Chapter 28 Best Friends…
TANNER
Today was weird. My dad called around ten this morning to cancel the meeting we were supposed to have. Apparently, golfing with a client was more pressing. He promised to call me after, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the whole situation.
Things have been going well the past few weeks since our dinner, but I don’t know. Something in his voice made my heart drop, and I haven’t been able to shake it all day.
Thank goodness Halloween is tonight, and I get to spend time with Wren and the rest of our friends. A group hangout sounds like just what the doctor ordered, and I’m really looking forward to it.
Closing the door behind me, I walk into the apartment. Dolly runs to greet me, and I bend down to scratch between her ears.
“Is your mama here?” I ask.
She lets out a loud meow then runs toward the kitchen, so I follow her.
“I thought you’d already be with Chloe,” I say, as I round the corner to find Wren filling up a glass with water.
“Oh, good—you're here,” she chimes. “My mom texted me half an hour ago and asked that we Facetime them together when you got here, so I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” she shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe Cody wants to show us his costume or something.”
My heart rate picks up as she swipes on the screen of her phone. He definitely wants to show us something, but it’s not his costume. I was so distracted by my dad today, that I didn’t realize it had been delivered, and I definitely planned on Wren finding out a little differently.
Fuck.
“Hey before you call can we—” I try.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Charlotte’s voice comes through the phone.
Shit. This is fine. She’s not going to be mad.
“Hey, Mom. I’ve got Tanner with me. What did Cody want to show us?”
I walk over and offer Charlotte a wave over Wren’s shoulder.
“Tanner,” she smiles. “Oh, good. Let me grab Paul and Cody.”
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“You don’t know?” her mom asks.
“Know what?” Wren’s eyes shift to me and then back to the phone screen.
Charlotte flips the camera around. Cody is in his wheelchair with a big grin spread across his face. Next to him is the brand new lift I ordered a month ago. Wren’s eyes flare, and Cody begins to type on his speech device.
After a few moments, “Thank you Tanner” comes through the device, and Wren drops the phone.
Without thinking, I pick it up off the floor and smile. “You’re welcome, man. Glad it made it.”
“You…um…what…” Wren can barely form a sentence as she continues to stare at me completely stunned.
“This was so kind of you,” Charlotte says, ignoring Wren’s reaction.
“Yes,” Paul adds. “I know these things cost a pretty penny, so thank you for this.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I say. “Wren told me the insurance company was giving you a hard time, and I talked to our friend, Gray, who’s a PT, so it should be the right one.”
“It is,” Charlotte says. “We’d love to have you over for dinner to say thank you. Wren, you let me know when you two are free and we’ll get it on the calendar. This is just…well, I’m speechless.”
“Okay,” Wren says, breathless.
“Really, it was nothing. I look forward to dinner. We’ll talk soon?” I say.
They nod, and we say our goodbyes. When the call ends, I set the phone down and turn to face Wren.
“Look, I know you probably think I over—” I begin, but she throws her arms around me and squeezes me tight.
“Thank you,” she says, her voice cracking. Pulling her into me, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“You aren’t mad?”
She pulls away. “Mad? How could I ever be mad at you for such a generous gift. I mean, I know they cost a fortune, but are you kidding me right now?” She wipes the tears running down her cheeks.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you, but I’ll try.
Thank you.” Her arms wrap back around my waist and she nuzzles into my chest.
“You don’t have to repay me,” I say, hugging her.
She begins to laugh. “No, my mom said dinner and she’ll be holding us to that, but I’ll think of something. God, you’re incredible.” Her whole face lights up as she pulls back and looks up at me.
My phone starts to ring, and I pull it out of my pocket. My dad’s name flashes across the screen.
“Take it,” she says, when I hesitate to answer. “I need to get over to Chloe’s anyway. I’ll see you at the fair.”
“You sure?”
She nods.
Swiping up on the screen, I walk into my room. “Hey, Dad. How was golf?”
“Great. Sorry about the meeting.”
“It’s fine,” I say, the uneasiness I felt earlier returning.
“I actually ran into Stuart Barton today at the club.”
“Stuart Barton?”
“Mitch’s friend from college.”
I know who he is, I’m just confused why he’s telling me about it and not Mitch.
“Right. How’s Stuart?”
“He’s doing well. He’s married and his wife is pregnant with their first. He’s been up in Chicago for the last few years, but they’re planning on moving to Atlanta to be closer to his family.”
“That’s good, but what’s that got to do with me?”
“He’s looking for a job, and he approached me today at the club about coming to work for Austere.”
“Oh, yeah. I think he’d be a great addition to the team. If he's in town, maybe he can come by tomorrow. I’d love to talk to him. Once I take over as CEO, we will need to fill my position. It could be a good fit.”
My dad chuckles. “I agree he’d be a good addition, but I was thinking he may be better suited for CEO.”
I physically feel the blood drain from my face. The room starts to spin, and I have to brace myself against my dresser so I don’t fall. I set the phone down and hit the speaker button.
“You want Stuart to be CEO?”
“Now before you get all emotional, I know you’ve been working hard, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I’ve had some employee concerns come to my attention about you taking over.
The company needs someone who our employees can trust. We are a family company, and Stuart is a family man.
He has the experience, and he fits the image that we’re known for.
I think he’s an excellent candidate for the position, and I know this is hard for you to hear, but if you put your feelings aside, I think you’ll agree this is for the best.”
“I’m responsible.” It’s a pathetic argument, but it’s all I have.
“Our employees need to be able to trust the man leading the company, and it’s hard for people to trust someone who is thirty, still single, and has your reputation.”
“I’ve been killing myself trying to earn this position, and you’re just gonna give it to the first guy who approaches you at the golf club?”
“Stuart is not some random person. His resume is phenomenal. He’s just like your brother, but he will be living in Atlanta.”
Just like your brother. My heart sinks into my stomach. How could I be so dense and think he’d ever pick me?
“Okay, I understand.”
“Good. Stuart will be coming by tomorrow. I’d like you to be there to meet with him.”
“Got it.”
He hangs up the phone, and I stumble backward. The back of my knees hit the foot of my bed, and I crumble.
WREN
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the call, but Tanner’s door is wide open, and the apartment isn’t very big. My heart breaks for him, and I know he has to be devastated. I wish his dad could see the man I see. The man who continues to blow me away with his kindness.
“Can I come in?” I ask, tapping my fist against the door frame.
“Oh, um, sure,” he says. “I thought you were leaving.”
“I was going to, but it sounded like you might need me to stay.”
His face is painted with disappointment, and all the joy that radiated off of him before the call is gone. He doesn’t even look like himself, and I want so badly to make him feel happy. To make him feel seen.
“Dance with me,” I say, reaching out and taking his hands.
“I don’t want to dance.”
“It’ll make you feel better. Come on, please.
” His hands fall out of mine, and his shoulders slump.
Grabbing my phone, I swipe through my playlist and put on “Boogie Shoes” by KC And The Sunshine Band.
“Come on, dance with me, or I’m going to make you talk about your feelings, which I know you hate.
” I put my hand out again, and to my surprise, he takes it.
Pulling him to stand, I start swinging his arm, twirling myself underneath it. He shakes his head, and his lips turn slightly upward. He begins to move his feet, and we move around his room. By the end of the song, we’re both out of breath, and his smile is back.
“Feel better?” I say, nudging him with my elbow.
“A little,” he says. “Thank you.” We both sit on the edge of this bed.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“How much did you hear?” he asks.
“Most of it,” I say. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to listen, but then you put it on speaker.”
“It’s okay…so I guess you heard he’s going with someone else?”
“I did.” I try thinking of the right words to say, but I don’t know what will make it better. “For what it’s worth, I think you’d make a good CEO, and I think you’re responsible.”
He laughs. “You say that to the thirty year old who’s never had a serious girlfriend.
I should’ve known this would happen. He’s never agreed with my lifestyle choices.
Single guy with a playboy reputation doesn’t really scream leader of a family-owned company, but I doubt there’s anything I could do to change his mind. ”
“I wish you wouldn’t be so hard on yourself.”
“How can I not be? I’ve literally been busting my ass for almost two months.
I thought I was finally doing a good job, and then he just pulls the rug out from under me like that.
Like I don’t matter to him at all. He told me the new guy was just like my brother. Who says that shit to their other son?”
“He shouldn’t have said that. It’s not fair to compare you to Mitch.”
“No, but that’s Dad. My whole life I’ve looked up to both of them and just wanted them to include me, and they never have, and then he invited me to that dinner. He complimented my work, and I know it sounds pathetic, but I thought I’d finally started to earn my seat at the table.”
I grab his hands, and his eyes find mine. There’s so much sadness behind his baby blues that my heart cracks.
“After Cody’s accident, I was really hard on myself too. I would beat myself up for not being able to do it all. Balancing everything and everyone was overwhelming, and no matter how hard I tried, I always came up short somewhere. The guilt tore me apart.
“After Chad dumped me, I started therapy, and it took me a while, but I started to realize I couldn’t be the sister, or daughter, or friend I wanted to be if I didn’t take care of myself.
I know our situations are different, but you’re putting all this pressure on yourself to make someone else proud of you, and I don’t think it’s fair to you.
You’re incredible, Tanner. I mean, people don’t just buy lifts for people they barely know. ”
“I know you,” he says, his eyes finding mine again, causing my stomach to bottom out.
“But you don’t know Cody that well, and the lift was for him. Don’t sell yourself short. Your dad fucked up, but maybe it needed to happen to set you free from whatever family obligation you keep trying to convince yourself you have.”
“God, maybe I need therapy,” he says.
“There is no shame in asking for help, and I think it would do you good to talk to someone who can help you see yourself the way all of us see you.”
“You’re right.”
I squeeze his hand.
“I’ll look into it,” he agrees.
“Good. For what it’s worth I’m proud of you.”
A small smile breaks across his face. “You’re a really good friend. Maybe the best ever,” he says. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up and listening.”
Fuck, I don’t want to be friends. I want to pull him to my arms, kiss him, and tell him it’s all going to be okay. But it’s obvious he doesn’t feel the same.
“Best friends,” I smile. “Just like the cheetah and the dog.” My phone vibrates, stealing my attention. “That’s Chloe wondering where I am.”
“Yeah,” he says, checking the time on his phone. “You should go meet her. I’ll see you at the fairgrounds.”
“You sure? I can tell her you and I are going together. She’ll understand.”
“No, I’m going to take a shower and clear my head. Go have fun with her and Ava. I’ll be there; don’t worry.”
We both stand, and I wrap my arms around him, breathing in the mix of woods and amber. Pulling away, I try to shake what I’m feeling, but I can’t because no matter how hard I try, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve fallen hard for Tanner Mitchell.
“You sure you’re good?”
“Yeah,” he assures me.