Page 86 of 12 Months of Mayhem

Diamond pulled me into a hug. “You’ve got a whole village, Maddie. Even if one really tall, gruff piece of it seems to be MIA.”

We left the office together, waved at Bonnie and Drew as we made our way out the front door. I was still holding the figurine when Diamond gasped behind me.

“Oh. My. God.”

I turned with my brows furrowed. “What?”

Then I saw him.

Tank next to my car.

He looked exactly the same. Huge. Tall. Broad shoulders under a plain tee and worn leather jacket. His jeans were dusty and his boots scuffed. And in his hand—

A bouquet of flowers.

“I, uh, I think I forgot something…” Diamond stammered. She reached out and grabbed the elephant figurine from my hand. “I’ll give this back to you after you and biker boy figure out your shit.”

And then she spun around and disappeared back into the station.

Leaving me alone. With him. And the gas pumps.

I took a breath and started walking toward him. I stopped a few feet from where he stood.

“Hey, mama,” he said.

God. Those two words. My undoing.

“Hello, Tank.”

He nodded toward the station. “I see your friend’s back to work.”

I nodded.

“Uh, it’s good to see you.”

I nodded again. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because it was all stuck in my throat.

“Are you gonna make me grovel, mama? Because I can. I just need to know where your head’s at.”

I smiled despite myself. “My head is at… I haven’t seen you for a week. After we, you know… had sex.”

He nodded. Like he felt every bit of that distance, too.

“So my head is wondering what you’re doing here now.”

He let out a breath. “I should’ve come sooner. I just… had to get my head straight. I told you about me, Maddie. I’ve never stayed in one place long enough to put down roots. I’m always on the move.”

I crossed my arms. “Which is why I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you moved on. After you got what you wanted.”

He winced. “I did get what I wanted. But it took me a week to admit that I want more.” He stepped closer. His voice lowered. “A whole hell of a lot more.”

My heart flipped in my chest. “More what?”

“You,” he said simply. Then he gestured toward the station. “That. Your life. And anything that comes with it.”

“My son,” I said.

He nodded. “If you want to let me in on that part of your life… I like you a whole hell of a lot, so I figure I’m about to be best friends with your son.”

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