Page 37 of Tanner (Dirty Misfits MC 5)
But when we pulled into the suburban neighborhood where she had surely partied hard at her sleepover, I found myself growing nervous.
“It’s okay,” Summer said as she patted my knee. “Just take some breaths for me.”
I drew a long one in through my nose as we pulled into the driveway. “All right, we’re here.”
I looked in my rearview mirror and saw Porter and Cole parked at the entrance of the neighborhood. Summer kissed my cheek before she got out and walked up to the front door, and she didn’t even knock before a lanky little girl ripped the door open.
And jumped into her arms.
“Mommy!”
It was like hearing heaven sing for the very first time. I heard my daughter’s voice and the entire world came to a grinding halt. I watched her smile and I suddenly had no other purpose in life than to keep her smiling so long as I was alive.
And as they walked back toward the car, I caught a glimpse of her gorgeous emerald eyes.
Eyes that she had inherited from me.
“Who’s this?” Cheyenne asked as they opened the side door.
I waved softly. “Hey there. I’m Tanner.”
My daughter looked at me curiously. “Mom?”
Summer climbed into the passenger’s seat. “He’s a friend of mine, sweetheart. I’ve got some car issues going on right now, so he’s been sweet enough to drive me around today.”
Cheyenne didn’t take her eyes off me, though. “Are you dating my mom?”
Summer gasped. “Chey!”
“What!? It’s a valid question.”
I chuckled. “Just a friend. For now, at least.”
Summer shot me a look as Cheyenne buckled herself in. And without another word spoken, we inched out of the driveway. I rode by Porter and nodded my head before Cole pulled out and eased themselves behind us.
But when we took a right out of the neighborhood instead of a left, the questions started.
“Where are we going?” Cheyenne asked.
Summer turned around to face her. “Surprise! You’re going to go to Auntie Sloane’s for a little bit.”
Chey gasped. “Really!? I’ve been begging you for months and we’re really going!?”
Summer giggled. “Happy birthday, princess. I’m really proud of the young woman you’re growing into.”
Chey pumped her fist in the air. “All right! She makes the best cornbread ever. Oh! I bet I can get her to make her chili. Would you like her chili? Or would you rather have her pasta alfredo?”
I hummed. “Oh, I miss that alfredo sauce she used to whip up.”
I felt Summer’s eyes boring into me as Chey stared at me through the rearview mirror. “You know my Auntie Sloane?”
I chuckled. “I’ve known your mother and your aunt for some time now. I went to high school with them.”
And that seemed to calm Chey down. “Oh! That’s awesome. I’ve always wondered if the friends I have now will be the friends I keep for life. That’s really cool, Mom. Why hasn’t he ever come over to hang out? That’s what friends do, after all.”
I peeked over at Summer. “Yeah, that’s what friends do.”
She pierced me with a look before she shook her head. “You two are peas in a pod, you know that?”
Chey snorted. “Maybe that means we should be friends, too.”
My heart melted with pride. “I’d like that.”
We drove in silence for a while, but about an hour into the trip Cheyenne got talkative. I liked it, but I could tell it was wearing on Summer a great deal. And I could only imagine what all she had gone through with raising Chey for the first eleven years of her life.
So, I took the reins.
“I hate that the show is ending, though. It makes me really sad. I think me and my friends are going to all get together and binge-watch the show before the last episode comes out. You know, to really appreciate it.”
I furrowed my brow. “Are you talking about Supernatural?”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s my favorite show of all-time and they’re on the last season now.”
I nodded. “I was shocked when they announced that it would be the last season.”
She gasped. “You like Supernatural, too!? Mom can’t watch it. She thinks it’s too scary.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Still not a Halloween fan?”
Summer clicked her tongue. “There’s haunted house Halloween and Hocus Pocus Halloween. You and Summer are the former, and I am the latter.”
Chey barked with laughter. “She’s so crazy, right? I think it’s all in her head.”
I chuckled as I kept my head on a swivel, looking out for danger along the highway we traveled. “You know, I’ve been working on a little side project whenever I’m not actually working. I’ve been fixing up a car that looks just like Dean’s in the show.”
Chey balked. “You’re joking. Is it the same color!?”
I nodded. “It is for now, though I’m thinking about changing it up a bit. I’ve always loved the color combination of red, black, and gold.”
