4. TANNER

4

TANNER

I woke up at the crack of dawn, the dregs of sleep still tugging at me, but nerves twisted in my stomach. I wasn’t going to be able to sleep again.

I got up and got dressed, pulling on the khaki cargo pants with all its pockets, a sweater, and a fur coat over that.

I had my knife on me and a gun holstered at my lower back.

My plan wasn’t to shoot anyone if I didn’t have to, but there was no telling who could jump out from behind the trees.

Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to face-off with a mountain lion or a bear, either.

It was careless to wave a gun around, but it was stupid to go out into the mountains without one.

The sun was barely cresting over the mountains when I made my way toward town. My cabin, nestled deep in the woods, had everything I needed to sustain myself, but today I felt an itch—a pull that tugged at my soul I couldn’t just ignore.

It had been days since Rae had shown up out of the blue, and she was all I could think about. Her face, her voice, the way she looked at me with a mix of anger and something else. Something that stirred old memories and feelings I’d buried deep.

Fuck, I had to stop thinking about her. For all intents and purposes, she didn’t exist in my life anymore.

But then, she was here . And I hadn’t seen her at all.

If she’d come for me, would that have been the case? Or had she left again to tell whoever the fuck had sent her that I was here?

The crisp morning air bit at my skin, waking me up more effectively than any coffee, and I marched along. The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or the call of a distant bird.

My mind was a loud, screaming, rumbling mess. It was a stark, frantic contrast to the pace around me.

Rae.

She was back, and my questions, all unanswered, only added to the gnawing unease in my gut.

Silver Ridge came into view as I emerged from the forest. The town was just waking up, the streets still mostly empty, with only a few early risers going about their morning routines. The familiar sights and sounds of Main Street greeted me—the clink of dishes from Millie’s Diner, the creak of rocking chairs on porches, and the distant hum of a tractor down the road.

If she was here, where would I find her…?

I made my way toward Garrison’s General Store, my footsteps quiet on the cobblestone path. The store was a cornerstone of the town, a place where everyone came to buy their necessities and catch up on the latest gossip. Hank Garrison was usually behind the counter, ready with a joke or a story, his bushy mustache twitching with every word.

But he’d mentioned not too long ago that he might get someone in for help, and maybe, if I knew Rae at all, that was what she would jump at. The chance to earn some cash while she was here. Plain and simple, with no paper trail.

A lot about her might have changed but no one changed their ways of survival, and we’d both learned how to stay under the radar.

Rae getting a job wasn’t a good sign. I didn’t know why she was here. If it was for the wrong reasons, I didn’t want her to settle down.

The bell above the door chimed as I stepped inside. The store was warm and smelled like freshly brewed coffee. The narrow aisles and tall shelves created a maze toward the back of the store.

I scanned the store, searching for her. I spotted Hank at the register, chatting with a customer. He gave me a nod and a grin, but I barely acknowledged him. My attention was focused on the woman stocking shelves near the back.

Rae.

She was dressed in jeans and a simple sweater, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She moved with grace, swaying her hips, but I didn’t miss the tension in her shoulders, her eyes flicking toward the door every few seconds. When she saw me, she froze, the can of beans still in her hand.

I walked down the aisle, pretending to browse, but my gaze never left her. Her reaction to me was like a physical force, an electric charge that crackled in the air between us. Her presence drew me in, a force I couldn’t fight despite the warning bells going off in my head.

“Morning,” I said casually, picking up a jar of peanut butter and inspecting the label.

Rae’s eyes narrowed, and she set the can down with a little too much force. “What do you want, Tanner?”

“Just picking up a few things,” I replied, keeping my voice even. “Thought I’d see how you’re settling in.”

She snorted, folding her arms across her chest. “I’m fine. Not that it’s any of your business.”

I shrugged, trying to ignore the way my heart pounded in my chest. “Maybe it is my business. You showing up here out of nowhere… it raises a few questions.”

“Questions?” She raised an eyebrow. “Like what? My being here has nothing to do with you.”

“Are you sure about that?”

She rolled her eyes and went back to stocking her bean shelf. I didn’t walk away. I should have, but I couldn’t. I was glued to the floor, staring at the way she moved. After all this time, nothing had changed. She still had that effect on me, paralyzing me and charging me with an electric current at the same time.

“What do you want, Tanner?” She sighed when I didn’t leave. She looked at me over her shoulder. “Beans? Am I in your way?”

I shook my head. “I just want to know what you’re doing here.”

“Not looking for you, if that’s what you’re so worked up about. I have bigger fish to fry than you.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. If she was in some kind of trouble… I went into protective overdrive right away.

“Like what?”

“Why would I tell you that? You left, remember?”

I opened my mouth to answer her, but it wasn’t that simple.

“You don’t get to pretend like you’re suddenly so interested in my life now.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I leaned against the shelf, crossing my arms as well. “I’m just trying to understand why you’re here. In Silver Ridge, of all places. We can’t both use the same safe house.”

“Maybe I’m just trying to live my life,” she shot back. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Considering our history, yeah, it is.” I kept my voice low, aware that Hank was watching us with curiosity from the counter. “You didn’t just stumble into Silver Ridge, Rae. No one chooses this place unless they’re…” I glanced at Hank again. “We’re not like these people. Small-town doesn’t fit. So what’s really going on?”

She bit her lip, her eyes flicking around as if searching for an escape route. “Maybe I have my own business to deal with.”

“Or maybe you’re running,” I mused. The look on her face, fleeting as fuck, but I didn’t miss it, told me I was right. That same protective instinct kicked in. If she was in trouble, I had to do something about it. “Running from what? Rae?” I leaned in closer. “Or should I say, from who ?”

Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, I saw the old Rae, the fire that burned so bright; if you got too close, it could consume you.

“It’s none of your business,” she snapped.

“It is if it’s bringing trouble to my doorstep.”

“Don’t worry, my life doesn’t involve you at all anymore. You’re safe from me. You won—you left me far enough behind in your past that this has nothing to do with you.”

I nearly flinched at her words. It fucking hurt knowing what I did to her. I had to protect her. I wanted to protect her now, too.

Even if I’d given up the right to.

“Just tell me,” I said.

“I could ask you the same thing, Tanner. Why are you hiding out here in the middle of nowhere? What are you running from?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words died on my lips. She had me there. I was hiding just as much as she was.

“From me?” she asked, her voice small and the question so soft it was almost inaudible.

My heart twisted.

Shit.

“Rae…” I wanted to tell her she was the last thing I wanted to run from. She’d been everything, and whatever feelings for her I’d thought I’d managed to squash were still there. The moment I saw her again, they flared up as if they’d been there all along.

I just couldn’t tell her what had really happened.

My reasons were buried deep, tangled in a web of guilt and regret I wasn’t ready to unravel.

We stood there in a tense silence, the air crackling with her anger, heavy with my guilt. Finally, I broke eye contact, grabbed a random item off the shelf and headed to the counter. “I guess we all have our secrets,” I muttered.

“Yeah,” she said softly, her voice barely audible. “I guess we do.”

As I paid for my items, I couldn’t help but glance back at Rae. She was already focused on her task with a determination that spoke volumes. Whatever she was running from, it was clear she wasn’t going to share.

Maybe it was better that way. I had my own problems. I didn’t need to add Rae to the pile. Hell, I’d thought I’d dealt with that when I’d left the first time, leading the drama away from her.

I hadn’t thought she’d end up at my door again.