The Right Side of Tanner

Chapter 22

Jenna

I was shocked to see Tanner still at the apartment this morning. I figured he would be gone when I got up, just like every other morning since the incident. He's been avoiding me; I know it. He insinuated that I was sleeping with Liam, which is so off base, but that's not the part of our exchange that stuck with me most.

When I turned to face him that day, the look in his eyes was intense. He looked like a man possessed. It was like someone just stole something precious from him, and he'd do anything to get it back.

I probably should have been angrier at him about his assumption, but I wasn't. For some reason, the fact that he seemed jealous of Liam had me feeling weak in the knees.

He wanted me, and he didn't want anyone else to have me. The thought alone made me hot and bothered. He finally apologized to me today and reminded me of the upcoming free weekend. The weekend where he didn't have practice or games tying him up. The weekend where we would be the only ones in the apartment.

Three whole days, just the two of us. I wonder what will happen.

~

The team played great and wiped out their competition 4-2. Tanner especially did well. Not that he doesn't every other game, but this one, he scored three out of the team's four goals. He was on fire! And man, did he look good doing it.

After the game, I met up with everyone and said bye to Lins, Chase, and Liam, who were heading upstate now to see the fam. Chase leaned in when I told him goodbye told me to play nice with Tanner while they're gone. And Liam said something along the lines of 'try not to kill each other while we're gone.' I laughed them off and told them I could make no promises. They still have no idea that Tanner and I are on better terms after he apologized to me this morning.

After they took off, some of the guys said they were heading to the bar to celebrate and told Tanner that he had to partake since he was the night's MVP. He looked at me before he answered and said he was only coming if I was too.

Rob then took matters into his own hands. "If that's what it takes to get you to come out..."

He stalked toward me, picked me up like a caveman, and threw me over his shoulder. He then proceeded to ignore my protests as he and the rest of the gang headed for the exit.

~

Tanner followed close behind, wearing a strange expression. It was a mixture of amusement and something else. Irritation, maybe.

Rob carried me all the way to the bar, positioned like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder. The boys thought it was hilarious. We got so many awed and appalled looks as we made our way down the sidewalk.

After the second or third block, I started waving at the people who stared. I gave up trying to wriggle free early on. There was no point. Rob had an iron grip on me, and without his cooperation, it would have been a dangerous feat trying to escape from my position on his 6'5" frame.

We finally reach the bar and find it packed with fans. The second we go inside, girls start swarming the team and asking for pictures and autographs. One girl nearly toppled Tanner when she jumped on him to hug him. Then, she proceeded to try and kiss him. He looked mortified, and it took Damien a solid thirty seconds to free him from her grasp.

Luckily the owners of the bar have a security detail. They finally calmed the crowd down, and things settled after that initial rush. Val and Jenna D. walked in after a bit and made a beeline to the table we were at.

Val strutted up to Rob and started talking him up. Guess she's moved on from Chase after her run-in with Lindsey 'the badass' Barnett. I laugh to myself, remembering the night Lindsey finally put Val in her place for good.