That had been almost four months ago. As he passed by her to get to the driver’s side of her car, he noticed that she definitely had her pre-pregnancy figure back. Well, maybe a few more curves, but they looked good on her. Real good. She looked more rested than she had the last time their paths had crossed, too. She must be adjusting to mom life. From what he heard, there wasn’t a lot of sleeping going on for the first few months with a new baby.
Giving his head a shake, he slid behind the wheel and turned the key. There was a whirring noise, but it got slower and slower and nothing caught. He glanced into the back seat. The car seat was rear facing, so he couldn’t see the baby’s face—just the edges of a white frilly hat and a pink blanket.
As quietly as he could, he got out of the car. “Looks like we’ll have to try giving you a boost,” he said. “And looking at your car, I’d say you’re probably due for a new battery.”
“Damn it.” Laura let out a big sigh. “Oh well. I guess when you drive an older vehicle you have to expect some maintenance costs.”
Tanner nodded. “I know. I go through the same thing with my truck. Hang on, I’ll pull up closer and get my cables.”
“Thanks, Tanner.” She smiled at him. “Looks like you’re coming to my rescue again.”
His gaze met hers, and heat crept up his neck and into his face. He was blushing, for God’s sake. And all because he’d covered for another paramedic that December day when her baby was born. It didn’t get much more personal than that.
Well, that wasn’t the only reason. Laura Jessup was extraordinarily beautiful. Tall, with a stunning figure, thick coppery hair, arresting blue eyes and a smile that went straight to a man’s gut. The rumor was that Gavin Wallace had fathered her baby while he was still married to Maddy. Looking at Laura now, with her sweet smile and gratitude shining in her eyes, Tanner figured he could understand how Gavin had been attracted to her. Particularly since she and Gavin had been high school sweethearts. She’d be a hard woman to forget.
Of course, Maddy was now in love with Tanner’s brother. Which made Tanner feel as if he was somehow betraying both Maddy and Cole just by thinking about Laura this way.
He jumped into the truck and maneuvered it so it was nearly bumper to bumper with hers, and then grabbed the cables from the back and hooked up the two batteries. “Okay,” he said, “hop in and try it.”
It whirred for a few moments, then sputtered and caught, roaring to life. Relieved, Tanner disconnected the cables and threw them in the back of the truck. Laura got out as he closed her hood.
“Tanner, thank you so much.”
“It’s no big deal. Glad the boost worked. You’re probably going to need a new battery, though.”
“I know.”
“Do you have a charger at home? In case it doesn’t start again?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’ll get a new battery tomorrow. Promise.”
He didn’t argue. The garage would be closed now anyway. Unless she drove all the way into the city, there wasn’t anywhere she could get a battery today anyway.
“I’ll follow you home,” he said. “In case it’s not your battery, but your alternator or something. You’ll know because you’ll see your charge dropping.”
“You don’t have to...”
“If your phone’s dead and you’ve got your daughter in the back...” He frowned. “I’d like to make sure you get home all right. It’s just flurrying now, but what if it starts snowing harder?”
“In April?”
He snorted. “Come on, it wouldn’t be a Montana spring without a few random storms.”
“Fine,” she replied. “And I appreciate it, Tanner. A lot.” She hesitated, then met his gaze again. “Not everyone would stop and give me a hand.”
It would have been less awkward had she not alluded to her persona non grata status in town. He’d often wondered why she stayed here, but figured it had to do with her grandparents. Or maybe it had been because of Gavin and now it was logistically too hard to move.
Still, she was a tough cookie for facing the community censure day in and day out. Whatever she had or hadn’t done, she’d always been friendly and polite to him—before the baby and every time they’d run into each other since. Tanner tended to judge people on what he saw, rather than what he heard.
He smiled at her. “I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t help a neighbor in need,” he said. “Besides, I’m sure you want to get the baby home.”
“Her name’s Rowan,” she said quietly.
Rowan. There was something restful about the name that he liked. “That’s pretty,” he said, feeling inept at this sort of thing. How did a proclaimed bachelor make small talk about babies? He had a flash of inspiration. “She’s healthy and everything?” Considering her fast entrance into the world, and that he was one of the EMTs that day, it seemed a logical question.
Laura smiled again as the car idled beside them. “Yes, perfectly. She likes to keep me up at night sometimes, but we just work around it.”
“That’s good,” he replied. “And you look good, Laura. Rested. Whatever you’re doing is working.”
“Thanks.” She smiled shyly. And then the silence became awkward again.
“Well, you head out and I’ll follow you just in case.”
“Sure thing. Thanks again, Tanner.”
“Anytime.”
She got in her car and he backed away, letting her out so she could lead. The snow was coming down a little harder now, and would be slick before the night was out if the temperature kept dropping. She lived in a little house just west of town limits, and when she turned into her driveway and gave a wave in her rearview mirror, he thought, as he had that day in December, how lonely it must be out here all by herself, with the neighbors spread out. Her name wasn’t even on the mailbox.
Tanner turned around and headed back toward town and home. It wasn’t until he passed the Silver Dollar again that he thought of Rylan and his comment that Tanner should go out looking for a woman.
If he did, the last one he should set his eyes on was Laura Jessup. She might be sweet as apple pie and gorgeous to boot, but she came with way more complication than he was interested in pursuing.
* * *
“LAURA, IS THAT YOU?”
Laura hadn’t even shut the door when her grandfather called out to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then put Rowan’s car seat on the floor. “Yes, Gramps, it’s me. Sorry I’m late.” She took off her coat and hung it in the closet, then put her boots on the mat. For a few moments, she allowed herself to bask in the lovely warmth that came from knowing Tanner had helped her. He’d smiled as if he meant it—as if the rumors about her didn’t matter. Just as he had the day Rowan was born, when he’d held her hand and assured her he wouldn’t leave.
She couldn’t indulge in the sentimental feeling for long, however. Rowan was just starting to wake and she’d want to be fed soon. Laura had been stuck at the bank longer than she’d anticipated thanks to her dead battery, and she didn’t have any supper made. She checked her watch. Gramps liked to eat at six sharp. It was just after seven.
Before Rowan tuned up and started crying, Laura hustled to the fridge and took out leftovers from last night’s roast beef dinner. Gramps loved meat and potatoes, and it was a good thing because Laura wasn’t the world’s greatest cook. She’d bought one of those ready-to-bake roasts, microwaved frozen vegetables and managed to boil potatoes, all without burning the house down. She checked a small