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“Seriously, though, the fact that you asked my opinion tells me you like her.”
Tag felt himself smiling. He couldn’t remember the last time just talking about a woman made him feel like this. “I do. She’s…” He didn’t even have words to describe how cool she was. “I can’t…”
Bering was studying him, grin as wide as the entire state. “Uh-oh.” He clapped Tag on the shoulder. “I get it, my friend. And I say go for it.”
At that moment Emily appeared, Brady on her shoulders and Violet skipping along beside them.
“Tag!” Violet yelled and waved. She galloped toward him, clutching a plastic bag in her tiny hands.
“Hey, wildflower.” He bent and scooped her up into his arms.
“I made you cookies.” Chubby cheeks glowing with a smile, she pressed the bag of partially crumbled treats into his hand. “Snickerdoodles because they’re your favorite.”
“Thank you, Vi, but you’re wrong about that. You’re my favorite.”
Tag loved how her entire body shook when she laughed. “I mean favorite cookie,” she cried.
“Oh, of course. Yes, they sure are.”
He kissed her cheek, his heart melting like it always did where Violet was concerned. Sticky fingers wrapped around his neck and just like that it reminded him how much care he needed to take with what life had dealt him. It might not be in the cards for him to have kids of his own, but nothing was more important than protecting the family that he did have. And to protect them, he needed to keep Rankins safe. Ensuring the security and happiness of his family and friends was worth way more than the sacrifice that political office would demand.
* * *
“CRIKEY, HE REALLY has it in for you, doesn’t he? What are you going to do?” Flynn sat across from Ally at a table in the hospital cafeteria. She’d just finished relaying the details of her latest meeting with Dr. Boyd.
“Nothing.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?” He stuffed another bite of cheeseburger into his mouth. “I wonder who his spy is? There’s no way Boyd could have heard about what happened unless someone told him, right? The conversation wasn’t documented?”
“No, not the specifics. What about that nurse, Nicki?”
“I don’t know…” Flynn tapped a finger on the table and stared out the cafeteria window. “That seems too obvious. And if it was her, why wouldn’t he have summoned you sooner? I feel like it almost had to have wound through the rumor mill.”
“Good thought. But any of the family could have innocently repeated snippets of the conversation, too.”
“True. But I don’t think so. What are you doing this weekend? You wanna go fishing or hiking or something? I need to get out of here for a while.”
“Sure, but that depends on when and where. I have plans on Saturday.”
“Something fun?”
“Hope so.” She waggled her eyebrows at him. “Date.”
“You haven’t even been here two weeks, and you already have a date? I want a date.”
“Yeah, and you’re not going to believe who it’s with so I’m just going to tell you it’s Tag James.”
Flynn brought his chin up like she’d smacked him in the jaw. “Really? I thought you didn’t like him.”
“Turns out I was a little bit wrong about that.”
“Wow. Ally… Do you know how old he is?”
“Oh, no… Not you, too? He’s all twisted up about it. Thinks I’m too young for him.”
“Well, what is he, like, forty?”
“Thirty-eight. You think he’s too old for me?”
“I don’t know… I’m feeling all kind of big brotherly here or whatever.”
“Aw, Flynn.” Ally put a hand over her heart. “I am so touched, but it’s not like we’re engaged. It’s just a date.” Even though thinking about him, talking about him, looking forward to seeing him made her jittery in a way she’d never felt before. Anticipation didn’t seem accurate here. It was more like excitement on steroids.
“But it’s not just a date, Al. Every time we choose to spend time with another person in a romantic way it means something. Unless you’re, um, focused solely on the physical, it’s like an interview for a life partner. And you need to be sure an age difference like this wouldn’t get in the way of what you want, or what he wants, for that matter.”
