“Maybe it’s only with you.” It galled him to say it, but perhaps it would put Sommerville off.
“Then you’ll have to find some other way of getting through to her. I want this story stopped, McBride.”
He winced at the sting from his aftershave. “Fine, but it’s going to take time. I thought you should know.” Snapping his wristwatch on, he reached for a blue shirt. “Look, it’s the first day of classes. I need to run. I’ll call you in a week.” He clicked off and jerked on his clothes.
The urge for strong coffee was like a siren’s call, so he headed to Don’t Soy with Me before hitting campus. Jill chatted effortlessly with the crowd of customers while handling orders and taking money with artless efficiency. He liked her. She was open and honest and a good sister.
Her smile softened when she saw him. “How are you, Tanner? Recovered yet?”
“Yep, what about Meredith?”
“Working like a fiend at the paper. Grandpa’s overjoyed.”
“I bet. Venti dark roast and a blueberry muffin to go. It’s nice to be back in food nirvana.”
“Understandable.” Jill called out his order to Jemma. “Mere’s supposed to come in before work. Maybe you should hang around.”
He handed her a ten-dollar bill. “I’ll give her some room. Any advice for my first day of classes?”
She gave him the change and slid his muffin toward him. “Don’t teach anything useless. Most of what I learned there was pretty useless.” She twisted the large yellow beads around her neck. “And don’t be boring.”
“Got it. Nothing useless or boring.” He grabbed his coffee. Realizing he was nervous, he looked around at all the students in the shop. Teaching was new to him, but he’d prepared as much as possible. But even with a plan, he didn’t have a clue what to do.
Another reason Sommerville had to go down.
He pulled up short when he saw Meredith walking across the street, her red hair waving in the wind. Her step faltered when she caught sight of him. His mouth tipped up when she straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and strode to the door. Flat out guts. Something to admire.
He sauntered toward her. “Hi there.”
She didn’t meet his eyes. “Tanner.”
“Meredith, look at me.”
She slowly turned her head. Her cheeks had flushed to the color of her crimson coat.
“I’m sorry for the other night. Are you okay?”
“Fine.” She fiddled with her buttons.
“Don’t be embarrassed. Let’s forget it ever happened.” What a lie.
“I had a panic attack in front of you. You took my bra off! Of course I’m embarrassed!” she whispered.
He nodded toward a table in the corner and walked over, hoping she’d follow.
She tugged at her white scarf. Since her efforts looked like they’d be about as successful as a novice taffy puller’s, he put down his coffee and muffin and reached for it. Her gaze flew to his.
“It’s okay. I was only going to help.”
He unwound the material, his fingers brushing her soft hair. Boy, did he like her natural color better than the blond. She was more approachable as a red head. He kept his actions brisk and efficient so she wouldn’t bolt.
“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me. Let’s be friends, okay?”
When he exposed the long slender line of her neck, she swallowed thickly. He stepped back, even though his fingers itched to touch that smooth skin.
“How about a friendly swim tomorrow? We can race each other. Maybe we can make it a morning habit.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He smirked. “You afraid I’m going to beat you?”
“In your dreams, McBride.”
“How about a little wager then?”
Her eyelids lowered to half mast. “What do you have in mind?”
“Since I’m new in town, how about a tour of the hotspots, including
The Western Independent
?”
“Grandpa would give you a tour if you asked.”
“Yes, but we’re trying to be friends. That can’t happen unless we spend time together.”
She looked away. “Tanner, I’m not sure.”
He almost reached for her. “Meredith,” he said quietly.
She studied him. “You may not win.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”
“You headed to class?”
“Yes, and I feel like a fish out of water. I’ve never taught before. Jill told me not to be boring.”
“There’s no worse offense to Jill. You’ll do fine. Talk about where you’ve been. They’ll eat that stuff up like it’s candy. You’re an unusual commodity in the department, Tanner. They’ll all want to be you.”
“Are you saying I’ll have a cult following?” He realized he was flirting with her, but he couldn’t stop himself.
“When was the last time you were around college kids?”
He scanned the shop. “Years. Most of the kids I’ve been around recently had weapons in their hands.”
She picked up his coffee and held it out. “Yes, I can imagine. Here you’ll be surrounded by green-as-grass wanna-be journalism students from fairly well-adjusted families whose main goal in life is to do what you do—or maybe be an anchorman like Brian Williams.”
He reached for his muffin to stop from grinning like an idiot. He liked this side of her, but pushing it was too risky. He needed to find the right balance. If they spent time together as friends, he’d be meeting the spirit of Sommerville’s law. Tanner didn’t have to tell him they weren’t involved. It bought him time. And he wouldn’t need to struggle with his own ethics.
“I need to run. How about a swim tomorrow? I’ll bring the Gatorade.”
She fingered her scarf. “We’ll see. Good luck today.”
He studied her for a moment longer. As he watched her, the morning sun broke through the windows, turning her hair to molten lava. His skin tightened. Uh-oh.
“Thanks. And Meredith? I will see you tomorrow.”
He waved to Jill and Jemma and headed off to class. Class?
Life couldn’t be weirder.
Chapter 14
A
month later, Tanner was no closer to getting Meredith to agree to go out with him. While they raced each other at the pool almost every morning and he ran into her at
The Western Independent
when he dropped off an article, she still was resisting hanging out socially.
She was going out with every available man in sight
but
him. She certainly wanted her story. He’d tallied three dates yesterday. Coffee with a tall, nerdy biology professor. Happy hour with a computer expert from the local Internet provider. And dinner with a divorced local lawyer.
He’d sunk to the lowest form of journalism—paparazzi. He was tailing her on her dates, keeping tabs. And feeling a little jealous. Shit.
Jill was helping him by dropping hints of where they’d be when he came by the coffee shop on his daily run. He could tell Jill wanted him and Meredith to hook up. Tonight, she’d mentioned she and Meredith were heading to Hairy’s for drinks.
No one knew Meredith’s dating spree was part of a story. The town thought she was looking for a rebound man or a sure-fire relationship with a Dare Valley guy. The matronly lady at the grocery’s checkout told him everyone thought it was so sweet.
He’d wanted to gag.
Hours later, he walked into the bar, planning on using the only strategy he had left— disrupting Meredith’s playbook.
“Hi, Tanner.” Jill skipped down the hall from the emerald green bathrooms, wiping her hands on her jeans.
“Hey, Jill. How’s it going?”
She rolled those signature Hale green eyes. “Mere’s on a tear tonight. I’ve never seen her this focused. It’s like going out with guys is her new-found religion.”
“Except for me.”
He wondered if Jill knew about the story. He snorted. Oh yeah, she knew. She’d invited him to dinner the first day they met. He chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“Life.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t say that. It makes you sound old. My
mom
says that.”
He scowled. “Any suggestions about Meredith?”
“Give her some space. If you let something go, it comes back to you.”
“She’s not a bird, Jill.”
“Are you making fun of my analogy?”
“Yep. It’s something a kid would get wrong.”
She twirled her long necklace of orange beads around her finger. “Hah. Okay, professor, I’ll take that from you, but only because your command of the English language is better than mine. How are classes going?”
“Better than expected after I took your advice. I threw out my boring syllabus and described real-life journalism to the students. Tomorrow I’m starting a section on cultivating sources and building trust. They’re eating it up.”
“I’ve heard people talking. There’s nothing better than the real deal.” She waved to a few people. “Let’s find Meredith. You need to relieve us both from hell.”
The invitation was a golden opportunity. He wouldn’t have to interrupt her unbidden.
“Why, what’s going on?” he asked.
“Ice-pick to head.” She tapped her palm to her temple. “You’ll see.”
Tanner followed Jill over to a corner booth. Meredith looked up in surprise, looking beautiful as usual in a cream-colored V-neck sweater. He moved her purse and nudged her over, pressing his thigh against hers.
Jill made the intros, and Tanner shook hands with the guy, Avery Miller. With a name like that, he’d be lucky to sprout one chest hair. He had a slight build, but he worked out. His hair was slicked up with some gel shit.
“So, Avery, what do you do?” he asked.
Meredith inched away, but the booth was narrow, and there wasn’t anywhere to go. She vibrated against his side.
“I own the cheese and gourmet store across the way.”
He gave Jill a “you’re kidding” look and decided to have some fun. “Wow. Sounds interesting. Are you into the bleu cheese craze or do you prefer the Italian classics like a good buffalo mozzarella?”
Meredith swung her head to look at him. She’d gone for dark eye shadow, which set off her arresting green eyes. Yeah, she was definitely cruising tonight.
He stared back blandly. “Hey, I’ve traveled!”
“I see you’re a man who knows his cheese.”
“Yes, I am.”
Meredith elbowed him under the table.
“I have eight bleu cheese varieties and only two buffalo. One is the classic large ball. I also sell the small balls.”
Muffling a cough to hide her laughter, Jill hid her mouth behind her hand.
“Packed in oil and herbs? Too bad they don’t serve the big balls like that. They’re tastier that way,” Tanner commented, trying to keep a straight face.
Meredith gave him a sharp kick.
“You could always marinate them yourself,” Avery suggested, oblivious to the innuendo swirling around them like the Irish flute playing over the loud speakers. Punky hair and no funny bone.
“I’d have to invite a special guest over to help with that.”
When Meredith’s leg moved in for another kick, he clamped his hand on her thigh. She jolted and muffled a shriek. He grinned, delighted she’d worn a skirt. She might not like it, but there were enough volts between them to run the Dare electricity plant. He hadn’t expected it, but there was a very real connection between them. It was time she stopped fighting it.
“I was just telling Meredith she’ll have to come over for dinner soon. A new ash-covered cheese just arrived from Naples, and I’m dying to share it. I love introducing people to new cheeses.”
Cheese tasting as foreplay? Seriously?
Since Meredith was trying to pry his hand from her thigh, he gave her leg a healthy squeeze. The muscles bunched as she clamped her legs together, framing his hand. It made him wish he could slide it higher. But he couldn’t. Not until she admitted to the heat between them.
“Well, Meredith is a woman of complex tastes.”
When she raised her gaze, the silent plea in her eyes made him release her thigh. She was attracted to him. He could wait her out.
“I need to get another beer. Jill, why don’t you come and tell me what’s good?”
“Nice to meet you, Tanner.” Avery stood. “Sounds like you’re a cheese man too. Please come by my store sometime. It’s called Don’t Wedge Me In. On Main and Oak.”
His grin was as stupid as the name of his store.
“Good to meet you. I’ll ask Meredith about the ash cheese. See if she likes it.”
He strode over to the bar. People cleared out of his way as if he were wearing a sign that said “Man Needs Beer” in bold, capital letters.
“Wow, that’s a record sprint in this crowd. I’ll have to tag along with you more often,” Jill commented at his side.
Tanner slammed his fist onto the bar. “Ash. Christ!”
“You have to admit that it’s pretty funny,” Jill said through her laughter. “Loved that smack talk about mozzarella balls. I thought I was going to pee my pants.”
Tanner studied the various beer taps, eying the evil-looking badger. He pointed to it when he got the bartender’s attention.
“The Cheese Man?” he said, turning back to Jill. “Does the woman have no taste in men?”
Jill slid him a coaster decorated with a hairy leprechaun. Talk about a sight to make the little kids drop the pot of gold and run from the rainbow.
“She’s gone out with some hot guys. See that one?” She pointed with a finger behind her other hand. “Burly guy in the black fleece? He’s a firefighter. Didn’t click. Nice guy, but not real smart. Mere likes smart.”
“Like the cheese guy?” Christ, infiltrating a Taliban stronghold for a story was easier than getting Meredith to go out with him.
“Enough with him. It won’t go anywhere. She’s only going out with him because he’s safe—and a little urbane. Mere got
real
flushed when you arrived.”
“She’s stubborn.” His beer had a nice bite to it.
“Oh, yeah. That’s a Hale trait. If Grandpa weren’t stubborn, he never would have started
The Independent
. Everyone said he would fail. And yet…” She flicked her wrist. “Here it stands.”
“Hey, Red, who’s your friend?” A younger man said, caging her against the bar.
Tanner sipped his beer, watching Jill’s eyes turn to slits.
Tugging Tanner in close, she said, “He’s my older lover.”