Epilogue
“There you guys are,” Tanner said to Reese and Garrett, holding a blue glow-in-the-dark drink. “This is really something.” He hadn’t really paid attention to the details when Skyla was planning this event, but he was impressed with both the execution and the turnout.
“I know. Skyla did such an amazing job,” Reese said, stealing a glance at Garrett. Her cheeks were flushed, probably because the two of them had just been dancing and making out like teenagers.
Garrett grinned like a high school boy in love, hardly taking his eyes off her. “It’s been such a crazy few weeks. I’m just glad everything worked out.”
“The woman definitely knows how to outdo herself,” Tanner said, shuffling his feet. There was something he needed to tell them, but he wasn’t sure if now was the right time, or if it would keep until morning.
“What’s up?” Garrett asked. “You’re doing that nervous foot shuffle you do when you have something to say but don’t want to say it.”
Reese visibly tensed, and Tanner decided now was as good a time as ever. “Just thought you should know; I got word about an hour ago that Ryker was brought into the prison infirmary after being stabbed multiple times during a transfer.”
Garrett went still and tightened his arm around Reese. Tanner braced himself for whatever their reaction would be, but Reese just nodded and Garrett didn’t look the least bit bothered either.
Tanner knew that Reese had seen Ryker die in prison, but he wasn’t sure how knowing that it had actually happened would affect her. “He didn’t make it,” Tanner added.
“Thanks for letting us know,” Garrett said.
“Yeah, thanks,” Reese added. “How’s your drink?”
Oddly enough, their even-keeled reaction made Tanner breathe out a sigh of relief. “Everything Skyla makes is great. Best grand re-opening I’ve ever been to, that’s for sure. Skyla’s going to have a bunch of very happy and buzzed people on her hands.”
“Just the way she likes it,” Garrett joked.
Tanner barked out a laugh, taking an involuntary step back.
“Ah!” Someone yelled from behind.
Tanner spun around, splashing a neon blue drink out of a small, perfectly manicured hand. “I’m so sorry, excuse me,” he said, taking in the petite woman with curly brown shoulder length hair and thin framed glasses that totally gave him a sexy librarian vibe. “I definitely wasn’t watching where I was going. My name is Tanner. Please, let me buy you another drink.”
She looked a little perplexed for a second, then offered him an unsure smile. “Okay.”
He hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly, but he was pleased that she had. “Awesome. Come on.” He led her to the bar where a couple was just leaving their barstools. He nabbed one for himself, while holding the other out to her. “Here,” he said. “I know the owner, so she’ll come by this way as soon as she sees me here.”
The woman sat down, seeming a bit uncomfortable.
“I’m Tanner,” he said again in case she didn’t catch his name over the incredibly loud club music blasting over the speakers.
“April,” she said. “You really don’t have to buy me another drink. It was an accident.”
“I don’t mind. Besides, it will give us a chance to talk for a few minutes.”
“About what?” She gave him the once over. Twice. She was either checking him out or sizing him up. Either way, he liked the feel of her gaze on him.
“Well…” He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had actually put him on the spot like this and made him nervous. At six foot two, with a lean and muscular runner’s body, the women usually came to him. “Let’s see… you probably get this all the time, but were you born in the month of April?” He inwardly cringed at the lameness of his question. This was definitely not going to lead anywhere after a nonstarter like that.
She surprised him with a small chuckle. “I do get that a lot, and no. It’s actually a thing in my family. The first-born daughter on my mom’s side always gets named after the month her mother was born in.”
“Oh,” Tanner said. “That’s different. But wait, not all months lend themselves to names, like what happens if your mom’s born in October?”
“My cousin’s mother was born three days before Halloween, and my aunt named my cousin Candy.”
“Tell me you’re joking,” Tanner said.
“Nope, and she’s not even sweet. Kind of a b-i-t-c-h if you know what I mean. She hates her name and swears she’s going to change it one day, but I don’t think she will because… you know… tradition.” April shrugged like it was no big deal.
“Right.” Tanner knew all about family traditions. He was born and raised on a working ranch. His grandparents and parents followed many traditions that he and his sister stillfollow to this day. “So what month were you born in?” He asked, hoping he wasn’t over stepping.