Nora Roberts Land(85)
At last!
Man, if that didn’t lift her mood from depressed to sad. She did an Irish jig in place and pointed to the clock. “Somebody’s running a bit behind.” She didn’t say three hours. “Are you sure you don’t want decaf since it’s so late?”
Tanner fought a smile.
Glaring at her sister, Meredith said, “Is this how you treat all your customers?”
“No, you’re special. So was it like Dru hooking up with Seth for the first time in Chesapeake Blue?”
“Jeez, Jill. Will you lay off?”
Jill batted her eyelashes. “Beats gloating. Tanner, that’s girl code. Literary reference.”
“Nothing I’ve read. I’m afraid to ask.”
“Smart man. You want your regular or something different? An energy boost, perhaps?”
“Shut up, Jill.” Meredith’s cheeks were scarlet.
Tanner stepped forward. “I’ll have my regular. Meredith?”
When she gave her preference, Jill called out the order and pushed back Tanner’s money.
“Not this morning. It’s my way of saying thank you.”
“This is the second time you’ve tried to give me coffee on the house. You’ll be out of business at this rate.”
“Not unless you plan on doing other things worthy of gratitude.”
Meredith reached over and punched her in the arm. “Leave him alone. You’re acting like a kid.”
“No, I’m enjoying myself. Since I’m not going to gloat—yet—I am going to bask in this moment. You look good, Mere.”
Tanner ran his hand down her back. “Yes, she does.”
Pressing her hands to her cheeks, Jill said, “Oh, could he be any hotter? It’s so sad our torrid love affair never got off the ground.”
He chuckled. “You were too good for me.”
Meredith turned to him. “And I’m not?”
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “You’re probably too good for me too.”
Jill wanted to sigh. Things were looking serious. She rubbed her hands together. “So, Tanner, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
“My sister and nephew are coming to stay with me.”
“Oh, how nice. I can’t wait to meet them. Is she a good cook?”
“Ah…passable.”
Meredith shot her a glance. In response, Jill made a silly face.
“Well, I was thinking how nice it would be for you all to come to our house. Mom and Dad are driving back up, and she’s a great cook.”
Meredith’s glare could have turned her to stone.
“That’s kind of you, Jill, but I think you’re making Meredith uncomfortable.” He leaned over the counter and tapped her nose. “Stop meddling.”
When her sister fidgeted, Jill knew she had her.
“Tanner, we’d love to have you and your family over,” Mere said with a bright smile.
Handing her sister her latte, he pressed his coffee to his chest. “You don’t have to do this, Meredith.”
“I know, but come anyway.”
The air crackled with more than pure lust. It held tenderness. There was magic all around.
Nora Roberts Land was here at last!
Jill started humming as a familiar silver SUV streaked by. “Double espresso. Stat. And take the cash register, Benny,” she called out to her new lip-pierced barista.
Meredith’s face tightened. “What is it?”
“Brian. I’ll be right back.” She grabbed his coffee, which she’d prepared in anticipation of seeing him, and headed outside without a coat or gloves.
Halfway down the block, she felt like a sissy. It was colder than a witch’s tit. She picked up her pace and headed to the restaurant. He couldn’t hide from her there. She was done with his crap.
The front door was locked, so she went around back. Mud and salt coated his SUV. He’d probably been off-roading like some Neanderthal jackass. She pounded on the steel door to the kitchen. After a good minute of dancing in place to keep warm, it popped open.
“What do you want?” he asked.
Even though his face looked like it hadn’t seen a razor in days, her heart still beat faster. God, it only made him appear more rugged—even wearing an unbuttoned white chef’s jacket and black pants.
She thrust out the coffee and darted into the industrial-looking kitchen. “Thought you might need a pick-me-up.”
“Thanks, but I have my own beans.”
She put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Do you have any idea how pissed off I am?”
He laid the coffee aside and leaned against the metal counter. “In general or at me?”
“What do you think?”
The butcher knife he had started to sharpen was reflecting the fluorescent lights from above. “Pete and I needed some time away. We went to Aspen. Besides, you didn’t want to have anything to do with me before this. Hell, you even ducked out of the party when I arrived.”