dinner.”
He looked at his watch. “It’s almost four, so by the time you shower, and I get something made, it’ll be perfect timing.”
“Sounds good,” I said as I limped my way back into the master bathroom. It had the same dark cabinets as the kitchen. There was also a large soaking tub tucked into a little corner that had picture windows on all three sides. Nothing fancy, but enough room for two people to soak in it. I quickly pushed away the visual of Tanner and me in that tub together.
I placed my hands on my instantly hot cheeks and smiled.
Two sinks sat next to each other on the stone counter. It was the cutest bathroom I’d ever seen, and I couldn’t help but wish for the briefest moment that this house was for sale.
I quickly stripped out of my clothes, turned on the hot shower and stepped in. It took a few moments for me to relax as I stared at the window and wondered if anyone might be able to see me. With a laugh, I brushed away my fear. Apparently, I was the only fool who went out riding with a storm on the horizon. Instead, I let the hot water run down my body and tried not to fantasize about Tanner being in this shower with me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
TANNER
After I heard the shower turn on, I made my way back to the kitchen and looked through the cabinets and refrigerator. There was plenty of food to last three to four days. I figured we’d be here for at least two.
I walked over to the landline and dialed my folks’ number. My mother’s voice came on the line. “Tanner, how is Timberlynn doing?”
With a smile, I replied, “She’s fine. The power is on here. How about there?”
“It’s on here too. How’s her ankle?”
“Not broken, but she twisted it pretty good.”
Mom sighed. “There should be some aspirin or Tylenol in the master bathroom in the cabinet.”
“Okay, I’ll be sure to check if she hasn’t already. She’s taking a shower.”
“Thank goodness your father had Jimmy bring in that food. The storm looks to have stalled. You might be there until at least tomorrow afternoon.”
“Don’t worry, Mama, it’s not going to be a hardship.”
She laughed. “No, I imagine it won’t. I’m sure Timberlynn wouldn’t have gone out if she had known how fast this storm was moving in.”
I rubbed the back of my neck and looked toward the hall where Timberlynn was in the master suite. I could hear the water running, so I knew she was still in the shower. “Yeah, she feels bad about it.”
“Well, I might as well tell you because I’m sure Timberlynn is going to find out soon enough.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. “Tell me what?”
“Your daddy ran into Richard Covey earlier. He mentioned something about Timberlynn buying the family property and Richard seemed surprised by it.”
The sound of my heart beating in my ears made it almost hard to hear my mother’s words. “He didn’t know the family was selling?”
“He knew, but he told your daddy plans had changed. When your father asked him for more details, he simply said they had a better offer.”
I closed my eyes and cursed inwardly. “She was really looking forward to that place, Mama.”
“I know she was, son.”
“Should I say something?”
“I wouldn’t—just let it be for now. There isn’t anything she can do being stuck out there, and I’m sure she’s already feeling a bit stressed. The poor girl doesn’t need another knockdown right now.”
I remained silent on the phone as an idea hit me. A crazy, insane, brilliant idea.
“Sweetheart, is everything okay?” my mother asked.
“Yeah, yeah, everything is fine. I just had an idea pop into my head.”
“What kind of idea?”
I looked around the cabin. “One that might be moving a bit too fast for Timberlynn.”
It was her turn to be silent. “Lord, don’t even tell me. Let’s just make it through this storm first, okay?”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Are you and Dad okay? Did Ty or Brock make sure you had enough firewood? You’re okay with food?”
A light chuckle filtered through the phone. “Who’s the parent here, Tanner?”
“Sorry, I can’t help but worry. It seems like a pretty bad storm.”
“If you happen to remember, your father and I have lived through plenty of them over the decades. We’re fine. Your father can always go out and get more wood. We’re planning on camping out here in the living room in case the