Page 18 of Tanner
CHAPTER8
Tanner watched the guests’ and his family’s reactions to the food served that night and knew he’d lost.
Emily was here to stay unless she did something really stupid. No one had wanted to hear his excuses that they needed to fire her. From what he’d heard from the diners, Emily was not going anywhere. Tanner was the one who needed to learn to deal with the fact that he slept with the cook.
Desiree walked up to him. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and Emily, but let me just tell you, she can cook. Our guests were raving about tonight’s dinner.”
Standing back, he watched as the staff cleared the tables. Tonight was the get-to-know-you dinner with dancing afterward. Even the family joined in. Normally, he went to his cabin.
“So are you going to tell me how you know her?”
“No,” he said, thinking this was not something you shared with your family. Already he feared it would be getting out. Too many people had figured out what happened.
“Okay, then let’s play Jeopardy. I’ll take old girlfriends for one hundred.”
“I’m not answering,” he said.
“How about military girlfriend for two hundred.”
“Has anyone ever told you how irritating you can be?”
“Sure,” she said. “But I don’t pay them any attention. How about previous sex partner for five hundred?”
He turned and glared at her, trying to keep his face from changing expression. His cousin was not a dumb woman, by any means.
Her brows lifted and her mouth formed a perfect “oh” expression. “Double jeopardy!”
“Aren’t you supposed to be starting the dance tonight since Travis is on his cruise?”
She ignored him and continued to blather on about Emily. He should have done what his cousin Joshua said and just waited until they were alone to confront Emily, but then he’d tried that today with no luck.
“If it makes you feel any better, I really like Emily. She’s smart and cool and a really great cook,” Desiree said. “Does she cook as good in bed?”
Closing his eyes, he shook his head. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Is she spicy and sweet and good enough to eat?”
“Desiree,” he said exasperated. “In about five minutes, I’m going to walk out that door instead of helping you. Is that what you want?”
With a sigh, his cousin shook her head. She reached out and touched his arm. Most of the time, he would jerk back, but today it didn’t bother him and he wondered why.
“Oh, Tanner, Sunday when you returned, I saw glimpses of the old Tanner. The happy-go-lucky man who was easygoing and not so strained and afraid. And then Emily arrived and I could see the panic on your face. The war is over. Bring back my cousin.”
If only he could. The war still raged in his mind, only it came back whenever he became stressed or filled with anxiety. He just wanted it to go away permanently. To never experience an episode of the war again.
Didn’t she realize that he wanted to go back to being that fun guy who liked to laugh and tease and flirt? Somehow he’d lost himself in Iraq. Somehow he felt like that person no longer existed.
“Time to start the dancing,” he said in response.
Desiree went out to the center of the floor. The tables were all neatly stacked in place, with chairs along the wall for people to sit and watch.
Travis always did this and this was Desiree’s first time.
“Welcome, everyone,” Desiree said, “we’re so glad you’re here. And wasn’t that an excellent dinner tonight from our new chef Emily Young? We’re so excited to have her on board with us. We’ve got a fun-filled week planned for all of you. But tonight is about getting to know everyone and a dance party. My cousin Cody is our DJ. Put in your requests with him. So dust off your dance slippers and let’s have fun tonight. First up is the chicken dance.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled Tanner out to do the polka with her. Just what he didn’t want to do, but as soon as he could, he’d be walking out the door and going to his cabin.
When the song ended, they walked off the floor together.