Chapter Ten
Cupcakes are muffins that believed in miracles.
—Mel’s Motivational Blog
“Tell me again why I can’t just beat the hell out of them?”
“Because Tanner doesn’t want to arrest you,” Jax told Cash.
Tanner propped his feet up on the edge of Jax’s desk in his small office. They’d met up earlier in the day to get some demolition done. By doing some things themselves, they were saving money on these renovations.
“If these guys are peddling their drugs through my gym, I’m pretty sure I have a right to kick their asses.”
Tanner laced his fingers over his abdomen. “You can do whatever you want, but don’t bitch at me when I have to arrest you.”
“Arrest them,” Cash demanded.
“We will,” Tanner assured him. “Following the law and letting the justice system work takes a little time. But I’d say we’ll have them behind bars within the week. My guy on the inside is waiting to get the name of the supplier these guys are buying from. We want the top dog, too.”
“Well, I want them out of my gym.”
“He’s got it covered,” Jax chimed in. “Just let him do his job.”
Cash took the final drink of water from his bottle and tossed the bottle into the trash in the corner. “Fine.”
“When is Zach coming by?” Tanner asked, needing to shift the focus away from Cash’s frustrations.
“He and his crew will be here Monday. I told him with the holiday coming up that he didn’t need to stop and start.”
The holiday. The one where he was taking Melanie to meet his mother and tell her about the baby. Just the first of many holidays that would be completely different now that Mel was in his life forever.
What would this time next year look like? Would they be sharing their time with the baby or would they live together? Would there ever come a time when she wanted to try to make this work like a legit family all under one roof?
“Livie is going to make dinner tomorrow if you guys are free and want to come,” Jax invited.
“I’ll never turn down a free meal.” Cash stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles. “Tell me you’re going to smoke the turkey.”
“Is there any other way to have it?” Jax asked.
“I’m going to my mom’s house,” Tanner stated. “I never make it on the actual holiday, so there’s no way I’ll miss this year.”
“You’re taking quite a bit of time off lately,” Jax commented, then shrugged. “Not that I’m judging. You need the breaks. Melanie is good for you.”
That last statement stirred something deep inside him. At this point Melanie was the mother of his child, a one-night stand, and a friend. She was cautious, but he was persistent.
“Everything go well at the doctor visit?” Cash asked.
Tanner nodded. “So far everything with Melanie and the baby looks fine.”
“You’re still terrified.”
Tanner eyed Cash and simply nodded. His cousins knew full well what he’d gone through before. They knew the pain he carried and the guilt that had never vanished.
“Hard not to be,” he admitted. “She’s hesitant to let me get too close and if I had it my way, I’d move her in with me so I could keep an eye on her.”
Jax eased forward in his squeaky office chair and rested his forearms on the old metal desktop. “You can’t save everyone, and Melanie will be fine.”
Tanner nodded and pulled in a deep breath. “I keep telling myself that.”
“Maybe if you clued her in to what you went through, she’d understand why you’re so pushy,” Cash stated.
“I’m not pushy.”
Cash merely raised his brows.
Pushing to his feet, Tanner looked to his two cousins. “If we’re done with the demo for the day, I’m heading home.”
“Does that mean we’re done sharing our feelings?” Cash asked.
Tanner flipped him the bird and headed toward the door. “Neither of you shared anything, you were too busy trying to get inside my head.”
“Stay and have a beer with us,” Jax invited. “I promise we’ll stay out of your head.”
“He’s lying,” Cash countered. “I want to annoy you some more.”
Tanner shook his head. “I’m out.”
He headed through the side entrance and around the mess of metal they’d removed from the exterior outdoor patio area. They’d managed quite a bit of demolition, and Tanner knew this place was going to look a whole lot worse before it got better. The renovations would take months, but in the end, the women’s vision seemed to be huge and could be a total game changer for the tiny town of Haven.
Jade had been on to something when she’d tapped in to the fact that the film industry was coming in and out of parts of Georgia nearly all the time. With the taxes on the movie and television industry so low in Georgia, it was no wonder so many things were filmed here.
And the way Bella Vous had exploded onto the scene, pulling in so many women from literally all over the country, Tanner had a good feeling about Jax and Olivia’s airport.
The thought of Bella Vous had Tanner taking a slight side trip to the women’s only resort and spa. Liam Monroe ran the kitchen at the place and had recently opened a bakery. Tanner’s side trip before heading home would be the perfect surprise for Melanie.
She might not like the way he pushed, but he wasn’t backing down. Not when the chemistry was so great, and he was set on proving to her that he was in this forever.
Wait. Forever? Is that where this was going? Raising a baby was one thing, but going full force as a couple was entirely different.
Tanner pulled into the side parking area of Bella Vous and shot a quick text to Melanie to meet him at his house later. Even though they were going to Thanksgiving at his mother’s house tomorrow, he wanted to see her tonight. Maybe the more time he spent with her, the more he could gather his thoughts and sort these jumbled up emotions.
One day at a time. That’s all he had to keep telling himself. Between the anxiety and the worry, he was a mess. But keeping on top of his feelings was the only way to conquer this period in his life.
His cell vibrated in his hand and he thought for sure it would be Melanie responding, but one glance and he stilled. His boss on the private security detail he’d been working on had set up another time and place to go in and extract a woman and three children.
Tomorrow. Thanksgiving. Fabulous.
Tanner raked a hand down his face and battled an instant war with himself. He’d already hit the point of having to choose his work or his family.
Damn it.
He set the phone down without a reply and weighed his decision. There were plenty of men on the team, and Tanner had never missed a rescue, but he wanted to be there. That pit deep inside him that kept him going from one job to the next gnawed at him. He had to save anyone he could. There was a need inside him he couldn’t explain.
But on the other hand, he also had other obligations he didn’t have before. Melanie had to come first above all else, and tomorrow should be about family and his mother meeting Mel.
By the time this baby came, Tanner needed to reorganize. He’d been loyal to his career. Hell, he’d been married to his job for so long, but now he had to take a step back and truly work on time management and make sure his personal life was taken care of first.
Ignoring his phone, Tanner headed into the bakery entrance of the women’s resort. The old pre–Civil War era home had been done up to reflect the time period. It was no wonder women flocked here year round. And the story of three brothers opening the place to honor the memory of their late sister didn’t hurt in drawing the crowd, either.
As soon as he stepped inside, the aroma of pastries assaulted his senses. The glass cases were filled with everything a person could want. This was definitely a sweet tooth’s fantasy.
“Hey, man.”
Tanner smiled as Liam Monroe came out of the back, wiping his hands on a towel. The once mysterious Monroe brother had truly come out of his shell now that he’d married Macy, and was pretty much forced to work with the public here at Bella Vous.
So much had changed for the Monroe brothers and this home, in such a short amount of time. Tanner sure as hell wished the same success for Jax and Livie and their vision for the airport.
“Haven’t seen you in here since the bakery opened to the public.”
“Thought it was time I came by and saw what all the fuss was about,” Tanner replied.
Liam rested his arms on the top of the case. “We’ve been busy, that’s for sure. What can I get you?”
The wedding ring on Liam’s finger glinted in the light. Tanner was thrilled Macy and Liam had found each other. They were perfect together and Tanner figured Macy had a hand in keeping Liam in town when he’d wanted to be anywhere else.
“What do you recommend?” Tanner asked, glancing through all of the options. From the looks of the full trays, there wasn’t a bad option. Sugar and icing? Yeah, not a bad option at all.
“The éclairs are always a hit. I just made an apple spice cupcake, which is seasonal, and I have pumpkin tarts. There is a cinnamon pumpkin bread I’m getting out of the oven soon, if you want to wait around for that.”
Hell, he had no idea what to get Melanie. Was she a chocolate lover? Did she get wrapped up in the pumpkin craze like so many did this time of year?
There were so many things he didn’t know about her. But she’d said she didn’t recall the last time she’d had a cupcake, so that helped him narrow his choices down.
“I’ll take two of the apple cupcakes.”
“Good choice.” Liam folded a small white box and carefully placed two cupcakes inside. Then he added an éclair. “On the house because I know you’ll love them.”
Tanner laughed as he pulled out his wallet and counted out some bills. “Is that how you get people coming back? You throw in a freebie?”
Liam set the box on the counter. “I’m a businessman. It’s how we work.”
“Business is going well, then?” Tanner asked. “I know the resort is always booked, but the bakery is everything you wanted?”
“It really is. I never knew this place would take off the way it did. When Chelsea passed and we found her notes . . . hell, I thought my brothers were crazy for wanting to do this.”
The three Monroe boys had lost their sister a few years back, but they’d all come together to fulfill her dream of this women’s resort and spa. Like everyone else in the town, Tanner had wondered how this would go over, but the guys had pulled it together, with the help of their now spouses, and Bella Vous was the biggest hit Haven had ever seen.
“How’s the airport renovations coming?” Liam asked. “I’ve heard rumors you guys are making it something grand.”
“We’re hoping to,” Tanner replied. “We’ve been working hard on it, but time will tell if we’re making a mistake or if it will pay off in the end.”
Liam smiled, and the scar running along his cheek creased. “Taking a risk is the only way to find out, but I have a feeling you guys are going to be just fine.”
“I sure as hell hope so. We’ve invested quite a bit into this project.” Tanner paid for the desserts and grabbed the box from the counter. “Tell Macy I said hi.”
Liam nodded. “Will do, buddy. Don’t be a stranger.”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll be back soon.”
When Tanner got back into his truck, he checked his phone and couldn’t help the sliver of relief when he saw Melanie’s message that she’d meet him at his place in an hour. That gave him enough time to get home and shower, because he was a mess after working all morning at the airport.
He made his way home and left the box of tempting treats on the kitchen island while he cleaned up. By the time he got out of the shower and dressed in jeans and a tee, he knew he needed to give his superior a heads-up about tomorrow.
Tanner took a seat at his bar in the kitchen and sent a text explaining that he’d be unable to participate in the rescue tomorrow. He didn’t make excuses or apologize. He’d never taken time off from this project before, and he didn’t figure this would be a problem unless others had already bowed out.
He’d worry about that later if need be.
Tanner sent a coded text to the officer involved in the gym sting. Hopefully he hadn’t been lying when he’d told Cash they’d wrap this up this week. They were close, so close, but Tanner and his captain wanted the name of the top dealer. This was their best chance at getting it.
Setting his phone down, Tanner raked his hands down his face. He wasn’t used to bouncing between his work and family, but that’s exactly the territory he was venturing into.
When his doorbell rang, he left his phone and headed down the hallway toward the entryway. Darkness had settled in already, thanks to the time of year. Tanner flicked on the porch light and the light to the foyer. With a flick of the lock, he opened the door.
“Sorry about the darkness,” he stated. “I lost track of time.”
Melanie smoothed her hair behind her shoulders and shrugged. “No big deal.”
Tanner stepped back and gestured her inside. When she offered him a shaky smile, he reached for her arm before she could pass him by.
Her eyes darted to his, her face just a breath away.
“Tanner,” she muttered.
Without giving himself much time to think things through, he closed the distance between them and covered her mouth. Feathering his lips across hers, he waited until she relaxed before he slid his hand up her arm, over her shoulder, and cupped the back of her head.
How had he gone without tasting her for nearly two months? Melanie was sweeter than he’d remembered. Her body shifted against his as she reached up and threaded her fingers through his hair. Tanner nipped at her bottom lip before easing back. As much as he wanted to completely devour her, he also wanted to take things slow until she was comfortable with his touch.
Ironic considering their current status, but he needed Melanie to feel secure.
“Why did you kiss me?” she whispered.
Tanner eased his hand around and ran his thumb over her moist bottom lip. “Because I’ve been wanting to since we slept together and because you looked tense as hell when you walked in here.”
“I am tense,” she replied with a half smile. “You ask me to come over and I don’t know if you want to talk or rip my clothes off.”
Tanner couldn’t stop his laughter. “You’re always honest. I appreciate that. And for the record, if I thought tearing your clothes off was something you were on board with, you’d already be naked.”
Melanie’s bright eyes darkened just enough for him to see the arousal staring back at him. Perfect. He didn’t want her immune to this chemistry.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he closed the door behind her.
When he turned, he reached for her purse and hung it on one of the pegs beside the door.
“I’m feeling good. A little tired and had some nausea this morning, but the doctor said all of that was to be expected.”
Tanner didn’t want her to feel anything but perfect, but he also knew she was carrying a child. There would be difficult days, he just prayed like hell nothing would go wrong.
“Hey.” She reached out and touched his arm. “Everything okay?”
He wasn’t ready to get into the past. “I’m fine. I asked you over because I wanted to see you, but I picked up a surprise for you.”
Melanie’s brows shot toward her hairline. “A surprise? What on earth for?”
“Because I wanted to.”
She propped one hand on her hip, pulling her long-sleeved tee tighter across her chest. “You got me a surprise for no reason at all?”
“Why is this so hard for you to believe?” he asked. “Trust me, it’s nothing major.”
“Still, I’m just . . . confused.”
That pretty much told him all he needed to know about the prick she’d been married to, or any other man that had come along in her life. Clearly she’d never been taken off guard in a good way, and Tanner vowed to make this the first of many.
“Maybe you should have more surprises in your life,” he told her as he took her hand. “Follow me.”
“Did you get me a dog? I always thought when I had kids I’d have a dog, too. I feel like they go hand in hand, you know?”
Tanner laughed as he led her down the hallway toward the kitchen. “Sorry. That can be the next surprise.”
“It’s not much of a surprise if you tell me, but if you get me a dog, make sure it’s a rescue animal. I’m a firm believer in the adopt-don’t-shop motto.”
He stopped and turned to face her. “You’d want a rescue dog?”
“Of course.” Those beautiful eyes held his and gave another punch of lust to his gut. Damn it, he could still taste her. “Why buy an expensive dog or one from a puppy mill where the moms are abused? There are so many precious dogs at the shelters. It’s heartbreaking.”
Melanie continued to amaze him in so many different ways. “I never would’ve taken you for a shelter shopper.”
“Well, I’ve never had a dog,” she amended. “But there’s no way I’d pay for one. I’d love to rescue them all if I had the land to care for them. I definitely think I’ll get at least one or two when I find my own place.”
“Maybe we should go look for a dog, then.”
Where had that come from? He’d invited her over for a damn cupcake, not to get a joint pet. When the hell could he take care of one? Added to that, they didn’t live together. Did he want to share custody of a child and a dog?
Tanner didn’t want to share. Period. He wanted to do everything with Melanie—together. While he’d resisted all committed relationships for years, he couldn’t keep denying he wanted to at least give it a try with her.
“We?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Move in here for now until you decide what to do.”
Okay, really. Why did he keep opening his mouth and letting thoughts come out before he fully thought them through? Although, he wouldn’t mind one bit if Melanie moved in here. He could keep an eye on her better that way and they could get to know each other even more.
Fine, he also wanted the hell out of her and craved her in his bed. Having her close would only make sense. Why shouldn’t they explore their attraction? Why was a sudden halt put on things simply because she was expecting a baby?
Melanie held up her hands. “I mention a dog and you suddenly want me to move in? Tanner, we’re not some big happy family.”
The knot in his gut tightened. Once upon a time he’d wanted that big happy family. Now fate was dangling the possibility in front of his face once again.
“You want a place for a dog,” he justified, like this solution made all the sense in the world. “Plus you don’t want to stay in Livie’s old house forever.”
“I said that I meant to get a place of my own.” Vibrant eyes held his gaze a moment before she blinked and glanced away. “Moving in together is hardly the answer.”
The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was the perfect answer, and damn if he wasn’t going to fight for what he wanted.
“Think about it.”
Melanie tipped her head and in a surprising move, she reached out and patted his chest as she offered him a smile. “Are you always this relentless?”
Tanner grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. Heat flared in her eyes. “When I want something bad enough,” he replied.
“Maybe we should move on to the surprise and table this discussion for another time,” she suggested.
Tanner released her hand and turned toward the center island. “You said something the other day that had me thinking, so I stopped at Bella Vous and picked up something for you.”
“Really?” Her smile widened. “Is it a massage? Because Cora Monroe gives the best massages. I had one when Livie’s dad passed and we stayed at the resort before the funeral. Man, I could seriously use another.”
He’d text Macy later and have her schedule a massage for Mel at the very next opening.
“Sorry, no massage, but something I think you’ll enjoy just as much.” Melanie could definitely use the relaxation time. He should’ve thought of that already. “I actually went to the bakery and Liam hooked me up with a few pastries.”
Melanie’s smile faltered as she spotted the white box on the counter.
Tanner wasn’t sure why she suddenly seemed so . . . hell, he couldn’t even put a word to the look on her face. He lifted the lid and presented the treats, never taking his eyes off that pained look on her face.
“Liam said these were some of his favorites,” Tanner stated. “The other day you told me you hadn’t had desserts for some time, so I thought what better chance than from the greatest baker in Haven. Actually, probably all of Georgia considering he worked for Magnolias, the most popular restaurant in Atlanta, before coming here.”
Her eyes were fixed on the box, and for a half second Tanner feared she was going to start crying. She remained silent as she continued to stare. Tanner waited for her to say something, anything, or even make a motion. Hell, she wasn’t even blinking.
“Melanie?”
She jerked and turned her attention to him. “Is this a joke?”
Confused, Tanner rested his hand on the island and propped his other on his hip. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d love this.”
“What’s wrong?” Melanie threw her arms in the air and spun around, then began pacing like some caged animal who had nowhere to go. “What’s wrong is I’ve been down this path before. You can’t make me into someone you can control and keep on a tight leash. I won’t fall into that trap ever again.”
Tanner pushed away from the counter and crossed to where Melanie stood facing the patio doors, staring out into the backyard. His hands gripped her shoulders, and he didn’t give a damn that she tensed when he eased her back against his chest. The war she waged with herself apparently was going to spill over into whatever they had going on, and there was no way in hell he would let her battle this alone.
“Talk to me,” he murmured into her ear. “What got you so upset over seeing that box?”
Something had triggered in her memory bank. Whatever it was, he was hell-bent on eradicating the old flashes of fear and replacing them with only happy thoughts and hope for the future.
She’d yet to relax against him, so he slid his hands down her arms and wrapped his arms around her waist. Tanner wasn’t always the best at consoling, but right now Melanie needed to be held, whether she wanted to admit it or not.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have exploded on you like that.”
“Don’t apologize for someone else’s actions, because that stems from your past, I’m sure. I can take your words, Mel, but I can’t take you being hurt or shutting me out when I want to help.”
She pulled in a shaky breath. “I was heavy my entire life up until about two-and-a-half years ago.”
“I saw that on your blog.”
Melanie twisted in his arms just enough to peek up at him. “You read my blog?”
“I wanted to find out more about you.”
Now she did offer a smile that released some of her pent-up energy. She settled a little more against him as she refocused her attention out the back door. Night had fallen and the back lights had kicked on, but with that added glow, he could see her reflection so perfectly.
The image of them together, standing in such an intimate way, had Tanner growing more accustomed to the idea of her living here. He’d never invited another woman to live with him. Even his fiancée hadn’t lived with him. They’d been young and in the beginning stages of planning when his life had turned to shit.
Tanner didn’t want to say anything, he wanted Melanie to work this out on her own and go at her own pace. Finally, she was opening up to him about her past. He wasn’t sure how far she would delve into it, but he had a feeling he was going to be pissed at what she’d endured.
“My ex was fine with me being overweight,” she went on. “In fact, he was all too eager to make sure I stayed that way. He was jealous, to say the least. Anything to keep another guy from looking at me. Neville liked to exploit the fact I was a smart attorney, but he never called me pretty or seemed proud of me. I was a pawn in his game to further his political career.”
Tanner gritted his teeth and struggled to find the right words. Neville was a grade-A bastard.
“What made you decide to get away?”
“One night I couldn’t sleep, so I was online reading different blogs and I stumbled upon one called Women Empowering Women
. As soon as I read a few paragraphs, I knew I wanted to motivate other women, too. But I also knew in my current state, I couldn’t do that.”
“Are you talking about your weight, or the fact that your ex was abusive?”
Melanie tensed and pulled away from his arms. Instantly he regretted his words.
“Mel—”
“No.” She held up her hands. “Don’t apologize for speaking the truth. Honestly, I knew I couldn’t keep going because of all of that. Everything about my life was unhealthy, from my weight to my marriage. I started walking, which led to running. I was damn slow, but I was moving, and for the first time in my life I was doing something for me. Neville didn’t know this until the weight started to gradually come off. Needless to say he was angry.”
Tanner watched Mel as she glanced at the box of pastries and back to him. “That’s when I told him I was leaving,” she went on. “I was done living that life, being in a prison and posing as a happy couple for the sake of his political career.”
“And he just let you go?”
Melanie twisted her hands in front of her for a moment, then smoothed down her shirt and tipped her head up. “No. I blackmailed him and left him no choice.”
Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. “What type of blackmail?”
Melanie circled the island and surveyed the inside of the bakery box. She grabbed a cupcake and peeled away the lining little by little.
“That’s a story for another time, and right now I’m going to dive face-first into this cupcake and give the proverbial middle finger to my ex.”
“You don’t have to—”
She leveled his gaze. “Yes, I do. Care to join me in a celebration?”
This woman was so damn remarkable he didn’t know what to expect next from her. Every part of him wanted to know the blackmail she had on Neville, though he suspected he knew. Most likely she had images of the abuse or recorded account of an act. No politician wanted that type of negativity out there for the voters to see.
“I can’t turn down sugar.” Tanner reached across the island and grabbed the éclair. “It’s a weakness of mine, which is why I’m often in the gym.”
“Oh, please,” she said around a bite, “you are perfectly fine. Men carry weight better than women.”
Tanner set his pastry down and waited until he caught her attention once again. “When I saw your blog, you need to know that the before-and-after pictures you posted regarding your weight were both beautiful. I’m glad your confidence is higher and I’m proud of you for encouraging other women, but you are a stunning woman. No added pounds could change that.”
He needed her to know this, he needed her to see that she was beautiful inside and out, because he was confident nobody in her life had ever told her. And it was well past time she started seeing herself for the remarkable woman she truly was.
Yes, she put up amazing posts about confidence, but he saw how she still fidgeted with her hands or her purse when she was nervous and how she averted her gaze when a topic hit too close to home.
Melanie had a successful online base for inspiring women, but who was inspiring her?
Tanner felt as if each day with Melanie came with a new set of rules and goals. There was so much to take in with her, and he feared the only way to accomplish everything was to get her to see that he was completely serious when it came to wanting a relationship.