“It did. For a bit. And then I stopped going.” Logan sounded sheepish. “Because work got too busy.”
Tanner laughed, because it was so damn typical of his brother. But at least he’d tried. “I love you, bro.”
“Ah, stop it with the emotional crap. Tell me, how is the whole employer employee thing going with Van?”
“It’s only been a couple of days. But it’s fine.”
“So it’s not just business? Oh boy.” Another whistle.
“I don’t know what it is,” Tanner admitted.
“Well, you need to work it out. Because work, friendships, and relationships don’t mix. Ask me how I know.”
“I don’t need to ask. I know your track record. How did Cam describe it?” Tanner mused, running a finger along his jaw. “Sleeping his way through the wait staff, was it?”
“Three girlfriends,” Logan said. “Three. And I made sure they weren’t kitchen staff.”
Tanner laughed. “And you’re trying to give me relationship advice?”
“I’m trying to protect you, because you’re my little brother and I love you.”
“Who’s being emotional now?” Tanner’s throat was tight, his breath captured inside.
“I’m telling you the truth, bro. Something that not many people do. When everything went down with you and Van, it broke you. And I’ve watched you fight against that brokenness, the same way you did when Mom died. If this thing… whatever it is… between you and Van implodes again, I’m not sure you’ll make it.”
The tightness in his throat felt like more of a chokehold. Tanner took a ragged breath in, feeling the oxygen inflate his lungs. “I’m not going to mess things up this time.” He couldn’t. Because Logan was right, he’d lost too much already. His mom, Van, the life he always thought they’d have. She was his best friend, his permanent companion, and then she was gone.
Just like his mom.
Logan laughed. “Take it easy. An
d don’t do anything stupid.”
“I won’t.” Tanner ended the call, letting his head fall back against the padded board behind his bed.
Logan was right. He’d spent most of his life avoiding the kind of pain he’d felt the night his mom died. And then when things went south with Van, it had come back tenfold.
But not this time. He was older, wiser, and more determined. And since he couldn’t hide himself in work, he’d bury himself in Savannah Butler instead.
Chapter Twenty
Tanner, Age 17
It had been two weeks since their kiss. She’d been avoiding him, and maybe he’d been avoiding her, too, because the awkwardness between them was palpable. On the night after the kiss he’d turned up at the drive-in to walk her home, only to find she’d left an hour earlier with a headache.
Even his brothers had noticed he was quieter than usual. Cam had caught him after football yesterday and walked home with him, obviously primed by Aunt Gina to ask Tanner if there was something wrong. And for a moment Tanner had thought about telling him.
But this was Cam, and if he told him, then soon Logan would know and neither of them would ever let him hear the end of it. They’d tease Van, too, and it would drive her crazy.
Better to keep quiet and wait for everything to go back to normal.
“Hey, Hartson, you coming or what?” Brad Wilshaw asked him. Like Tanner, he played defence.
Tanner looked up from his bag, stuffed with his dirty practice clothes. “Yeah.” He zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder, turning his back on the slatted bench that always smelled of sweat, no matter how many times the janitor scrubbed it.
“We’re heading over to the diner. Some of the girls are meeting us. You wanna join?”
He thought about Van, who was probably at home working on the English assignment Mr. Draycott had given them today.