“Thanks, Daddy,” Faith said, taking the tray from him. Everyone reached for a cup of tea. Faith poured some milk in hers. Pam took a sugar cube. April drank it plain, letting thearoma of chamomile surround her as she inhaled the scent deeply.
“Are you close with your mom?” Pam asked.
“I was. But last year, I had to put her into an assisted living facility for people with dementia and Alzheimer's. Her condition has steadily progressed, so she doesn’t remember me anymore. I call the nurses every few days to check on her, but I don’t talk to her anymore because she has no idea who I am.”
“That’s awful,” Faith said. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine. But hey, you can always borrow my mom. She’s got enough love for everyone.”
Pam smiled, her blue eyes, so much like Tanner’s, shining from that endorsement from her daughter. An unexpected pang of jealousy mixed with gratitude filled April’s heart. As much as she missed having friends, it was no secret that she missed having a mom in her life more.She’d never been close to her dad, since he spent most of his time out in California with Casey and her mom. April was the oops baby that came about after a six-month affair her parents had while her dad was traveling to Arizona for work. It wasn’t until she moved out there for school and to be closer to Casey, whom she’d idolized, that she got to spend any real time with the man. And by then, they’d just been two strangers who never really bonded. After he died of pancreatic cancer three years later, April honestly hadn’t thought of him much. Only when Casey would bring him up.
“Thank you,” April said past the knot in her throat. “And thank you so much for opening your home to us and letting us stay here.”
“Are you kidding?” Pam asked with a grin. “With my parents taking the year to cruise around the world, things were getting a little too stagnant around here for my taste. The secret to a good marriage and a good life is a little bit of mystery, and a little bit of action.”
“Are you saying that April and Violet’s troubles are the key to your happiness, Mom?” Faith gawked.
“Of course not, don’t be silly. But while some people turn a blind eye to other people’s troubles in the hopes that it will pass them by so they won’t have to deal with it, your dad and I are the opposite. We prefer to face any troubles head on.”
“Mom, I think Daddy put a little something extra in that tea of yours tonight,” Faith said. Pam laughed, and April couldn’t tell if she was joking or not, but she didn’t much care about the reasons why these wonderful people opened their home and heart to her and Violet. The point was that they had, and she would be forever grateful and indebted to them for it.
The screen door opened then and Tanner came out. His sleeves were rolled up, and his hair a little mussed from the day. But he still looked as handsome as ever. They hadn’t done much more than kiss and make out since meeting, but April couldn’t help licking her bottom lip, wondering if now that they’d be living in the same house, if maybe something more would happen. She wasn’t sure if he wanted it to, but she definitely did. And then another pang of guilt seared right through her - she still had to tell him about Violet.
“Everything okay, Sweetheart?” Pam asked Tanner.
“Perfect,” he said, his gaze locking with April’s for a long moment, just long enough to make her belly feel like there were fireflies dancing around in it. “We cleaned everything up and started the dishwasher. Just thought you’d want to know it’s after eight.” He said that with a nod at Faith.
She smiled back, already starting to get to her feet. “Sienna, Honey, it’s time to say goodnight. It’s already past your bedtime, and you still need a bath. Good thing tomorrow is a holiday, so no school.” Then she turned to April. “Let me go grab some clothes and stuff for you and Violet before you go. I have somethings I haven’t even taken the tags off yet. Just consider them a welcome gift.”
“Thanks,” April said, but she intended on paying Faith back as soon as she could.
A few minutes later, Faith returned with a bag of clothes and some toiletries, and then it really was time for them to go. Still, despite both girls having already gotten a full hour of playtime, many grumbles and hugs goodnight followed. Violet was excited to meet her new best friend tomorrow for breakfast and more playtime, and April happily agreed to watch the girls while Faith went into the office for a few hours.
***
“We’ll save the extended home tour for the morning,” Tanner said, not missing how Violet had nodded off in the backseat of his truck during the short drive to his house.
“She’s had a long day,” April agreed. “Thank you, by the way. For everything. Your family is incredible, and Sienna is as wonderful as you said she was.”
“Violet was really good with her. For a kid who hasn’t been around other kids her own age, she’s a natural.”
“Were you worried?” April asked, that familiar sense of guilt making its way back to the surface.
Tanner shrugged. “Worried isn’t the right word. I just wanted Violet to be happy here. I wanted her to feel safe enough to relax and play.”
“Me too.” April couldn’t believe how she and Tanner were so much in agreement with what really mattered.
“Because I knew it would put you at ease,” Tanner finished. “I’ve watched Faith be a mother long enough to know that she’s not happy or settled unless she knows that Sienna is. You maynot be Violet’s mom, but you’re the closest thing she has to a mom, so yeah, I knew it would be the same for you.”
“You don’t miss anything, do you, Detective Rhodes?” April inserted a bit of sass into her tone, and Tanner raised an eyebrow, making her smile.
“Not when it comes to you. Or the little girl currently dozing off in my backseat.” A horse whinnied in the distance, and April turned to see if she could see where it was. She’d never been on a ranch before. All the sights and sounds were so new to her. “Have you ever gone horseback riding under the moonlight?” Tanner asked.
“No. I haven’t even ridden a horse since I was a little girl,” April admitted.
Tanner glanced at her with fire in his eyes, making her giggle a little like a schoolgirl. The way this man made her feel should be illegal, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. “We’ll wait a bit,” he said, pushing a stray hair back from her face. “Make sure Violet is all settled in. When she has her first sleepover at the main house with Sienna, I’ll take you out on Zeus.”
“Zeus?” April asked.
Tanner nodded, not moving his gaze off her. “You’ll understand the name once you see him. Now, let’s get you and the princess inside.”
