“No. Don’t ever apologize for loving my son with so much fervor. It’s the most any mother could ever want for her child. And knowing he feels the same way about you just makes it that much more perfect.” She reached down and squeezed Bree’s hand where it rested over Tanner’s.
“It’s still his choice,” Bree said. She wanted to make sure he knew he had options.
Mrs. Dempsey nodded. “And we’ll make sure he understands that. Tanner always knows his own mind. He knows what he wants. You’ll see.”
SHEWASRIGHTthere next to him when Tanner opened his eyes the next day.
The doctors assured them it would happen, that he was showing more and more signs of alertness, but until she actually saw those brown eyes looking at her, Bree had not been able to escape the weight that had seemed riveted to her chest.
“Hey, freckles.”
And with those two words the weight was gone.
“Hey, hot lips.” She reached over and kissed him on them.
He barely made it through talking to his family before falling back asleep, but he was awake again just a couple of hours later. By the next day, he was complaining about the food, and they all knew he was back for good.
Whitaker came by to take Tanner’s statement. Hewas working with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department since so many of the crimes were tied in together. Whitaker asked Bree if she’d be willing to wait outside the hospital room so her testimony wouldn’t become tainted by Tanner’s version and vice versa. She’d already given her written statement but might have to give one verbally in the future.
Tanner hadn’t wanted her to go, but Bree hadn’t wanted to relive those details right then anyway. She’d just gotten Tanner back and awake. She didn’t want to think of his still form lying so bloody in her arms again.
She told him she would head to her apartment to take a shower and be back.
While she was there, she looked around. Moving in with Tanner would be such a huge step emotionally, but such a small step physically. It wouldn’t take her long to gather up her belongings—after years on the run, she was never going to be a pack rat.
She hadn’t been lying to Mrs. Dempsey. There was nothing she wanted more than to be with Tanner. But she only wanted to move in with him if that was what he really wanted, too.
When she got back to the hospital, Whitaker had left, and Cassandra and Mrs. Dempsey were back.
And Tanner was angry.
“What happened?” she croaked, rushing to Tanner’s side.
His arms snaked around her hip and pulled her down onto the bed next to him.
Cassandra rolled her eyes. “The big baby is mad because the doctor said he couldn’t leave tomorrow. He has to be here at least another day.”
“And I told Tanner that I’ve already got his old room at the house ready for him. I’ve got my schedule cleared,and I’m ready to wait on him hand and foot as long as he needs me to.” Mrs. Dempsey looked pointedly at Bree. “I wanted him to know he has options and can stay wherever he wants.”
Bree swallowed the ball of worry in her chest. This was what she’d asked Mrs. Dempsey to do. To make sure he knew he could do what he wanted.
She looked at Tanner. “That all sounds good to me.”
His face was scrunched into the most adorable pout she’d ever seen. “First, I don’t want to stay in the hospital anymore. The food has not gotten any better since I was here the last time. You would think with all the technological advances our society has made, they could make hospital food more palatable.”
She fought not to smile, which was even harder when Cassandra let out a dramatic sigh.
“Just one more day,” she whispered to him. “I’ll sneak you in food.”
“Fine,” he said. “But here’s the rest. I know it’s not fair arguing this with you when your voice doesn’t work, but it’s the only chance I have against that big brain of yours anyway.”
“What are we going to argue about?”
His hand tightened on her hip. “I want you to move in with me.”
“Okay,” she said instantly. “To help you.”
He shook his head. “No, hear me out. I want you to move in with me, not as some sort of nursemaid, although I’m sure I’ll need a little help for a couple weeks. I want you to move in with me and stay there. Long after the doctor clears me, I still want you there, waking up with me every morning and going to bed with me every night. This isn’t about you being my caregiver or me being your bodyguard. I want you with me, freckles.I love you, and I’ve wanted you with me from the moment I first saw you shoplifting in that drugstore. If you’re not ready, I’ll wait. But if you are, there’s nothing I want more than having you with me every single day.”
