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“Fine. I will stay here with you, then,” I tell her adamantly, and she smiles.
“We will need to look into your alibi, and in the meantime, you need to come to the station,” I hear Tony say before Josh yells.
“This is bullshit! You are not worth this shit!”
“You’re priceless,” I grit out quietly so only she can hear. This guy is a moron, but I agree with Victoria; he doesn’t look like the kind of man who would know anything about a truck in order to cut cables. He could be the one to run over her rosebushes, but I doubt it. Which leaves only one man now on my radar. Her father. If only I could find him.
“Alright. In the car. You will be charged with trespassing, assault, and harassment,” Tony says as his men grab Josh and put him in the back of a cop car, and within minutes, they leave. Another officer drives Josh’s car away for a search.
“We will charge him, but he will be free to go, with an escort, back out of town, and not to return until his court date. But I don't think it was him who cut your brakes,” Tony confirms with us. “His alibi seems solid. He fits the description of the man around town. I believe he is ascorned ex-lover, maybe, but I don’t think a guy like that knows his way around the hood of a truck to know where the brake cables even are.”
I feel Victoria stiffen in my arms.
“Man around town?” she asks, looking at me.
“That’s what I came over to tell you,” I confess to her.
“There were sightings of a strange man around town. Rochelle said he was in the diner asking about this place. A guy in a suit, darker hair,” Tony says, and I feel her take a big breath.
“That matches Josh’s description. He also told me he found me by asking for Marie's place around town. But if he didn’t cut my brakes, who did?” she asks, and Tony looks remorseful.
“We don’t know. We thought we had our guy. I would suggest that you have someone with you at all times for a little while. Just until we see if we can get a handle on the situation.” Tony looks at me seriously. I know that look. It is the same look he gave me when we couldn’t find Connor’s mom.
“I won't leave her side,” I tell him, and he nods before stepping back and getting into his car, following his team to deal with Josh.
“I mean it,” I say, looking down at her. “I am not leaving your side.”
“Tanner, you can’t stay here twenty-four seven. You have a business to run.” She shakes her head, not accepting it.
“I will get a security team here. Whenever I am not here, they will be,” I reiterate, and she sighs, not happy but at least she’s relenting. I need to keep her safe.
“You mean a lot to me, you know that?” Kissing the words into her hair, I rest my lips on her head. My arms circle her waist and pull her in tight, her body melting into mine.
“You mean a lot to me too,” she says on a breath, and my heart thuds.
“Never in my life did I ever think someone would make me feel again,” I tell her quietly, and I hear her swallow. Looking down at her, tears prick her eyes.
“Tanner…” She whispers my name, but I cut her off, pulling away a little. I hold her hips, looking her right in the eye. I need her to see the truth in them. Need her to know how serious I am.
“You are it for me, baby girl. I have never been more grateful for Marie than I am right now. She knew. This was all part of her plan. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you, and every day since, you have completely consumed my thoughts. I want you with me all the time, until the end of time. I love you, baby girl.” My breath leaves my lungs as I search her eyes.
“Tanner Whiteman. There is no doubt in my mind that moving to Whispers and meeting you was the best thing that I have ever done in my life. I have fallen completely and utterly in love with you, and—” I don’t need to hear anymore. I cut her off mid-sentence as my lips hit hers, and I wrap her up tight, one hand cupping her face. I feel euphoric and I smile as I kiss her. She is obviously feeling just as excited because she starts giggling against my lips, even more when I pepper kisses all over her face and down her neck.
“Tanner!” she squeals, pure delight taking over herexpression, her worried eyes now sparkling. Picking her up, I twirl her around and I feel like my life is just beginning.
47
VICTORIA
“Gertie’s Goat Milk,” I say to Kevin as he looks at me like I am crazy. What is it with this town? Don’t they understand that there are so many business possibilities? My mind runs a million miles an hour with them. I’m keen to share my business idea and excited by the prospect of building something new.
This has never really happened to me before. When I lived in the city, I got so used to the nine-to-five grind that, other than design, I didn’t think too much about other opportunities. Having an entrepreneurial spirit was not something I would’ve said about myself. But out here in Whispers, my ideas are flowing.
“People will spend money on goat milk?” Kevin asks me as we sit in the shed, looking at the goats as they feed.
“Well, not the milk, per se, but maybe we can use it for soaps or creams or something? I have been reading about it,” I tell him, thinking that this could be a great little hobby for him.
Griffin’s team are here ripping out my kitchen and getting the new floorplan ready, so I’ve spent most of the day outside. With all the noise and mess, it is at least getting my mind off the fact that someone, somewhere, has a target on my head for some reason. I shiver. Not knowing who it is and why they are trying to hurt me is what scares me the most. This past week, my appetite has gone. I have barely slept. Even with Tanner by my side every night, I can hear him thinking, in the same situation as me, and the two of us are completely clueless when it comes to figuring out who might be out there and when they will strike again.
