Page 66 of Let Me Be the One
For a moment, Tanner merely stood there, watching the two of them as they chatted, probably about the car or the chores Callie wanted done. Liam was a hard worker, always ready to pitch in, but right now he was floating over the amazing generosity of a woman he’d only just met.
The car would make Liam’s life so much easier. Getting to and from work, grocery shopping, hell,everyday life would now be simpler because of Callie. That realization worked against Tanner, making him want to reach for more.
More than he should.
He had an agenda and whatever it took, he’d stick to it.
That meant for the foreseeable future, he’d have to keep his distance from Callie, unless the two of them had company. Alone with her, no way could he keep his hands to himself, especially when she didn’t. Knowing she was interested and willing made it hard enough. When she touched him his resistance melted like ice on a griddle.
He’d still check on her—with Kam. Or Liam.
Somehow, he had to avoid falling in love with her…all over again.
* * *
GLORY’S “FEW DAYS”turned into a few weeks.
At first it hadn’t been too bad—especially since they talked often. Glory was a genius, her execution of the final edited videos both amusingly entertaining and, Callie hoped, educational. With each new video added, her audience grew. More and more questions were popping up in the comment section, so once a week she tried to set aside time to answer a few. Glory claimed that keeping the content personal was what would ensure its success.
Overall, Callie would have felt encouraged with her new life, except that her fear of more snakes had expanded. Liam, who was a remarkably wonderful young man, went above and beyond to ensure her property was kept clear. Refusing to simply accept the car for free, no matter how she’d tried to insist, he’d insteadbartered for work, and work he had. Such a proud young man and so determined to be better than his own father.
At one point, Liam had confided that his big goal was to be more like Tanner. Mission accomplished, as far as Callie could tell.
First he would finish his day job, then he’d come over early evening and do odds and ends for her. She’d added a routine sweep of the area for snakes or bugs.
Liam would puff up like a hero-in-training—very much like Tanner—and meticulously search everywhere, which included her basement, the garage, the porches, and the animal shelters.
He taught her more efficient ways to complete her chores. Anything she didn’t know how to do, Liam was willing to teach her. He’d spent a lot of time on an actual farm with his grandfather, whenever his own father got to be too much, so he knew all the best methods.
Now she truly did feel empowered. More capable, more independent.
Except that missing Glory wasn’t her biggest issue. It was that she saw Tanner only in company. Never alone.
He came by to visit with Liam on occasion, or with Kam to assist her with something heavy. She saw him a few times at dinner with Addie.
But it was never just the two of them and Callie knew it was because of a choice he’d made. She’d come on too strong, been too up-front, and while he might have been interested in a casual hookup, the proximity, no doubt, would make it awkward for him. He didn’t want her as a neighbor, so he definitely didn’t want the added pressure of a romantic relationship.
She’d acted like a fool, but it didn’t change her feelings.Tanner interested her more than any man she’d ever met. And now he was dodging her.
“You’d think, just once, I’d get it right,” she mumbled.
“What’s that?” Liam asked.
“Nothing. Just talking to myself.” It was a Friday night but Liam had spent it with her. Together, they’d cleaned out her gutters, trimmed several long tree branches, and weeded the garden. It was another reason for her to feel guilty. “How come you don’t have a date?”
He flashed her a grin. Little by little, he’d gotten more comfortable with her. “I do, about an hour from now.”
“Liam! You should have said something.” She’d kept him over without realizing.
“It’s fine. I just need to get home in time to shower and change.”
Being tall with broad shoulders and an air of calm confidence beyond his years, Liam was a good-looking young man. She imagined he could do plenty of dating if he wanted, and instead he worked overtime.
“Anyone special?” With a glance at the darkening sky, she began gathering up their tools. The forecast had predicted heavy thunderstorms and already the air smelled of rain. Hopefully her roof would hold up.
“Nah. I have no interest in getting involved. Too much I still want to get done.”
“Like?” she asked, as she quickly led the way to the garage. It was now clutter free, with everything neatly organized. Without the car taking up space, and most items stored on shelves, it didn’t seem nearly so much like a snake haven.
