Chapter Nine
Be somebody nobody thought you could be.
—Mel’s Motivational Blog
Tanner eyed his Harley Fat Boy in the corner of his garage. Perhaps he should sell the thing. He hadn’t found time to ride in too long, and with a baby coming he should probably start putting funds back for . . . hell, he didn’t know. But getting a nest egg started sounded like the smart move to make.
He wasn’t struggling for cash, but he was realistic enough to know that children weren’t cheap and he didn’t want Melanie to have to worry about anything. He had no clue what her financial status was, but he did know that when she was married she’d obviously had money . . . if Neville let her spend any.
That was just another aspect Tanner had no clue about.
Regardless, he would provide for Melanie and their child. He never wanted her to have to worry about anything like that.
After a hellish day at work, Tanner needed an outlet. He’d tried the punching bag in the basement, but he was still restless.
Being on the force meant no day was the same. Today wasn’t anything too crazy, just one fender bender after another, and then some teen thought he could hold up the local bank with a water pistol in his jacket.
Tanner wasn’t in the mood to head to Cash’s gym and see all the people. Besides, his inside guy was working tonight and so far had come up with some tips that indeed drugs were being pushed through the gym.
Tanner wasn’t going to Cash quite yet. Knowing Cash, he’d beat the shit out of the guys and then the system couldn’t process the criminals. And Tanner really didn’t want to arrest his own cousin for assault.
With his own little makeshift gym in the back of his garage, Tanner did several dead lifts, some pull-ups with the bar, and his free weights. With his shoulders and back burning, especially after he’d done the punching bag, Tanner took a hearty swig of water and dumped the rest of the bottle over his head to cool off.
The second he turned around, he spotted another item in the corner he hadn’t touched in years. The rocking chair. After his fiancée and baby died, he’d covered the damn thing with a sheet.
This old wooden rocker had been the one his mother had used when he’d been a child and she’d passed it to him. It needed to be repaired and painted, but once he’d lost everything, he hadn’t seen the point.
He also hadn’t been able to bring himself to get rid of the silly thing. It wasn’t like it was some heirloom passed down through generations. His mother simply thought he might like to have it.
Swiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm, Tanner crossed to the rocker. With a swift jerk, he sent the dusty white sheet silently to the concrete floor. The rocker shifted, swaying back and forth from the sudden movement after years of being still.
He ran his hand along the rough edges of the arm. Maybe he could start working on this for Melanie. Did she have a vision of what she wanted in the nursery? Hell, where would the nursery even be? If he had his way, he’d put Mel in his home so he could keep an eye on her and the baby, but he hadn’t been able to keep his own fiancée safe, and he knew Mel well enough to know she wouldn’t just come because he asked. She would see him as overbearing. . . which, when it came to this, he was.
For good reason, Melanie wanted to stand on her own right now. After years of hell, she wasn’t going to take commands from him and he didn’t expect her to. He respected the hell out of her and it was past time she understood that she should expect such admiration from a man. She deserved no less.
From the workbench across the garage, his cell chimed. Tanner turned from the rocking chair and crossed the space, circling his truck and reaching for his phone.
“Hey, Jax.”
“Dude, are you busy?”
“Not at all.” Living with his memories and struggling to compartmentalize them so he didn’t screw up his future wasn’t busy at all. “What’s up?”
“How soon can you get over here?”
Already moving toward his truck, he hopped in and hit the garage door opener. “Less than ten. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing major, I just need another set of hands.”
Relief settled over him. “Damn it, man, I thought something was happening.”
“Relax, copper. Piper flushed something down the toilet and I need help getting it out and cleaning up this mess.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.” Jax laughed.
Tanner turned off his street and headed toward Jax’s house. “I’m suddenly busy.”
Jax’s laughter grew louder. “See you in a few.”
He disconnected the call, leaving Tanner muttering another curse and setting his phone into his cup holder. Did five-year-olds flush things down toilets? Obviously, but Tanner would’ve thought Piper was beyond that stage. Not that Tanner knew much about stages of childhood.
Damn, how the hell was he going to parent? The entire process was scary as hell, and that was once the baby actually arrived. Tanner’s anxiety had soared since finding out Melanie was expecting his child.
His heart beat faster in his chest as he gripped the wheel tighter with one hand and cranked the radio up with the other. He needed to relax and think in this moment. Not the past, not the unknowns of the future.
Tanner pulled into Jax’s drive moments later and had calmed himself. As soon as he stepped from his truck, Livie stepped outside. Regal and poised as always, she had her blond hair pulled back and a nervous smile on her face.
“Anything else and I would’ve helped,” she stated as Tanner made his way up the sidewalk. “But toilets are a hard no for me. I’ll buy you any amount of beer, bourbon, steak, whatever. Just unclog the toilet in the master bath and leave me out of it.”
Tanner placed a hand on her shoulder. “Relax, Livie. It’s a toilet, not a bomb. What did Piper put down there, anyway?”
“I bought her a little bath set and she didn’t want the shower gel so she said she tried to get rid of it, but didn’t want me to see it in the trash.”
“So she flushed a plastic bottle?” Tanner asked on a sigh and stepped around Livie. “Don’t be too hard on her. At least she was trying to spare your feelings.”
“I guess so, but Jax is pretty pissed and now Piper is crying in her room.”
Ah, family life. He couldn’t wait. Drama and tears, clogged toilets. Days of unknowns awaited him.
Of course he wasn’t marrying Melanie and they weren’t living together, so this wasn’t exactly the same situation he’d have. But even with all the craziness in the Morgan household tonight, Tanner felt a pang of jealousy. Maybe he did want all of this—the crazy and the unexpected.
Tanner headed inside and up the stairs to the second floor. The second he stepped into the bathroom, he lost it and doubled over with laughter.
“Shut up,” Jax said through gritted teeth. “Keep laughing and I’ll give you a swirly as soon as this toilet is back up and running.”
“Threaten me and I leave.” Tanner squatted down beside the commode. “I assume you tried the plunger.”
Jax’s dry look answered the stupid question.
“Fine, so what’s the plan?”
“We’re taking the toilet off,” Jax stated. “I’m going to go turn off the water valve and then we’ll lift the toilet off and hopefully find the bottle of whatever the hell she put in here.”
“Sounds like a fun night.”
Jax rolled his eyes. “Were you spending it with Melanie?”
“No.” Not that he wouldn’t have in a heartbeat. “She’s coming to Thanksgiving at Mom’s, though.”
Jax stilled for a split second before a shitty grin spread across his face. “Meeting the family. Sounds perfect for you two.”
Tanner sank onto his butt and raked a hand over his face. “Can we just do this so I can get home?”
“Don’t want to talk about family life?” Jax questioned. “It sneaks up on you, man. Nothing you can do but hang on for the ride.”
“Yeah, I’ve discovered that. Twice.”
Jax grabbed the wrench and tapped it against his palm. “You told Melanie about—”
“No. Not yet.”
Coming to his feet, Jax blew out a sigh. “You don’t have to take my advice, but if you want a future with her, not just the baby, but with Melanie, then you need to be completely honest.”
Tanner nodded. “I don’t want to have this conversation with you over your shitter.”
Jax smiled. “You wouldn’t want my advice no matter what. Figured now was as good a time as any.”
Flipping Jax his middle finger, Tanner stood up. “Let’s get this over with. I left your wife near tears, and apparently Piper is in her room crying, too.”
“Yeah. Dealing with a clogged commode is nothing compared to two crying women.”
* * *
“Ask your doctor about marathons.”
Melanie chopped the cauliflower and eyed Jade across the island. “I’m not so sure about a big belly crossing the finish line.”
“It’s only two months out,” Jade explained. “You won’t be huge by that point.”
“Who knows with me.”
Jade set her phone on the island and braced her hands on the granite. “Listen, I’m sure you’re concerned with the weight, but you’re a different person now. You’re supposed to gain when you’re growing a person.”
Melanie attempted a smile, but the burn in her throat indicated tears were a definite threat. “It’s still scary, Jade. I mean, I worked so hard to better myself and what if I lose sight of that person, that vision?”
“Or what if you are in the best shape of your life and inspire other women who are expecting?”
Melanie refocused her attention on the cauliflower. She was hoping to try a new recipe and take some pictures for her blog. The last recipe she’d posted two weeks ago had been a huge hit and had gotten her the attention of a few personal chefs. She was in contact with them now about guest appearing on her site. Bringing in people from various fields, like chefs and trainers and motivational speakers, was only one of the ways she’d expanded so quickly in such a short time.
“When are you announcing your pregnancy on your site?” Jade asked.
“I was thinking in the next couple weeks, but apparently I’m announcing it at Tanner’s mother’s house first.”
“What?” Jade gasped.
Melanie met her friend’s shocked gaze. “On Thanksgiving.”
Jade let out a whistle. “Damn, girl. When you go for the family thing, you go all-in.”
Using the edge of her knife, Melanie slid the chopped veggies to the side and pulled out another freshly washed chunk of cauliflower.
“This certainly wasn’t my idea.”
Jade shifted on her stool and crossed her arms on the island top. “But you’re going along with it.”
“Might as well, right? I mean, it’s not like I can hide from his mother forever. She is going to be the grandmother to my child. I just hope she’s not an ogre and overbearing.”
Her ex-mother-in-law flashed through her mind. The woman epitomized the MIL from hell. It was no wonder Neville was so damn controlling and abusive. His mom definitely wore the pants in the family and his father bowed to her every command.
Melanie couldn’t even imagine what her life would’ve been had she gotten pregnant by Neville. A whole new level of hell she was thankful to have escaped.
“Tanner’s mom is a sweet woman,” Jade stated. “Trust me. In fact, you two may have something in common. Tanner’s father was a complete asshole.”
Melanie studied the notes on her phone to see what steps she needed to do next. Her recipes were completely original, but she always jotted down her ideas when they came to her.
“Tanner mentioned his mom remarried and his stepdad is nice.”
Jade reached over and grabbed a piece of the sliced red pepper. “I’ve never met the stepdad, but that woman deserves all the happiness after what she endured. Same with you. I want to see you happy and I think Tanner is perfect for you.”
Melanie set the knife down and glanced up from her phone. “Tanner and I aren’t . . . we aren’t . . . well, shit. I don’t even know how to finish that.”
“Exactly.” Jade laughed. “This may have all started with physical, but you feel something for him.”
“Of course I do,” Melanie argued. “I’m having his child.”
Jade leaned across the island, holding her gaze steady. “You know that’s not what I meant. You feel something for him. Had you not gotten pregnant, would you have seen him again?”
Melanie wanted to deny it, but in all honesty, she wasn’t sure she could’ve stayed away. Tanner tugged at something deep inside her. The strong, powerful man was sexy and intriguing and he continued to prove to her that he wasn’t like her ex, that he respected her and he wanted to show her how she should be treated.
Everything about him had her wanting to discover more.
“You don’t need to answer.” Jade took a crunchy bite of the pepper. “I’ll let that subject drop for now.”
“I’m sure we’ll revisit it before the night is over,” Melanie muttered.
“Maybe, but let’s discuss what you’re making, because my stomach is growling.”
Melanie smiled and shifted her phone around for Jade to see. “I thought this up the other night when I couldn’t sleep. Tell me what you think.”
Jade read over the notes before sliding the phone back across the island. “I think I want the first bite the second it comes out of the oven.”
Melanie went to pull a baking sheet from the cabinet. “I love how you and Olivia always want to be my test dummies.”
“And I love how she’s gone now so it’s all mine.”
Melanie put everything together and slid the pan into the oven. After wiping her hands on a dish towel, she pulled a glass from the cabinet. She smiled at the outline of a plane and the words Pilots: Looking down on people since 1903
.
When Olivia had come back home after her father passed, she’d made several changes in an attempt to sell the house and push her past behind her. But she’d kept most of her father’s things, including the humorous dishes and several T-shirts with snarky pilot humor.
Melanie filled her glass with a smoothie concoction she’d made earlier.
“Care for some?” she asked, holding up the pitcher.
Jade shook her head. “I’m saving room for what you just put in the oven.”
“Want to talk about Atlanta?”
With a slight jerk, Jade tipped her head and narrowed her eyes. “My issue with Atlanta or yours?”
“Yours.”
“Not really.” Jade blew out a long sigh, tapped her fingers on the counter, then shook her head with a humorless laugh. “What have you heard?”
“I didn’t hear anything,” Melanie stated. “But you’ve acted a little strange the past few days.”
“How can you say that when you’ve barely seen me? I’ve been out with Brad nearly every night.”
Melanie took a drink of her fruit smoothie. “That’s my point. You hide from other people, but you’ve never steered clear of me or Livie.”
“It’s nothing major. I was offered my job back with a hefty bonus, but after the humiliation I endured and then to have my loyalty and reputation smeared, I think I’ll find another route to take.”
Jade had gone through too much emotional turmoil in her career over the last year and a half. She’d been a victim of sexual harassment by one of the partners in the firm, and then when she attempted to come forward, he’d denied all claims, stating it was Jade who had harassed him.
Once the truth finally came out, the other partner tripped all over himself trying to get Jade back.
“No amount of money could make you go back?” Melanie asked.
“None. I’ve saved enough over the years, but I’d rather downsize everything and live simply than go back there. Maybe I’ll even build one of those tiny houses. I don’t need anything major in my life.”
“Good for you.” Melanie peeked into the oven. “Just a few more minutes.”
Jade’s brow quirked. “Enough time that I want to hear more about you and Tanner.”
Rolling her eyes, Melanie let out a groan and set her cup on the counter. “He’s hot, okay? Is that what you want to know?”
“Obviously you’re attracted or you wouldn’t have slept with him. I want to know how you really feel.”
“I wish I knew the answer to that as well. I mean, I go back and forth between wanting to get to know him more and then pulling back because I feel like I’m trapped. That’s a terrible thing to say, but I’m being honest.”
Jade came to her feet and circled the island. “Trapped because of the baby?”
Melanie nodded. “Not that the baby is trapping me, but I’m going to be part of Tanner’s life forever, no matter what.”
“Tanner isn’t Neville.”
A fact Melanie had reminded herself of, over and over. “I’m learning that. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t make Tanner and me some perfect couple. We had sex once and it’s been awkward since.”
“Awkward from sexual tension,” Jade stated with a wry grin. “I’ve seen how that man looks at you and it’s no wonder you couldn’t hold out from sleeping with him. I don’t know how he feels about you, but it’s damn obvious he wants you. Bad.”
Well, at least their physical attraction was on the same page. It was everything else that remained fuzzy.
“Why don’t you just go to his house and have your wicked way with him?”
A bubble of laughter escaped her. “Jade, I was ballsy one night and ended up pregnant. You know that’s not usually me.”
Jade shrugged. “You can’t get pregnant again and there’s no way he’d turn you down. Why don’t you just go?”
Nerves spiraled through her. She wouldn’t go because. . . well, just because. Sex and attraction was one thing, but shouldn’t she be more controlled, focusing on her baby? Melanie’s sex life wasn’t top priority, which was a shame because Tanner was the second man she’d been with in her life and she was still reliving their passionate night together.
“I do like that gleam in your eye,” Jade murmured. “But if you could fantasize later and get that dish out of the oven, I’d be grateful.”
Melanie jerked from her thoughts and spun toward the counter for a pot holder. “Damn it. I almost forgot.”
“Which is precisely why you need to go claim your man.”
Her man? Was Tanner hers? Did she want
him to be hers?
Melanie swirled one question after another around in her mind as she served Jade the new dish.
One thing was for certain, she wasn’t so sure she could just march over to Tanner’s and “claim” him. She may have gotten stronger and more courageous since her divorce, but she was still a woman longing for a man, and the fear of rejection of any kind kept her from what she wanted.