Jade narrowed her eyes at the back of Cash’s head. “Be more original than calling me Red, asshole.”
Returning Cash’s half hug, Melanie slid her arm around his waist and patted his back. “I appreciate the support. I’m a bit nervous, but I just need to get used to my new normal.”
“And you need to rest,” Tanner interjected. “Cash, get your hands off her.”
Cash didn’t release her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “He’s territorial when it comes to what’s his,” Cash whispered in her ear.
Territorial? His?
Melanie didn’t want to be anyone’s property. She’d been down that road and it had nearly ruined her. She still carried the scars.
Part of her mind knew Cash was just using a figure of speech, but the other part fully feared she could slip back into that role of a secondary character in her own life story. She had to remain in the lead, damn it.
Being pregnant put her completely out of her realm of knowledge. How did she keep Tanner in the baby’s life, but at a safe distance from her own?
“Don’t be stubborn,” Jade chimed in. “Just let Tanner take you home. I’ll hang here for a bit longer so you two can talk.”
“But—”
“We’ll make arrangements to get your car home,” Cash supplied. “I think Red and I can get along enough for that.”
Melanie wasn’t so sure, but she was so ready to get home, and if Jade thought she needed rest and to trust Tanner, then she’d go. Why was her mind such a jumbled mess lately? Why had everything she’d worked so hard to become suddenly morphed into the woman she used to be? Second-guessing every decision was the old Melanie—and apparently the pregnant Melanie.
“Let’s go,” she conceded. “I smell like smoke and I’m in desperate need of a shower and clean clothes.”
She said her goodbyes to her friends and headed toward Tanner’s truck. She wanted to protest when he got the door for her and assisted her up, but she knew picking on every single thing would just be petty. He was trying to help, he was trying to do the right thing and be there, but Melanie couldn’t help but wonder how long that would last. When she got fat, would he still be there? When she was in labor, would he hold her hand? Would he take care of their baby so she could rest when she’d been up all night?
At what point would Tanner be done with her?
Chapter Six
I’m working on myself for myself by myself.
—Mel’s Motivational Blog
She was going to make him fight this relationship—or whatever the hell they had going on—every step of the way.
Tanner waited while Melanie took a shower to rinse off the smoke. He told her he wanted to talk, but hell if he knew what he wanted to talk about. All he knew was that he didn’t want to just leave her. He’d had a hell of a night trying to get a twenty-five-year-old mother of two and her children to safety. She’d been hesitant, especially when the kids started crying and were confused as to why there was a stranger trying to get them to leave.
Such a dramatic change in their lives, but necessary if they wanted security and safety. Tanner had held the weeping toddler in his arms while his partner had talked with the mother.
He’d taken longer than he’d originally thought, but as much as he’d wanted to get to the cookout and see his friends, see Melanie, that family had to come first. Then he’d felt guilty because he’d created his own family and they would have to come before the job.
So now he was waiting for Melanie to finish up because he hadn’t seen her for a couple of days, and damn it, he just wanted to. He didn’t want her to believe he’d just ditched her or their friends tonight. At some point he’d have to let her know a portion of what he was doing. Melanie deserved to know she wasn’t coming in second.
For years, he’d been married to his job, but all of that would have to change and his priorities had to shift. Somehow, he’d figure everything out. Too many people needed him—whether they admitted it or not—and he wouldn’t let them down.
Tanner had no idea what was going on between Melanie and him. The passion they’d shared hadn’t stopped, at least not on his part. He still desired her just as much—no, more—than before the pregnancy announcement.
Speaking of announcement, he’d have some explaining to do to Jax and Cash when he saw them again. Knowing his nosy cousins, they’d show up at his house tonight or first thing in the morning.
No doubt they’d want to discuss his feelings and rehash the past. There was no need to state the obvious parallel circumstances. He knew this was going to be hell on his nerves for a while, but perhaps the doctor visit on Monday would help alleviate his fears somewhat.
Tanner took a seat on the new leather sofa. This house was Livie’s childhood home, and she’d done some sprucing up when she’d originally intended to sell the place.
Livie, along with Jade and Melanie, had come into town when Livie’s father had passed. He’d willed his old airport to her and Jax. Of course, those two hadn’t seen eye to eye on anything, and Livie had been hell-bent on getting in and out of Haven, keeping her emotions out of the equation.
That had gone straight to hell when she and Jax fell in love and Livie started playing mommy to Piper. Now they were all gearing up to renovate the run-down airport, making it into something grand and luxurious for higher-end clientele.