Good Enough (Meet Me in Montana #3) - Kelly Elliott Page 0,71
was your mother joking when she said Brock was treating for dinner?” I asked.
Tanner laughed. “Yes. We don’t get charged for anything here at the country club, and honestly, we don’t ever really come here. My dad will maybe play a few rounds of golf, but my brothers and I never picked up the game.”
“Too busy riding bulls and roping calves?”
“Something like that,” he said with a wide grin.
My eyes immediately went to the dimple in his cheek. His smile made it even more pronounced. My entire body tingled with how close he was to me.
Tanner picked up his glass of beer and took a drink. Something made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle up. I took a look around the country club and nearly choked on my own tongue. Sitting a table down from us was Lindsey. Our eyes met, and she flashed me a fake smile. I forced my own smile back. I looked away and attempted to focus on what Tanner and Ty had been talking about, but every single time I glanced back her way, she was staring at Tanner.
Her gaze slipped to mine and I glared at her. I wanted to hold up a sign and tell her to back off, he was mine. The sound of Blayze’s voice made me look away before I did something I’d regret.
“Miss Timberlynn, is it true you’re buying a house here?” Blazye asked.
I could feel Tanner’s gaze on me, and I realized I had yet to tell him. I was positive someone in his family had already told him by now, but I had hoped to tell him myself tonight.
“It is. I won’t be living very far from y’all’s ranch, as a matter of fact.”
Blayze’s little blue eyes lit up. “How far will you be?”
“Maybe twenty minutes or so from your front gate,” I answered with a shrug.
“The Covey ranch, is that right?” Tanner asked.
“Yes. I, um, I went and saw it a few days ago with Kaylee. It was perfect for what I need. It’ll be a wonderful fit for me.”
Tanner flashed me a smile as he said, “I’m really happy for you, Timber. I think you’re going to love it here.”
My heartbeat picked up when he used the nickname once again. He genuinely looked happy for me. It wasn’t like I didn’t think he would be happy; I just didn’t want him to be upset that I hadn’t mentioned it yet. “I think so as well. What about you?”
“What about me?” he asked as he finished off his beer and motioned to the waiter for another one.
“You mentioned Chance not wanting to go back out on the road with you. What are you going to do?”
“I’ll be your new partner, Uncle Tanner! I can do it, you know!” Blayze announced.
Tanner leaned forward and looked around me at his nephew. “I do believe you could do it, buddy. You have to stay home and finish school, though.”
Blayze leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. “Stupid school.”
Tanner chuckled, and so did I.
“I loved school,” I said, causing Blayze to look up at me.
“You did?”
“Yep. I was involved in a few extra things at school that made me love it even more.”
“Extra things?” Blayze asked. “Like what kind of extra things?”
“Well,” I said as I set my napkin down on my empty plate. “I loved horses, and we had a 4-H club.”
“What’s a 4-H club?” Blayze asked.
“It’s sort of like a club for people who love animals and raising animals and showing them,” I replied.
“Showing them?” Blayze asked.
“Abort. Abort! Abort this now!” Tanner said in a whispered voice as he hit me on the leg.
I glanced back at him with a confused look.
“Trust me, Lincoln will have your head on a plate if you don’t stop now.”
“Daddy, what does it mean to show an animal in 4-H?”
Tanner closed his eyes. “Shit. It’s too late. The seed has been planted and is taking root.”
I turned back and looked across the table at Brock who had his fork frozen in his mouth. Lincoln stared at me with a not-so-happy look on her face.
Without even thinking, I reached down next to me and grabbed Tanner’s hand. “Oh no. Oh. No. The pregnant one is giving me the death stare,” I softly said as he squeezed my hand.
“Don’t worry, I have lots of places on the ranch we can hide you for a few days.”
I snapped my head to look at him. “Are you serious?”