Page 37 of Shelter for Tanna

“Oh, yeah. He needs to know who he’s dealing with. We won’t be intimidated by his ass.” God, if he’d actually said that to Quyen, he’d be dead, and he knew it. That big Asian wouldn’t take shit off them, but at least Wayne looked badass in Beau’s eyes, if only for a moment.

They had to find that car. But first, they had to get another ride, and Wayne knew just where to find one.

* * *

For the rest of the day, anywhere Tanna went, she watched everything going on around her. She never saw the car, and she was thankful for that. Several times she felt as though she were being watched, but she knew that could’ve been paranoia. Still, the idea that those two scumbags were looking for her, even though they didn’t realize it, scared the shit out of her.

By the time she got home, she was a nervous wreck. Daniel had already packed a bag, and he was helping Max pack. That wasn’t going very well. The younger Hilliard was being very uncooperative. He’d announced to his brother that he wanted to wear the same clothes all weekend and he only wanted to pack PEZ dispensers and toys in his duffel. “Clothes first, then toys,” Tanna instructed. “And if you give me trouble, I won’t bring any candy with me for the weekend,” she assured him. That got results, and quickly too.

It only took her a few minutes to pack. She didn’t have much, just jeans, tees, underclothes, and socks. A couple of pairs of pajama pants were added to that. It was a sure thing that Braden had tees she could add to the pants to sleep in. She didn’t really own any slippers, and the only shoes she was taking were the ones she was wearing, her athletic shoes. After throwing a couple of pairs of fuzzy socks in the bag to wear in the house, she decided she’d done all she could do and carried her bag to the front door. Daniel’s was already there, and Max was finished just a few minutes later. Even though they didn’t want them, she made the boys take their jackets and she took hers too. It was supposed to get a little nippy that weekend, so it wouldn’t hurt to have something warmer.

On the drive over, Tanna wondered what they’d be doing all weekend. Would they go out to eat? Would Braden have stuff there for her to cook? Would he cook? Would they have a bunch of frozen stuff? She wasn’t sure why she was wondering about those things. None of it mattered. All that really mattered was them all being together, and she was excited about that, not to mention the idea of the nights she’d spend in Braden’s bed.

That evening would be it?the night they’d finally find out if they were compatible in every way. So far, things had been good. The feeling of him up against her in bed was something she could enjoy for the rest of her days. That night when he’d weighed her breast in his palm and whispered, “Mine,” had been electrifying to her. If he could do that with a simple touch, what could he do with his… Tanna shut that down. She couldn’t afford to think about that all evening. The boys would get suspicious, and she’d be embarrassed, and…Shut up, Tanna, she heard herself scold in her head.Stop thinking like some sex-starved slut.Who the hell was she kidding? Shewasa sex-starved slut. Okay, maybe not a slut, but definitely sex-starved. And those thoughts of hers were definitely slutty.

“Mom? What are you giggling about?” she heard Daniel ask.

“Nothing.”Holy shit, Tanna, keep it together!her brain screamed, but she knew she was still grinning like an idiot. Barring any unforeseen complications, most likely named Max, she was getting laid! Was it sad that she barely remembered what it was like? Yeah, but who cared? She had this feeling she’d remember quickly enough, and she hoped she could satisfy him. That was all that really mattered to her.

Her little car turned into the long driveway and Tanna grew more hopeful. It was getting dark, and the lights were on all over the house, even in the upstairs bedrooms. Was he getting everything ready for the boys? The thought made her smile. Somebody besides her loved and cared about her kids. That was amazing to her, amazing and heartwarming. They’d had only her long enough. It was time they had someone else they could depend on, and she knew if they had Braden, they’d have his family too. That was more than amazing. It was comforting to her to know they’d have family. They hadn’t had anyone except Nita for a very long time, and she hoped she could draw her young friend into the fold. All Nita had was her mom and her sister. What if they could become family too? The thought made Tanna’s eyes fill with tears as she pulled the car up to the house and shut it off.

The door opened instantly and Braden’s big frame filled it as he ambled across the porch and down the steps. She couldn’t help the huge, goofy smile that slashed across her face as she opened the door and he approached her. “Hey! Glad you’re here! I missed you.” Before she could answer, he leaned in and kissed her squarely on the lips.

“Ewww!” Max yelled.

Daniel was laughing loudly. “Get a room!”

“Hey, I’ve got something to show you guys! Come on!” Braden turned and bounded up the porch steps, both boys on his heels.

“I’ll just… get… your bags,” Tanna called after them, but she wasn’t angry. It was good to see them so excited.

Stepping into the house, she could see them at the top of the stairs. “Mom!” Daniel called out. “You’ve gotta see this!” She dropped their bags and made her way up the stairs to see what all the fuss was about.

“Look what Braden did!” Max yelled and pointed. There, at the top of the stairs, was an apartment-sized refrigerator. “Look in here!” He opened the door and Tanna smiled. Inside was a six-pack of bottled water and three packs of snacks, one of gelatin dessert, one of pudding, and another of fruit. “Food, Mom!” the younger boy bellowed.

“Yes, Max, I see! And look?plastic forks and spoons!” she said almost reverently, pointing to the two tumblers on top of the refrigerator and their white plastic contents. Next to the tumblers sat a roll of paper towels. “You’re all set!”

“Yeah, this way you don’t have to come downstairs to get a drink or a little snack, although these snacks have to last all weekend. If you eat them all the first night, you won’t get more. Do you understand?” Braden asked, staring intently at Max.

“Yes, sir. I understand. Not all at once,” the boy said with a nod.

“Good. You’re a smart young man. You get it, I’m sure. Daniel will help you if you have trouble opening any of them. Right, Daniel?”

“Of course. Which room is mine?”

“Would you mind if Max picked which one he wants?” Braden asked, and Daniel shook his head in agreement. “Max, which room do you want?”

The boy ran from one door to the other, then pointed at the blue and gray room. “This one!”

“Okay, that one it is. Is the other one okay, Daniel?”

He nodded. “Sure. It’s fine. I think I like it better anyway.”

“Good! Now, there are hangers in the closets and nothing in the dresser drawers, so make yourselves at home. I think anything you could need is in the bathroom except for your toothbrushes, and if you forgot them, there are some of those in there too. So help yourselves, but share nicely,” Braden warned.

“Yes, sir. Not a problem,” Daniel assured him and headed down the stairs to get his bag.

“Can you get my bag, Daniel? Please?” Max called down, and Tanna was shocked. Maxneversaid please, and yet he had in that moment.

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