Page 10 of Let Me Be the One
Ignoring both men, she stepped forward, hand extended. “Hello, Addie. I’m Callie McCallahan. I’m going to be your new neighbor.”
CHAPTER TWO
AS STANDOFFISH ASTanner was, Addie was welcoming. Once she heard an abbreviated version of Callie’s plight, she insisted on going along with Tanner to fetch Glory, saying, “You have to see the inside of the house before you make any decisions.”
That scared Callie. What exactly was she going to find?
Kam tried to go along too, but with one look, Tanner nixed that idea. Kam had just arrived home from a welding job, which explained why he’d had his keys in his hand. Maybe for that reason, he gave up gracefully, saying, “Fine. I need a shower and food, anyway.”
“So do I,” Tanner said. “Don’t use all the hot water, and leave some mashed potatoes for me.”
Addie smiled indulgently at them both. “I made plenty.” She confided to Callie, “I always do. But once, back when the boys were younger, Kam devoured all the potatoes and Tanner has yet to forgive him.”
Tanner put an arm over Addie’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Your potatoes are worth a tussle.”
“Are you hungry?” she asked Callie.
No way would she enter the fray over the potatoes, so Callie shook her head. “Just tired, actually. I think I’ll make an early night of it.” Far as hints went, thatwasn’t the most subtle, but it did get everyone in the car—including Blu. He sat in the back seat, leaning comfortably against Addie’s shoulder.
Tanner said, “One second,” and dashed inside the house through the garage, returning with a shirt that he pulled on over his head as he walked to the driver’s side. Shame to cover up that fine chest. When Callie realized she was staring at him again, with Addie taking note, she quickly got in the passenger seat.
The SUV was Kam’s, he said, and they used it because Tanner’s truck was currently full.
Apparently, Tanner was a very hard worker. With his lean, hard body, she believed it.
When the headlights of the SUV cut into her driveway only a few minutes later, they all saw Glory sitting huddled on the hood of Callie’s red Ford Escape. She looked petrified.
“Oh, no.” Thinking only of her cousin, Callie quickly got out of the car. “Glory?”
Glory nearly fell off the car in her relief. She rushed to Callie, grabbed her in a smothering hug and said, “Thank God you’re here!”
“What’s wrong?” Tanner asked, already glancing around.
Blu didn’t seem worried. He merely tilted his head at Glory.
Addie said, “Poor girl is terrified. What is it, honey?”
“There’s something out there.” Glory looked at Tanner with distrust, then at Addie with confusion. “Something horrible.”
Just then, Callie heard it too and the hair rose on the back of her neck. It sounded like a cross between a demonic cry and a broken wail, the sounds layeringover each other in the eeriest way imaginable. “What in the world?”
Tanner cracked a grin.
“That’s just the goats.” Addie was also amused. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Goats?” Glory clearly didn’t believe them.
Callie gave her another hug, then released her. “I have chickens, four goats, and a horse.”
Glory’s eyes widened even more.
To Callie, it seemed like the perfect time to make introductions, and as she did so she explained that Tanner had very nicely taken care of the animals. Hopefully, Glory would catch her drift and be polite.
Addie helped to smooth things over, both praising Tanner as a wonderful “boy” and saying that as neighbors, they were happy to help in any way they could.
“You’ve been wonderful,” Callie said. “Thank you for getting me this far.” She even smiled at Tanner. “I know you’re ready for your dinner. You should go before Kam eats it all.” The joke didn’t quite get the reaction she’d hoped for. “It’s been a long day for you, I’m sure. I can handle it from here.”
He shook his head. “The place has been empty for too long.” He looked up at the dark porch. “Addie and I can walk you in, make sure everything is working and that no critters have set up house.”
