Page 49 of Tanner

Miles took the plate off him and put it on the table untouched. “Go bother somebody else.”

Cody grinned. “I bothered him first. That’s why he’s here.”

“Then leave it alone.”

That got Cody to look at him properly and the grin eased. “I am leaving it alone,” he said. “He came and brought Savannah. He’s still here. That’s enough for one day.”

Miles looked past him toward the chalk by the fence. Savannah crouched on the paving stones with blue dust on her fingers while Cassie explained something important with both hands. Tanner was a few feet away with a bottle of water, his attention split between Miles and Savannah at the same time.

“Yeah,” Miles said. “I know.”

When everyone had food and the noise had settled a little, Toni walked over to where Tanner stood with Savannah. Christian was on her hip, sticky-handed and half asleep. Savannah had ended up with a slice of watermelon nearly as big as her face, and Tanner crouched to wipe juice from her chin before she could smear it over her shirt.

“She’s gorgeous,” Toni said. “How old is she?”

“Three,” Tanner said.

Savannah held up three wet fingers, which made Toni smile. She shifted Christian higher on her hip and looked at Tanner. “So, you’ve got custody of her, then?”

Miles noticed Tanner tense. He straightened too quickly and said, “Yeah.”

Toni smiled again. “You’re doing a good job.”

Tanner said something polite that Miles didn’t catch. Savannah tugged at his hand and held up the watermelon rind, and Toni’s attention shifted back to her. She smiled, said something to Savannah, then moved on after another minute.

A few minutes later Savannah came barrelling toward the drinks table with chalk on one cheek and one of the older boys behind her shouting that she’d stolen the yellow. Tanner followed at a slower pace.

Savannah stopped in front of Miles and lifted both hands. Yellow chalk dust coated her fingers. “Look.”

Miles paused, realizing he liked the fact Savannah had come to him. Miles crouched so she didn’t have to crane her neck. “That looks good.”

“I did flowers.”

“Did you?”

She nodded hard. “And a sun, but he stood on it.” She pointed accusingly at Arthur.

Arthur protested immediately. “I didn’t.”

Savannah stamped her foot. “You did.”

Miles glanced between them. “Sounds like I’m hearing two different stories.”

Arthur considered this, then shrugged. “Maybe I stood on it a little.”

Savannah appeared to accept that. She wiped her yellow hands on Tanner’s jeans before anyone could stop her. Tanner looked down at the streaks, then up at Miles.

“You’re lucky she’s cute.”

“I know,” Tanner said.

Miles laughed before he could help it. Tanner smiled then. It didn’t last long but Miles had seen it and paused to stare. Savannah darted off again the moment Cassie called her name.

Tanner watched her go, then bent and rubbed at the chalk on his jeans with a napkin that did nothing to help. Miles handed him another one from the stack on the table.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”