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CHAPTER22
Emily finished putting away the leftover breakfast food. The guests had enjoyed her eggs benedict and pancakes for those who didn’t like the first choice.
This morning she’d never been happier. Last night had proven to her that she loved Tanner. She’d finally accepted that though she would have never planned to get involved with a military man again, life had put them on a path together, and she accepted the challenges that his PTSD would bring.
Together they could break this curse he was afflicted with, and she had no fears of the future. In time, when he was ready, he would ask her to marry him and she would say yes. It was all a matter of timing. Finding the right opportunity when they both felt comfortable pledging to spend the rest of their lives together.
This morning before she went to meet with Rose Burnett, she had baked Tanner’s favorite cake. She had the time this morning and she wanted to do something special for him.
After she poured the strawberry gelatin over the cake, she topped it with whipped cream and then placed fresh strawberries on top. It was gorgeous. There was one for the guests and one she’d made just for him.
He deserved it after he’d saved her last night.
She would place it in the cooler and let it sit for several hours before she served it tonight.
Until then, she hummed as she cleaned up the dishes. So far, she was glad she’d made the move to Texas. The heat was daunting, but as long as she had air conditioning, she was all right.
The door to the kitchen swung open and Tanner came marching in. The glint in his eyes was dark and angry. Something was wrong.
“Good morning,” she said, smiling at him, wishing her hands were not in soapy water so she could kiss him, try to ease the tension she saw in his face.
“We need to talk.”
“All right,” she told him, drying her hands.
Pacing the kitchen, he glanced at her.
“I’m ending it.”
“Ending what?” she asked, wondering what had him so agitated. Had the meeting with Aunt Rose been that bad?
“I’m ending us,” he said, glaring at her.
Astonished, she sank back on her heels, feeling like the world had just turned upside down.
“Why?”
Her chest ached. This had been her fear, her nightmare.
“You and me, it was a big mistake.”
Shaking, she turned to him. “What has happened to make you act this way. Last night you…”
“You need to leave,” he said, glowering at her.
Something had to have happened to make him act this way. They were back to her leaving again and that just irritated the hell out of her.
“Please, Tanner, tell me what happened. I thought that we were falling in love,” she said.
For a moment, his eyes lightened, and then he shook his head.
“No. Everything was a mistake. You were just a fling that lasted way too long. Get out, go away. Go back to Colorado. You don’t belong here. I’m never going to have anything to do with you ever again. I will do my best to get you fired. Anything to make you leave.”
A rush of pure white anger filled her. She glanced around the kitchen where she had hoped to spend a lot of time and realized that, no, she couldn’t stay. Obviously, something had happened and he wanted her gone. Now. Today. And she couldn’t stay if she loved him and he hated her.
“As it is, my Aunt Rose has suspended me for two weeks because of you.”
“Me? What did I do?”
