognize that you don’t sound like yourself. Maybe the bunker has a carbon monoxide leak? You could have had a shortage of oxygen to your brain.”
John snorts. “No. Wolf talked me through his very extensive and state-of-the-art ventilation system.”
“Then where is this sudden support and talk of dreams coming from? I fully expected an I told you so. Maybe not in those exact words. But that general idea. You said this was too risky from the start, and I admitted you were right. I expected at least a little bit of gloating.”
“I think,” my son says, looking somehow both like and unlike his father as he meets my gaze, “that in my wise old age, I’m starting to see the benefits of risk-taking.”
When I’m done meeting with John, he heads up to my loft to make a few quick work calls before I drive him back to Austin. I may have seen a different side of my son this morning, but some things have not changed.
I send a text to Tank asking where he is and what he’s doing. I haven’t seen him since last night—which involved a very amazing kissing session in the stairwell leading up to my loft—and the need to see him gnaws at me like hunger.
Or maybe that is hunger, since I was too nervous for breakfast before meeting with John.
Deciding it’s both, before Tank can answer, I text again and tell him if he wants to see me, I’ll be at the diner.
He slides into the booth across from me just after I’ve ordered my coffee. Then, as though thinking better of it, he stands again, leans down to kiss my cheek and says, “Scoot over.”
I laugh, happily making room, though it leaves me pressed up between the wall and Tank’s big body. I really don’t mind at all.
“Is someone else meeting us?” I ask, gesturing to the empty other side of the booth.
Tank grins. “Nope. I just wanted to be closer to you. Is that okay?”
More than okay.
“Did you have anything in particular you wanted to discuss?” Tank asks. “Or were you just missing me? It’s been a whopping”—he checks his phone—“twelve hours since I’ve seen you.”
Though I do want to discuss everything John and I hammered out, instead, I say, “Definitely the second.” Then I ask how he’s feeling about Harper and the newest grandbaby on the way and watch Tank’s face transform as he talks.
“When do you leave for Austin?” he asks.
“John is making work calls, and then I told him we have to stop by the bunker so I can see it before we go.”
“You know you could come any old time,” he says. “I suspect it’s going to be packed.”
“Maybe I’ll do a longer tour later, but it’s completely unfair my son, who only set foot here yesterday, has slept there and I haven’t been inside.
I’m too curious to wait.” I pause, debating on the question I want to ask.
“Want to go with us? I know a drive to Austin isn’t all that exciting but it could be like a mini-road-trip for our sixth date. ”
“Sixth?”
I count on my fingers. “The first was our actual, official one here at the diner. Second was baking”—I lower my voice—“and kissing in your loft. Third, fourth, and fifth were our walks. Actually, it would be the seventh, because this is the sixth.”
“Is this what the kids call girl math?” he asks.
“I think it’s more like Rose’s date math.”
This makes him laugh. I don’t explain why I came up with these numbers, but it makes me feel better about how fast I’m falling if I consider all of these dates, rather than the idea of falling in love with a man after only one official date.
Tank places his hand on mine, and I can already see the no in his eyes. “I’d love to.”
“But you’ve got some kind of prior commitment?” I ask.
“Unfortunately, yes. I promised Wolf last night that I’d help with today. It’s going to be a zoo.”
I’m sure it is, and I’m sure Tank’s help is needed.
Still, I’m disappointed. I really do hope things will settle down soon for us both.
But I do wonder if, for a man like Tank with a huge family and beloved by the community, settling down is even a thing.
What does it look like to be in a relationship with a man who’s so in demand?
We’ll have plenty of time to figure it out. I am looking forward to time with my son. Tank and I can spend time together and talk about all this later.
I realize that there is definitely something else I need to say right now.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” Tank asks. “Is there something on my face?”
He rubs his cheek, which has a fresh layer of stubble I’d like to kiss later, when we’re not in a diner surrounded by nosy people who I suspect are still taking photos of us like we’re some kind of celebrity couple.
I reach over and press a kiss to his lips. Quick—because, again, we are absolutely being watched in this diner.
“Your face is perfect,” I tell him. “I just realized I forgot to tell you something last night.” Then, just before I kiss him again, I say, “I love you too, Theo Graham.”