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CHAPTER FOUR

O H, HOW T ANNER would like to show her a hot romance. He could singe her pretty little ears with all the scorching things he’d like to do with her, but since she was talking he didn’t want to derail her.

“The idea of marrying him wasn’t awful,” she said. “And it would have been convenient, not just for our families, but for me, too.”

“Spending the rest of your life with someone best described as convenient doesn’t sound all that great to me.”

“Yeah, now I agree. At first, though, it was kind of fun, with a lot of fanfare. Parties to announce the engagement. Publicity showcasing the coalition of families and businesses. Gifts. Invitations.” She sighed. “And my parents were happy. Over-the-moon excited, even. I guess I’m shallow enough that, at least for a little while, it seemed like enough.”

“I’m not sure that makes you shallow.” It sounded to him like the two families had coerced her cooperation. “More like overwhelmed and caught up in the moment.”

“Oh, if only it had been a mere moment.”

She drank more coffee, and Tanner held silent, giving her time to think, to decide how much she wanted to share.

When her gaze met his again, she winced. “See, actually it was months . That’s how long I let it go on. Everyone around me was so thrilled and making important plans, that even though I knew it wasn’t right, I went along. I didn’t muster up the guts to end it until Sutter gave me a good excuse by getting busy with someone else. Even then, I was in shock until a stranger stepped in.”

A stranger? “How’d that play out, exactly?”

“We were at an upscale fundraiser. Sutter was late, but I didn’t mind.” She lifted her shoulders. “Weird, right? Until someone asked about him, I hadn’t been missing him at all, wasn’t really worried about where he might be or if he’d been in an accident. It dawned on me that I had more fun without him.” Her gaze went to Tanner’s shoulders, then his throat, before she looked away. “When Sutter was around, he wanted to hold my hand and kiss me, and everyone would look at us.”

“Pretty sure no guy would be around you without wanting to touch you.”

Her brows inched up, but she didn’t ask for clarification. “With Sutter, it always made me feel like a fraud.” She went silent again, her body tensed, then she said in a quiet voice, “He was my fiancé, and I preferred for him to leave me alone. I tried to act like I enjoyed his attention, even when I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“Keeping up appearances?” She shook her head. “It was expected of me, but I felt bogged down by it all, like I needed a month-long vacation with nothing to do except sit in bed and read, eat ice cream, and sleep.”

Her parents should never have put her in that position. “Everyone feels like that sometimes.”

“Probably, but it hit me like a ton of bricks that I was preparing to marry a man for all the wrong reasons.”

“Must have been an eye-opener.”

Her short laugh lacked humor. “For sure, especially once I excused myself to step outside where it was quiet so I could call Sutter. It was chilly, so I stopped by the coat closet. The clerk wasn’t there but I heard some noises, and then I recognized Sutter’s voice so I opened the door—and bam. There he was, pinned up against the wall with a woman I didn’t know. Her hand was in his pants, doing… Things .” She started to gesture, but changed her mind. “He looked…” Color rose up from her neck to her cheeks and all the way to her forehead. “Let’s just say it was shocking.”

“I can imagine.”

“That’s the thing, though.” She met his gaze with chagrin. “I couldn’t. I’d never seen him like that.” After a slight hesitation, she said, “Not with me.”

Tanner didn’t stop to measure his words or to think how telling they might be. “Then he’s a fucking fool who didn’t deserve you.”

Half smiling, she said, “I was the bigger fool. It was horribly awkward to catch him like that. Not heartbreaking or devastating. Just super-humiliating.” Her gaze dipped to his mouth, lingered a moment, then moved back to his eyes. “Isn’t that odd?”

Not to him. He thought it showed her vulnerability, and it made him want to gather her close—as if she needed his protection, which she most definitely did not. “He embarrassed you and someone should have broken his nose.” Tanner would like to do that for her. How dare some jerk treat her like that? “You’d have to be a saint not to be embarrassed to some degree.”

Lips twisting, she muttered, “Believe me, I’m far, far from sainthood.”

Not quite believing her, he said, “Sucks being human sometimes, feeling things we’d rather not.”

Her insightful gaze took his measure, but she didn’t put him on the spot. “Very true.”

“So what did you do?”

“At first, nothing. I knew my family was going to be disappointed in me. And I was disappointed in myself for just…standing there.” With a wince, she added, “Taking it in.”

When she looked at his mouth again, Tanner felt a measure of heat building inside. “Until?”

“Until the coat clerk returned and saw what was happening. Now that lady was all action. I remember her lightly touching my arm and asking, ‘What do you want to do, honey?’ in such a measured tone, almost motherly. I could almost imagine Addie being like that.”

More likely Addie would have had some choice words for the guy and his friend. She could let loose like no one else when she witnessed injustice.

Impatient for the part where Callie had finally put Sutter in his place, Tanner said, “And then?”

“The way she asked it made it seem like I had endless choices—and maybe I did.” She fiddled with her hair a moment. “I’d ridden there with my parents, and I was supposed to go home with Sutter.”

Brows gathering in a frown, Tanner hoped she’d found a solution.

“I wanted to walk out, but we were downtown at night, and it was chilly. Then the woman put a key fob in my hand and curled my fingers around it. She whispered that Sutter had left it in his coat pocket. She was going to ask him if he’d meant to, until she saw what I saw.”

“She wanted you to take his car?” The idea had him grinning. “Genius plan.”

“I thought so, too. I thanked her, without whispering, and turned to go, but then Sutter realized he wasn’t alone anymore. Even with him calling out to me, I kept walking.”

“Felt good, didn’t it?”

She returned his grin. “It sure did. I’d only gone about ten feet when suddenly it occurred to me that it was the perfect opportunity to end things. All of it. The engagement, the wedding, the future plans.”

“The farce?” Enthralled with the story, Tanner waited.

She nodded. “Sutter caught my arm, already apologizing and trying to explain.”

“I hope you told him to fuck off.”

“My mother would expire if I used that type of language.” With an impish smile, she said, “I took off his ring and politely gave it to him with my best smile.”

Tanner sat forward. “No way. Tell me you said something .”

In lofty tones, her nose elevated, she recited, “Deal’s off. You can break the news to everyone. I’m leaving and don’t you dare contact me.”

That sounded like a very Callie-esque reaction. “Good for you.”

Peeking at Tanner, she grinned. “Know what made it even better? The woman who’d given me his fob applauded as I went out the door.”

He laughed. “I’m glad she was there.”

“You have no idea. She’s my hero.” Again, her gaze dipped over Tanner, this time to his biceps, down to his forearms, and then his hands. Idly, as if she’d lost interest in the story, Callie said, “He chased me out of there, holding his pants up with one hand, talking a mile a minute. Apologizing and explaining. It was easy to ignore him and keep walking until I reached his car. Every single step I took felt more like freedom. Like I’d just come out of a cave.”

Damn, Tanner was proud of her, whether that made sense or not. He offered her a fist bump.

Hesitantly, she tapped her small fist to his. “You’re the only person I’ve told who appreciates the entire thing as much as I do.”

“I think it’s awesome.” Especially the part about her still being single. “No one else has the right to tell you how to live your life.”

“Maybe.” Subdued, she looked down at her coffee. “But I’m nearing thirty and Sutter’s proposition was the only near-proposal I’ve ever gotten.”

“So?” Did she want marriage bad enough to accept an arrangement made by her parents? Another thought occurred to him, drawing his brows together. “Were there other guys you had hoped to marry?”

“Not really.” She pursed her mouth, then said more forcefully, “Definitely not. The thing is, most of my friends have gotten married and they all seem so happy. Plus, shallow as it makes me, I wanted the fancy wedding with the beautiful white gown, the ceremony with flowers everywhere, followed by the awesome honeymoon.”

Yeah, he didn’t want to hear about a dreamy honeymoon for the woman he’d fantasized about most of his life. Determined to let her talk, he blocked that thought. “Doesn’t sound to me like the honeymoon would have been all that awesome.”

Pretending affront, she said, “Hey. The destination was great. A really private stay in Costa Rica. Two weeks. Meals delivered…”

He locked his teeth.

“I had so much planned to do there.”

“I thought honeymoons were spent in bed.”

Making another face, she said, “Yeah, that was the one drawback.”

Thankfully, the topic took a different turn, from honeymoon to house goods.

“I loved picking out china and silverware, candlesticks, colorful glass bowls.” Her cheeks glowed as she discussed her wish list. “I’d chosen a gorgeous bedding set.”

“What color?”

“Several colors, actually. White linen quilted with large, watercolor flowers. Stunning. Like a wash of spring for the bed.”

“You’re a romantic.”

“I am, but that’s not a bad thing, really. Except that I didn’t think about sharing the bed forever with Sutter. I just wanted all this amazing stuff for my imaginary house and my imaginary life.”

And then Sutter had gotten himself fondled in a coat closet. What a miserable jerk.

Tempering her smile, Callie said, “It sounds really ridiculous, I know, but at the time, I had myself convinced that it’d all be fine.”

He’d thought similar things a few times—not the china and bedding, but a forever home with the right person. “It’s not ridiculous to plan a future. You were excited about that part of it, right?”

“Yes.” Out of the blue, she said, “I want kids.”

If she expected him to laugh or act surprised, he’d disappoint her. “How many?”

Proving she’d given it some thought, she said, “At least two, but I wouldn’t mind three. Before Glory came to live with us, I was an only child and it sucked.”

He nodded his understanding. “Before I came to live with Addie, I was the only kid.” And glad of it. He wouldn’t have wished that hell on a sibling, no matter how nice the company might’ve been.

“Then Addie gave you Kam,” she said softly.

“He wasn’t exactly a gift.”

She laughed. “No, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know.” He still remembered meeting Kam, feeling a lot of shit all at once. Threatened, because he’d finally found his place and here was this other punk joining in. Hopeful, because hey, Kam was younger but close enough in age to carry on a conversation, to play ball, to maybe…rely on him. “Kam was a major pain when he first joined our family.” There’d been times Tanner had heard him crying at night. Addie would hear too, and she’d spend extra time with Kam, even when he’d curse her and swear that he hated her. “He was this rotten little toughie, always wanting to fight.”

“Uh-oh. Awkward.”

“Yeah, especially since I’m three years older. Not a big deal now, but there’s a lot of difference in size and strength between a boy who’s thirteen and one who’s sixteen.”

“Did you two fight?”

“Sure. Occasionally.” That had him smiling again. “There were times Kam didn’t give me a choice. He’d just attack and I had to defend myself. But man, Addie would throw a fit. We’d get lectured about brothers and what that meant, and how we should rely on each other. Guess it finally sank in, because Kam let up, I cut him some slack, and now…he’s my brother, period.”

A suspicious sheen made Callie’s eyes extra bright. “I’m so glad.”

Now that Tanner had Addie and Kam as his family, he knew he’d die for either one of them. They were that important to him.

“You also have Blu. I always wanted a dog.”

“Blu is my second dog. Addie had a hound when I moved in, and man, I loved that old dog. He was my instant buddy, insisting on sleeping in my bed with me, following me everywhere.” Tanner remembered feeling safer with that dog than he had with any human at that point. The dog had helped to transition him into Addie’s home, and for that, he’d always have a place in Tanner’s heart. “He lived to a ripe old age and passed peacefully at home. At first, I didn’t want another dog, but then I found Blu.”

“Found him?”

Yeah, that was another shitty story. He was nothing but depressing today. “Never mind. Long story.”

“Tell me,” she urged.

He got up to refill their coffees yet again. At this rate, he’d be riding a caffeine high all morning. “If we’re going to keep talking, I need to make a new pot.”

She stood too. “I’ll make it. You share how you got Blu.”

Leaning against the counter, Tanner watched her. Maybe because he’d always seen her as a pampered princess, he hadn’t expected her to be so comfortable in the kitchen. “Not sure I should. It’s a downer.”

“But it ended well, right? Blu is here, a part of things, and that’s a happy story.”

Yeah, she was right. Maybe he should rethink how he looked at things. “Fine, but this time I’m keeping it short.”

“You aren’t enjoying my company?” she asked, just to needle him, he was sure.

“I’ve talked more this morning than I have all month.”

She flashed him a smile before pouring the water into the maker. “Me, too. Everyone is so biased about everything that I can’t talk with them.”

Remembering how Glory had pressured her, he said, “They have their own agendas.”

“Exactly. But you don’t know me, and you don’t even like me.” With the preparations done, she reclaimed her seat. “So yours is a fresh take on things.” She nodded at his chair. “Come on, neighbor. While the coffee is perking, come spill the beans.”

Funny, but he was enjoying himself. Like she said, the stories sounded different with someone hearing them for the first time. Less traumatic, more manageable, because the happy ending was guaranteed. “All right.” He didn’t correct her on her assumption that he didn’t like her. Truth was, he liked her fine. A little more than fine, and that wasn’t a good thing. Keeping her slotted as a fantasy was easier than knowing her as a woman with a sense of humor, her own disappointments, and dreams that mirrored his own—minus Costa Rica. He had no real interest in leaving Kentucky.

“Stop stalling.”

From his seat at the table, Tanner glanced over his shoulder to where Blu rested peacefully, his paws occasionally jerking as he went through a dream chase with some furry foe. When he turned back to Callie, she was watching him intently, her gaze soft and interested.

In him or Blu’s history?

She tapped her fingers on the table. “Still waiting.”

“So on top of being a romantic—”

“And an interloper.”

“—you’re impatient. Got it.”

“Also a neighbor.” Her smile taunted as she not-so-patiently gestured for him to get on with it.

How many times in the past hour had she made him grin? Too many, for sure. “Blu was a little guy—just a pup still—and some asshole had him in a filthy outdoor kennel that was way too small. He could barely turn around. No water. I heard him barking and I heard some dude threatening him.”

“That happened around here?”

“A mile or so from the main intersection before you turn down this road.” Because old habits die hard, he added, “You’re not in some ritzy neighborhood.”

“Didn’t say I was. I grew up here, remember.”

He snorted. “Not here . You were on the rich side of town.”

Her eyes narrowed again. “Being rich is about more than money. From everything you’ve told me, and having met Addie, I’d say you’re doing pretty damn well.”

Touché. “Anyway, I saw this old guy storming out to the kennel with a belt.” It had struck Tanner like a shock wave what that fucker would do. He knew, because he’d been at the receiving end of a belt too many times himself. “The dog was whining, the guy cursing…” Yeah, this was another memory he hated to relive, except that he’d ended up with Blu. “I intervened.”

“Good for you,” she said with deep satisfaction. “Please tell me you pulverized him.”

God, it had been tempting. Really making it short, he summarized with, “Let’s just say I took the belt from the guy, and I took Blu.”

She bit her lip. “Were there repercussions for that?”

“Yeah, there were. He followed me here, and man, Addie was a sight to see. I was holding a traumatized pup, but Addie refused to take him so that I could handle things.”

“Hmm. She probably knew how you’d handle it.”

“I’d have thrown his sorry ass off the property.” It was bad enough how he’d treated the dog, but then to disrespect Addie, too? “I put the dog in the bathroom and got between Addie and the abusive asshole, but she’s not one to stay behind a man.” He rubbed his mouth, remembering that day only too well. Now he was more amused by Addie’s temper than anything else. “To add to the confusion, the cops showed up.”

There’d been other times, as a kid, when the cops had come to Addie’s house because someone had blamed him for something. It had always scared him spitless, leaving him frantic to shore up his courage while worrying that they’d arrest him, that they’d take him away from the first good place he’d ever had.

But as a man, he’d been more concerned for Addie and Blu.

“She can be a whirlwind and she gave the cops an earful before they even had a chance to say hello.”

“Did the cops arrest the man?”

Huh. Funny that Callie made that assumption. For him, still, when cops were involved, his expectations were of dire consequences, not assistance. Callie, with her blessed life, had a different outlook—and he was glad. “Matter of fact, they did. He’d been raging at Addie, kicking at the door, threatening me, and the abuse was visible on Blu. The miserable fuck got hit with a big fine and jail time, plus he had to pay for Blu’s vet bills. Best of all, he was forbidden from getting any more pets.”

“Perfect.” Callie quietly applauded. “You’re a real-life hero, and to think I’m your neighbor.”

“Temporary neighbor.” Damn, that denial was fast becoming a habit. To get her back to talking about herself, Tanner asked, “So your big dream wedding was ruined. Do you have regrets?”

“Only that I won’t get the kids, family vacations, or special holidays that I was envisioning.” Wrinkling her nose again, she said, “It sounds self-indulgent to complain, since I never had to do without, but I wanted to do things my way, you know? Like a real Christmas tree, instead of fake. A mudroom off the laundry room because my kids would be allowed to play in the dirt, and I’d need a place to clean the dog’s paws when I walked him in the rain.”

He liked her vision. A lot. “I think it sounds nice, not indulgent.” He couldn’t stop himself from saying, “We sell Christmas trees here, so we’ve always had real. Well, always once I was with Addie.” Before that, the only Christmas décor he’d seen was around town. “They smell great and we have fun decorating them.”

A wistful expression softened her eyes. “See, that. That’s what I wanted and it’s the reason I was willing to get married.”

“News flash, darlin’, you don’t need to get married to have a dog or a real Christmas tree.”

“Right?” Excited, she propped her elbows on the table and glanced from side to side, as if to ensure they were still alone.

He, of course, was extremely aware of the fact that no one else was around.

“I haven’t told Glory this yet, but I went ahead and bought the china and silverware.” She grinned. “And the bedding and towels. All the stuff I’d put on my wedding registry.”

“For yourself?”

“Why not? I splurged and got my favorites of the stuff I’d picked out for my house. It’s in storage right now, but if I settle here—”

When he opened his mouth, she cut him off.

“—or wherever, really, I’ll use it. I wanted it and I figured I didn’t need a guy to get it.”

Enjoying this private glimpse of her character, Tanner gave her a mock frown and teasingly asked, “Guess you’re one of those empowered women?”

“Heck yes, I am.” After lifting her coffee mug in his direction, she tipped it up and finished it off.

The way she set the mug aside, with so much finality, he knew their quiet interlude had come to an end. Just as well. He’d already shared far too much.

“I should get a move on,” she said.

“You just made more coffee.”

“For Addie and Kam, since I drank so much of the first pot. I’ve got a huge day ahead of me with a lot to accomplish.”

Reluctant for it to end, Tanner didn’t appreciate the reminder that they were, in fact, at odds.

They both started to stand when Addie stepped into the kitchen.

Wearing her well-worn pink robe and slippers, she eyed them both with curiosity. “Good morning.” She bent to kiss Tanner’s cheek, then looked at Callie, frowned, and turned back to Tanner. “Didn’t you offer her a cookie?”

“Didn’t think of it,” he murmured.

Kam walked in wearing only unsnapped jeans, and said around a yawn, “No doubt you had other things on your mind.” He went straight to the counter, pulled a lid off a canister, and offered it to Callie. “Chocolate chip and walnuts. Fair warning, they’re addictive.”

Doing her best not to look at Kam’s body—and largely failing—Callie said, “Mmm, thank you. I’m allergic to walnuts, so just one for me.”

“Will you get sick?” Kam asked.

She shook her head. “I’m good at nibbling around nuts.”

Silence stretched out with Tanner and Kam both choking.

Addie glared at them in warning. Despite how mean her glares could be, Kam broke first, snickering, trying to cover it with a cough, then outright laughing.

Once he did, Tanner lost it, too.

Even Addie ended up chuckling.

Callie’s innocent confusion only made it funnier.

It wasn’t even 7:00 a.m. yet, and already he’d had one hell of a good day. In fact, it’d probably go into his top ten best days, and it was all because of his new neighbor.

* * *

S EEING THE HOUSE in the daylight, it was even more disheartening. The upside was that the kitchen appliances had been updated five years ago and they were in good running order, but the cabinets and flooring could only be called vintage if someone felt really generous. Addie promised her that once it was cleaned, it’d look much better.

The bathroom, at least, was a pleasant surprise. Yes, it definitely needed a good scrubbing, from the floors to the walls and ceiling, and everything in between. However, a year or so ago Reggie had bought a roomy spa tub. Next to it, he’d situated a small table that still held an ashtray and an empty beer can, but all the tile in the room was neutral, so workable with any color scheme. A nice-sized window, covered with a privacy blind, brightened the room and, when uncovered, gave a view of the backyard.

There were two bedrooms, but one he had used for storage. She’d eventually have to go through everything in there. The other, as Glory had pointed out, had unpleasant smells and a mattress so worn, no way would it be comfortable. Already she was considering sleeping in her car, after she took the time this evening to get online and order some new things.

Despite all that, Callie was determined to make this work, to prove that she had the willpower and independence to make the house a home.

Whether it’d be a permanent home or not, she hadn’t yet decided.

She did take the time to document her progress by recording before and after videos on her phone.

Callie had been so preoccupied with the house—and thinking about Tanner—that the entire morning and most of the afternoon passed before she finally realized what had amused her neighbors so much. Her face got hot as she recalled her “nibbling around nuts” comment, but she also laughed. Sometimes she could be such a dork. In her defense, Sutter would have missed the implication, too.

And he would keel over if he could see her now. Sweaty, her clothes dirty, flyaway hairs escaping her hasty topknot. She was a wreck and didn’t care.

She’d spent the day tackling chores large and small, inside and out, working harder than she ever had in her life, and all the while she’d replayed her conversation with Tanner, start to finish, over and over again.

What a fascinating person he was.

What a tough childhood he’d had.

What an impressive man he’d become.

A man she’d really like to get to know. And touch. And… Enjoy.

She had a feeling he’d be so enjoyable . The intensity of his gaze told her so. The set of his sensual mouth told her so.

And his body. Mmm . He was that yummy. Keeping her attention on his face hadn’t been easy, not with his bare chest right there taunting her. A sparse, enticing amount of chest hair decorated pronounced pecs and when he crossed his arms, usually in irritation or challenge, biceps flexed and bunched in a display of pure masculine perfection. Her fingers had tingled with the need to explore that body hair, to test the firmness of all those delicious muscles, to coast over his hot skin. His body was so preoccupying, she’d barely tasted her coffee.

Who had a body like that? No one that she knew, yet he seemed oblivious to how great he looked.

To think that his father might have been that big and strong when Tanner was only a small, vulnerable boy… It made her heart ache.

Thank God his later childhood was made better by a phenomenal woman. It explained so much about him, and yet in many ways he was still such a mystery.

At times he could be incredibly caustic, focused only on getting his way, which in her case, meant acquiring her property. Yet when he spoke about Addie, Kam, or even Blu, she saw the raw love in his eyes, as if having them was something extra precious to him.

Admittedly, she knew nothing about abuse. Indulgence, yes. Her parents had ensured she had everything she ever needed, and usually whatever she’d wanted. Distraction, too, of course, because affluent people loved to travel with their “set” and showcase all they had. Trips abroad, private cruises and jets; her parents were definitely social climbers who always accepted offers to travel with their “friends,” even when it was a holiday, when she was at home from school, or the times that she’d been sick.

Their love was obvious, but so were their priorities: they wanted more .

If she’d married Sutter, the “more” would have been immeasurable—for them, but not for her. Thank God she’d finally shaken off the nonsense and taken a stand. She deserved to discover her own happiness.

As did Tanner. Should she sell to him?

Immediately, Callie shook her head. No, not yet. Tanner could be happy without getting everything he wanted. And if she stuck around, maybe he’d eventually want her. She certainly wanted him.

How did he know her when she didn’t know him?

Over coffee, he’d somehow seduced her just by being himself—and by flaunting that stellar bod of his.

What really got to her was that he’d heard her. Things she said, and even things she didn’t. Her connection to him was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Not even with Glory, who was her pseudo sister and best friend in the entire world, did she feel so energized, so… alive .

Coffee with Tanner had been more exciting than sex with Sutter. How astounding was that? It reinforced that she’d made the right decision in walking away.

It also explained why, as she’d worked, she’d dissected their every word…until she got to that part about her nibbling around nuts. She laughed again. “Oh, Lord.”

“What’s that?” Addie asked, as she joined Callie in the yard.

Today, Addie wore her hair held back by a headband. An older T-shirt, faded in some spots, stained in others, covered her to the seat of her loose jeans. She looked comfortably sloppy and happy, even while pitching in at Callie’s new house.

Smiling at her, Callie admitted, “I just realized what I said.”

“What did you say?”

“At breakfast?” Callie prompted. “Or rather, over cookies?”

An enormous grin creased Addie’s face. “Ah, yeah. That was pretty funny. I thought the boys would choke to death on their hilarity. I tried to shush them, but sometimes my evilest, most stern looks have zero effect. Men, you know, can only be wrangled so much.”

Callie leaned on the rake she’d been using to clean up the yard. “I love that you see it that way. Like you want to guide them, but within reason.” That wasn’t really the world today. There were such enormous expectations for some, and none for others. In truth, she thought each individual person had unique potential that should be encouraged without comparing one to another.

It was the philosophy she’d planned to use with her imaginary kids in her imaginary future.

“I had to learn, you know?” Addie stripped off her rubber gloves and tossed them to a rickety wooden table that sat on the back porch before striding closer. “Tanner… Man, I loved that boy from day one. Talk about a heartbreaker.” She paused to lean on a tree.

It was one of the things Callie loved about the yard. All the trees, so many varieties, offering shade and beauty.

Dropping nuts, leaves, and branches everywhere. That part was tough, but she’d get the hang of it. “Tanner told me you took him in when he was thirteen.”

“He did?” Surprise lifted Addie’s brows, then her entire face settled into a warm smile. “Well, guess I’m not surprised. He’d want you to hear it from him before others filled your head with nonsense.”

“He said people gossip about him?”

This time, Addie’s laugh was short and bitter. “You’ll hear it soon enough, but not from me.”

Callie wondered about that, but she wasn’t sure how to ask, especially with Addie’s statement hanging out there. It wouldn’t be right for her to pressure anyone, especially after her new neighbor had been so open and welcoming, so incredibly helpful.

“Thirteen,” Addie mused aloud, breaking the strained silence. “He thought he was so grown up. Thought he could just go off on his own and somehow make it. And you know what? He might have. He sure had the grit.”

More than anything, more than making her house livable or getting to explore Tanner’s sexy shoulders and abs, Callie wanted to better understand him. To learn everything about him. All the small and large parts of his life that had knit together such an intriguing guy.

That connection…it was still there, sizzling her nerve endings, keeping her thoughts hopping about, always wondering about him. Now that she was feeling so alive, she couldn’t imagine going back to being…well, dormant. Existing, going through the motions but never really taking part. Not with heart. Not like she should.

She’d been living without any real purpose. But this? Being outside and working on the yard and talking to Addie—a woman who had lived with her whole heart—made Callie realize what a shallow person she’d been.

She would have married Sutter. Just because it was easy. Because her parents wanted it. To keep the peace.

And to have her fancy wedding.

Ugh. She didn’t like who she was—or rather, who she used to be, because more than ever, she was determined to make herself anew, with better principles and more awareness, and this time she’d use her whole heart.

Turning to Addie, she asked, “Feel like taking a break?”

“Right here,” Addie said, looking up at the thick branches of a massive oak tree. “With just a little sunlight filtering through and all the fresh air a body could want.”

Beautiful sentiment, and it perfectly expressed how Callie felt in that moment. “Just a sec.” She set aside her rake, then jogged to the porch to grab a folding lawn chair, which she brought out to Addie. “Right here suits me, too, but you should sit. It’s been a long day already. I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as you do—and for a neighbor you barely know.”

“Oh, honey, I’ve known you—or about you—forever.” Gratefully, she settled into the chair. “Isn’t this nice, here in the shade? I always thought Reggie had a beautiful yard.”

“Agreed.” Given the shape of the house, the yard was probably the best thing about the place…next to the nice bathroom. “I love the entire setting.” And the more Callie cleared and cleaned and rearranged, the more she enjoyed it.

“I tried to talk Reggie into getting outside more, but he was falling apart and ashamed of how he looked. Poor man hid inside most of the time. Toward the end, he wouldn’t even walk to our house to join us for dinner.”

“Was the walk too strenuous for him?”

“Nah. See that spot right there?” Addie pointed at some overgrown hedges. “We kept it cleared for Reggie. It’s a shortcut right through to our yard. One minute walk or so. When he quit using it, it grew over again. Tanner reinforced the fencing on the other side to make sure the goats didn’t wander in and eat our saplings.” She confided, “They’ll eat anything, you know.”

No, she hadn’t known, but she was learning, keeping mental notes on every bit of farming wisdom Addie shared. “Do you need something to drink?”

Addie laughed. “Just like my boys, always trying to pamper me. I’m seventy-two, not a hundred.” She nodded at the porch. “I left my water bottle up there, but I’m fine for now.”

“Seventy-two?” Studying her face, Callie saw the wrinkles, mostly when she smiled, which Addie did a lot, and she saw the tiny veining in her cheeks, a few dark spots, likely from being in the sun so much. Most of all, she saw a woman who enjoyed living. She saw happiness. “I thought you were younger. You’re really pretty.”

“Ha! Thank you for the kindness, but I’m like a lot of old people, wearing skin that’s two sizes too big now.” She grinned, showing how her aged skin bunched together. “I don’t mind. Getting old is a sight better than the alternative.”

Callie smiled, too. “Seriously, I thought you were in your early sixties.”

“You’re smooth, just like my boys.”

“I’ve met your boys, so I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, and they both chuckled.

Despite how hard she’d worked, peacefulness settled over Callie. Odd that the woods had seemed so creepy last night and now they just felt serene. Her stomach was rumbling with hunger, she had blisters on her palms and sweat in unheard-of places, and she hadn’t yet explored the attic or basement of the house.

In that moment, it didn’t matter.

Chickens, currently roaming free, pecked at the ground, occasionally scratching, and the goats ambled about, often climbing atop everything they could.

The spring sunshine was beautiful, birds were loudly singing, and she was filled with gratitude. Closing her eyes a moment, she imagined the house and how it would be when she finished with it. She wasn’t a decorator but she had good taste. She felt certain she could make it not only comfortable, but beautiful.

In turn, her life would become more beautiful, too. She was done with the mundane, done with taking things for granted.

And done trying to please everyone in her life…except herself.