What Makes a Family

by Debbie Macomber

  “Maybe I should talk to Kristen and you talk to Nicole?” Tanner suggested, all seriousness again.

  Joanna shook her head. “Then we’d be guilty of interfering. We’d be doing the same thing they’ve done to us—and I don’t think we’d be doing them any favours.”

  “What do you suggest then?” Tanner asked, looking more disgruntled by the minute.

  Joanna shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Come on, Joanna, we’re intelligent adults. Surely we can come up with a way to handle a couple of preadolescent egos.”

  “Be my guest,” Joanna said, and laughed aloud at the comical look that crossed Tanner’s handsome face.

  “Forget it.”

  Joanna brushed the hair away from her face. “I think our best bet is to let them work this matter out between themselves.”

  Tanner’s forehead creased in concern, then he nodded, his look reluctant. “I hope this doesn’t mean you and I can’t be friends.” His tender gaze held hers.

  Joanna was forced to lower her eyes so he couldn’t see just how important his friendship had become to her. “Of course we can.”

  “Good.” He walked across the room and gently pulled her into his arms. He kissed her until she was weak and breathless. When he raised his head, he said in a husky murmur, “I’ll take Nicole home now and do as you suggest. We’ll give these two a week to settle their differences. After that, you and I are taking over.”

  “A week?” Joanna wasn’t sure that would be long enough, considering Kristen’s attitude.

  “A week!” Tanner repeated emphatically, kissing her again.

  By the time he’d finished, Joanna would have agreed to almost anything. “All right,” she managed. “A week.”

  * * *

  “HOW WAS SCHOOL TODAY?” Joanna asked Kristen on Monday evening while they sat at the dinner table. She’d waited as long as she could before asking. If either girl was inclined to make a move toward reconciliation, it would be now, she reasoned. They’d both had ample time to think about what had happened and to determine the value of their friendship.

  Kristen shrugged. “School was fine, I guess.”

  Joanna took her time eating her salad, focusing her attention on it instead of her daughter. “How’d you do on the math paper I helped you with?”

  Kristen rolled her eyes. “You showed me wrong.”

  “Wrong!”

  “The answers were all right, but Mrs. Andrews told me they don’t figure out equations that way anymore.”

  “Oh. Sorry about that.”

  “You weren’t the only parent who messed up.”

  That was good to hear.

  “A bunch of other kids did it wrong. Including Nicole.”

  Joanna slipped her hand around her water glass. Kristen sounded far too pleased that her ex-friend had messed up the assignment. That wasn’t encouraging. “So you saw Nicole today?”

  “I couldn’t very well not see her. Her desk is across the aisle from mine. But if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, you can forget it. I don’t need a friend like Nicole Lund.”

  Joanna didn’t comment on that, although she practically had to bite her tongue. She wondered how Tanner was doing. Staying out of this argument between the two girls was far more difficult than she’d imagined. It was obvious to Joanna that Kristen was miserable without her best friend, but saying as much would hurt her case more than help it. Kristen needed to recognize the fact herself.

  The phone rang while Joanna was finishing up the last of the dinner dishes. Kristen was in the bath, so Joanna grabbed the receiver, holding it between her hunched shoulder and her ear while she squirted detergent into the hot running water.

  “Hello?”

  “Joanna? Good Lord, you sounded just like Kristen there. I was prepared to have the phone slammed in my ear,” Tanner said. “How’s it going?”

  Her heart swelled with emotion. She hadn’t talked to him since Saturday, and it felt as though months had passed since she’d heard his voice. It wrapped itself around her now, warm and comforting. “Things aren’t going too well. How are they at your end?”

  “Not much better. Did you know Kristen had the nerve to eat lunch with Nora this afternoon? In case you weren’t aware of this, Nora is Nicole’s sworn enemy.”

  “Nora?” Joanna could hardly believe her ears. “Kristen doesn’t even like the girl.” If anything, this war between Kristen and Nicole was heating up.

  “I hear you bungled the math assignment,” Tanner said softly, amused.

  “Apparently you did, too.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, this new math is beyond me.” He paused, and when he spoke, Joanna could hear the frustration in his voice. “I wish the girls would hurry and patch things up. Frankly, Joanna, I miss you like crazy.”

  “It’s only been two days.” She should talk—the last forty-eight hours had seemed like an eternity.

  “It feels like two years.”

  “I know,” she agreed softly, closing her eyes and savouring Tanner’s words. “But we don’t usually see each other during the week anyway.” At least not during the past couple of weeks.

  “I’ve been thinking things over and I may have come up with an idea that will put us all out of our misery.”

  “What?” By now, Joanna was game for anything.

  “How about a movie?” he asked unexpectedly, his voice eager.

  “But Tanner—”

  “Tomorrow night. You can bring Kristen and I’ll bring Nicole, and we could accidentally-on-purpose meet at the theatre. Naturally there’ll be a bit of acting on our part and some huffing and puffing on theirs, but if things work out the way I think they will, we won’t have to do a thing. Nature will take its course.”

  Joanna wasn’t convinced this scheme of his would work. The whole thing could blow up in their faces, but the thought of being with Tanner was too enticing to refuse. “All right,” she agreed. “As long as you buy the popcorn and promise to hold my hand.”

  “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  * * *

  ON TUESDAY EVENING, Kristen was unusually quiet over dinner. Joanna had fixed one of her daughter’s favourite meals—macaroni-and-cheese casserole—but Kristen barely touched it.

  “Do you feel like going to a movie?” Joanna asked, her heart in her throat. Normally Kristen would leap at the idea, but this evening Joanna couldn’t predict anything.

  “It’s a school night, and I don’t think I’m in the mood to see a movie.”

  “But you said you didn’t have any homework, and it sounds like a fun thing to do…and weren’t you saying something about wanting to see Tom Cruise’s latest film?” Kristen’s eyes momentarily brightened, then faded. “And don’t worry,” Joanna added cheerfully, “you won’t have to sit with me.”

  Kristen gave a huge sigh. “I don’t have anyone else to sit with,” she said, as though Joanna had suggested a trip to the dentist.

  It wasn’t until they were in the parking lot at the theater that Kristen spoke. “Nicole likes Tom Cruise, too.”

  Joanna made a noncommittal reply, wondering how easily the girls would see through her and Tanner’s scheme.

  “Mom,” Kristen cried. “I see Nicole. She’s with her dad. Oh, no, it looks like they’re going to the same movie.”

  “Oh, no,” Joanna echoed, her heart acting like a Ping-Pong ball in her chest. “Does this mean you want to skip the whole thing and go home?”

  “Of course not,” Kristen answered smugly. She practically bounded out of the car once Joanna turned off the engine, glancing anxiously at Joanna when she didn’t walk across the parking lot fast enough to suit her.

  They joined the line, about eight people behind Tanner and Nicole. Joanna was undecided about what to do next. She wasn’t completely sure that Tanner had even seen her. If he had, he was playing his part perfectly, acting as though this whole thing had happened by coincidence.

  Kristen couldn’t seem to stand still. Sh
e peeked around the couple ahead of them several times, loudly humming the song of Heart’s that she and Nicole had performed in the talent show.

  Nicole whirled around, standing on her tiptoes and staring into the crowd behind her. She jerked on Tanner’s sleeve and, when he bent down, whispered something in his ear. Then Tanner turned around, too, and pretended to be shocked when he saw Joanna and Kristen.

  By the time they were inside the theatre, Tanner and Nicole had disappeared. Kristen was craning her neck in every direction while Joanna stood at the refreshment counter.

  “Do you want any popcorn?”

  “No. Just some of those raisin things. Mom, you said I didn’t have to sit with you. Did you really mean that?”

  “Yes, honey, don’t worry about it, I’ll find a place by myself.”

  “You’re sure?” Kristen looked only mildly concerned.

  “No problem. You go sit by yourself.”

  “Okay.” Kristen collected her candy and was gone before Joanna could say any more.

  Since it was still several minutes before the movie was scheduled to start, the theatre auditorium was well lit. Joanna found a seat towards the back and noted that Kristen was two rows from the front. Nicole sat in the row behind her.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Joanna smiled up at Tanner as he claimed the seat next to her, and had they been anyplace else she was sure he would have kissed her. He handed her a bag of popcorn and a cold drink.

  “I sure hope this works,” he muttered under his breath, “because if Nicole sees me sitting with you, I could be hung as a traitor.” Mischief brightened his eyes. “But the risk is worth it. Did anyone ever tell you how kissable your mouth looks?”

  “Tanner,” she whispered frantically and pointed toward the girls. “Look.”

  Kristen sat twisted around and Nicole leaned forward. Kristen shook a handful of her chocolate-covered raisins into Nicole’s outstretched hand. Nicole offered Kristen some popcorn. After several of these exchanges, both girls stood up, moved from their seats to a different row entirely, sitting next to each other.

  “That looks promising,” Joanna whispered.

  “It certainly does,” Tanner agreed, slipping his arm around her shoulder.

  They both watched as Kristen and Nicole tilted their heads toward each other and smiled at the sound of their combined giggles drifting to the back of the theatre.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  After their night at the movies, Joanna didn’t give Tanner’s invitation to the dinner party more than a passing thought until she read about the event on the society page of Wednesday’s newspaper. The Review described the dinner, which was being sponsored by Spokane Aluminum, as the gala event of the year. Anyone who was anyone in the eastern half of Washington state would be attending. Until Joanna noticed the news article, she’d thought it was a small intimate party; that was the impression Tanner had given her.

  From that moment on, Joanna started worrying, though she wasn’t altogether sure why. As a loan officer, she’d attended her share of business-related social functions…but never anything of this scope. The problem, she decided, was one she’d been denying since the night of Nicole’s slumber party. Tanner’s social position and wealth far outdistanced her own. He was an important member of their community, and she was just a spoke in the wheel of everyday life.

  Now, as she dressed for the event, her uneasiness grew, because she knew how important this evening was to Tanner—although he hadn’t told her in so many words. The reception and dinner were all part of his becoming half owner of a major corporation and, according to the newspaper article, had been in the planning stages for several months after his arrival. All John Becky’s way of introducing Tanner to the community leaders.

  Within the first half hour of their arrival, Joanna recognized the mayor and a couple of members from the city council, plus several other people she didn’t know, who nonetheless looked terribly important.

  “Here,” Tanner whispered, stepping to her side and handing her a glass of champagne.

  Smiling up at him, she took the glass and held the dainty stem in a death grip, angry with herself for being so unnerved. It wasn’t as though she’d never seen the mayor before—okay, only in pictures, but still… “I don’t know if I dare have anything too potent,” she admitted.

  “Why not?”

  “If you want the truth, I feel out of it at this affair. I’d prefer to fade into the background, mingle among the draperies, get acquainted with the wallpaper. That sort of thing.”

  Tanner’s smile was encouraging. “No one would know it to look at you.”

  Joanna had trouble believing that. The smile she wore felt frozen on her lips, and her stomach protested the fact that she’d barely managed to eat all day. Tonight was important, and for Tanner’s sake she’d do what she had to.

  The man who owned the controlling interest in Columbia Basin Savings and Loan strolled past them and paused when he recognized her. Joanna nodded her recognition, and when he continued on she swallowed the entire glass of champagne in three giant gulps.

  “I feel better,” she announced.

  “Good.”

  Tanner apparently hadn’t noticed how quickly she’d downed the champagne, for which Joanna was grateful.

  “Come over here. There are some people I want you to meet.”

  More people! Tanner had already introduced her to so many that the names were swimming around in her head like fish crowded in a small pond. She’d tried to keep them all straight, and it had been simple in the beginning when he’d started with his partner, John Becky, and John’s wife, Jean, but from that point on her memory had deteriorated steadily.

  Tanner pressed his hand to the middle of her spine and steered her across the room to where a small group had gathered.

  Along the way, Joanna picked up another glass of champagne, just so she’d have something to do with her hands. The way she was feeling, she had no intention of drinking it.

  The men and women paused in the middle of their conversation when Tanner approached. After a few words of greeting, introductions were made.

  “Pleased to meet all of you,” Joanna said, forcing some life into her fatigued smile. Everyone seemed to be looking at her, expecting something more. She nodded toward Tanner. “Our daughters are best friends.”

  The others smiled.

  “I didn’t know you had a daughter,” a voluptuous blonde said, smiling sweetly up at Tanner.

  “Nicole just turned twelve.”

  The blonde seemed fascinated with this information. “How very sweet. My niece is ten and I know she’d just love to meet Nicole. Perhaps we could get the two of them together. Soon.”

  “I’m sure Nicole would like that.”

  “It’s a date then.” She sidled as close to Tanner as she possibly could, practically draping her breast over his forearm.

  Joanna narrowed her gaze and took a small sip of the champagne. The blonde, whose name was—she searched her mind—Blaise, couldn’t have been any more obvious had she issued an invitation to her bed.

  “Tanner, there’s someone you must meet—that is, if I can drag you away from Joanna for just a little minute.” The blonde cast a challenging look in Joanna’s direction.

  “Oh, sure.” Joanna gestured with her hand as though to let Blaise know Tanner was free to do as he wished. She certainly didn’t have any claims on him.

  Tanner frowned. “Come with us,” he suggested.

  Joanna threw him what she hoped was a dazzling smile. “Go on. You’ll only be gone a little minute,” she said sweetly, purposely echoing Blaise’s words.

  The two left, Blaise clinging to Tanner’s arm, and Joanna chatted with the others in the group for a few more minutes before fading into the background. Her stomach was twisted in knots. She didn’t know why she’d sent Tanner off like that, when it so deeply upset her. Something in her refused to let him know that; it was difficult enough to admit even to herself
.

  Hoping she wasn’t being obvious, her gaze followed Tanner and Blaise until she couldn’t endure it any longer, and then she turned and made her way into the ladies’ room. Joanna was grateful that the outer room was empty, and she slouched onto the sofa. Her heart was slamming painfully against her rib cage, and when she pressed her hands to her cheeks her face felt hot and feverish. Joanna would gladly have paid the entire three hundred and fifteen dollars in her savings account for a way to gracefully disappear.

  It was then that she knew.

  She was in love with Tanner Lund. Despite all the warnings she’d given herself. Despite the fact that they were worlds apart, financially and socially.

  With the realization that she loved Tanner came another. The night had only begun—they hadn’t even eaten yet. The ordeal of a formal dinner still lay before her.

  “Hello again,” Jean Becky said, strolling into the ladies’ room. She stopped for a moment, watching Joanna, then sat down beside her.

  “Oh, hi.” Joanna managed the semblance of a smile to greet the likeable older woman.

  “I just saw Blaise Ferguson walk past clinging to Tanner. I hope you’re not upset.”

  “Oh heavens, no,” Joanna lied.

  “Good. Blaise, er, has something of a reputation, and I didn’t want you to worry. I’m sure Tanner’s smart enough not to be taken in by someone that obvious.”

  “I’m sure he is, too.”

  “You’re a sensible young woman,” Jean said, looking pleased.

  At the moment, Joanna didn’t feel the least bit sensible. The one emotion she was experiencing was fear. She’d fallen in love again, and the first time had been so painful she had promised never to let it happen again. But it had. With Tanner Lund, yet. Why couldn’t she have fallen for the mechanic who’d worked so hard repairing her car last winter, or someone at the office? Oh, no, she had to fall—and fall hard—for the most eligible man in town. The man every single woman in the party had her eye on this evening.

  “It really has been a pleasure meeting you,” Jean continued. “Tanner and Nicole talk about you and your daughter so often. We’ve been friends of Tanner’s for several years now, and it gladdens our hearts to see him finally meet a good woman.”