Sneak Peek

Where I Belong

by

Rachel Ann Nunes

Prologue

Sixteen-year-old Tanner Wolfe was shooting baskets on the new court they had laid on the side yard when a huge moving van lumbered up the driveway at the house next door. The court sat near the property line where the cedar fence began, so he had a clear view of the neighbor’s front drive. He glanced once and then peered with interest out of the corner of his eyes as he prepared to shoot, curious to see who would emerge from the moving van and the large twelve-seater passenger van that followed it.

A man climbed from the driver’s seat of the moving van, came around the front, and opened the other door. A little boy jumped into his arms. At the same time a stream of children began emerging from the passenger van. A tired-looking woman followed them up the drive. Then an older girl came from the moving van, slipping gracefully down to the cement.

Tanner faltered and missed the basket. It wasn’t that she was the most beautiful girl he had laid eyes on—he was really too far away to see her features clearly—but her long hair and her graceful movements made him want to stare.

As he dove for his lost ball, he heard laughter coming from the girl. Had she noticed his fumble?

Face flaming, Tanner shot again and made the basket. He cast a triumphant look toward the girl, but she was already walking away, hefting a small child in her arms. Her waist-long, light brown hair fanned out behind her like a curtain separating them.

Tanner’s smile died, and the ball fell from his hands. Bump, bump, bump, bump—it came to a slow stop.

The children and parents were all quickly disappearing into the house. Tanner wasn’t sure, but there seemed like at least a dozen small faces.

“Tan?”

He turned in the direction of his Dad’s voice. Damon Wolfe was coming across the grass toward him. His yellow-blond hair stood up slightly on his head, but his short moustache was combed neatly over a generous mouth. “I was watching you from the window. Great basket! But what’s wrong? Why’d you stop?”

Tanner shrugged. “Nothing. Just some people. Looks like they’re moving in.”

Damon’s attention shifted. “Oh, good. I was glad to hear they finally sold that house. I miss having neighbors. Do they look nice?”

“Noisy. They’ve got about a hundred kids.”

Damon’s amber eyes gleamed with amusement. “Only eight from what I heard. Come on, let’s go meet them. I’m sure they’ll need help unloading.”

Tanner gave a half-hearted groan.

“Come on, son. You know it’s a privilege to help our fellow man.”

“Okay, Dad.” Tanner gave him an appropriate smile and walked a little faster. Truth be told, he was curious about the new neighbors—or at least about the girl.

Damon hesitated. “Wait a minute. Just let me run inside and tell Kelle so she can call a few more people over. From the looks of that van, we’re going to need help.”

As he waited in the drive for his dad to talk to his stepmom, Tanner wondered why the new neighbors didn’t pay a moving company to help them. While their house definitely didn’t have the fifteen thousand square feet the Wolfe’s Victorian mansion claimed, it certainly wasn’t small.

“Must be because they have so many kids,” Tanner said aloud, surveying the square, red-bricked house. “Too busy paying for braces to pay movers.”

His eyes caught a movement inside on the second floor, and he turned away quickly so he wouldn’t be caught staring.

“Okay, Tan, I’m ready.”

Tanner rolled his eyes in irritation at the nickname. His dad shortened nearly everyone’s name. His little sister, Isabelle, had been Belle since her birth. His mother Charlotte had been Char during her short lifetime. His stepmother, Mickelle, was now Kelle. His stepbrothers, Bryan and Jeremy, were Bry and Jer, and his sister Jennie Anne had become Jenna on the day Damon and Mickelle had announced their intent to adopt her. Nobody else in the family used the nicknames; in fact, they were rather annoyed by them. But his father persisted. Tanner was long accustomed to going through life being called something people did to their skin.

They moved down their own tree-lined driveway to the sidewalk, and then next door. Tanner felt nervous, though he didn’t know exactly why. It couldn’t be because of the girl. He was dating Amanda Huntington, one of the best-looking girls in school. He wasn’t looking for anyone else.

They were almost to the double front doors of the square house when a man emerged from the garage. “Hello!” Damon called, turning in his direction and holding out his hand. “We’re your new neighbors. I’m Damon Wolfe and this is my son, Tan. We came over to see if we can give you a hand.”

“Sure. Gladly.” The man grabbed Damon’s hand enthusiastically. “I’m Conrad Samis. Nice to meet you.” Conrad was as tall as Damon and about the same build, but there the similarity ended. Though he spent many hours in an office, Damon’s blond looks were rugged. His face was angular and his nose slightly hooked. Tanner thought his dad looked tough, and he hoped he resembled him at least a little. Their new neighbor had darker hair, a clean-shaven face, more rounded facial features, and looked rather soft around the waist, but his grip was strong as he pumped Tanner’s hand up and down.

Damon waved his arms above his head. “I’m signaling my wife,” he explained as they stared at him. “She wanted to be sure you needed help before rounding up more volunteers.”

“The more, the merrier,” Conrad said. “After buying a house that’s finally large enough to fit us all comfortably, we thought we’d save money and do the moving ourselves.”

“Well, show us where to start.”

“Right this way.”

Tanner followed the men, keeping a watch for the girl. He had taken in five large boxes before he found a box that led him to her. She was in the kitchen making sandwiches for a row of small, eager faces. Her mother was there, too, wiping out the refrigerator. He caught a vague impression of a slight, pretty woman with short blond hair before his attention returned to the girl.

“Hi,” he said to her, immediately wanting to kick himself at the lack of originality. He set down the box in his arms. The word kitchen was scribbled across the front in big letters.

“Hi.” Her smile filled her whole face, making her pretty features transform into something extraordinary.

Tanner suddenly felt weak in the knees. He couldn’t remember ever seeing anyone with hazel eyes as beautiful as hers. Not that he was interested. She had way too many freckles for his taste.

Her dad came in from the garage. “This is Tan,” he told the girl and her mother. “One of our new neighbors.”

“Hi, Tan,” they said together.

“Uh, actually, it’s Tanner. Dad has a thing with nicknames.”

Conrad nodded. “So that’s why he keeps calling me Con.”

“Finally, a nickname worse than Tan,” Tanner said. They all laughed at that.

“Better beware, Karalee,” Conrad said to his wife. “He’ll be calling you Kara.”

She shrugged. “Everyone already does, except you.”

Conrad’s booming laugh filled the kitchen. The girl shook her head and spooned tuna onto another piece of bread.

“How old are you anyway?” Conrad asked Tanner.

“Sixteen. I’ll be seventeen in November.”

“Ah, good. Heather’s sixteen, too. You can show her around when school starts.”

“Sure.”

The girl looked up and smiled again but didn’t say anything, so Tanner had no choice but to return to the moving van for another load. His step-brother Bryan had come to help. Though he was three years younger than Tanner, he was solid and could carry a large load. Tanner searched until he found another box marked kitchen and then carried it inside. But Heather had disappeared again.

“Want a sandwich?” asked Karalee Samis.

He shook his head. “No, thanks.”

More cars began arriving and soon it seemed everyone from church had come to help. Box after box found a place in the house, which wasn’t nearly as large inside as Tanner had assumed. When at last they finished, Tanner was breathing hard and wiping sweat from his brow. He wondered if anyone had noticed how hard he’d worked—not that he wanted anyone in particular to notice.

His step-mother Mickelle had arrived and was busily helping unpack boxes in the kitchen. Tanner heard her invite the Samises to dinner.

The girl still had not reappeared, but he could hear the thump, thump, thump of a basketball outside. He went to investigate. To his surprise, Heather was shooting at the basket hooked to the Samis’s garage. She paused, aimed, and sent the ball arcing toward the basket with more grace than he ever hoped to achieve.

“Nice!” he said as the ball slipped through the net.

She reddened slightly, retrieved the ball, and sent it his way. “One-on-one?”

He nodded and went for the basket.

As he dribbled, she managed to steal the ball and make a basket. She sent a satisfied smirk his way.

Enough of being nice, he thought. He couldn’t let a girl beat him—no matter how cute she was.

When they finally dropped to the ground thirty minutes later, too exhausted to move, the score was tied. Tanner had never been a star at basketball, but he had always held his own. He had to admit—if only to himself—that she might be better at the game.

With the bottom of his T-shirt, he wiped the sweat dribbling down his forehead. “So, you want to get an ice cream?”

“Sure. I just need to let my mom know where I’ll be.”

They went to his house for his restored blue Volkswagen Bug. “Cool,” she said. “This car’s a classic.”

“Yep.” He opened the door for her, but she was looking around at the garage, obviously noting the large size, as well as the Lexus and the Mercedes. For the first time, Tanner wondered if his father’s all-too-apparent wealth would be a plus or a minus in his relationship with Heather.

In the end, it didn’t weigh in at all. Tanner and Heather became friends—best friends. Since one of Tanner’s two friends had recently moved, and the other was seriously dating a girl, he needed another friend. Being new, so did she. Romance didn’t really fit into it.

Years later after they had both finished college, Tanner would wonder if that basketball game on the day they met had something to do with their friendship status. If he’d played better, would she have looked at him differently? What if they hadn’t played at all? What if he’d told her in the Bug when they went to get ice cream that she had the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen?

He would never know.

But what developed between them was better than romance—at least at their age. From that day on, they were almost inseparable. They played tennis and basketball together, swam together, hung out at school dances together. They also dreamed together—him of graduating from college and becoming an executive in his father’s software company, and her of painting great masterpieces.

In high school, he helped her through her math and science classes, and she helped him with any projects that involved imagination. She went to Junior Prom with a boy named Jason Pruitt, and he went with Amanda Huntington.

Their friendship was precious to Tanner. Though eventually he and Amanda stopped dating, Heather remained his constant friend. Their last year in high school found them both without a date for the senior prom so they decided to go together.

Again, Tanner would later wonder if the magic of that dance might have changed their future, perhaps pushing their friendship onto another road. But that night her mother went into labor with baby number nine. Heather and Tanner missed the dance to be at the hospital.

After high school, there was college. Since Tanner had finished so many AP courses in high school, he started at Brigham Young University as a junior. Though he continued to live at home, school was rigorous, and he had less time to spend with Heather. When they did find the opportunity to be together, he usually helped her with her G.E. classes at Utah Valley University. She struggled with many of her courses, not because she didn’t understand the material, but because she had no desire for anything except her art.

When he decided to serve as a missionary in Japan, they continued to encourage each other with letters. While he was gone, her mother had baby number ten. Heather received her own call to serve as a missionary in Italy before he came home, and she left two months after his return. Her youngest sister was only a year old.

Tanner moved to an apartment in Provo and immersed himself in his studies at BYU. After another year, he graduated and went to work full time for his father’s company. He bought a condo in Orem six months later. When Heather returned from Italy, he was in Japan on business. That month, her mother had a miscarriage.

Upon arriving home, Heather immediately signed up for college again, this time at BYU. She didn’t need Tanner’s help now, since her classes were mostly art. She thrived. She spent half of Christmas vacation in Boston with a group of art students, soaking up culture. He was happy for her opportunity. Her excitement about her work showed in her face, and she radiated a beauty that reminded Tanner of the first day they met.

On Christmas Day, he went to her house to give her a present of a soft purple sweater he’d purchased in Japan. His heart leapt in his chest when he saw her. He couldn’t take his eyes from her face, and he realized immediately that something inside him had changed. Had she always been this beautiful? Had he been too blind to notice?

As she told him about her Boston experience, the regrets and questions began in his mind. Why hadn’t he told her how beautiful her eyes were when they had first met? Or how happy he was when he was with her? Why had he never tried to kiss her? He wanted to kiss her that day—badly. But he didn’t. They were just friends—how could he change the rules now?

Heather graduated in April. A few days later, Tanner left for a two-week business trip to Japan.

For the first time, Japan didn’t hold any pleasure for him. Tanner thought only of Heather and how he would rather be with her. He knew he loved her. He finally understood that friendship was the base of a successful romantic relationship. Love didn’t mean beauty—although she was beautiful to him—and love wasn’t merely physical attraction. Love was also friendship, respect, trust, and perhaps most importantly, a spiritual connection.

He vowed to confess his feelings when he returned home. No more wasted time. Maybe now his friendship with the girl next door would become the relationship he’d always dreamed of sharing with the woman he loved.

Chapter One

Heather sat on her bed clutching a shirt that belonged to the pile of dirty clothes she needed to wash before leaving. Her eyes stung with unbidden tears. She had told everyone of her decision, everyone except Tanner. For some reason she dreaded telling him.

She forced a laugh. What was she thinking? Tanner was her best friend; he would be happy to hear that her dreams were coming true. He knew how much it meant for her to paint. Of course, this time her news was different from anything she’d shared with him before. This time she was leaving Utah for good.

Her room was oddly quiet. Ten years separated Heather from Kathryn, the next girl in the family, so Heather had always enjoyed a room alone. Yet she could usually hear noise coming from the rest of the house—noise that had often made it difficult for her to concentrate even in the privacy of her own room. With ten children in their family, something was always happening. Today the silence seemed to signal that fate agreed with her plans to leave everything and everyone behind.

Sighing, she returned to the sorting job at hand. One pile to pass on to her younger sisters, one smaller pile to become rags, another pile to take with her. She removed the battered suitcases from the top shelf in her closet. They still held stickers from her trip to Boston last winter, but packing them now reminded her more of leaving for Italy.

She closed her eyes tightly as the memories of her time as a missionary rushed back. She had loved being in a country that had inspired so many famous painters, but what she most remembered was the Spirit. She had known without a doubt then that she was following the right path by holding tightly to the gospel.

Why couldn’t she get that feeling back now?

Part of the problem was her own attitude. She didn’t seem to see things the way most members of her church saw them. Everything was either very black or very white to them. Modest clothing, short hair for men, best dress to church. No smoking, drinking, or drugs. No extra earrings or tattoos. Assigned visits faithfully done—never mind that it was on the last day of the month. And if someone dared to flout even the smallest part of this checklist, they simply didn’t make the grade.

But Heather had learned that compliance to “the list” was often an outward show for some members. In her college and mission experiences, she had met people to whom she could trust her life, and yet they were shunned because of their outward appearances. She’d also met people who appeared to be pious but were dishonest in their hearts and in their daily lives. How many so-called religious men had tried to make inappropriate advances toward her on their dates, blaming their lack of self-control on her supposed beauty? How many of her artist friends had been swindled by “upright” moral business men who stole their work in return for peanuts?

Yes, people were flawed and not the gospel—she believed that with all her heart. And yet, how could so much of the so-called religious culture leave her feeling this disoriented? What she needed was time away. Time to find whatever was she was seeking.

A loud thump sounded in the next room, which had been used by the three boys between her and Kathryn until Jacob left to be a missionary in the Philippines. Now only Kevin and Aaron shared the space. Each of the other children also roomed with another sibling: Kathryn and Alison, Brett and Evan, Mindy and little Jane. Heather knew the family would be glad of her room when she left. She had moved out on her own several times over the past few years, but this semester all her money had gone for tuition. Besides, the light from the large windows made this room perfect for painting.

A door slammed and she heard footsteps in the hall. “You’re such a jerk!” someone screamed.

“Not me. You’re the one who cheated!”

“Oh, yeah?”

Another argument among her siblings. They didn’t fight more than any other family, but with so many children there was always one disturbance or another. One thing for sure, she couldn’t paint here anymore. Boston was calling for more reasons than one.

The voices faded as the boys moved down the stairs, likely looking for a referee. Her poor mother would have to deal with them. Heather smiled grudgingly. Resolving arguments was something her mother was good at. No doubt both boys would be out cleaning the garage together in record time. At least it was a nice day for it.

Heather glanced out her window at the Wolfe house next door. May flowers were already in full bloom in the many flowerbeds, and rosebuds covered the white-painted wooden railings on the porch that wrapped around one of the turrets. Tall birch and lofty walnut trees lined the drive and were also scattered appealingly around the yard. She loved the Wolfe house. The turrets on the Victorian mansion brought to her mind an ancient castle, and more than once she had felt a desire to paint it, but she had always needed to finish some other project first for school.

Urgently, she grabbed her camera from her dresser and snapped a dozen photographs in quick succession. Then—as if appearing by its own volition—her large sketch book was in hand, her pencil darting over the page. Later the developed photographs would help her get the colors just right, but for now she would draw the feeling of the house. Because her own house was set at a slight angle, and the birch and walnut trees were spaced widely apart, she had a wonderful view of the Wolfe house—one she never wanted to forget. That house, and especially Tanner, had meant so much to her over the years. Of course, since purchasing his condo in Orem, he technically no longer lived there.

Before she left, she still had to face Tanner, who was due home from a business trip to Japan tonight. She’d considered scheduling her flight so that she would be gone before he returned, but felt she owed him a goodbye. Without him, the past seven years here would have been bleak. He’d taken place of the sister she should have had closer in age, something her brothers had never been able to do, and filled the role of best friend and confidant. He had helped her locate reality when she longed only to be in the clouds. She would miss him more than anyone else, even two-year-old Jane. But now was the time for her to leave. Before there were no more choices left.

* * *

Tanner knew the ring was exactly right. The thick band was made of woven white and yellow gold, with one-of-a-kind etchings done by a skillful Japanese artist. Heather would appreciate the intricate design, even if her eyebrows raised at the large diamond he’d made the jeweler put into the piece. He couldn’t completely escape his culture; men in America offered their future brides diamonds, and Heather would have the best.

With a last peek at the ring, Tanner slipped it into its box and lifted the back of his seat in preparation for landing at the Salt Lake City airport. He couldn’t wait to see Heather tonight; he was finally going to tell her how he felt. Since his awakening in December, he’d let five long months go by—painful months for him.

Heather had apparently been oblivious to his inner turmoil, which said a lot because she had always before sensed how he felt. He decided that her intense school schedule had put a wedge between them and let it ride. Now that they were both graduated, it was time to go on with their lives. They could have a home, a family. Heather would be a wonderful mother—just as she was a wonderful older sister to her many siblings. He would work, she would paint. They would love and laugh and grow old together.

He shook his head at his own sentimentality. He still honestly didn’t know what response Heather would give to his proposal, but he hoped that in the past few months since Christmas she had also experienced some of these same feelings toward him. Though her last semester had been busy, he distinctly remembered a special night of dinner and dancing. Holding her in his arms, he had been completely happy.

He would have spoken that night—the feeling had been right—but some of her artist friends had arrived partway through the evening and invited themselves to their table. Tanner hadn’t minded because Heather seemed so content, and he honestly enjoyed the company of her friends. They were talented and dedicated to their work, if not very good at money matters or contracts, which were his forte.

Tonight there would be only the two of them, with no distractions. Her e-mail had said that she would go to dinner with him, and this time he’d taken steps to assure they remained alone.

The drive from the airport to Alpine was longer than Tanner remembered, though the traffic was light, even for a Tuesday. As he finally turned in at his parents’ drive, he couldn’t keep from glancing between the trees at Heather’s house. Was she there waiting for him? He wished he could go there first, but he’d promised his dad and Mickelle that he’d stop by after his trip.

As he pulled up to the house, his little sister Belle came running from the front door, her long, dark brown hair streaming behind. “Tanner! Tanner!” she screamed.

He was obliged to forego the garage and stop the car. “Hi, Belle!”

She launched herself at him. “I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed you!”

He hugged her. “You, too. You look great!”

Her slightly rounded face dimpled. “You always say that.”

“That’s because you’re always pretty.” And she was. Only marginally slender, she was soft and beautiful. Every time she smiled, an adorable dimple appeared in each perfectly-formed cheek. Her brown hair curled gently halfway down her back, and her brown eyes with a hint of their father’s amber were the talk of the eighth grade.

“Is anyone else home?”

“Well, Dad and Mom are, and Jennie Anne. But Jeremy’s playing basketball, as usual, and I think even you’d remember that Bryan’s still in Paraguay. Like duh!” She giggled as he tickled her. “Okay, stop. I was just kidding—I know you know he’s in Paraguay. Stop!” She broke away from him and ran into the house.

Tanner glanced over his shoulder once more at Heather’s. There was no movement around the house, though he couldn’t see their backyard. Sighing, he followed his little sister inside.

His step-mother, Mickelle, greeted him profusely in the kitchen, and Tanner felt a rush of love for the woman who’d been his mother since he was fifteen. He didn’t call her “Mom” as Belle did—Belle had only been three when their mother died and didn’t remember her—but he loved Mickelle as much as he’d loved his own mother. She had been very good to him and Belle, and to their adopted sister Jennie Anne, offering them the same care and love she gave her own two sons.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” she said, her gray-blue eyes sparkling. “Thanks for dropping in.” Seeing her pleasure, Tanner was glad he had.

“Well, I’m taking Heather out to dinner tonight. So I had to come here anyway.”

“Aw, Heather.” Mickelle tucked a lock of her honey-blond hair behind her ear. “I really like that girl. I miss having her around so much. I miss having both of you around.” She shrugged. “I guess you can’t stop growing up just for me. But you might think about arranging me some grandchildren before long.”

Tanner laughed half-heartedly. Mickelle didn’t realize how close she’d come to his real feelings by mentioning Heather and grandchildren in practically the same breath. He felt an urge to confide in her but bit his tongue. There would be plenty of time tonight—especially if Heather returned his feelings.

“Oh, I thought I heard your voice.” Damon Wolfe entered the kitchen. “Hi, son.” He gave Tanner a bear hug. “So how’d it go?”

“Great. The sales people have added a new hospital chain, and I was able to find a really great new manager for the branch. I think it might cut down on my trips there.”

“It’s about time.”

“Good employees are hard to find—you know that.”

Damon nodded. “Yep. That’s why I hired you.”

Tanner looked behind his father to where his sister Jennie Anne had appeared silently. The fourteen-year-old was as thin and freckled as ever. She pushed back the mass of dark brown hair that refused to hold even the slightest curl and smiled shyly at him. When she smiled, her sharp features became softened, and her brown eyes—by far her best feature—seemed to grow two sizes.

“Hi Jennie Anne,” Tanner said. He’d never been as close to his adopted sister as he had with Belle—probably because he’d been so old before she’d joined their family, but there was a deep fondness between them. He gave her a hug and was rewarded with another shy smile.

“Dinner’s about ready,” Mickelle said, shutting the oven door. “Are you sure you won’t stay Tanner? There’s plenty. You could invite Heather. It would be nice to see her.”

“Thanks, but not tonight. Heather and I have other plans.” Tanner was relieved when they didn’t press. “I’d like to quickly use the shower first,” he added. “I didn’t stop at home. I have a change of clothes in my suitcase.”

“You go right ahead.”

Tanner retrieved his suitcase from the car and carried it into the house. He showered and dressed before quickly combing his dark hair. When he left the house, his family was just sitting down to dinner.

Damon’s amber eyes twinkled. “Say hello to Heath for me,” he called as Tanner headed for the door. Heath, his nickname for Heather, one that had never done her justice. “And give her a kiss for me, too.”

Tanner stopped walking in mid-step. Had his Dad figured out his real feelings for Heather?

“Oh, Daddy, you know they’re just friends,” Belle said with her bubbling laugh. “He’s like one of her brothers.”

“I know, I know. I was just kidding.” Damon picked up his fork. “Now is anyone going to thank the Lord for this food, or am I going to starve to death?”

Tanner took a deep breath and started walking again. Daring one last glance over his shoulder, he saw his step-mother looking after him thoughtfully.

* * *

Heather greeted Tanner at the front door with a wide smile, and he felt a ripple of excitement at seeing her. When had her odd freckles faded, giving her complexion that smooth, finished look? When had her light brown hair gained so many highlights? When had each soft line of her face become so precious to him?

“Hi,” he said, grinning like a schoolboy.

“Hi.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Mom, Tanner’s here. I’m leaving!” Before she finished speaking, her mother appeared in the entryway behind her.

“Tanner, how good to see you.” Her mother held out a hand, which she’d been drying with a dishcloth.

Tanner tore his gaze from Heather’s face. “Nice to see you, too.”

“You have fun. But don’t get her back too late. She has a lot to do in the morning before—”

“Don’t worry, Mom,” Heather interrupted. “It’s only dinner. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Tanner certainly had no plans to get her back that soon, but he nodded anyway.

“Good-bye then.” Her mother shut the door behind them as they left.

Heather gave a soft laugh. “You did the right thing moving out when you did. As long as you live in their house, parents treat you like a child.”

“Mine still treat me like a child. Besides, you’ve never been able to find an apartment with good light like you have in that room.”

“You’re right. It has been good here.” There was a wistfulness in her voice that made Tanner look at her closely, but she smiled and headed for his car.

He opened the door to his new model VW Bug. His family teased him mercilessly about his choice—their favorites leaned more toward brands like Lexus and Mercedes—but he enjoyed the Blue Bug, as he called it. In fact, he had a special fondness for all VW Bugs. He still kept the classic one he had rebuilt as a youth and used throughout high school and college.

“You haven’t been home yet?” Heather asked, spying his suitcase in the backseat.

“Nope. Stopped at my parents’ to change, though.” Then he added with a smile, “And to shower.”

“Whew! Thank heaven for that.” They laughed together.

Their laughter didn’t last long. Usually, they were bursting with things to say, but today the conversation lagged almost from the beginning. Tanner wondered if it was just him, or if Heather was acting strangely. Her eyes didn’t quite seem to meet his when she spoke.

As he pulled onto Orem’s State Street, she asked, “So where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise. In fact, you have to put on this.” He tossed her a blindfold.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” But she slipped it on.

He glanced at her and saw a slender hand steal up, one finger hooking a piece of hair near the nape of her neck and pulling it forward. She twisted the lock between her thumb and forefinger—a sure sign that she had something on her mind.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Not wrong. No. Uh . . . I do have a . . . never mind—it can wait. Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He’d thought about taking her to his condo, but at the last minute had decided to use the company building instead. As planned, his assistant, Juliet, should have everything organized, including the meal she had ordered from a local restaurant—probably from Village Inn where her younger brother was the manager.

They passed Juliet as they entered the building. Heather, of course, couldn’t see her with the blindfold. Tanner nodded silently at Juliet, and she gave him a thumbs-up sign. Tanner liked the way Heather clung to him, trusting him not to let her bump into anything, instead of holding out her hands out to feel her way.

“We’re almost there.” He put an arm around her, appreciating how the six-inch difference between their heights seemed to make them fit together perfectly.

“Okay, wait a minute.” He opened the conference room door and helped her through. Juliet had outdone herself with preparations, as he expected she might do. Tasteful decorations in gold and silver covered the candle-lit room. One end of the long table was laid out with nice china, excepting the plates, which had been placed in an electric warmer on the far end. A green salad and cups of chocolate mousse were on ice. Each detail had been accounted for, from the sparkling white grape juice in the wine glasses to the fresh warm rolls and real butter.

“Smells delicious,” Heather said. She lowered her voice. “Are other people here? I don’t want everyone looking at me.”

“It’s just us,” he assured her, reaching up to pull off the blindfold.

“Oh!” Heather stared at the room. “How wonderful. What’s it all for?”

“For us. We’re going to have dinner here.” Undisturbed, he added silently.

Heather regarded him a moment without speaking, her brow furrowed. She was obviously wondering why he’d gone to such lengths. Unprepared to answer that question yet, he pulled out one of the plush, black leather executive chairs and gestured for her to sit.

“Is it my birthday?” she asked suddenly, her eyes seeming even larger and more beautiful in the candlelight. “Or yours? I mean, I know I tend to forget things like that, but I’m pretty sure your birthday is in the same month as Thanksgiving, and I vaguely—only vaguely, mind you—remember something about being born in January. Although I could be confusing that with one of my siblings, so I would completely understand if you got the month mixed up. If you want, I could take my pick of their birthdays and trade.”

He grinned. “I didn’t mix up your birthday. I’m the one who reminds you every year that you’re even having a birthday.”

“Then what?”

He sighed inwardly. Heather knew him too well to let this go, and she never backed down. But he wasn’t ready yet to make his proposal. He wanted to talk about casual things first, to break down any barriers his two weeks away had created. He wanted time to let the soft music set the mood, to recall memories with her that would remind her how much they’d meant to each other over the years.

“Well, there’s been a lot of changes in life recently,” he hedged. Turning away from her, he flipped on the stereo and then retrieved their plates from the warmer. He set one in front of her, and the other at the head of table where he was to sit.

“Hmm, let’s see, I did graduate and then . . .” Abruptly she looked up, her face flushing. “Someone told you, didn’t they? Oh, I was saving it to tell you in person—really, I was. Though for some reason I was nervous about it.” She laughed self-consciously. To his surprise, she jumped out of her seat and hugged him fervently.

For a moment, he just stood there. Then at last his arms encircled her body.

“You really are the best friend ever! Here I was worrying about telling you about the grant and moving to Boston and you plan this lovely dinner to celebrate. I knew you’d be happy for me—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

Tanner breathed in the lilac scent of her hair. What is she talking about? The heavy pit in his stomach told him that something had gone dreadfully wrong.

END OF SNEAK PEEK. If you would like to purchase Where I Belong, please visit your ebookstore. Don’t miss the bonus preview of Tell Me No Lies coming up next! To learn more about the author and her books, please continue to the About the Author section following the bonus preview.