“An ‘us.’”
For a single heartbeat, Callie’s chest tightened in yearning, but the feeling faded quickly. If she was being honest, she was a little afraid of the us. She busied herself with cleaning up for a long moment. “I do love you, Grandma,” she finally said. “So much. But you’re wrong. I’m good as I am. I don’t need the complication in my life right now.” Maybe ever. Bending, she kissed Lucille’s cheek. “I gotta get home. Please stop meddling in people’s lives, okay? For me? Promise?”
“Hmm?”
“Grandma.”
“Oh, all right, sure. I’ll try.”
The next day Callie had meetings straight through breakfast and she skipped the bakery. She told herself it was for the best but she had to admit she really missed the doughnuts.
And maybe also Tanner.
That afternoon she walked down to Lucky Harbor Charters to take measurements for decorations for Becca and Sam’s bachelor/bachelorette party.
The docks were a perfect spot for a party. As she got there, the late-afternoon November sun was just touching down on the water, casting a halo glow on everything.
Gorgeous.
She stood there taking in the view thinking that, with outdoor space heaters, this could really work. The lighting was perfect for pictures, the kind of lighting that would make anyone and everyone look good. It’d be a wonderful spot for their wedding photos too, which made her laugh a little. Here she was thinking to eventually move on from this job when she had decent savings and yet her eye for all things romantic and wedding-perfect never seemed to stop.
She was so messed up.
She heard a boat and shaded her eyes to see that it was the Lucky Harbor Charters’ boat.
Cole was behind the controls. When he navigated close to the dock, Tanner leapt off the boat, limped to the stern, and caught something tossed to him by his Mini-Me still on board.
A rope.
Tanner crouched low and tied the boat to the dock, then straightened and caught a second rope.
Callie found herself frozen in place, watching him move with confident ease in spite of the clear fact that his leg was bothering him. She watched as he efficiently and effortlessly tied that rope off as well and then looked up and said something to his son.
The body language of the two males told her that all was not well on the home front. Troy said something to Tanner.
Tanner spoke back calmly.
Troy said something else, not calmly.
Tanner didn’t speak again, just held his ground with steady, firm eye contact.
Troy broke it, spun on his heel, and stormed off.
And only when he was gone did Tanner’s expression change. From that easy calm to…deeply troubled.
Hollow.
It was a deeply personal moment, one Callie knew there was no way he wanted to be caught in. So she started to back up and go home, but then he turned his head and met her gaze.
Sorry, she mouthed. He gave the slightest head shake, nothing more. He didn’t approach her and she didn’t make a move toward him. And though she had the oddest urge to hug him, she left him alone.
That night, with Becca and Olivia sitting on her kitchen counter keeping her company, Callie made them all grilled chocolate sandwiches. It made her think of Tanner.
Okay, that was a lie. She’d been thinking of him since she’d left the docks earlier.
“I didn’t know you could cook,” Olivia said, chowing down on her second sandwich.
“I do okay,” Callie said. “If the recipe has chocolate in it.”
“Yeah, I’m going to need you to make a lot more of these,” Becca said.
“Is that why you’re stuffing them into your mouth like you haven’t eaten in days?” Olivia asked.
Becca grinned. “Been burning lots of calories lately.”
Olivia laughed softly and Callie sighed deeply. Then she realized they were both staring at her. “Sorry,” she said. “Sex envy.”
“Listen,” Becca said earnestly. “I know that being around the two of us when we’re stupid in love has got to be superbly annoying, but I promise you, you’ll find the right guy too.”
“I’ve already got one for her,” Olivia said.
Becca stared at Olivia and then laughed as a light bulb apparently went off. “Yes! I don’t know why I didn’t think of him sooner.”
“Because you’re having too much sex,” Olivia said, tapping a finger to her temple. “Sex brain.”
Callie sighed. “I really wish you’d both stop talking about sex. And I don’t want to find a—”
“Tanner’s perfect,” Becca said.
“—guy,” Callie finished.
“Yep, perfect,” Olivia said to Becca as if Callie hadn’t spoken. “They’re meant for each other.”
“Yeah, they are,” Becca said.
“No,” Callie said.
“Please tell me you think he’s hot,” Becca said. “Those eyes…Gah.”
Callie sighed. He did have some damn amazing eyes.
“I don’t know why we didn’t think of this sooner,” Becca said.
“We?” Olivia asked. “I already thought of it.” She pointed at Callie. “And your grandma thought of it too. She’s out there lobbying for the two of you.”
“Lobbying?”
“Trying to get everyone involved in matchmaking the two of you. It’s on her Tumblr.”
Well, crap. Callie hadn’t had time to check her grandma’s social media yet today. “I told her to stay out of it.”