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“You don’t, Josh. Now please stop calling,” I tell him again, losing my patience.
“I found you on social media. I am going to come to see you. I will book a plane ticket. We need to talk face-to-face.”
That has me sitting up straight, and Tanner's voice rings in my head, talking to me about security. Not that I fear Josh, but if he found me so easily, then I really do need to be mindful.
“Josh. Seriously. We are over. There is nothing that will change my mind.”
“You are my fiancée. We are getting married,” he states slowly, like he is trying to drum it in and I am just being a silly toddler throwing a tantrum.He is such an asshole.
“No, Josh. I am not yourfiancée. We broke up when I caught you having sex with your colleague, in my bed, in my apartment while I was looking for a wedding dress!” My voice gets higher pitched and angrier with every word, but I try to control myself because he is simply not worth it.
“It was one time. The last time with any woman aside from my beautiful wife for the rest of my life. A final fling.”
I have heard it all before and I don’t want to hear it anymore.
“A fling too many. Look, I just don’t love you. I’m not sure I ever did. It is over. I am not coming back. Good luck to you, Josh. Goodbye.” I end the call, wondering why he can’t just get over it. I know it isn’t love. He doesn’t love anyone but himself.
I have been on cloud nine since seeing Tanner yesterday, but now after the letters from my father andthe call from Josh, I feel jittery. I don’t want to sit around here all day, and I feel uptight with nervous pent-up energy. I am not sure if I should drive, though. My ankle is healed, but I haven’t driven in a while. Shaking that silly fear away, I get up and grab my things and head out to the truck. The door squeals open, and I jump in, starting it a few times before it finally seems to connect, and I head straight to the diner to grab dinner.
“Hey, Victoria. Welcome. I’m Rochelle,” an older woman says from behind the counter as I take a seat on a stool.
“Nice to meet you,” I say with a smile, not worried that she knows exactly who I am even though we have never met before. It is the small-town way. “I wanted to come by and pick up something easy for dinner. Tanner brought a chicken pie the other night and it was delicious.”
She smiles immediately, giving me grandma vibes, and I adore her instantly.
“That Tanner is a man after my own heart. If only I was a few years younger,” she says, giving me a wink and a smile. I huff out a laugh. She is adorable. “We have another wonderful chicken pie we can wrap up for you.”
“Sounds great. Thank you.” I smile, noticing her telling a young waitress to gather the pie for me. I get the feeling she is new and Rochelle is showing her the ropes.
“How is that ankle of yours? Tanner said you took quite the tumble,” Rochelle asks, and we fall into a comfortable conversation about Marie’s place and how the two of them were friends. It feels nice to meet morepeople in the community and makes me feel more connected to both Aunt Marie and the town in general.
“Your pie,” the young waitress says, sliding it onto the counter. She looks a little nervous, and I look at her name tag.
“Thank you, Nikki.”
She gives me a small smile but doesn’t say much else.
“You enjoy that, dear,” Rochelle says. “And let me know if you need anything, although it looks like you are back up and about already?” A look of slight concern takes over her face.
“Thanks, Rochelle. Just don’t tell Tanner I was here. I don’t think he wanted me driving until my ankle was one hundred percent,” I whisper to her like I am telling her a secret, knowing full well she will tell him immediately. Her smile widens as I slip from the stool with the pie in hand.
“Your secret is safe with me. But darling, half the town saw you today. Tanner will already know that you have been driving around,” Rochelle offers, and I huff.Of course he will. I smile at her and Nikki as I walk out the door and back to my truck. Getting out for a bit this afternoon was exactly what I needed, and I enjoy the fresh air with my window rolled down. As I pull up to the driveway, I park closer to the house, gather my things, and go through the front door rather than the back for a change.
But something catches my eye before I head inside. Stopping short, I look at my front garden bed, and there are tire marks like someone has run over it. I frown, as whoever it was also ran over one of the rose plants and damaged them. It must have been Tanner. He drove outof here pretty quickly yesterday afternoon when he got the frantic call from the distillery.
“That man…” I growl out loud to myself as I huff inside and put the oven on to warm up the pie. Glancing out the back window, I see the animals in the shed, so Kevin must have come and gone already. Garry is bleating louder than usual, but I will check on him a bit later.
As I step into the living area to pack up the photos and boxes I have out, I stop short and balk. Because there, right where I left it on the top of a box, is a photo of me and Marie, the one from when I was six and sitting on her knee. Except now, there is a big red rose lying on top that I didn’t put there. It is one from the front garden bed. My breathing quickens and my palms start to sweat as I look around the house from where I stand, seeing nothing else amiss. I walk to the front door and inspect the lock because I am positive I locked the door when I left. But there is nothing to indicate any damage.
“I am such an idiot,” I mumble, understanding washing over me that I probably forgot to lock it in my haste to get into town. Maybe Tanner came back, and as a peace offering for running over the garden, he put the rose inside. I sigh, rolling my shoulders. That has to be what happened.
Picking it up, I bring it to my nose, smelling my favorite scent and smiling. Tanner Whiteman may be grumpy, but he is also a charmer.
25
TANNER
Iusually love working long days and nights with Connor here at the distillery. It is the way we have worked for years. But with the issue in the aging rooms, then us going through numbers all night last night, then online legal meetings today with Sawyer, it has been days since I last saw Victoria.
