Justice Healed

by Olivia Jaymes

  He turned to find Abby and her new fiancé, Fenton Jacks. Abby was a tiny woman with short dark hair and a nice figure, even after two children. Fenton was a few inches under six feet with a soft middle. He wasn't a bad looking man. Tanner had even heard women say Fenton was handsome. But he had a perpetual smirk on his face that made Tanner want to smack it off.

  Fenton had bought a small ranch about eight months ago. As far as Tanner could see, the man was a city slicker who didn't know one end of a cow from the other. Fenton's enthusiasm for small town life seemed suspect since he liked to brag about living all over the world. He also seemed flush with cash. Something else that made Tanner suspicious. Small ranchers were rarely rich.

  Tanner nodded. "Abby. Fenton." Tanner looked down at his jeans, western cut shirt with silver bolo tie, and his dress cowboy boots. "No, I'm not on duty. Emily wanted me to meet Tyler tonight."

  "Fine young man," Fenton boomed. Heads swiveled toward them. "We had him over to dinner the other night."

  Of course you did, you smug bastard.

  Fenton and Abby always made sure to let Tanner know how much Emily and Chris, especially Chris, liked Fenton. Tanner made a mental note to call Logan in the morning and see if he'd turned up anything with his investigation. Tiny pinpricks stabbed the back of Tanner’s neck. This guy simply was not legit. It didn't mean he was doing something illegal, but he wasn't on the up and up either.

  Abby placed her hand on Fenton's arm. "We liked Tyler. He seems like a good boy."

  "I'm sure he is." Tanner looked over their shoulders for an avenue of escape. It was all cordial at the moment, but it could turn on a dime.

  "I saw Chris today," Abby said.

  Apparently the cordial part of the evening was complete. Tanner’s shoulders stiffened but he kept his expression bland.

  "How is he? I haven't seen him in a few days."

  Since I let him out of jail for drinking and fighting two weeks ago.

  Abby's lips pressed together. "He's lost his job at the Hogan ranch. This is the third in the last year."

  Tanner's hopes plummeted. Logan and Sam were right. What Chris needed was some tough love. Fast. "I hope you didn't give him any money, Abby. You're only enabling him to keep drinking and losing jobs."

  "He has a wife and a baby, Tanner. I had to do something," Abby insisted.

  "No." Tanner shook his head. "Chris needs to do something. He needs a trip to rehab."

  "You never needed rehab." Abby waved away the suggestion. "You stopped drinking and Chris can, too. He just needs someone to help him."

  Tanner didn't like his ex-wife talking about his drinking problem in front of her future husband. He also wasn't thrilled with how she characterized his struggle. Apparently he'd made his twenty-year love affair with the bottle look like a day at the fucking park. He remembered it very differently. The withdrawal alone had been physically excruciating.

  "Getting sober can only be done when he really wants it. If he doesn't, it's doomed to fail."

  "He wants to," Abby insisted. "He promised me he's going to stop drinking. Stacey told him that if he didn't stop drinking she was going to leave him."

  Personally, Tanner thought that was a good idea. Chris wasn't seeing all the things he could lose with his self-destructive behavior.

  "I hope he means it this time, Abby. He's said those things before."

  "He means it this time." Fenton puffed out his chest. "Besides, he has me to watch over him now. He's going to come work on my ranch. Things are going to be fine."

  It was all Tanner could do not to knock that smug smile off of Fenton's face. He was implying that Tanner hadn't been up to the job of parenting, but Fenton had everything under fucking control. Tanner gritted his teeth and seethed inside, but tried to appear outwardly calm.

  "Don't cut him any slack, Fenton. Don't baby him. He needs to quit drinking and learn some responsibility."

  It appeared that Fenton wanted to say more but divine intervention was kind. The Eisleys interrupted with a question for Abby about the quilt she was making for their soon-to-be-born granddaughter and the four of them ambled off to find the bar. Tanner exhaled slowly, trying to let go of his anger. He shouldn't let Fenton and Abby wind him up that way. He knew better.

  He refilled his cup of punch and found his attention pulled to the dance. Madison Shay had just walked in with her friend, Sherry, and Sherry's boyfriend, Dan. Madison didn't appear to have an escort and she looked slightly uncomfortable standing there, her smile strained.

  But she looked beautiful tonight. Tanner remembered her as a gangly kid with long legs and freckles. This woman was a far cry from the child. She wore a white knit dress with a high neck and long sleeves, belted at the waist. It showed off the subtle curves of her slender body, and the red suede boots accented her long legs. She'd left her hair loose and it hung down almost to her waist in fiery curls and waves.

  Holy crap, it was hot in here. Tanner ran his finger under his collar. A blast of cold air was just what he needed instead of standing here salivating over a lovely lady. He'd been too long between women. Tomorrow he might want to think about calling that widow he'd been seeing in the town over. She was always happy to hear from him. He headed for the entrance and a breath of fresh air but then realized he would have to pass right by her to step outside.

  Sherry's eyes lit up and she made a beeline straight for him, tugging him over to where Dan and Madison were waiting. "Sheriff, it's so good to see you tonight. I had no idea you would be here."

  The way Sherry was eyeing him gave credence to Madison's story about being fixed up with each other. He simply couldn't figure out why Sherry had chosen him. Madison was way out of Tanner's league.

  "My daughter convinced me. She wanted me to meet her new boyfriend."

  "That's so sweet. I haven't seen Emily in a long time," Sherry said.

  "She spends most of her time in Billings but she comes here to visit once every couple of weeks. She's going to art school."

  Dan chuckled. "Good for her. I can't even draw a stick figure. I'd love to have a talent."

  Sherry linked her arm in his. "You do have talent, babe. The kind they don't teach in school."

  Tanner laughed and Madison turned pink at the innuendo. It intrigued Tanner to see a woman as beautiful and sexy as Madison act so innocent. It made her seem fresh and unspoiled compared to the women he'd dated lately. He tended to gravitate toward females who were also divorced and didn't want a man around full time. The care and feeding of the male animal wasn't a part of their future plans.

  A Trace Adkins song came on, and Sherry clasped Dan's arm and squealed with delight. "I love this song. Let's all go out and dance." She turned to Madison with a huge smile. "You remember how to line dance, don't you?"

  "Kind of," Madison replied, clearly not as enthused as her friend. Sherry patted Madison's shoulder. "Just follow us. It'll all come back to you." She started tugging Madison and Dan toward the dance floor. "Sheriff, you're coming too, right?"

  Tanner was about to make his excuses and head outside when he saw Abby and Fenton by the front door. He didn't want to run into them again tonight. A quick glance toward the food buffet and he could see Marilyn Cedars scanning the crowd hopefully. She'd been widowed about a year ago and was looking for a new daddy for her five uncontrollable children. Tanner had his own issues without taking on five more. Make that six, if you counted Marilyn herself who chain-smoked and chewed her gum like the MGM lion. Discretion was the better part of valor or some shit like that. He dutifully followed Madison, Sherry, and Dan to the dance floor. As long as the steps weren't fancy, he could fake it.

  Thirty minutes later he'd danced to several songs alongside Madison. She'd stepped on his boots a few times in the beginning but she moved with a natural grace he couldn't help but admire. She also had a self-deprecating sense of humor that made him smile. Damn if she wasn't the most attractive woman he'd met in a very long time. A sultry, slow song started, the lights going
dim. Tanner looked down at Madison's pretty face and threw caution to the wind.

  Fuck it.

  He was ready to admit that he liked her and was attracted to her. She was too damn young or he was too old, but he enjoyed her company. They had things in common and she was pleasant to be around. He held out his hand.

  "Dance?"

  Her eyes widened and she looked ready to bolt for the exit. He was ready to slap himself upside the head thinking a woman like her would want to dance with a guy like him when she gave him a tremulous smile and placed her hand in his.

  Instant electricity.

  A zing went up his arm that jolted his entire body. He enfolded her into his arms and they began to gently sway to the music. He could smell the flowery scent of her shampoo and feel her heart beating against him. He closed his eyes and let his cheek rest on her forehead while the warmth of her body seeped into his skin. A simple dance had never been this good or this right. Her body fit his as if the good Lord had made her just for him.

  Right there and then he decided. He was going to pursue Dr. Madison Shay. Heaven help her, he was a man on a mission with the first woman he'd truly liked in years.

  Hopefully he wouldn't screw it up.

  * * * *

  Madison didn't want it to be this good, but Tanner's hard body so close to hers felt like heaven. He was solid and strong, and she let herself lean against him as they moved to the soft ballad. It was all over too soon and the song ended note by note and the lights came up, harsh and blinding to her eyes. She quickly pulled away as if she'd been burned. In a way she had. He was the bright light and she was a moth, helpless to the attraction she felt for him. She'd thought she'd been above all of the nonsense until their slow dance. Her body was on fire just being close to him.

  But she'd seen what happened to moths and she wasn't planning to let that happen to her. She stared at the floor and mumbled a thank you before turning on her heel and heading straight for the foyer and then out the front door. The cold air hit her like an icy wall, freezing her in her tracks. Her breath came in frosted pants and she wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the bitter February weather.

  She should have headed for the ladies room, but as usual, her mind hadn't worked correctly in the presence of a man and now she was probably going to get hypothermia. She quickly calculated her probable blood alcohol level after a glass and a half of wine and used that to predict how long she had before she would freeze to death. Not long. She needed to figure out how she was going to sneak back in, get her coat, and find a ride home. Walking home in this weather wasn't an option, and Sherry and Dan were having too much fun to abandon the party and drive her anywhere.

  She rubbed her arms and almost jumped as something heavy was laid across her shoulders and a warm male scent surrounded her. She whirled around and Tanner was standing there, his brows knitted together.

  "You'll freeze out here." He tugged the front of the coat together and his fingers brushed the sensitive flesh of her neck, sending sparks through her body. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. He must think she was a total idiot.

  "You don't have a coat." Her voice came out as a mere whisper.

  Tanner shrugged. "The cold doesn't bother me. Besides, I'm not wearing a dress."

  She licked her dry lips, not sure what to say. She never knew what to say to a man, especially a man as attractive as Tanner.

  "Thank you." This time her voice sounded normal, but he still had that puzzled expression on his face.

  "Maddie, have I offended you? I'm sorry if I have. Did I get too familiar on the dance floor? You hightailed it out of there pretty fast."

  He thought he'd done something wrong. Madison shook her head. "You didn't do anything. It's me. I'm all wrong."

  His frown deepened. "How are you wrong? I don't understand."

  Madison took a deep breath. "The dance was nice. I just don't know how to talk to a man or anything."

  "You do a pretty good job talking to me."

  She realized with a start he was right. He was easy to talk to. It still didn't mean she wasn't a failure though. She struggled to find the right words. "I like being with you. It's just that when it comes to romantic situations, I've never had much luck."

  He regarded her steadily and she felt the heat creep under her skin. She'd said it was romantic and he probably wasn't thinking that way at all. What a mess. Madison wanted to throttle Sherry about now. She knew well Madison's awkwardness with the male species.

  "I haven't either, Maddie. I'm divorced so I failed at marriage. I've dated but haven't met one woman who captured any real interest. Until now."

  Her heart beat a tattoo in her chest. "You mean me?" She barely pushed the words out.

  This time he smiled. "Yes, you. You seem surprised. I was thinking you wouldn't be interested in me because I'm so much older."

  "You're not that much older than me. I'm thirty."

  "I'm forty-four. I'll be forty-five in a few weeks. I have two grown kids. Is that a deal breaker?"

  "No." Madison shook her head. "What would be a deal breaker for you?"

  He stroked his chin. "Addicted to drugs, alcohol, or shopping. I don't like cigarettes much but could tolerate them. Law abiding is a must, of course. Other than that, I'm pretty flexible."

  He wasn't asking all that much. "What if I told you I'd never had any luck with men? At all."

  "If you've dated a lot it doesn't bother me, if that's what you mean." Tanner shrugged.

  "No. I mean I haven't had any luck. I've had twenty-six dates in my life with eight different men. You do the math." She waited for him to calculate the answer. "If you don't like to do mental arithmetic, that's an average of three point two five dates per man. Actually, I went out with one man seven times, so that moves the average even lower. Obviously there's something wrong with me."

  He tipped his head to the side. "Are you sure? Maybe there was something wrong with them?"

  "All of them?" Madison rolled her eyes. "What are the odds?"

  Tanner held up his hand. "We don't need to calculate it. Maybe I should say this differently. What were the men like?"

  "They were men I went to college and medical school with."

  "There you go." Tanner nodded. "Maybe they weren't the right men for you. Perhaps you should try a different type. An older man who would appreciate you. Who isn't trying to build his career. I'm settled into mine."

  She felt a warmth in her chest. "Would you appreciate me?"

  "Madison Shay, I would do my level best. How about we try this?"

  "Dating?" And sex, although she was too chicken shit to say it.

  "Dating. I like you, Maddie." His voice was soft like a caress on her skin. It made her shiver and quake but not because of the temperature.

  "I like you, too."

  He gave her a lopsided grin. "Then how about another dance? Let's enjoy the evening. May I drive you home when the party is done?"

  She nodded and let him lead her into the warm building. She froze as he lifted the coat from her shoulders. "Damn."

  His eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong? Having second thoughts already?"

  "Sherry is going to be completely insufferable now. I'll never hear the end of it that she was right."

  His rich laughter echoed in the empty lobby. "If that's the biggest problem this relationship has we're in good shape. Would it help if I told her I had to beg you to go out with me?"

  "She'd never in a million years believe that, Tanner."

  He hung up the coat and draped an arm across her shoulders. "Maddie, you are good for my ego."

  They walked back into the main room. She felt safe and warm in his company. He was good for her ego too. She liked Tanner Marks and she was absolutely scared stiff to admit it.

  Chapter Six

  "I want to hear every dirty detail," Sherry declared. Madison and Sherry were sitting in the kitchen and Madison's dad was whistling a lilting tune while talking on Skype with his siste
r. "I want to know how it went. Tanner brought you home last night after the party. Did he kiss you?"

  "Shhh! I don't want my dad to hear you." Madison warmed up their coffees and pulled two pieces of toast from the toaster, dropping one on each of their plates. She sat back down and sighed. "No, he did not kiss me. Are you happy now?"

  Sherry tapped her chin. "Hmm, he was probably just being a gentleman. Do you think he wanted to kiss you?"

  "How would I know?" Madison rolled her eyes. "I know zilch about men and less about kissing. Let's face it. I'm the romantic equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. Men date me then disappear, never to be heard from again."

  Sherry's lips twitched. "I never thought of it that way. But don't worry. We can fix it. You just need Sherry's School of Romance. I'll be your coach."

  "I sucked in athletics. I was picked last for everything."

  "Luckily for you there are no other people on the team. This is one on one coaching. Now did he ask you out? When are you seeing him again?"

  Madison nodded. "We're having dinner tonight. He's picking me up at seven."

  Sherry immediately went into her drill sergeant mode. "We have so much to do," she said. "We should make a list."

  "What do we need to do?" Madison lifted a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth. "It's just dinner."

  Sherry cast an appraising eye over Madison's clothes. "For one, we need to go shopping. Your wardrobe leaves something to be desired, my friend."

  Madison looked down at her gray sweatpants and blue sweater. They'd seen better days but she was only having breakfast with Sherry, not tea with the Queen of England. "There's nothing wrong with my clothes."

  Sherry wrinkled her nose. "Let's forget that you've had those sweatpants since high school. Put aside the fact your sweater is faded from a thousand washings. If they were brand spanking new, I'd still want to replace them. They hang off of you like a tent. You need something that enhances your figure, not swamps it. What were you planning to wear tonight anyway?"