Be with Me (Return to Haven 2)

Tanner flipped him the bird and headed toward the door. “Neither of you shared anything, you were too busy trying to get inside my head.”

“Stay and have a beer with us,” Jax invited. “I promise we’ll stay out of your head.”

“He’s lying,” Cash countered. “I want to annoy you some more.”

Tanner shook his head. “I’m out.”

He headed through the side entrance and around the mess of metal they’d removed from the exterior outdoor patio area. They’d managed quite a bit of demolition, and Tanner knew this place was going to look a whole lot worse before it got better. The renovations would take months, but in the end, the women’s vision seemed to be huge and could be a total game changer for the tiny town of Haven.

Jade had been on to something when she’d tapped in to the fact that the film industry was coming in and out of parts of Georgia nearly all the time. With the taxes on the movie and television industry so low in Georgia, it was no wonder so many things were filmed here.

And the way Bella Vous had exploded onto the scene, pulling in so many women from literally all over the country, Tanner had a good feeling about Jax and Olivia’s airport.

The thought of Bella Vous had Tanner taking a slight side trip to the women’s only resort and spa. Liam Monroe ran the kitchen at the place and had recently opened a bakery. Tanner’s side trip before heading home would be the perfect surprise for Melanie.

She might not like the way he pushed, but he wasn’t backing down. Not when the chemistry was so great, and he was set on proving to her that he was in this forever.

Wait. Forever? Is that where this was going? Raising a baby was one thing, but going full force as a couple was entirely different.

Tanner pulled into the side parking area of Bella Vous and shot a quick text to Melanie to meet him at his house later. Even though they were going to Thanksgiving at his mother’s house tomorrow, he wanted to see her tonight. Maybe the more time he spent with her, the more he could gather his thoughts and sort these jumbled up emotions.

One day at a time. That’s all he had to keep telling himself. Between the anxiety and the worry, he was a mess. But keeping on top of his feelings was the only way to conquer this period in his life.

His cell vibrated in his hand and he thought for sure it would be Melanie responding, but one glance and he stilled. His boss on the private security detail he’d been working on had set up another time and place to go in and extract a woman and three children.

Tomorrow. Thanksgiving. Fabulous.

Tanner raked a hand down his face and battled an instant war with himself. He’d already hit the point of having to choose his work or his family.

Damn it.

He set the phone down without a reply and weighed his decision. There were plenty of men on the team, and Tanner had never missed a rescue, but he wanted to be there. That pit deep inside him that kept him going from one job to the next gnawed at him. He had to save anyone he could. There was a need inside him he couldn’t explain.

But on the other hand, he also had other obligations he didn’t have before. Melanie had to come first above all else, and tomorrow should be about family and his mother meeting Mel.

By the time this baby came, Tanner needed to reorganize. He’d been loyal to his career. Hell, he’d been married to his job for so long, but now he had to take a step back and truly work on time management and make sure his personal life was taken care of first.

Ignoring his phone, Tanner headed into the bakery entrance of the women’s resort. The old pre–Civil War era home had been done up to reflect the time period. It was no wonder women flocked here year round. And the story of three brothers opening the place to honor the memory of their late sister didn’t hurt in drawing the crowd, either.

As soon as he stepped inside, the aroma of pastries assaulted his senses. The glass cases were filled with everything a person could want. This was definitely a sweet tooth’s fantasy.

“Hey, man.”

Tanner smiled as Liam Monroe came out of the back, wiping his hands on a towel. The once mysterious Monroe brother had truly come out of his shell now that he’d married Macy, and was pretty much forced to work with the public here at Bella Vous.

So much had changed for the Monroe brothers and this home, in such a short amount of time. Tanner sure as hell wished the same success for Jax and Livie and their vision for the airport.

“Haven’t seen you in here since the bakery opened to the public.”

“Thought it was time I came by and saw what all the fuss was about,” Tanner replied.

Liam rested his arms on the top of the case. “We’ve been busy, that’s for sure. What can I get you?”

The wedding ring on Liam’s finger glinted in the light. Tanner was thrilled Macy and Liam had found each other. They were perfect together and Tanner figured Macy had a hand in keeping Liam in town when he’d wanted to be anywhere else.

“What do you recommend?” Tanner asked, glancing through all of the options. From the looks of the full trays, there wasn’t a bad option. Sugar and icing? Yeah, not a bad option at all.

“The éclairs are always a hit. I just made an apple spice cupcake, which is seasonal, and I have pumpkin tarts. There is a cinnamon pumpkin bread I’m getting out of the oven soon, if you want to wait around for that.”