Well Played

by Keeland, Vi

  I turned to Tanner. “Why didn’t you call to let me know you were coming?”

  “Would it have mattered? I thought about it, but in the end, I thought it would be better if I surprised Alex.”

  “Where do you plan on staying?” I asked.

  He looked around. “Well, given that this place has several rooms, I was hoping you’d let me crash here.”

  Levi’s chair skidded as he got up from his seat. He opened the fridge and popped open a root beer, angrily tossing the bottle cap aside. Tanner likely thought nothing of it, but I could see the steam coming out of Levi’s ears.

  “How long do you plan to stay in Beaufort?” I asked.

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  “How can you not know?”

  He laughed. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re not happy to see me, Presley. I can’t say I blame you, okay? But know that I didn’t come back here to cause any problems. I want to spend some time with my son.” He turned to Levi before looking back at me. “Big bro told me about all of the stuff you got going on here, all the wonderful plans you have for Gramps’s place. You know, when I found out he’d left half of The Palm Inn to Alex, I worried what that would mean. I thought you were crazy for not selling. But Levi told me how much progress you’ve made. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way, I guess. And I’m really proud of you.”

  “Thanks,” I muttered, willing my stomach to stop churning.

  “I can’t thank you enough for helping out,” he told Levi.

  Levi nodded.

  “That’s right,” I said. “None of this would have been possible without Levi’s help. He paid for an entirely new air conditioning system, among other things.”

  Tanner tilted his head. “I thought you were pushing to sell. What changed, Levi?”

  Levi’s eyes met mine. “I guess you could say Presley’s passion rubbed off on me.”

  My cheeks felt hot as tension formed in the air.

  “Well, it’s cool that you’re seeing eye to eye on things now. That would’ve been a problem.” He looked between us before his eyes landed on mine. “So…uh, you didn’t answer my question. Is it okay if I stay here?”

  “You didn’t answer my question as to how long you’re staying,” I retorted.

  “Well, you know I started that new junior sports agent position a few months ago. I can do that from anywhere. I only have to travel to meet new clients, so I do most of my work from home. I was hoping to at least spend the rest of the summer here. I know Levi’s heading back to Colorado in a few weeks. Figured I’d be able to fill the void around here once he’s gone.”

  Levi slammed his bottle down on the table.

  As much as I wanted to please Alex, who I knew would want his dad to stay with us, my gut told me I needed to stop Tanner in his tracks. “Okay, well, I don’t know if you staying here is such a good idea right now.”

  Tanner looked down at his shoes. “You know what? I shouldn’t have thrown all of this on you at once. I’ll stay at my mother’s for now. If you change your mind, that’ll be great. But I understand that you need to get used to me being here first.”

  Silence filled the air for several seconds before Tanner spoke again.

  “Look…I know I’ve been a shitty father, a shitty brother, and a shitty ex.” He looked between us. “But you two are still the closest people to me on Earth, so I feel like I can be open with you right now, even if we aren’t on the best of terms.” He took a deep breath in. “It’s taken me a while to get to the place I am today. I haven’t told you just how much I’d been struggling.” He exhaled. “You know about my gambling addiction. Well, I finally started seeing a therapist, which is something I should’ve done a long time ago. He’s treating me for not only the gambling issue, but for the generally self-destructive behavior that’s gotten me to where I am today.”

  Levi swallowed, seeming to soften a bit for the first time since I walked in. “I’m glad to hear you’re seeing someone.”

  Tanner nodded. “I look at my life now, and I honestly can’t tell you how I got to this place. I’m not gonna stand here and use my injury as an excuse either. I’ve made that mistake for far too long. Sure, the injury started my downward spiral, but I have to take responsibility for my actions.” He turned to me. “Everything I’ve done has been a choice—from hurting you, Presley, to the gambling, to not being there for Alex. And I’m so damn sorry.”

  I’d known Tanner long enough to know when he was lying and when he was being honest. I believed he was sincere right now, although I didn’t necessarily trust that this newfound conscientiousness would last forever.

  Fern waltzed into the kitchen, interrupting our conversation.

  Her eyes went wide. “Well, well, well, looks like a party of three in here.”

  Tanner smiled. “Hey, Fern. Good to see you again. It’s been a long time.”

  “Sure has. What brings you home, son?”

  “Just missin’ my family. That’s all.”

  She raised her brow. “You stayin’ here with us?”

  “I plan to stay at my mother’s tonight.” Tanner looked over at me. “But I’m hoping Presley will change her mind and let me crash here eventually, if she still has the space by then. I know she has a lot going on, so I’m not pushing anything.”

  “Yeah…” Fern snickered. “It is a little crowded at the moment. You being here might be too much for Presley to ménage—” She shook her head. “I mean, manage.”

  Ugh! Sure you did. I glared at her, and she seemed to get the message.

  “Well, enjoy your stay wherever you end up sleeping.” She winked. “I just came to say hello and see what all the excitement was about.”

  Levi gritted his teeth, looking ready to explode.

  Relief washed over me when Fern went back to her room.

  Levi left the kitchen soon after and made himself scarce the rest of the day. He told Tanner he had to meet someone, but I suspected he just needed to blow off some steam in private. It wasn’t like we could vent to each other with Tanner right under our noses.

  Tanner said he wanted to go with me to pick up Alex. It happened to be the last day of camp, and I knew he was going to be so surprised to see his dad. As much as Tanner showing up here unannounced was jarring, I was happy and excited for my son—as long as this didn’t turn out to be another disappointment.

  As Tanner and I packed into my car, I made a mental decision not to give in regarding my decision about him staying at The Palm. He could sleep at his mother’s for as long as she would have him. I knew Alex would likely push for him to stay with us, but I needed to stand my ground.

  As I drove toward the park, Tanner placed his hand lightly on my leg.

  “It’s so good to see you,” he said.

  I abruptly shifted my leg away.

  “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment. “It feels so unnatural not to touch you. But I crossed a line there.”

  “Yes, you did,” I shot back.

  “I don’t expect anything except for you not to shut me out, Presley. You don’t have to say a damn thing to me or pretend to be happy to see me. Just don’t tell me to disappear, even if that’s what I deserve.”

  I kept my eyes on the road. “I wouldn’t do that, and you know it.”

  “I do know. Because you’re a fucking sweetheart who’s always been too damn good to me.” He leaned his head back on the seat. “You know, when I got off the plane this morning and stepped outside into the balmy air, it felt like I’d woken up out of a nightmare in a way. I’ve been stuck in this rut for so long that I’ve forgotten who I really am. And in that moment—smelling the air—I felt a hint of who I used to be. So much of who I am comes from this place. It didn’t take long for me to understand why you wanted to come back here.”

  “Well, I’m glad you get it now because you were less than understanding when I told you I was coming back.”

  “I know I was. And I apologize—for that and so
many other things.”

  I gripped the steering wheel. “How many times are you going to apologize to me, Tanner?”

  “As many fucking times as I need to,” he shouted before lowering his voice. “Do you know how much it hurts to see the disappointment in your eyes when you look at me? And to know I deserve every bit of it? When I look at you, Presley, I see everything I’ve ever wanted and every mistake I’ve ever made all rolled into one.”

  When I finally glanced over at him, his eyes were glistening. There was absolutely no doubt he was being honest. Perhaps I might not have felt so sorry for him if I hadn’t been having an affair with his brother. But somehow, I did feel sorry for him.

  I also felt sorry for Levi. He’d been in denial more than I had about the implications of our getting involved—about how hard it would be when the time came to face Tanner. I think his shutting down today proved how difficult the reality was going to be. Neither of us was prepared for this.

  When we arrived at camp, my thoughts took a backseat to the excitement of anticipating my son’s reaction. The moment Alex spotted his father walking next to me in the distance, his eyes widened. It was priceless when the realization hit.

  “Dad?” I could see him mouth before he came running toward us.

  Tanner held his arms open. “It’s me, bud.”

  “Dad!” Alex ran faster, into his father’s arms.

  Tanner closed his eyes as he hugged Alex tightly. When he opened them, a lone tear fell.

  Jesus. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Tanner cry. He’d looked emotional in the car a minute ago, but I certainly hadn’t expected him to cry. And he wasn’t the only one in tears. My son was crying, too.

  Alex seemed understandably confused. “What are you doing here?”

  “What do you think I’m doing here? I came to see you.”

  He wiped his eyes. “Really?”

  “Really.” Tanner kissed Alex on the forehead. “And I’m not leaving anytime soon either, okay?”

  Alex took a few seconds to let that soak in before his mouth curved into a smile. “This is the best day ever.”

  “For me, too, believe me.”

  “You’re staying with us at The Palm Inn, right? With me and Mom and Uncle Levi?”

  Tanner opened his mouth, looking like he didn’t know how to answer.

  No. I’m not going to bend on this. “Actually, your dad is staying with Grandma,” I told him.

  My son frowned. “Why?”

  Tanner’s eyes met mine. “Your mom has a lot on her plate right now, son, with the house and all. She’s trying to fix up all the rooms. She doesn’t need me in the way. But don’t worry, it won’t change us getting to hang out.”

  Alex looked to me. “Mom, can Dad please stay with us? He won’t be in the way. He can stay in my room.”

  “I don’t think so, Alex.”

  Alex pleaded. “Please.”

  The sad look on his face hit me straight in the heart. My son never asked me for much. He’d put up with a lot, given the mess of a relationship his father and I had. Am I really being fair to him?

  “I suppose…we can make room for your dad,” I said, swallowing the anxiety uttering those words brought on.

  “You sure?” Tanner asked. When I nodded, he mouthed, “Thank you.”

  I was pretty sure I’d just made a huge mistake. But I’d do anything for Alex, and that proved it.

  ***

  Levi was home when we returned to the inn.

  Alex couldn’t wait to tell him about Tanner staying with us.

  “Uncle Levi, Dad is staying with us. Isn’t that the best news ever?”

  Levi’s eyes darted to me. Frowning, I did my best to offer a silent apology.

  And he did his best to pretend he was happy about it as he forced a smile. “That’s amazing news, buddy.”

  Tanner ruffled Alex’s hair. “Last I recall, your favorite food is pizza. Is that still correct?”

  “Well, now it’s pizza and Iggy’s fried chicken.”

  “Ah. You discovered Iggy’s, did ya?”

  “Uncle Levi took me. We had dinner there one night when Mom was out. He told me a bunch of old stories from back when you guys used to go there.”

  Tanner looked over at his brother and smiled. “Thanks for showing him around.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Levi smiled. “We had a good time that night, didn’t we, Alex?”

  Alex nodded. “We always have a good time.”

  A look of sadness crossed Tanner’s face, as if realizing for the first time that it wasn’t only the inn Levi had been looking after.

  If he only knew...

  Looking down at Alex, Tanner clapped his hands together. “What do you say we give your mother a break tonight, and I’ll order pizza for all of us?”

  “You don’t need to do that,” I said.

  “I want to.”

  Alex jumped up and down. “Mom, please! Pizza sounds so good!”

  He didn’t realize my hesitation had nothing to do with the pizza but everything to do with Tanner pushing his way back into our lives at warp speed. But all I could do was sigh.

  Tanner ended up ordering three large pizzas to be delivered. Levi and I were quiet throughout dinner while Tanner and Alex made up for lost time. Alex filled his dad in on how camp had gone all summer and the upcoming peewee football season.

  After dinner, Alex went to take a shower. Tanner asked Levi if he wanted to grab a couple of beers from the fridge and head out back. He agreed, and I watched them go, only to realize my nerves were shot. What would they discuss during their man-to-man time? I could only imagine what was going through Levi’s mind. He’d been forced to keep his emotions inside since Tanner’s arrival, and it killed me that we hadn’t had a chance to talk.

  Later that evening, after I tucked Alex in, I went to my room earlier than normal. The second I closed the door behind me, Levi texted.

  Levi: Are you okay?

  Presley: I am. You?

  Levi: Okay is a relative term.

  Presley: I’m sorry I got pressured into him staying here.

  Levi: You did the right thing.

  Presley: I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

  Levi: The only thing making me feel uncomfortable now is the thought of him upsetting you.

  Presley: I miss you. We were supposed to have our day together. Instead, I feel like the world turned upside down.

  Before Levi could respond, a text from Tanner came through.

  Tanner: I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay.

  Before I could respond to Tanner, another text from Levi lit up my phone.

  Levi: I wish I could come to your room right now. This fucking sucks.

  And then a text from Tanner.

  Tanner: You looked so beautiful tonight.

  Then from Levi.

  Levi: I need you tonight, Presley. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I know he’s my brother and I love him and you belonged to him first and all that…but I am feeling SO goddamn possessive right now.

  Shit.

  Tanner: Seriously, Presley. I know my staying here isn’t easy for you.

  My brain was spinning.

  Levi: Are you there?

  I shook my head and responded to Levi.

  Presley: Yes. I’m here.

  Tanner sent another message.

  Tanner: I was hoping you could carve out some time to talk to me tomorrow. There’s a lot I need to say to you.

  I responded to Tanner.

  Presley: I’m not sure we have anything left to talk about.

  But it was Levi who answered me.

  Levi: What the hell are you saying?

  I looked down and realized I’d sent that last text to the wrong brother.

  Presley: I’m sorry. That was meant for Tanner.

  Levi immediately messaged back.

  Levi: He’s texting you right now?

  I could feel his anger through
my phone.

  Tanner: Are you there, or are you just choosing to ignore my texts? I’m getting a complex.

  It occurred to me that I’d yet to actually respond to Tanner. Before I could type anything, Levi chimed in.

  Levi: That’s not surprising. When we were out back tonight, he kept asking me questions about you. He wanted to know whether you’ve been seeing anyone. I felt like telling him about us right then and there. But I fucking couldn’t.

  My heart began to race.

  Levi: You there?

  Presley: Yes. I’m just feeling overwhelmed right now.

  After about a minute, he responded.

  Levi: Alright, baby. Get some sleep. Hopefully he’ll leave at some point tomorrow, so we can have some alone time and process this together.

  Presley: I hope so.

  Levi: Sweet dreams.

  Presley: You too.

  I clicked on Tanner’s name and finally responded to him.

  Presley: I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

  The dots danced as he typed.

  Tanner: Cool. Thank you.

  I needed to shut down any further communication with Tanner tonight.

  Presley: Going to sleep.

  Tanner: Sweet dreams.

  It wasn’t lost on me that his brother had just told me the same thing—“Sweet dreams”—a minute ago. There wouldn’t be any dreams tonight, unless they were nightmares about the predicament I’d gotten myself into. I probably wouldn’t be getting any sleep at all.