Chasing Dreams_A Small Town Single Dad Romance

by Nancy Stopper

  “I have a couple pairs of sneakers that fell victim to him.” Tanner laughed. At least he didn’t seem too upset about losing his shoes to the new dog. Izzy had learned quickly with Freddie to shut away anything of value.

  “He also”—Hayley lowered her voice— “peed in the house. But Daddy says we don’t talk about those things at the table.”

  Izzy had forgotten that Hayley had already met Serena. That helped. It gave them something to talk about. Serena was as good with kids as she was with animals. It was a surprise to Izzy that she didn’t have a man in her life. Why was that? Izzy didn’t know, but she was going to find out.

  “So, Tanner, I understand you run Jason’s House.” Justin had barely looked up from his plate since they’d sat down.

  Tanner smiled at Izzy and then turned his attention to her brother. “I helped open it four years ago. I’m the director, but it takes a team of employees and volunteers for it to run successfully.”

  Justin nodded. “I’ve heard of it. A couple of my players have hung out there before. You guys do good things for teens.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Tanner, do you have any siblings?” Mom’s sweet voice rang out from the other end of the table. Izzy still hadn’t forgiven her mother for ambushing Tanner and Hayley with a family dinner. What was it with the twenty questions? Couldn’t they just eat in peace?

  “Yes, ma’am. I have four brothers and a baby sister. I’m the oldest.”

  “Five boys and a girl. Your mother must have been a saint.”

  “She was, ma’am, but she died when I was twelve.” The words fell from Tanner’s mouth with such ease. Just thinking about her father, much less talking about him, had the words sticking in Izzy’s throat. “I helped raise the rest of them until I went away to school. Everyone else still lives in Colorado.”

  Well, that explained a bit why Tanner was so good with Hayley. Because of his sister, he knew what it was like for a girl to grow up without her mother. And he himself had grown up way too fast.

  She snuck her hand under the table and squeezed his thigh. He covered her hand with his while he kept up his conversation with her mother. But his thumb whispered over her knuckles, and a small twinge built in her belly with each pass.

  After Mom finally finished her conversation with Tanner, he leaned in and spoke in her ear, “Aren’t you hungry?”

  She hadn’t even noticed her still full plate. An old habit, shoving the food around until a respectable amount of time had passed and she could leave the table before anyone realized she hadn’t eaten. A nervous habit built from years of watching her weight.

  She refused to be that person anymore, to let food and her weight take control over what she wanted out of life. And so she picked up her fork and shoveled a big bite of mashed potatoes into her mouth. She swallowed and then grinned at Tanner.

  By the time they finished dinner, her entire family had fallen in love with him and Hayley. How could they not? But Izzy was ready to get away from her family and find some time alone with Tanner. He’d been torturing her for most of the meal, drawing little circles on her knee with his fingers. When he inched his way higher, she’d had to grab his hand and tug it back down. Every once in a while, he’d leaned over and whispered in her ear. It started out innocently enough, him complimenting her outfit. But then his words became more suggestive, talking about what he’d like to do to her later. Her cheeks flushed so many times that her mother asked if she was okay, which made her blush even more.

  Even her sisters had joined in on the razzing. Let them have their fun—she would have plenty of opportunities to get them back. And she would. That was how things rolled in this family.

  She smiled as her twin sisters shared a private conversation that didn’t involve many words, and to the end of the table where Justin had put his head together with Maddie. The love was still there—that much was evident. Her heart broke for what the two of them were going through. Justin couldn’t take much more, and Izzy was afraid that it wouldn’t be long before he threw in the towel.

  But for better or worse, this was her family, and as frustrated as Izzy was with Mom for thrusting Tanner and Hayley into the lion’s den, she wouldn’t have traded this meal, with everyone she loved in the world right here at one table, for anything.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Can we go in that store?” Hayley skipped off down the mall, bags in both of her hands bouncing with her. Izzy drew in a deep breath and hurried to catch up. Where in the heck did Hayley get all of this energy? Izzy had been able to keep up for the first couple of hours, but after that, her feet were dragging. Six girly boutiques later and she was about to drop. Izzy wished they’d had half these stores when she was growing up. But she’d take the exhaustion, the sore feet, and the raw hands from carrying too many shopping bags all over again for the chance to see the smile on Hayley’s face.

  Izzy stepped into the store blazing with bright pink and black colors. Clothes of every hue and style hung on the racks at the front of the store, and the back wall was lined with jewelry and accessories.

  Hayley’s eyes were as big as if she were sitting in front of a huge pile of Christmas presents, not knowing which one to open first. She pulled Izzy over to a clothing rack and dug through the outfits. Once she found the right size, she pulled it out and held it up to her. “What do you think?”

  I can’t believe this is what kids are wearing today. That was what she thought. Outside of the bright colors, the skirt barely came down below her backside, and there was no way the shirt covered Hayley’s belly. Izzy quirked her mouth, struggling with the best way to respond in a way that didn’t hurt Hayley’s feelings.

  Finally Izzy just shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Duh. Me either. I just wanted to see what you’d say.” She dissolved into laughter and headed to another rack with more conservative tops. What would Tanner think if Izzy brought his daughter home dressed like a teenager?

  “You know, Hayley. You don’t have to buy everything today. We can come back another time.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She huffed out a big sigh and collapsed onto a chair near the dressing rooms. “That’s good, because I’m pooped.”

  Izzy couldn’t help but laugh. Was this girl testing her or what?

  “And hungry.”

  “That’s just perfect because I have a surprise for you.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Izzy steered her down the mall, and a few minutes later, they were seated in the cutest little café that was attached to a store with every doll imaginable. If this wasn’t the best way to top off a girls day, Izzy didn’t know what was.

  “I can’t believe we’re eating here. Meghan came here with her mom last month, and it was all that she talked about. She even got to have her doll in a highchair right on the table.”

  Around the restaurant, several girls had done just that, and miniature tea cups and plates were positioned in front of their dolls. She’d have to mention that to Tanner for Christmas. Or maybe she’d buy Hayley a doll herself. She didn’t know what was an appropriate gift for her boyfriend’s daughter—this was unchartered territory for Izzy.

  They placed their orders with the waitress.

  “This has been the best day ever,” Hayley declared. “I’ve had so much fun.”

  “I’m so glad. And it’s not over yet. My toes are in need of a good pedicure right about now.” Izzy stuck her foot out and wiggled it, making Hayley laugh.

  “So…” Hayley’s gaze dropped to her hands.

  Izzy just waited. Hayley would figure out what she wanted to say when she was ready. Izzy had spent so much of her life having someone else tell her how to think and what to say that she would never do that to someone else.

  “Daddy tells me that you’re his girlfriend.” She didn’t look up as she finally formed the words, although she phrased it more like a question than a statement.

  This w
as the question she had been waiting all day for. Tanner had said Hayley was good with their dating, but girls didn’t always tell their fathers everything. “What do you think about that?”

  “I think it’s great.” The tone of Hayley’s voice didn’t reflect her words, so Izzy knew there was something else going on. “But what if…”

  “What if what, honey? You can ask me anything.”

  “And you won’t tell Dad?”

  This was getting harder by the minute. How did she gain Hayley’s trust without betraying Tanner’s? “That’s a tough one. I can’t promise that I’ll keep something from your dad when I think it affects your safety or your happiness, but I can promise that I’ll let you know if I think I need to say something to him. How about that?”

  Hayley seemed to ponder that thought a minute and then nodded. “What if you and he… what if you decide that you don’t want to be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. My friends at school say they have boyfriends, but then the next day, they’re not anymore. What if that happens with you and Daddy?”

  Izzy slid around the booth and pulled Hayley into her side. “Oh, honey. That’s just kids being silly. Your father and I are adults, and relationships when you’re grown up are different. Can I promise that we’ll always be together? I wish I could, but I can’t. But I can tell you this…” Izzy leaned in and lowered her voice. “I really like your father. A lot. I may even love him. And when you feel like that about somebody, you want to spend as much time as you can with that person. And the one thing I can tell you for sure?”

  “What’s that?”

  “I definitely love you. No matter what happens between me and your Dad, that will always be the case. And your Dad’s love for you will never change. That comes first to him. He told me that the day I met him. And no matter what happens between me and your dad, you’ll still be my dance student and class will be exactly the same.”

  Hayley’s eyes brightened and she threw her arms around Izzy. “I love you, too, Izzy. And it’s okay if you date my Dad. He’s happier now than he used to be. I like him when he’s happy.”

  “Me, too, honey. Me, too.”

  * * *

  “He shoots. He scores.” Tanner faded back, and the basketball rolled off his fingers and through the hoop. He fist-pumped and then high-fived his buddy Kevin before tugging his shirt up and swiping at the sweat on his forehead. It had been way too long since the two of them had shot hoops. Between the extra hours at the center after the vandalism and the time he was spending with Izzy, he hadn’t had a chance to hang out with his buddy. But Izzy had taken Hayley out for a girls day, and playing basketball kept his mind off of how that was going.

  This morning, Hayley had woken up at the crack of dawn and burst into his room, Blue on her heels. He’d convinced her to let him sleep for another hour before he crawled out of bed. She’d chattered through her entire breakfast, planning out every store she wanted to visit with Izzy. But as it got closer to the time to leave, she quieted down. Tanner had tried to talk to her, to get her to tell him what had changed, but she’d insisted nothing was wrong.

  After he’d greeted Izzy with a quick kiss, he’d sent the two women he loved off together for a day of shopping and manicures.

  Was Hayley still anxious? He trusted Izzy, there was no doubt. And she dealt with kids every day at the studio. But this was different. It was one-on-one... and it was personal. Would the two of them be okay? He shook his head. He was probably overthinking this entire thing. It was just shopping.

  “You still playing, loser?” Kevin smacked the back of Tanner’s head and chucked the ball at him.

  “Oh, yeah, I’m still playing. And you’re going down.” For the next hour, he pounded his worries out on the pavement with the ball and his feet until he and Kevin both threw themselves on the ground, exhausted.

  Kevin studied him. “You wore me out, man. What’s up with you today?”

  “Nothing.”

  “How about you grab a shower and head over to my place? I’ll throw some burgers on the grill.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Tanner climbed to his feet, dried off with a towel out of his duffel, and grabbed his phone.

  “How’s it going?” He’d told himself he wasn’t going to bug Izzy, wouldn’t interrupt their day, but he needed to tell her where he was going to be.

  “Great. Although your credit card is a bit heavier than it was.”

  He chuckled. He’d been happy to hand over his card this morning, a small price to pay for Hayley and Izzy to spend time together. “I’m heading over to Kevin’s. Text me when you’re on your way back to my place.”

  “:) You got it. <3 <3.”

  An hour later, Tanner kicked his feet up onto the edge of the wrought-iron table on Kevin’s back patio and tipped up his beer. Blue was running around the back yard, chasing a butterfly that had gotten his attention. Every few minutes, he would come back to Tanner and bark, like he had something he wanted to say, and then he’d dash off again after a bug or the ball that Kevin had dug up in his garage.

  Kevin lit the grill and plopped onto the chair beside him. “Tell me more about Izzy.”

  Tanner couldn’t help the smile on his face. “She’s terrific... and a crazy good dancer. She moved home after she got hurt and opened the new studio in town.”

  “That’s great. Now tell me what’s not on her resume.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve known you a long time, man. Hell, you got me to move to this small town right after you did. You’re happier than I’ve seen you since, well, ever. I figure the only thing that’s changed is Izzy, so it must be her.”

  “It is.” Tanner hadn’t realized how stressed he’d been until he met Izzy. “She’s optimistic all the time. I don’t know how she does it. She runs like five miles a day. No way can I keep up. She doesn’t take any of my shit, and she knows exactly what she wants and goes for it.” In and out of the bedroom, but he certainly wasn’t sharing that with Kevin. “And she’s great with Hayley, and Hayley really likes her. That’s what matters more than anything. She’s from Cedar Hill and she just moved home, so she isn’t leaving.”

  Kevin smacked him on the back. “I’m happy for you.”

  Blue finally wore himself out and flopped at Tanner’s feet, his head on his paws. Soon Tanner heard the quiet puppy snores he’d gotten used to recently. He scratched Blue’s head but the puppy didn’t stir. Down for the count. Getting a dog had been the right decision—for him and Hayley. Growing up on a ranch meant he had spent his childhood around animals, and he hadn’t had one as an adult. It was time.

  Kevin fell quiet, like he was waiting for Tanner to continue. He did have something else, and if anyone would tell him he was nuts to feel the way he did so soon, it would be Kevin.

  “I think I love her.”

  “You think?”

  He pondered Kevin’s question for a moment. “No, I know. But it’s too soon, isn’t it? I mean, it’s only been about a month. How can I love someone after a month?”

  Kevin quirked a single brow at Tanner. “It has nothing to do with the amount of time, man. When you know, you know.”

  Kevin was probably right. From the minute Tanner had met Izzy, his only concern had been how a relationship might affect Hayley. He’d never had any doubts of his feelings for Izzy or her feelings for him. Although they hadn’t said the words, he was pretty certain she loved him, too. They both had a lot at stake in this relationship. Forever was a lot to risk until you were sure.

  Tanner’s phone buzzed. “U at home?”

  “Nope. Can be in a few. On my way now.” Tanner hopped up. “Sorry, man, but duty calls.”

  “Duty or a beautiful woman?”

  “Both.” He chuckled as he snapped on Blue’s leash and headed through the house. He used to resent the times that he had to interrupt hanging out with his buddies. But the prospect of seeing Izzy had him hurrying through the house.

  He opened the front door.
/>   “Daddy!” Hayley threw her arms around him. “We had the best day. Ever. Is Mr. Kevin inside?”

  His daughter blew past him so quickly, grabbing Blue’s leash, he could hardly process that they were there. Hayley and Izzy. His gaze locked on Izzy, and her smile struck him straight in the heart. It was always like that around her. “So she had fun?”

  Izzy stepped up beside him and slid her arms around his neck. “Oh, yeah. She had a lot of fun. We both did. It was a fantastic day.”

  He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, and all fears of how his relationship with Izzy would affect Hayley melted away. For that moment, it was just the two of them. He begged for entry. Without hesitation, she opened for him, tangling her tongue with his. Yum, mint and chocolate and something he couldn’t place but always associated with Izzy. It was weird how people had a taste, but she certainly did.

  He pulled her tighter into him, making sure she knew exactly what she did to him. Her hands slid down his back as she nipped and licked at his lips.

  It had been too long since they’d been together. This stealing moments when Mary was with Hayley overnight wasn’t cutting it. He didn’t know how to solve that problem, though. Clearly married couples had figured it out, or the world would be full of one-child families. But it was too soon to have Izzy overnight, at least not while Hayley was there.

  He broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers, Izzy’s ragged breaths matching his until they both calmed.

  “So, Hayley got a message from Meghan while we were on our way here. She asked if they could have a sleepover… at Meghan’s house.”

  God, right now he loved technology. And eight-year-old best friends. “I think that can be arranged. I was just trying to come up with a plan to spend some alone time with you.”

  “You were? So where is this Kevin that Hayley has been telling me so much about?” Izzy patted his chest as she passed him by, not even acknowledging the opportunity they had tonight. All night long, without worrying about Hayley or sneaking out at the crack of dawn.