Page 4 of Home Run

“Yup.”

“Huh, good for him,” I replied, spearing a raspberry with my fork.

“That was a fun day, wasn’t it?”

I glanced up to find him grinning at me again, his eyes dancing in amusement. This was the Tanner I was so familiar with.

“What was?”

“You’re thinking about the ice-skating, aren’t you? Specifically, our special moment.”

Our special moment.Also known as Tanner getting down on one knee in the middle of the ice, tugging on my hand, and proposing in front of a crowd of people who all cheered us when it was over. I remember him peering up at me with a smile I wanted to slap off his face. It was the same smile he was wearing now.

The same infuriating smile that popped into my head uninvited whenever it felt like it.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help laughing. Especially when I remember being so annoyed.

I picked up a slice of bacon and crunched down on it. “I wasn’t. No.”

“Yeah, you were. I know it.”

I shook my head. “Aren’t you bored yet?”

“Of what?”

“Trying to get my attention.”

“I’d never get bored of that, Mills.” He broke off a corner of waffle, scooped a dollop of whipped cream onto it, and dipped it into the maple syrup. “But I like it when you smile instead of cry.”

His words were so sincere I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. Annoying Tanner had made a deliberate appearance to distract me from my morning, and because he knew I’d been too annoyed to keep crying.

I didn’t know what to do with this version of Tanner, the one I could bear to share coffee and breakfast with, and talk to about my dad, so I carried on eating until I couldn’t possibly eat any more. Tanner had already taken one of my waffles and half my bacon, but there was still a ton of food left on the plate when Giuseppe came to clear them away.

“Sorry.” I smiled sheepishly. “It was all delicious, but I truly couldn’t eat another bite.”

“He never expects anyone to finish their food, don’t worry. It’s his challenge.” Tanner grinned. “Come on, let’s drop your things at yours and you can change, then we’ll go back to mine for a movie afternoon. Hol brought her new one. You can bring your box if you want,” he added, and it was hard to tell if he was being serious.

“Sure, thank you. If you don’t mind? And thank you for breakfast. I really needed that,” I added honestly.

“My pleasure.”

It took twenty minutes of driving to get over to my dorm at Columbia. Something had happened during the space of time we’d eaten breakfast, and not just the rain letting up. The entire journey Tanner was behind the wheel, I was trying not to stare at the subtle flex of his forearm with each turn, or why I found it so hot when he steered with his palm around each corner. Or my surprise at the plain white face with black Roman numerals and navy leather straps of his watch. I figured he’d be a chain-link Rolex Daytona type of guy. But my dad had been a watch guy, and while the Audemars Piguet on Tanner’s wrist might look understated, I knew he wouldn’t get much change from fifty thousanddollars.

“Why’s it so quiet here?” he asked as we drove along the road up to my housing block.

“It’s the summer break, no classes.”

“But you’re still living here?”

“Yeah, we wanted to stay in the city. Radley can go to all the home games, and she’s working at the bookstore. Plus, it’s easier because Secret Service has a permanent base.”

“Oh, cool.” He nodded, pulling into a space directly outside, and turned to me. “You meant to sayyouwere coming to all the home games, too, though, right?”

I couldn’t stop my smile. “Yeah, of course. My mistake.”

“Thought as much.” He reached for the door handle. “Okay, you get your box, I’ll bring the rest.”

“You don’t have to help, I’ll take it up and run back.”

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