“It was my second home as a teenager,” Van told her. “Along with…” She swallowed hard. Zoe wouldn’t even know who Tanner was. She wasn’t even born when her and Tanner’s friendship ended spectacularly. “Anyway, it was a nice place to spend time when I didn’t want to be at home.”
Zoe caught her eye, as though she knew exactly what Van meant. “I’ve been spending a lot of time at the library since Craig left.”
“The library’s cool, too.” God, Craig had a lot to answer for. “Here’s the boo—” Her words stopped abruptly as she stopped in front of her favorite seat, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the two people already sitting on the familiar red-and-white benches, her heart flailing wildly against her ribcage.
Tanner Hartson. When was the last time she’d seen him this close up? A decade ago? On the rare occasion she’d caught sight of him since, on those unlucky days when they were both visiting home, she’d managed to cross the road and keep her distance.
What the hell should she do? Say hello? She swallowed hard, taking in his dark, thick hair, raked back from his face like it always was, tapering down to the nape of his neck. His shoulders were wide, his broad chest stretching the thin knit of his sweater. And then there was the dark shadow on his strong jaw which made him look older. Sexier. No longer the boy she remembered, but a man now. One that could take her breath away if she let him.
Becca was the first one to recover. She looked up at Van with a smile. “Hey, I heard you were back in town. How are you doing? That can’t be Zoe. She’s so grown up.”
Somehow Van managed to form a smile on her lips. She always had time for Becca. She’d been like a little sister to her growing up. “I’m good,” she said, keeping her gaze away from Tanner. “And yeah, this is my sister, Zoe.”
“Hey, Zoe. You probably don’t remember me. I’m Becca Hartson.”
“Are you Gray Hartson’s sister?” Zoe asked.
Becca nodded. “That’s right.”
Zoe’s eyes lit up. “That’s really cool. Me and my friends love his music.”
“And this is Tanner, one of my other brothers.” Becca nodded her head at him. “I promise you he talks sometimes.”
Tanner swallowed hard, his prominent Adam’s apple undulating against his throat. “Hi, Zoe.” His smooth, dark voice made the hairs on the back of Van’s neck stand up. Awareness washed through her like the ocean across the shore.
Zoe nodded at him.
Then he was looking right at Van with those piercing eyes, and she felt a shot of electricity pulse down her spine.
“Hi, Van. You doing okay?” he asked softly.
She nodded quickly. “I’m great. How are you?”
“I’m good.” He gave her the ghost of a smile and it jolted a memory in her mind. Of the day everything changed. She swallowed down the bitter taste of it.
“Do you guys want to join us?” Becca asked them, gesturing at the booth. “There’s enough room for all of us.”
Tanner’s dark, assessing eyes met Van’s. She felt a jolt of alarm shoot through her.
“Thank you, but not this time.” As though there’d be a next time. “I haven’t been in town for long. Zoe and I have a lot to catch up on.”
“That’s a shame.” Becca was still smiling, as though she had no notion of the atmosphere dancing around the booth. “Maybe I’ll see you soon. Are you going to chairs this Friday?”
“Chairs?” Van wanted to laugh. “You guys still do that?”
Chairs was the name the folk of Hartson’s Creek gave to their weekly gatherings by the creek. Every Friday night they’d congregate in their front yards and on the grassy field along the water, bringing food and drinks to share. The old folk would sit in the chairs and gossip, while the younger ones played flag football or dangled their hot feet in the cool creek.
“Every Friday between April and October.” Becca grinned. “You should both come. It’ll be good to see you.”
“Mom doesn’t like Chairs,” Zoe s
aid softly. “She says there are too many gossips.”
Becca laughed out loud. “Your mom’s right about that.”
Van put her hand on Zoe’s shoulder, ready to steer her to another booth. One far away from this one. “We should go and put our order in,” she told them, flashing the briefest of smiles. “I’ll see you both around.”
“I hope so.” Becca beamed brightly. Tanner, she noticed, said nothing.