Justice Healed (6 page)

"You don't have a coat."  Her voice came out as a mere whisper.

Tanner shrugged.  "The cold doesn't bother me.  Besides, I'm not wearing a dress."

She licked her dry lips
, not sure what to say.  She never knew what to say to a man, especially a man as attractive as Tanner.

"Thank you."  This time her voice sounded normal, but he still had that puzzled expression on his face.

"Maddie, have I offended you?  I'm sorry if I have.  Did I get too familiar on the dance floor?  You hightailed it out of there pretty fast."

He thought he'd done something wrong.  Madison shook her head.  "You didn't do anything.  It's me.  I'm all wrong."

His frown deepened.  "How are you wrong?  I don't understand."

Madison took a deep breath.  "The dance was nice.  I just don't know how to talk to a man or anything."

"You do a pretty good job talking to me."

She realized with a start he was right.  He was easy to talk to.  It still didn't mean she wasn't a failure though.  She struggled to find the right words.  "I like being with you.  It's just that when it comes to romantic situations, I've never had much luck."

He regarded her steadily and she felt the heat creep under her skin.  She'd said it was romantic and he probably wasn't thinking that way at all.  What a mess.  Madison wanted to throttle Sherry about now.  She knew well Madison's awkwardness with the male species.

"I haven't either, Maddie.  I'm divorced so I failed at marriage.  I've dated but haven't met one woman who captured any real interest.  Until now."

Her heart beat a tattoo in her chest.  "You mean me?"  She barely pushed the words out.

This time he smiled.  "Yes, you.  You seem surprised.  I was thinking you wouldn't be interested in me because I'm so much older."

"You're not that much older than me.  I'm thirty." 

"I'm forty-four.  I'll be forty-five in a few weeks.  I have two grown
kids.  Is that a deal breaker?"

"No."  Madison shook her head.  "What would be a deal breaker for you?"

He stroked his chin.  "Addicted to drugs, alcohol, or shopping.  I don't like cigarettes much but could tolerate them.  Law abiding is a must, of course.  Other than that, I'm pretty flexible."

He wasn't asking all that much.  "What if I told you I'd never had any luck with men?  At all."

"If you've dated a lot it doesn't bother me, if that's what you mean."  Tanner shrugged.

"No.  I mean I haven't had any luck.  I've had twenty-six dates in my life with eight different men.  You do the math."  She waited for him to calculate the answer.  "If you don't like to do mental arithmetic, that's an average of three point two five dates per man.  Actually, I went out with one man seven times, so that moves the average even lower.  Obviously there's something wrong with me."

He tipped his head to the side.  "Are you sure?  Maybe there was something wrong with them?"

"All of them?"  Madison rolled her eyes.  "What are the odds?"

Tanner held up his hand.  "We don't need to calculate it.  Maybe I should say this differently.  What were the men like?"

"They were men I went to college and medical school with."

"There you go."  Tanner nodded.  "Maybe they weren't the right men for you.  Perhaps you should try a different type.  An older man who would appreciate you.  Who isn't trying to build his career.  I'm settled into mine."

She felt a warmth in her chest.  "Would you appreciate me?" 

"Madison Shay, I would do my level best.  How about we try this?"

"Dating?"  And sex, although she was too chicken shit to say it. 

"Dating.  I like you, Maddie."  His voice was soft like a caress on her skin.  It made her shiver and quake but not because of the temperature.

"I like you, too."

He gave her a lopsided grin.  "Then how about another dance?  Let's enjoy the evening.  May I drive you home when the party is done?"

She nodded and let him lead her into the warm building.  She froze as he lifted the coat from her shoulders.  "Damn."

His eyebrows shot up.  "What's wrong?  Having second thoughts already?"

"Sherry is going to be completely insufferable now.  I'll never hear the end of it that she was right."

His rich laughter echoed in the empty lobby.  "If that's the biggest problem this relationship has we're in good shape.  Would it help if I told her I had to beg you to go out with me?"

"She'd never in a million years believe that, Tanner."

He hung up the coat and draped an arm across her shoulders.  "Maddie, you are good for my ego."

They walked back into the main room.  She felt safe and warm in his company.  He was good for her ego too.  She liked Tanner Marks and she was absolutely scared stiff to admit it.

"
I want to hear every dirty detail," Sherry declared.  Madison and Sherry were sitting in the kitchen and Madison's dad was whistling a lilting tune while talking on Skype with his sister.  "I want to know how it went.  Tanner brought you home last night after the party.  Did he kiss you?"

"Shhh!  I don't want my dad to hear you."  Madison warmed up their coffees and pulled two pieces of toast from the toaster, dropping one on each of their plates.  She sat back down and sighed.  "No, he did not kiss me.  Are you happy now?"

Sherry tapped her chin.  "Hmm, he was probably just being a gentleman.  Do you think he wanted to kiss you?"

"How would I know?"  Madison rolled her eyes.  "I know zilch about men and less about kissing.  Let's face it.  I'm the romantic equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle.  Men date me then disappear, never to be heard from again."

Sherry's lips twitched.  "I never thought of it that way.  But don't worry.  We can fix it.  You just need Sherry's School of Romance.  I'll be your coach."

"I sucked in athletics.  I was picked last for everything." 

"Luckily for you there are no other people on the team.  This is one on one coaching.  Now did he ask you out?  When are you seeing him again?"

Madison nodded.  "We're having dinner tonight.  He's picking me up at seven."

Sherry immediately went into her drill sergeant mode.  "We have so much to do," she said.  "We should make a list."

"What do we need to do?"  Madison lifted a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth.  "It's just dinner."

Sherry cast an appraising eye over Madison's clothes.  "For one, we need to go shopping.  Your wardrobe leaves something to be desired, my friend."

Madison looked down at her gray sweatpants and blue sweater.  They'd seen better days but she was only having breakfast with Sherry
, not tea with the Queen of England.  "There's nothing wrong with my clothes."

Sherry wrinkled her nose.  "Let's forget that you've had those sweatpants since high school.  Put aside the fact your sweater is faded from a thousand washings.  If they were brand spanking new, I'd still want to replace them.  They hang off of you like a tent.  You need something that
enhances your figure, not swamps it.  What were you planning to wear tonight anyway?"

Madison shifted in her chair.  "I hadn't thought about it yet.  Maybe some jeans and a sweater."

"Task number one.  New clothes.  We'll drive into the city after breakfast.  Task two?  Let's talk about talk."

"Talk?"  Madison's fork paused in mid-air.  "Now I don't speak correctly?"

"You speak fine.  We just need to tweak things a bit.  First, let the man talk.  Find out his interests.  If they aren't your interests, well, just pretend they are or that you're fascinated by what he's saying."  She smiled.  "And whatever you do, do not, I repeat, do not have sex with him tonight.  Men like Tanner Marks like to strive for things.  Compete.  Win.  You need to be a prize he wants to work for."

Madison clapped her hand to her forehead.  "It shouldn't be this difficult.  I'm shocked
the human race hasn't died out if this is what it takes to get a man interested in a woman.  Do they all have such weak egos?"

Sherry laughed.  "Luckily, no.  And it's only in the beginning, when you first get to know them.  They need some encouragement, that's all."

Madison frowned.  "Sex on the first date is bad?  I thought men really liked sex.  The few times I've had sex they seemed to like it."

"Sex on the first date is bad.  You don't want him to think you do that with every guy."

Madison gave up on her eggs.  "Can't I just tell him I don't?  I told him I'd only been out on twenty-six dates."

Sherry groaned.  "He won't believe you.  And now would be a good time to mention that you should try an
d keep an air of mystery around you.  He doesn't need to know every little thing about your life."

Madison felt her indignation rise.  "He won't believe me?  That seems harsh.  I don't assume he's
a liar."

"Well, you should," Sherry countered.  "Women lie to men about their sexual experience, so he'll be suspicious of a thirty
year old that's not far from a virgin.  And yes, my friend, men lie.  Some lie like dirty dogs to get in your pants.  They'll say or do anything that will get you to go to bed with them.  Remember Todd Baker?  He took me out my senior year and got in my pants, then showed up with Tracy Gildbrand at the game the next day.  Asshole."

"Tanner wouldn't lie to me."  Madison was sure of this.

"He probably wouldn't, but you need to know that many men do.  Reality is a heartless bitch."

"Says the woman who creates fantasy weddings for other people.  Do you give this pep talk to your brides?"

"A version of it.  I tell them even if the wedding is a disaster, they're still just as married."

Madison's eyebrows rose.  "Maybe you're the heartless bitch."

Sherry shrugged.  "I'm simply managing their expectations.  Perfection is not a reasonable expectation."

Madison sipped her coffee and leaned over in her chair to make sure her father was still in the living room.  "I hope you're right.  I like Tanner and I don't want to scare him off."

"Oh, that reminds me.  Don't talk about gross, bloody stuff,
Star Wars
,
Star Trek
,
Dr. Who
, global warming, or grisly death of any kind.  Got it?"

"That's pretty much all I know.  Science and geeky stuff.  Besides, we've already talked about gruesome things."  Sherry shook her head and frowned.  Madison sighed and capitulated.  Perhaps she should be taking notes on her hand so she could remind herself in the middle of the date.  "What should I talk about?"

"Him.  Ask him about his interests.  Movies, books, sports, his childhood.  Men love talking about themselves.  Do that and he'll think you're wonderful."

"Okay."  Madison pushed her plate away.  "I can do that."

"You can do what, sweetheart?"  Madison's dad entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot.

"Oh, just go shopping with Sherry today.  What do you have planned?  How's Aunt Carole?"

Her father smiled.  Madison's mother had died when she was thirteen and Greg Shay had done everything he could to be both parents for his daughter.  Madison never doubted his devotion and love.  It had been an easy decision when he'd asked her to come home to help him with his practice and eventually take over. 

"Your aunt is doing well.  She's says it's cold and rainy in Seattle, but then it rains all the time there."

"Is she going to come visit this spring?"  Aunt Carole usually spent a week in Montana for Easter. 

A strange expression flitted over her father's face but was gone in an instant.  "Not this year.  She has some things going on at work."  Her father added cream and sugar to his coffee and absently stirred the hot liquid.  "In fact, she was asking if I could come back and spend some more time with her.  She needs some advice and has asked me to help."

Madison sucked in a breath.  "Is Aunt Carole sick?"

"No, no."  Her father waved the concern away.  "I shouldn't have been so vague.  Forgive me.  She's having some renovations done and she's asked me to help oversee them.  You know how anxiety-ridden your aunt gets about these things."

Aunt Carole was the president of a bank and one of the most capable women Madison had ever known, but certainly home improvement projects could be stressful.  Carole had divorced her husband about five years ago and did often turn to her brother for advice.

"I'm sure I can handle things, Dad," Madison assured him.  "How long will you be gone?"

"I'm not gone yet."  Her dad's eyes twinkled.  "I won't leave for a week or two.  Not sure how long I'll be away.  I'm so glad you're helping with things.  It's nice having you here."

"It's good to be back."  Madison was surprised, but she truly felt that way.  Being in Springwood was a good thing, and she was determined to put her rocky childhood behind her. 

Her dad opened the freezer and looked inside, pushing around the contents.  "What do you want for dinner?  We have steaks and there's chicken in here, too."

The moment had arrived.  "I won't be home for dinner actually, Dad.  I have dinner plans."

Her dad turned with a smile.  "You and Sherry going out somewhere?  The barbecue place has a brisket on Sunday nights."

"Um, no.  I'm having dinner with Tanner Marks."  Madison braced herself for a reaction.  Her father never thought the men she dated were good enough.  He'd been disdainful of them all.  At least the ones he'd met. 

Greg Shay's jaw went slack but he quickly recovered.  "Tanner Marks is a fine man and a good sheriff."  Her father paused.  "He has had some issues in his past, but they do seem to be in the past."

"What issues?" 
Madison frowned.  "I wasn't aware of anything."

Madison's father sighed.  "He had a drinking problem years ago. He liked to hang out at the local watering hole, have a few too many, and close it down several nights a week."

"I had no idea."  It didn't sound like Tanner in the least.  Her head swiveled to Sherry.  "Did you know?" 

Sherry nodded.  "I thought everyone knew, honestly.  Is it a big deal?"

Madison shook her head.  "No, it just surprised me that's all.  Dad, you said he had a drinking problem.  Does that mean he doesn't now?"  Tanner had always seemed completely in control when she'd been around him. 

"From what I've heard he hasn't touched the stuff for about ten years.  Sober as a judge.  He was a wild one back in the day, though.  I heard he was the life of the party.  People have conjectured that's why he and Abby divorced.  His son, Chris, appears to have inherited the propensity to drink.  He's constantly in the drunk tank or getting in a fight."

"Tanner's been sheriff for thirteen years," Madison said in amazement.  "The town elected him Sheriff knowing he liked to drink?  I guess this little town isn't as closed-minded as I thought."

Greg Shay chuckled.  "Remember this is Montana.  A hard drinking, hard partying man isn't considered a problem as long as he takes care of business.  And Tanner Marks has taken good care of this town.  Sheriff Tunney used to keep some
rotgut whiskey in his desk and drink during the day.  No one thought a thing about it."

Madison rubbed her chin.  "Alcohol addiction is complex.  It's not just genetic factors, but environment and personality."  She looked at her dad.  "How did I not know this?  Was it a well-kept secret?"

"Why would you know?"  He shrugged.  "You were too young to hang out in bars.  No one thought much about it so they didn't gossip about him.  He wasn't a man to fall over his own feet even drunk so even if you saw him it wouldn't have been obvious."

"Does this bother you?" Sherry queried.  "It was all so long ago I didn't think it was a big deal.  You could always call him and cancel."

Madison shook her head.  "It doesn't bother me in the least.  Can you imagine the strength of character he must have to overcome his body's desire for alcohol?  I'm not even going to go into how serotonin and dopamine can play into addiction."

Her father nodded.  "You make a good point."  He leaned down and kissed her cheek.  "Have a good time tonight."

"Thank you, Dad."  Madison smiled.

"Thank you for growing up into such a fine young woman.  Now if you ladies will excuse me, I'm heading over to Harvey's today.  I'm helping him work on that bookcase he's building."  Her father hurried out of the kitchen and Sherry grabbed Madison's hand.

"I knew you wouldn't care.  That's what makes you two so perfect for one another.  Your ability to see past the superficial stuff."

"It actually helps me relax."  Madison sat back in her chair with a smile.

"How on earth does this help you relax?  You won't have to pair your wine with the entree?"

Madison laughed.  "It means he's not perfect.  It means he has flaws.  I can deal with a man who has the occasional dent in his armor.  It makes him more human."

Sherry sighed.  "I guess I see what you mean.  I like that Dan isn't perfect.  I like some of his flaws.  Like how he snores after he eats pasta and how he's the worst speller in the world."

"I'll just ask him about it," Madison said, lifting their plates from the table and heading to the sink.

"No," Sherry gasped.  "You can't do that."  She looked scandalized. 

"That's a no-no, too?"  Madison rinsed the dishes and dried her hands.  "Fine. 
There are way too many rules in dating."

"You'll remember all them.  Don't worry."

"I've got lots of things to worry about but I don't think that's one of them.  Let's get on the road and I'll let you browbeat me into buying clothes I would never choose myself."

"Deal."  Sherry bounced out of her chair.  "I know just what you need.  We're going to start with your underwear."

Madison groaned.  It was going to be a long day.  And she liked her underwear just fine.