“I’m sorry you’re stuck out here.”
She wanted to tell him that it was the best birthday she’d had since her dad died, but the words refused to leave her mouth. The candle flickered as she blew on it then went out. Sharing her wish would make it not come true, but anyone who looked in her eyes would guess what it was. She broke the cookie in half, and Tanner opened his mouth.
“Thanks for sharing.” He popped the other half into her mouth, while she tried not to giggle. “There’s almost an entire package left, by the way.”
“If I’d known that I wouldn’t have shared.” She smiled, pressing down the emotions that welled up. “I’ll never forget this birthday. That’s for sure.”
“It’ll be dark soon.”
She didn’t mind another night alone with Tanner. “Yeah.”
“You were busy today. And I like the new curtains.”
“Keeping my hands busy helped me not think about you on the roof.”
“Have a problem with heights?”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled. “I’d never have guessed. Want to sit out on the porch?”
They perched side by side on the top step, watching the glow of the sun disappear below the horizon.
Livvy wanted something sweet. “Where are those cookies?”
He ran into the cabin and returned with the package. “I love it out here at the cabin. Granted, it’s nicer with electricity, but this might be my favorite place in the whole world. I sneak out here every chance I get.”
She munched cookies as quietly as she could, not wanting to break the magic that hovered around them. Hearing about what he loved made her feel closer to him.
“Storm hit this place less than a year ago. I had to patch the roof and windows. That’s why I had all the stuff. Doing stuff myself helps keep this place a secret from certain people.”
“That’s why you came out here last night?” She struggled to make out his profile as the light faded.
“I was pretty upset—mad mostly. Wanted somewhere I could be alone and think. But then you showed up, and well, that took my mind off what’s-her-name.” He bumped against her shoulder.
Thunder rumbled, and wind rustled the leaves. Tanner had nearly disappeared into the darkness, and she reached for his hand.
“Storm took its time, but it sounds like it’s here.” She closed her eyes, savoring the smell of rain and the sound of the happy, croaking frogs somewhere not far off. It had been a long time since she could say she was really happy, but on that porch, she was.
Years ago, Tanner made her feel safe when her world was collapsing. Sitting on the porch, he made her feel connected. She didn’t feel alone.
“Livvy.” He tightened his grip on her hand, his voice the same, soft rumble he used when comforting her earlier. “I think my parents will probably let you move in. My sister and I have both moved out. They have room.”
She couldn’t dismiss his suggestion without explaining that her mother practically expected handouts, only to squander whatever money she got. But Livvy could offer reasons why his suggestion wouldn’t work. “I don’t want to impose, Tanner. I don’t even know them.”
“You know me.” His thumb moved back and forth across her knuckles. “And if for any reason, you can’t move in there, I’ll get you a place.”
She had no idea what he meant by that, but she didn’t ask. “I couldn’t—”
“Staying at my place might be awkward. That’s why I thought of my parents’ house. You might be more comfortable there.”
Glad he couldn’t see the tears slipping down her cheeks, she whispered, “Thank you.” The idea of a bed and safety sounded wonderful.
“We should go in. A raindrop just landed on my arm.” He helped her up, but instead of walking inside, he pulled her close. “That wasn’t rain, was it?”
She shook her head.
“Why shouldn’t I help you? You told me the truth. Not everyone would do that. In fact, it makes me wonder what others have seen and not said anything about.”
“Even if she hadn’t left the ring, I would’ve said something to you. I just wasn’t sure how at first.” Livvy followed as Tanner led her into the cabin. “You deserve so much better.”
“My mom never liked Angela, but you cannot repeat that.” He closed the front door. “Looks like Mom was right, though.”
“I’m sorry, Tanner.”
“I’m not nearly as disappointed as I expected to be, honestly. Makes me mad, but I’ll get over it.” He flicked on the flashlight.
“Tanner, you think that maybe, um . . .” The prospect of enduring another storm in the dark rattled her. She wanted him close. “Instead of the couch, you can sleep in the bed. It’s big enough.” She slid under the covers, listening to the popping sounds the rain made on the tarp and hoping he’d climb in next to her.
The light went out, and the bed jostled.
Fingers brushed against her cheek. “If it helps you sleep, you can cuddle up next to me.”
Without hesitation, she scooted to the middle and snuggled against him. When food, water, and toilet paper ran out, she’d feel differently, but being stranded wasn’t so bad.
When help arrived, they’d each go back to their own lives, but she let herself enjoy the time with him. Even if she stayed with his parents, away from the cabin, things wouldn’t be the same.
If Livvy told herself that enough, maybe she wouldn’t fall head over heels for the man beside her.
Chapter 7
Tanner rested his cheek on the top of Livvy’s head. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to spend time with her. Protecting her wasn’t the only reason. He wanted to help her and would do whatever he could do, but deep inside other reasons pounded in his heart.
He thought of how much he’d looked forward to Fridays, feeling guilty since he was engaged. And those thoughts reminded him of the other things Livvy would need protection from.
If Grandfather got wind of her spending the weekend at the cabin, he wouldn’t be pleased. If Angela found out—Tanner didn’t even want to consider that possibility.
Livvy shifted, mumbling something about licking off the cream and making wishes. Tanner kissed her head and tightened his embrace.
Admitting that after two days he felt more of a connection with Livvy than he had for his ex-fiancée wasn’t easy, but it was true.
One thing was clear. He’d never been friends with Angela.
Drizzle turned to showers, and he drifted off to sleep but woke when Livvy rolled out of his arms. He slid out of bed and flipped the cushions on the sofa so that the damaged and torn side faced down. Tempting as it was to stay curled up next to her all night, he decided sleeping on the couch was the wiser option.
The rain continued as he tried to sleep, but the wind stayed calm. After several hundred sheep jumped an imaginary fence, Tanner fell asleep.
He awoke to the same sound that lulled him to sleep, the pitter patter of rain beating a rhythm against the cabin. He shifted, and the frame of the couch groaned a warning.
“Sounds like it’s going to break.” Livvy sat in bed, her knees pulled up to her chest.
Tanner eased himself off the cushions. “I think you’re right.”
Livvy twisted the sheet around her finger. “When did you move to the couch?”
“Once you were asleep.” He dug food out of the cooler. “I didn’t want you to—I thought it would be best.”
“Oh.” She traced the pattern of the blanket.
He slapped together two sandwiches and handed one to her. “Breakfast in bed?”
She flashed a small smile. “You really know how to treat a lady.”
“I do my best.” After climbing onto the bed and settling next to her, he munched his food, listening to the rain. “It’ll be a long day if this keeps up.”
After he finished eating, he loosened the corners on two of the makeshift curtains to get airflow in the cabin. “So, you’re taking classes?”
“Not a full load because I can’t afford that, but I’m getting close to done.”
“In what?”
“I want to be a radiologic tech.”
“Wow. Does that require an advanced degree?”
Livvy shook her head. “It’s normally a two-year program.”
“Well, we’ll find you a place to live, and that should help in the expenses department.”
“I really don’t want to impose on your parents.”
Tanner imagined his mom’s reaction to Livvy and smiled. “If I know my parents—which, you know, I’ve known them all my life—they’ll be glad to have you around.”
While his grandfather wasn’t the nicest of people, his parents were at the other end of the spectrum. And his family was close. If Tanner trusted Livvy, his parents wouldn’t hesitate to help her.
She dusted crumbs off the bed, avoiding his gaze. “So, what did you do the last time you were stranded out here?”
Tanner let her change the subject and tried to remember his last imposed vacation. “I was out here a couple days. There was a tree down at the end of the drive, and I couldn’t move it myself. I tried. I’d mentioned to my sister I was headed to the cabin, and after Mom called her, Dad came out after me.”
“But this time you didn’t tell anyone.”
“Coop, my sister’s fiancé, is the one who told me that Angela was cheating. My family will guess where I am. But I’d rather not talk about any of that.” Tanner didn’t want to relive the conversation.
“Think this rain will ever stop?”
“We’re on high ground, so either way, we’ll be fine. But it makes for a boring day.”
She glanced up, a twinkle in her eyes. “Maybe it’s a good time for that Truth or Dare game.”
“Ladies first.” He grinned, thinking of the many questions he wanted answered.
“Why her?”
He knew exactly what she meant but couldn’t resist dragging it out a bit. “You didn’t ask truth or dare.”
She rolled her eyes. “Truth or dare?”
He wrinkled his nose for effect as he delayed the answer. When she raised her eyebrows, he said, “Truth.”
“Angela isn’t like you. Why did you propose?”
“I want to say that I thought she loved me, but I’m not sure that’s true.” He slid out of bed and threw together another sandwich. “Water?”
“Yes. And I choose dare.”
Options were limited in the tiny cabin. He struggled to think of a dare that would lighten the mood. Talking about his ex wasn’t how he wanted to spend the day. “Oh. I need to think. It’s gotta be good.” He sat back on the bed. “I dare you to sing me your favorite Elvis song, but you have to stand up and perform it just like he would have done in Vegas.”
Her cheeks colored slightly as she slipped off the bed. “Maybe I should’ve chosen truth.”
After a minute of hip shaking, knee jiggling, and a few bars of Jailhouse Rock, she bowed.
Tanner whistled and applauded. “I’m impressed.” He considered daring her to dance with him the next time.
“Your turn. Truth or Dare?” She climbed back under the covers.
“Hmmm. Dare.” The rain wasn’t letting up. They’d have plenty of time for truth.
“Lick your big toe.”
“Sure.” He reached under the blanket and grabbed her foot.
“What are you doing?”
“You said to lick your big toe.”
“No. Your toe.”
He tickled her foot. “This is your toe.”
“You’re trying to cheat.”
“Can you blame me?” He wiggled his toes. “Who would want to lick these nasty toes?”
Despite his best efforts to get a laugh, her expression didn’t change. “If you don’t want to play . . .” A smirk danced in her eyes but didn’t touch her lips.
“Oh no, sweetheart. I’m not giving up that easily.” With all the drama he could muster, he twisted his leg until he brought his toe close to his mouth and did as she’d dared.
“Truth.” She raised her eyebrows.
“Afraid I’ll make you lick my toes?”
“Yes. Your turn.”
“Wait. That was not my question.”
“You asked me a question. I answered truthfully.” Mischief curled her lips. “But I’ll let you ask something else.”
If anyone was keeping score, she was winning, and he loved every minute of it.
“Did you look forward to Friday nights?” He was acutely aware that the question put her on the spot, but he needed to know.
Her eyes widened, and she looked away. “Yes.”
“Was it—”
“You already asked your question. Truth or Dare?”
“Truth.” He wanted to continue with questions for a bit since it helped him learn more about her.
“What was the best present you ever received?”
Tanner laid back and stared up at the ceiling while he remembered past gifts. “One Christmas—I think I was ten—my sister used her babysitting money to buy me a Toa Nuva.”
“A what?”
“Remember Bionicles?”
She shook her head, her ponytail swinging. “No.”
“Then I’ll just have to show you because I still have my collection. It’s in a box somewhere.”
“That was sweet.”
“I thought so.” Tanner reached for Livvy’s hand. “She’ll like you.”
A smile brightened her already pretty face.
Introducing Livvy to the family would be enjoyable. He didn’t worry that his mother would label it bringing home a stray. That was something his grandfather would say.
“Truth or Dare?” He didn’t let go of her hand.
“Truth.”
The morning continued with each of them choosing to answer questions and revealing more and more. Occasionally, when the conversation hit a level of uncomfortable honesty, Tanner chose dare to shake things up.
In late afternoon as he told a story about when he tied jingle bells to the cat’s tail, she erupted in laughter and fell back onto the pillows. The sound was like a soft, colorful blanket.
“I’ve enjoyed this. I mean, being without power isn’t ideal, but spending the day with you has been wonderful.” He shifted closer. “I’m glad you showed up out here.”
She tugged her hand free of his. “I should make us something to eat.”
Watching as she hopped out of bed, he wished he had the ability to read her thoughts. The abrupt change made him think he’d said something wrong. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” She slapped sandwiches together and avoided his attempts to catch her eye.
“I dare you to look at me.”
“I’m not sure me being here is a good idea.” Dark, teary eyes stared at him.
He struggled to understand what she wasn’t saying.
“When we leave the cabin . . .” She swiped at a tear.
The tears frustrated him because he didn’t understand why she was upset. “Livvy, what’s wrong?”
“When I came out here, I didn’t expect”—she sucked in a deep breath—“I’m not looking forward to being rescued.” She gave him her back, shaking her head. “I know it sounds stupid.”
Tanner stepped up behind her. “Me either.”
A pause in her movement and a stuttered breath were her only reactions to what he’d said. She closed the cooler and handed him a water bottle, balancing two sandwiches in her other hand.
“There’s less than half a loaf left.” She climbed onto the bed, handed him one of the sandwiches, and fixed her gaze on him. “You may starve because of me.”
“I highly doubt that. Did I tell you about the time I ran away from home? I was four.” He took a bite of his sandwich.
Amusement danced in her eyes. “Your life must have been horrible.”
“So, well, my parents threw a party for my sister and lavished her with gifts. I got nothing. It was clear that I
wasn’t loved, so I packed up a bag with toys and went off on my own.”
Livvy handed Tanner a napkin and pointed at his beard. “Did you take any food?”
“I was four. Toys were more important.”
“How sad for you that they loved your sister more.” She leaned closer when he wrapped an arm around her.
Tanner couldn’t wait to introduce Livvy to his family. “Yeah. All because it was her birthday.”
“Did she run away on your birthday?”
“Nah, she was six and had it all figured out.”
“How long did your parents have to hunt for you?”
He finished off the last bite of his sandwich. “Three days.”
“Tanner, they must have been panicked.” She swatted his arm. “Were the police involved?”
“Yep and yep. But, I’m pretty sure that by the end of the first day, they had a pretty good idea that I was hiding in the treehouse.” While he didn’t remember every detail because he was so young, the story had been told enough times he could tell it.
“How did you last that long without food?”
“My sister kept stashing goodies in the bucket attached to the treehouse.”
“But your parents didn’t go get you?”
“Nope.”
Her eyes widened. “How did you—Three days in a tree house?”
“We don’t want to talk about that.” He chuckled. “I went home when she left me a note that had a cake drawn on it. I couldn’t read, but I wanted cake. She’d talked my parents into buying a cake for me.”
“I like your sister.”
“Me too.”
When the last of the light disappeared, Tanner shifted to the edge of the bed, resigning himself to the sofa.
Cool fingers clutched his hand. “It’s getting a little chilly.”
The rain had finally let up, but the crickets and frogs hadn’t yet started their nightly chorus. The only sound in the dark cabin was the rustling of the sheets as she settled in.
“Curl up next to me. I’ll keep you warm.” Still fully dressed, he crawled under the covers and waited while she shuffled around in the dark on her side. “Need the flashlight?” After having the best day he’d had in forever, he was eager to hold her.
Next Door to the Billionaire Page 5