Good Enough (Meet Me in Montana #3) - Kelly Elliott Page 0,68
do, then I guess it’s best if you just tell me now. But I did want you to know that I care about you, deeply. I have feelings for you that are stronger than…friendship.”
Her cheeks turned pink.
“But if this isn’t something you’re ready for now, but could possibly be in the future, then I’ll wait.”
“You’ll…wait?” she softly whispered.
I shrugged. “If that’s what you need me to do.”
Her eyes widened and she stared at me for a few moments. She went to speak, but then closed her mouth.
“We’re going to be late, Tanner!” my father called out.
“You’re driving with Ty and Kaylee?” I asked.
“Um, yes. Kaylee texted they’re on their way.”
I gave her another once-over, then winked. “I’ll let you finish getting ready to meet them.”
Her eyes searched my face before she finally smiled and said, “I’ll see you there, then.”
The corner of my mouth twitched before I gave her a nod. I turned and walked away, only to stop when she called out my name.
“Tanner?”
Turning around, I watched as she took a few steps closer to me. “Do you think we can talk later? Alone.”
With a smile, I nodded again. “Sure. Tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”
“After dinner, the barn loft? Maybe give me time to change clothes and I’ll meet you there?”
My chest felt heavy, and she must have seen the worry on my face, remembering how we’d attempted to talk a couple of days ago and it had turned out disastrously.
“I promise not to get any texts that will alter my mood. And if anyone interrupts us, I won’t flake out on you.”
“Is that your Christmas promise?” I asked, a teasing tone in my voice.
Timberlynn giggled. “Yes! That is my Christmas promise to you.”
“Then, it’s a date.”
Her face lit up as she smiled. “Great.”
“See you at the church, Timber.”
“See you there.”
Nearly an hour later, we were all sitting in church waiting for the Christmas Eve service to start. My mother glanced around nervously.
“You know how Ty is, Mama. He’ll be here,” I said as I squeezed her arm.
“He’ll be here alright, and walking in after the service starts.” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned to look forward. My father was busying himself talking to Brock and holding a sleeping Morgan in his arms.
Leaning closer to me, my mother hissed, “You know how Pastor Steve is about things like this! Not to mention, the women’s prayer group I’m in. I can hear them now, ‘Stella Shaw’s son walked into Christmas Even mass late!’ Oh, won’t Gidget love this. She’s been itching to talk smack about me.”
I attempted not to laugh. “Talk…smack…about you? Mama, where in the world did you even learn that word?”
She turned to glare at me. “I have Facebook, Tanner. I keep up with the trends on there.”
It took everything I had not to bust out laughing. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket. I grinned even more when I read the text from Ty.
Ty: Tell our mother to stop pouting. We’re walking into the church right now.
“He’s walking in right now.”
My mother’s entire body relaxed, and she dropped her arms to her side. Not thirty seconds later, Ty, Kaylee, and Timberlynn slipped into the pews in front of us.
“Go stand next to Timberlynn, Tanner. Lori Williams, the town gossip, is here. So is her son, and he’s making eyes at Timberlynn. He’ll come and sit next to her, and then we’ll have to hear him shouting during worship songs.”
I tipped my pretend hat at her and made my way around to the pews in front of us. I leaned past Timberlynn and Kaylee and met Ty’s gaze. “You were two minutes from being cut out of the will and becoming the subject of the lady’s prayer group gossip.”
He grinned, then turned and gave our mother a kiss. I laughed and looked down at Timberlynn.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
I leaned down to talk softer now that nearly all the seats around us were taken. It wasn’t lost on me that Lori Williams’ son, Pete, did indeed sit directly in front of Timberlynn. “Nothing, my mother nearly got her panties in a twist because Ty was almost late for service.”
The music started and Timberlynn took a quick glance around. “Looks like we got here right on time.”
“Ty has it down to the second. He does it purely to agitate our mother. Every year.”
Timberlynn giggled. “That’s terrible.”
I shrugged. “That’s Ty.”
As the service began, Timberlynn relaxed next to me. Once