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I watched his facial expression closely, straining to hear what Chase was saying on the other side.
“Yeah. I’ll be there soon.” He ended the call. “My dad’s stable. Chase said they’re keeping him for the rest of the day to monitor him, and then he should be able to go home.”
“That’s great news.”
Tanner wrapped me tightly in his arms. “I don’t want to leave you.”
I kissed his temple. “You need to be with your family right now. I can see you later, after work.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.” I pulled him in for a kiss. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not going anywhere.”
Thirteen
Tanner
“You’re welcome!” I dropped to my knees and spread my arms out wide for the big finish.
Khloe loved it when I sang along with The Rock. She doubled over, eyes closed, as she laughed hysterically. I loved the sound of her laugh, but it was not only her that I did this for. Dad was laughing, too.
“No matter how many times she asks you to do this, you sing it with as much enthusiasm as if it were your first time,” Dad said, still chuckling.
“Well, you’ve gotta commit when you sing a song like that.” I sprawled out on the couch next to him, slightly out of breath.
“You’re breathing kind of hard, brother,” Chase called from his recliner.
“We just ate a twelve-course meal. I have a cramp.” I rubbed my full stomach.
I got to spend another Thanksgiving with my father, and I would soon be picking up Charlotte for a special night I had planned. Not even Chase’s comments would put a damper on my mood. Not tonight.
“I didn’t know you could sing like that,” Merritt teased. “I guess it runs in the family.”
“Just because I don’t doesn’t mean I can’t.”
Mom laughed. “I should show you the videos I have of the two boys singing in the bathtub when they were little.”
“No!” Chase and I both exclaimed.
Merritt laughed. “Oh, I would pay to see that.”
“Shh!” Khloe held her tiny finger to her lips. “Watch the movie!”
We watched the rest of the movie in silence. Time seemed to crawl. I couldn’t wait to see Charlotte. To hold her. To kiss her. To gaze into her eyes. Whatever happened or didn’t happen tonight, I just needed to fall asleep with her in my arms.
I’d never felt anything like this before. I loved my parents. I loved my siblings. I’d do anything for them. But this was different. Charlotte set everything in my life into place. For the first time, I felt certain of my future. I felt certain of my place in the world. I would spend all of eternity giving her everything she deserved. I’d sacrifice my life to prove to her that I could be the kind of man she needed.
I sprang to my feet when the movie finally ended. Everyone was busy tucking Khloe in for bed, and I was able to slip out the front door without any questions. Tonight, I was going to forget about everything. Everything except for her.
Charlotte
“Where are we going?”
“Like I told you the last seven times you asked: you’ll see when we get there.” Tanner grinned from the driver’s seat and reached his hand out for mine.
I sighed as my knee bounced. “I can’t imagine anything is open on Thanksgiving.”
“Stop trying to figure it out and tell me how your day was.”
