Page 27 of Make It Last

“Tate’s a good guy. If he says it’s good for you to stay, just roll with it.”

“Just roll with it,” I echoed, amused and overwhelmed.

Just then, reality struck. I needed everything—food, toiletries, and more.

“What do I do about food?” I squeaked.

“I’m sure Holly thought of that. But if you need anything, just tell me. I’ll go to the store and bring it back.”

“What?” I turned toward him. “Tanner, I can’t rely on you for everything. You’ve already saved my life, visited me in the hospital?—”

“I didn’t save your life,” he interrupted, turning the engine off and looking at me squarely. “You broke your ankle. I mean, yeah, it sucks. But you weren’t going to die.”

“I could have,” I said dramatically. “I could’ve gotten hypothermia on the mountain.”

“You weren’t going to die,” he said again, chuckling a little. “I’m sure your friends would’ve figured it out. Maybe dragged you down.”

A laugh bubbled up before I could stop it. “Okay, fine. Maybe I wasn’t at death’s door, but still…”

“You got hurt. Around here, we take care of each other.”

“I’m starting to understand that.” I looked out the window. “I’m not used to anyone taking care of me.”

Tanner held my gaze for a beat before he nodded, steady as ever. “Let’s see what Holly stocked you up with. Then you can decide if you need anything from the store.”

“But it’s probably out of the way,” I said.

He shook his head. “Not at all. I live two houses over.”

“You do?” I blinked.

That kiss flashed in my mind, hot and sudden. For a second, I almost leaned in and kissed him again right there in the truck, but he was giving off very “friendly, helpful neighbor” vibes in the moment.

“All right,” I said, grabbing my crutches. “Let’s get inside.”

Chris had told me I could mostly use the boot around the house, but I still needed the crutches for support. I hobbled inside, making it to the door on sheer determination and stubborn pride.

“Oh my gosh, this is so cute!” I exclaimed.

Tanner set my suitcase and backpack near the bedroom door. “It is.”

Sunshine poured in through a row of windows at the front. The hardwood floors were warm-toned with a few colorful woven rugs. A comfy-looking sectional sat against the far wall, facing a mounted TV, and the kitchen had a tidy little island and a round table tucked into the corner.

“I love it. I need to get cable turned on.”

“Already is,” Tanner said, grabbing the remote. A few clicks later, all the streaming services were loaded up. He opened the fridge and stepped back dramatically. “Ta-da.”

It was stocked with pre-made meals, sandwich stuff, veggies, fresh fruit, half-and-half, and coffee.

“Oh wow.” I pressed a hand to my chest. “Holly’s amazing.”

“Holly’s thorough like that.” He gestured toward a loft above. “You’ll need to skip that. Don’t try those stairs with crutches unless you’ve got a death wish. Bedroom and bathroom are down here, so you’re good.”

I peeked into the bedroom and was immediately in love. Cozy and bright with its own en suite bathroom. “This is amazing.”

“You’re set,” he said, checking a monitor-style heater on one wall. “That’s your heater—super efficient.”

“Oh wow.” I spun in a slow circle, a little stunned. “I really am set.”