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“What? I can’t accept this. Tanner, you have done too much already.” I am never going to be able to repay him.
“You can,” he says, nodding like it is a done deal.
“I can’t,” I say back, shaking my head, even as my stomach flips. It is too much.
“Baby girl, it is all yours.” Cupping my face, he tilts my head up to look at him. He’s actually serious about this… but I need to stand firm.
“Tanner,” I say in a stern warning, but the warmth in my chest wants me to accept it.
“You need a vehicle to get around in. I can’t take you all the time.”
I balk because I do need a vehicle, and I don’t want to be a burden to him or the girls who have been chauffeuring me all week. He knows my weak spot.
“But I can’t afford this. It’s too much,” I tell him honestly. My eyes flick to the truck and then back to him.
“Yeah, but I can, so it’s yours.” He’s smirking now.
“Tanner!”
“Baby girl. Get in, let’s go for a drive, and go take a look at this property you are designing,” he says smoothly, and that’s enough to spark my interest and distract me for a moment.
“You know where it is?” I ask him, surprised, though I thought he might.
“I know everything about this town. It’s down on Billionaire Boulevard,” he confirms as he walks past me, slapping my butt to move me along.
“Do you know who owns it?” I ask as I run after him, the large gift he just bestowed a distant memory now that we are talking about interiors. Rushing to unlock the truck, I pull myself up. It is a fair ways off the ground, but I like being this high. I take a moment, pulling in some deep breaths, but the overwhelming panic doesn't come.
“Breathe, baby girl. It’s alright. I promise,” Tanner says, looking at me from the passenger side, and I swallow before nodding to him.
“So, do you know who owns it?” I ask him again as I push away the negativity and fear and buckle up.
“Maybe,” he says coyly as he puts on his seat belt.
“Want to tell me?” I quirk an eyebrow his way as I get a feel for the steering.
“Nope. From what Griffin tells me, you are in charge of the design and to tell you the owner may skew your ideas,” he says, and I frown. He makes a good point.
“You’re no fun.” I huff as I turn the key and hear the truck come to life. Looking at him, my smile’s wide at the rumble. This truck is much newer than Marie’s, and I already feel safer. My stomach flutters once more at his thoughtfulness. He knew how much I needed this.
“You got it?” he asks me to ensure I am comfortable.
“I got it,” I say, nodding as I reverse and start to drive.
Within fifteen minutes, I am driving right up the driveway of the property.
“Wow, this is so beautiful.” I’m in awe, trying to watch where I am driving but also take in the surroundings. I park at the end of the driveway, and we get out.
“Good view, isn’t it?”
We meet at the front of the truck and look out. A large green lawn spreads out before us, but then farther out is what could be miles of rolling green hills. You can just make out the distillery too. It is almost like this property oversees the entire town.
“It is far enough away to be private and high enough to not have the view interrupted. It is almost like one of the photos in your bedroom,” I comment, remembering the photographic art on his walls.
“The frame is up…” he says, turning, looking at the start of what will be the house.
“It is much bigger in real life. I have seen the plans,already started with my ideas, but seeing it now makes it all so much more real,” I say to him as we walk up to the frame and step inside, going through each room.
“Griffin's team works fast; that is what he is known for. He has multiple teams and runs multiple projects at once,” Tanner says, looking over everything with a critical eye as my mind is whirling with so many design ideas.
