The Right Side of Tanner (Available through the end of Feb. 2025)

Chapter 42

Jenna

I'm captivated by Tanner's performance. He's never participated in karaoke before; he usually sits back and observes, but not tonight. No, tonight he's rocking his song on stage, and it feels like this performance is all for me. The rest of the bar fades away, and it's just us.

No one else matters right now. My man is doing this for me. I can't help but stare up at him on that stage. He's amazing, and he's all mine. My cheeks hurt from smiling so widely at him, and I never want to stop. His song starts coming to its end, and I'm brought swiftly back to reality when I hear a familiar voice to my left say, "Oh my God!"

I look over and see Lindsey's mouth gaping, looking back and forth from me to Tanner. Chase asks her what's wrong as she continues to stare between my lover and me.

She knows!

Her eyes look like they are about to pop out of their sockets. The song is almost over; everyone is still watching Tanner. Everyone, that is, but Lindsey and now Chase.

Okay, Jenna, decision time. What's it gonna be?

I look up at Tanner, then back to Lindsey, take a deep breath, and then let go. I stand up and make my way onstage just as Tanner puts up the mic. I look at him and smile as he looks questioningly at me. Before he has a chance to stop me, I throw my arms around him. He quickly understands what is happening. This is our moment. This is when we come clean.

He picks me up and brings his mouth to mine. We kiss each other deeply right there on stage, confessing our truth to everyone present. The music has stopped, the entire crowded place is silent. Everyone is gaping up at the stage.

When we break apart, we place our foreheads together and whisper, "I love you."

When we look out to the crowd, it seems that everyone is holding their breath. We're frozen in time until suddenly we hear a loud whistle from the back of the room from Rob. The whistle is quickly followed by cheering and loud clapping from the rest of his table.

Before long, the whole place is whooping and whistling, voicing their praise. All but one table, the table where Lins, Chase, Liam, and Mel are sitting. They are silent. All are sitting with stunned looks on their faces, except Mel, who is smiling kindly at us as if she knew this would happen all along.

We make our way offstage towards them, Tanner's arm around my shoulders, mine around his waist as someone else takes the stage. All the way, people patting us on the back and whistling at us. I see Jenna D. and Val gaping, eyes wide in disbelief. I feel a wave of primal satisfaction roll through me as they look on. That's right; Tanner is all mine! You can't have him!

We grab the empty seats next to Liam and Lindsey. They are still starting between the two of us. Lindsey is the first to speak. "It was T.J.? This whole time it was T.J.?"

I smile and look over at him. "Yes. It's been him the whole time."

She lets out a breath and leans back in her chair, looking between Tanner and me again. Chase squeezes Lindsey's hand. "Wow. So, uh, when did this start?" He points between the two of us.

Tanner answers, "It was when you were all upstate for the long weekend."

Chase nods his head again, still stunned by what just happened on stage. "Wow."

Liam is staring at us with brows furrowed and arms crossed. He looks at me. "Are you sure about this?"

I smile at my friend. "I am."

It's a beat before Liam does anything. Finally, he nods and uncrosses his arms, pointing to Tanner. "You hurt her in any way or screw her over or make her unhappy at all; you are a dead man."