Page 130 of Let Me Be the One
“You shared your milkshake.”
“Those were wonderful, simpler times.”
Callie ping-ponged her gaze back and forth between them, amazed at how they stared so lovingly at each other. It was almost embarrassing, except that no one else seemed to think so. “I can’t quite picture you two smashed between friends and sharing food.”
“I can,” Addie said. “They were young and their love was new.” She lifted a shoulder. “We get older and thankfully the heart settles down and gets comfortable. Otherwise, none of us would survive falling in love.”
Her dad laughed. “Very true. Reggie used to harass me about being so lovesick all the time. What can I say? I knew Liz was the one within a few days of meeting her.”
Callie thought of how she’d reacted to Tanner when she’d first set eyes on him. It was so different from anything she’d ever known, she hadn’t been sure what she was feeling, she just knew her heart rioted anytime Tanner touched her. Sometimes if he just got close.
What Addie said made perfect sense. Love was sustainable. As a relationship matured, love changed to make it more bearable. Otherwise the excitement would wreak havoc on a body.
“Since you mentioned Glory, you may as well know that she flew back today.” Dismissively, her mother said, “She told me, rather firmly, in fact, that she was done traveling for a while.”
That was welcome news to Callie. “I hope you’ll respect her wishes.”
“Absolutely,” her dad said, speaking before her mom could. “Glory is planning to stay with you. Liz and I thought it was a good idea, just so you weren’t alone.” He grinned at Tanner. “Now I’m wondering if that might be a problem.”
Tanner denied that. “Family is never a problem.”
That seemed like a perfect opening to Callie, prompting her to clear her throat. She hadn’t planned to make an announcement this way, but everyone was mellow, enjoying the meal, and the timing just felt…right. “Actually, I’ve been thinking of moving.”
A shocked silence fell over the table.
“Not far,” she hastened to add, seeing the alarm she’d accidentally raised. She shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. She wanted to be closer to Tanner, always, but she couldn’t just invite herself to live with him—though she’d certainly love that. So she hoped to offer a solution. “Tanner had plans for Reggie’s house. He was going to buy it.”
Tanner abruptly leaned back in his chair. “We already discussed this and I told you to forget those plans.”
“I can’t,” she replied softly. Then to her parents, she explained, “He helps to support disadvantaged youths.”
“Like me,” Nell said, drawing everyone’s attention again.
Liam took her hand. “And me.”
Tanner’s expression shifted and his frown eased. “You’re both friends.”
Nell laughed at that. “I’m glad, but I know I was a real pain in the butt when we first met a few years back.” To Callie’s rapt parents, she spoke plainly and to the point. “I was rude and mean and I pretty muchhated the world. I tried to hate Tanner, too, but he didn’t make it easy.”
“When he’s offering help,” Liam said, “he won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Nell smiled at Tanner. “I didn’t know anyone like him existed. Took me a while to realize he was the real deal.”
“And now we’re friends,” Tanner insisted.
Addie added, “Like extended family, even.”
Liam put his arm around Nell’s shoulders and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. “He helped me to get my first job. I can’t even tell you what that independence meant to me. I met him, got to know him—and then I wanted to be like him.”
“Exactly how I felt when I was younger,” Kam said. “Course, there were times I wanted to lose him in the woods, too.”
Tanner cracked a grin. “Brothers.”
Addie swatted at Kam. “You’rebothwonderful.”
“All of you are.” It was an odd, mixed feeling for Callie. She loved hearing the praise for Tanner, and at the same time her heart squeezed for Nell and Liam. Indeed, what would have happened to them without Tanner’s assistance and influence?
To Tanner, her dad asked, “What would you have done with the house?”
