Page 98 of Let Me Be the One

“Nah. That works for me. Usual time?”

“Yes, but don’t tell Tanner.”

Liam gave her a long look. “Because…?”

“Because he’s been keeping the horse for me, feeding him, including his care in what he pays the groom.” Making a firm decision, she said, “That should be compensated.”

“You know Tanner would disagree.”

Yes, she did know it. For now, she let that go and instead grilled Liam on everything, from the cost of keeping a horse, how to take care of it, and boarding fees in the area.

At first, she suspected he was fudging the costs, so she threatened to research it online.

Liam gave up and told her what he knew. He claimed that costs were cheaper in Hoker, because, well, everything was cheaper in Hoker. She couldn’t refute that logic.

She started to say more, but then Nell arrived. She was a lovely young woman who looked closer to twenty than not-quite-seventeen. Thick, shoulder-length dark hair and blue eyes framed by nearly-black lashes. Sheshyly introduced herself, but when she spotted Liam, she blushed.

Liam, for his part, couldn’t take his eyes off her. They were already acquainted, and obviously interested in each other. Callie almost felt like the third wheel until she remembered why Nell had stopped by.

While they went out together so Nell could check the goats, Liam hung back to tick a few items off her to-do list.

“I love your goats,” Nell said, kneeling down to greet each one, then giving them quick checks. The chickens came over to visit her too. Nell greeted them like friends, saying, “Hello, girls. How’s the feathers flying?”

Callie laughed. “My gosh, they adore you!” If chickens could purr, hers would be.

“I have this thing with animals. They’re sometimes easier than people.” Nell ended up on her butt in the mud, but she just grinned. “This is why I always bring along a change of clothes.”

“Smart,” Callie said. “Tanner told me you’re good with animals, but it’s like you’re magic or something.”

“He’s the best, right?” With the sun hitting her in the face, Nell squinted up at Callie. “You two got something going on?”

She wished. “Neighbors,” Callie said with a shrug. “That’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” Nell replied with teasing skepticism. “Pretty sure there’s more to it than that.”

“What makes you think so?”

“I don’t know. Tanner sounds different when he talks about you.”

“Oh? How does he sound?”

“Just different. I’ve known him a while now and he’s never been like that before.”

Like…what exactly? Annoyed? Interested? Frustrated—maybe as frustrated as Callie herself? She would love to grill Nell, but that would be awkward. “You know how he is. He and Kam are both helpful.”

“Oh, for sure. I swear, I think Tanner is happiest when he’s being the hero.”

“Right? And apparently, he’s heroic pretty often.”

“Allthe time,” Nell said. She let out a breath. “He’s saved my butt more than a few times.”

Callie wasn’t sure what to do with that info, so she admitted, “He’s done the same for me now, too.” Was that when Tanner was happiest? If so, that could stem from his childhood, too, when he’d so desperately needed a hero.

Then Addie had shown up in his life, so he certainly knew all about heroes and the impact they could make. She wondered if Addie fully understood the influence she’d had. Or for that matter, did Tanner even understand?

He’d had choices in life, to stay angry, to give up, or to act out. Instead, he’d taken his cues from Addie and turned into one of the nicest, most understanding and caring men she’d ever met.

While carefully checking over the renegade goat’s legs, Nell said, “I’ve seen your videos. They’re cool.”

---