High Tide

Chapter 1 [Meet the Tanners]

Chapter 1

Meet the Tanners

The sun was high up in the sky by the time Charlie Tanner stood up from his crouched position next to the flower bed and wiped the sheen of sweat from his forehead. He headed back into the garage to put away his tools and drop the bag filled with weeds into the trash bin, an energetic Golden Retriever at his heels.

"What do you think Klondike? I think I did a good job," Charlie told the dog, scratching him behind the ear.

With a low whistle, Charlie gave his hard work the one-over. The pool was clean, the grass was mowed, the patio furniture was wiped down as well as straightened out, and the flower beds were looking mighty pretty. With a nod of approval, Charlie deemed the yard presentable.

It was about time too; he sure as hell could use some lunch.

"Come on," he said to Klondike. "Let's grab us some food."

When he strolled into the kitchen from the patio door, followed closely by Klondike, Charlie found his wife busy wiping and re-wiping the same spot on the marble countertop, her lips pressed together thoughtfully.

"I think it's clean enough, darlin'," Charlie smirked, the traces of Georgia still noticeable in his southern drawl.

Discarding his work gloves onto one of the four stools lining the island counter, the burly man grabbed an ice cold water bottle and watched her for a while, leaning lazily against the stainless steel refrigerator door. A few strands of strawberry blonde hair had gotten loose from the messy bun on top of her head, her blue jeans were low on her hips and her green tank top was showing a little more stomach than it ought to... not that Charlie minded... actually, he didn't mind at all.

"What?" Lydia Tanner asked distractedly, noticing him staring for the first time. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"The counter," he pointed out. "I'm pretty sure it ain't gonna get much cleaner than that."

"Ha-ha, funny," Lydia smiled a little sheepishly, dropping her blue and white rag with an audible outtake of breath. "I was just thinking," she added.

"You've gotta stop doin' that, you'll drive yourself insane," Charlie grinned, walking up to her in two long strides and wrapping his arms easily around her waist, pulling her in. "More importantly still, you'll drive me insane..."

Lydia couldn't help herself; she needed everything to go off without a hitch. They were finally getting the family they'd spent a decade trying to create. Yeah, maybe she was running like a chicken with its head cut off, yet all the while she couldn't help but think that her husband was being way too damn easy-going about the situation. If she didn't know him any better, she'd think he wasn't nervous at all.

"We should make sure–" Lydia began.

"The bedrooms are ready, the yard's all set, and we could probably eat off the kitchen floor... I think we both deserve a break," Charlie cut through Lydia's train of thought, his lips brushing against the top of her head. When Lydia still didn't seem convinced, Charlie went on: "Come on, you know you're gonna freakin' kick ass at this. We're ready. We'll be fine."

"Okay, but I still won't stop stressing," Lydia laughed.

"I know," Charlie smirked.

Charlie was massive at 6'6", so Lydia had to lift herself up on her tippy toes to press her lips against his. Being only 5'3", the top of her head barely reached the middle of his chest.