The Cowboy's Convenient Bride. DONNA ALWARD
pool tables. Tanner was kind of embarrassed to answer the question, actually. It came down to two things: money and convenience. The convenience thing was understandable, so he went with that. “I’m working the place with Cole and Dad. It just makes sense to, you know, be close.”
Rylan nodded. “I get it. And it can get claustrophobic, too.” He started setting up the balls. “I lived in my RV until Kailey and I moved into Quinn’s old place. The last thing I wanted was to be under the same roof with Quinn and Lacey, especially when they were newlyweds.”
Tanner selected a stick and chalked the end. “Tell me about it. I love Maddy, I really do, but she and Cole are all in love and everything, and they’re around a lot.”
“I get it, bro.” Rylan removed the triangle and reached for a stick, testing the feel of it in his hand. “Maybe you should settle down. Could be that’s your problem. Restless feet.”
Tanner laughed. “Right.” Rylan’s statement hit a little too close to home, though. Truth was, Tanner was pretty sure there was more to life than this.
He lined up and broke, balls scattering over the table.
“Naw, I’m telling you,” Rylan said. “Married life is pretty good. I never wanted to settle down, either, until Kailey. Now I know what I was missin’.” He grinned, a little sideways smile that made Tanner roll his eyes.
Tanner missed his next shot, so it was Ry’s turn. As Tanner watched, he let out a dissatisfied sigh. Everywhere around him, people were in love and telling him how wonderful it was. And it wasn’t that Tanner wasn’t happy for his brother. He was. Maddy was a great woman, with adorable kids, and he was pretty sure wedding bells would be ringing for his brother really soon.
Tanner just wasn’t sure he was built that way. Or that he was the marrying kind. He was, as his ex put it, built for fun, but not for a lifetime.
Fun he could do. Because he sure as hell wasn’t interested in having his heart stomped on again. So he worked hard and blew off some steam now and again. As far as the living-at-home thing, he’d been young and stupid and had spent his money as fast as he’d made it. But not in the last few years. He’d saved what he would have paid on rent or a mortgage until he’d built up a nice little savings. His truck wasn’t new, and other than what little he spent on going out, his expenses were few.
Maybe he wasn’t a keeper in the love department, but no one would ever accuse him of being broke and worthless again. Maybe he should bite the bullet and put a down payment on a place of his own.
Trouble was, it wasn’t just living at home that was making him itch. It was the ranch, too, and feeling as if his whole life was laid out in front of him. No deviation. No curve balls. It was so...predictable. He didn’t hate the ranch; it wasn’t that at all. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be something more out there waiting for him.
“Dude. It’s your shot. You off in la-la land or what?”
Tanner frowned. “Sorry. I’m probably not very good company tonight.”
“No kidding. At this rate, you’re going to be down another twenty.”
Mad at himself for being bad company, Tanner let out a breath and focused on sinking the next ball. He did, and two more, which made him feel as if he was a little more with the program.
They finished the game and Rylan asked if he wanted to play another, but Tanner just wasn’t in the zone. “Sorry, man,” he said. “I’m out. But I’ll take that twenty.”
“Come on. Double or nothing. I’m here for another two hours until Kailey’s done.”
Tanner thought about it, but then he shook his head. “I’m bad company anyway. You should get yourself some suicide wings and a few more beers and find another willing victim.”
Rylan laughed and dug in his wallet for the twenty. It seemed like each time they met, the bill just exchanged hands, back and forth. Tanner pocketed it and shrugged back into his denim jacket. “Thanks for the game, Ry.”
“Anytime. And, Tanner? I wasn’t kidding. Maybe you need to find yourself a woman. You know, to relieve all that pent-up tension.” Rylan winked at him and Tanner laughed dutifully, but he was far too grouchy to be amused. Women were complicated creatures. They caused any number of troubles, had the ability to stomp on your heart and strip away your confidence. And yet they remained so damned desirable. They could make a man feel like a million dollars and as if he could conquer the world. Even if it was only for one night.
“I’ll see you around, Ry. Thanks for the game.”
More on edge than when he’d entered the Silver Dollar, Tanner crossed the parking lot to his truck and hopped in. He started the engine and turned on the wipers, letting them brush the light dusting of snow off the windshield. Flurries in April weren’t that uncommon, though he was more than ready to leave winter behind for good. Longer days and warm temperatures should improve his mood, right?
He’d driven a little ways down the street when he spotted a car with its hood up in the bank parking lot. The bank was closed this time of night; whoever it was must have stopped to use the ATM, and it was the only car in the lot. As he slowed, he saw someone bent under the hood. By the shape of the snug jeans, it was a woman. And as much as Tanner considered women trouble, he wouldn’t drive away from someone with car trouble. He put on his signal and pulled into the lot.
She stood up as he drove into the spot next to her, and he recognized her immediately. Laura Jessup. Well, if that didn’t complicate matters... Laura had a new baby—and the rumor was that the father was none other than Maddy’s late husband. He’d seen her a handful of times since Christmas. It had been a bit awkward, considering how the families were now connected. More for her than for him, really. He liked Laura. Admired her, too. Maybe she’d made mistakes, but she was handling them.
Tanner had been the volunteer EMT on duty the day she went into labor and called for an ambulance. He knew he wasn’t supposed to let things get personal while on a call, but helping the single mom deliver her baby had been a different circumstance. It was a day he wouldn’t ever forget.
“Laura, hi.” He called out to her as he hopped out of the truck. “Having car trouble?”
She looked relieved to see him. “Hey, Tanner. I went into the bank and when I came out, my car wouldn’t start.”
“Let me try. I can always give you a boost.”
“You’re welcome to try and I appreciate it.” She ran a hand over her hair, which was in a perky ponytail with little orangey-red strands sticking out. “My phone’s out of juice and the baby’s in the back. Sleeping, for now, thank God.”
The baby. Tanner had ridden in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital and had been there for everything, including the final ten minutes in the emergency room when she’d delivered. He normally would have turned everything over to the doctors and nurses in the department, but Laura had grabbed his hand and asked him to stay. Begged him, so she wouldn’t be alone.
He’d stayed. Right through to the moment the first cries echoed through the room and Laura had started crying herself. Then he’d stepped back and left the room, more affected than he should have been in his professional capacity.
That had been almost four months ago. As he passed by her to get to the driver’s side of her car, he noticed that she definitely had her pre-pregnancy figure back. Well, maybe a few more curves, but they looked good on her. Real good. She looked more rested than she had the last time their paths had crossed, too. She must be adjusting to mom life. From what he heard, there wasn’t a lot of sleeping going on for the first few months with a new baby.
Giving his head a shake, he slid behind the wheel and turned the key. There was a whirring noise, but it got slower and slower and nothing caught. He glanced into the back seat. The car seat was rear facing, so he couldn’t see the baby’s face—just the edges of a white frilly hat and a pink blanket.
As