His grin widens. “Yeah, but if you don’t have passion, what’s the point?”
As much as I try to think of a reason, nothing comes to mind. Tanner flashes a triumphant grin and I roll my eyes. “Come on, let’s get your crap out of the Jeep.”
Chuckling, Tanner follows me outside to his Jeep. The weather is perfect for February in North Carolina. Then again, it’s always finicky in the winter. One day it can be seventy degrees, and the next it could snow five inches. Today, however, is one of the warm ones. I’m taking full advantage of it.
“What’d you see in him anyway?” Tanner asks as he grabs one of his boxes.
Reaching in, I grab one as well and hold it to my chest. The words living room are written on the outside of it. “I guess we had a lot in common. We spent a lot of time together and it just made sense to see where it could go.”
I meet his gaze and he nods. “I can understand that.”
We take the boxes inside and I set mine down in the living room while he disappears upstairs. Everything has already been brought into the living room; all brand new by the looks of it. There’s a couch, a recliner and loveseat, all in dark gray leather along with a unique wooden coffee table with live edge sides. Tanner has really done well for himself. I’m impressed. His house is absolutely gorgeous.
Tanner makes his way downstairs as the movers walk in and out of the house, carrying things in left and right. I start for the door and we walk out together. “So, tell me about all your women in California? You’re a hot guy. I’m sure you had plenty of them.”
He laughs and reaches in his Jeep to grab a box. “Sure, there were plenty. Nothing serious though.”
I grab one of the boxes that has kitchen written on it. “No special someone you left to come here?”
“Nope,” he says, shaking his head, but then winks. “Can’t say I didn’t break a few hearts when I left though.” I can totally see that.
“I bet,” I laugh. We carry the boxes inside to the kitchen and finish up bringing in the others. While I start unpacking the kitchen contents, the movers take Tanner away so they can show him everything they’ve done. I can’t wait to see what all the rooms look like once they’re set up. As long as I stay away from Tanner’s bedroom, I’ll be fine.
Tanner walks into the kitchen and smiles. “Everything looks good. There’s really not much I have to unpack. Most of my stuff I had brought in brand new.” He nods down at the box of kitchen utensils. “Well, other than that. My mom was adamant that I take it.” The box was full of spatulas, serving spoons, and about a dozen whisks.
Giggling, I hold up one of the pink whisks. “Yeah, she did the same thing to me and Ellie when we went to college. I love your mom.”
He laughs along with me. “Why she packed me a pink whisk, I don’t know. I’m not going to use that shit.”
I shrug. “I love whisks.”
His eyes twinkle. “Then you can use it when you visit me.”
Pulling out all the different whisks, I find them a place in one of his drawers, making sure to keep from looking in his hypnotic blue eyes. I’m going to get myself in a shit ton of trouble if I do. “Now that you’re back, what do you think you’ll do with your time besides work?” I ask, meeting his gaze quickly before starting on the spatulas. “I know you like to surf, but you can’t really do that here in Raleigh.”
Letting out a deep sigh, he turns to the window, overlooking the lake. “No, which sucks ass, but the beach isn’t too far away. I plan on buying a couple of jet skis to sit out there with my boat. I’m sure I’ll find other hobbies to occupy my time.”
He glances at me over his shoulder. “What about you? I’m sure drilling and pulling out teeth isn’t all you do.”
“God, no,” I reply with a laugh. “Although I do love teeth. It was either that or a doctor, but I can’t handle blood spurting out of a body or anything like that. A little blood in the mouth is perfectly fine.”
Looking disgusted, Tanner shakes his head. “Don’t see how you do it.”
I shrug. “It’s fun.”
He walks over and grabs my wrist before I can pull out the serving spoons. “What’s fun is not unpacking this mess right here. Come on, let’s go out to the dock. We’re probably not going to have another seventy-degree day like this in a while, especially in February.”
I peer over at the sun shining through the window and give in. “Okay, let’s go.”