“I didn’t think you’d actually book that trip,” he groans. “You’ve always hated anything to do with the outdoors, and when I brought it up, you laughed.”
“I thought you were joking, and you’re wrong. I actually love the outdoors.” Okay, love might be the wrong word, but still. “I’ve had the best time.”
“Cybil, we’re all worried about you. You’re staying with a man you don’t even know, and—”
“Ha!” I snort, cutting him off. “That’s really funny, coming from you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I was with you for years, Galvin. You were one of my best friends, and I obviously had no idea who you were.”
“That’s not true. You knew me. You still know me.”
“You didn’t tell me that you were actually in love with someone else, or that you might also like men. I’m pretty sure I didn’t know you at all.”
“Things with Chris were complicated, and I was scared that—”
“You lied. You dragged me into your lie without giving me a choice in the matter. I mean, how long would you have let it go on for? How many times did you sleep with Chris when you went to visit him? Did you even care how I would feel?”
“I know I messed up.”
“You did.” My stomach churns at the fact that he didn’t deny sleeping with Chris.
“Jade said you weren’t mad at me.” Concern fills his tone.
“No, what I said is that I don’t hate you. And I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still really fricking pissed off at you.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I still love you; that hasn’t changed. I just . . . I just couldn’t marry you.”
“Well, thank you for doing one thing right.” I let out a deep breath. “If that’s all, I need to go,” I say, annoyed with him for calling me about Tanner and mad at myself for feeling bad about being angry with him.
“Cybil—”
“Bye, Galvin.” I hang up before he can say more; then my coffee cup is taken from my grasp and warm arms wrap around me, pulling me into a sweaty chest.
“Your ex?” Tanner asks as my arms go around his waist, and I rest my cheek on his chest.
“Yes.” I nod, closing my eyes. “He talked to Jade and wanted to call and warn me against staying with a man I don’t know,” I say, more annoyed than I was yesterday at hearing the same thing from Maisie and Jade. I just wish they would trust me, trust that I can make decisions for myself.
“That was nice of him.”
“Super nice,” I agree sarcastically while leaning back to meet his gaze, catching his grin before his expression turns speculative.
“Are you okay?”
I don’t know if it’s the softness of his tone or his fingers massaging the base of my neck, but I realize the tension I was feeling just seconds ago is gone. Completely. “Yeah.”
“Good.” He lifts my hand between us so he can inspect my wound.
“It’s feeling a lot better today,” I assure him as he kisses near the stitches and rests my hand against his chest.
“I need to shower and make a few phone calls, but after I’m done, how about we head into town for breakfast?”
“That sounds good.”
“I shouldn’t be more than an hour.” He leans in to give me a swift kiss; then, when he leans back, his eyes roam my face. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Positive.”
“Okay.” He lets me go with one more kiss, this one on my forehead, before he heads down the hall toward his bedroom.
When he disappears out of sight, I take my coffee out onto the back deck along with my phone and go through my emails. I’m happy to see I have more than thirty orders waiting for me to process when I get home, along with over a dozen new reviews and messages from people who’ve gotten their new bags while I’ve been away. By the time I’m done checking all my social media accounts and replying to texts from friends, forty minutes have passed, so I head inside to get ready to spend the day with Tanner, trying not to dwell on the fact that my time here in Montana already seems to be passing too quickly.
Wearing high-waisted cutoff jean shorts, a washed-out rock-and-roll tee, a thin floral-print shrug, and wedge sandals, I hold on to Tanner’s hand like a lifeline as he leads me to a table in the Root, a small restaurant tucked against the side of a mountain on the edge of town. With most of the patrons dressed casually in jeans and T-shirts, including the man at my side, I’d think my bohemian style and wild mass of wavy hair would draw curious looks from the people calling out hello to Tanner as we pass. But I have a feeling it’s something else. It’s like they’ve never seen him with a woman, which would surprise me, given how amazing he is. It also makes me wonder if my assumption is true.