Firefighter Tanner Hall is used to running into burning buildings and risking his life to save others. It's just another day of work for the father of two. But when he gets a call from the San Diego zoo about an animal attack, he has no idea what he...
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Tanner and I sit on a loveseat near the center of the set, so close that our knees touch. Could they have possibly given us a smaller couch? It's like the entire universe is working against me today, determined to throw Tanner and me together in the most unavoidable and fated ways. Maureen is talking, but I'm too distracted to listen, still reeling from what happened in the dressing room.
Between the images of Tanner's washboard abs and his touch still fresh on my skin, it takes all my strength to keep my composure. Tanner couldn't be more at ease, lounging on the loveseat as if he were in his living room watching a football game. He smiles at Maureen, basking in all the attention and clearly in his element. For 48
a man who claims to be annoyed to be here, he sure plays the part well.
But maybe that's because he's had practice. Maureen and Tanner have met before, and he's been on her show a few times. Come to find out, Tanner is somewhat of a hometown hero in San Diego— and not in the traditional all-firefighters-are-heroes type of way.
In the saved-a-toddler-from-drowning-after-a-car-plunged-into-the- bay type of way.
I have to pick my jaw up off the ground as Tanner recalls the story— and about a dozen others—where he risked his life to save someone else. Apparently, our experience isn't a one-off, and climbing into Miko's den to talk to me is one of the tamer things he's done. Scaling buildings, disabling bombs, battling wildfires—he's experienced so much that it seems like it would be easier to name the things Tanner hasn't tackled in his time with the SDFD.
For someone who carries himself with such confidence and swagger, his humility is unexpected. The only time he seems uncomfortable is when Maureen calls him a superhero—although the title seems to fit. The way he brushes off the notoriety has me question my original assessment of him.
Maybe he's not as wrapped up in himself as I thought.
Tanner laughs nervously, shifting his weight as he fidgets and tries to spin the attention in another direction.
"I've just been in the right place at the right time." His flushed cheeks turn up in a smile. "Just like the other day. Zoe is the one who came up with the brilliant plan to distract Miko, and without her expertise, we would have been completely screwed."
He's just as smooth as he is gorgeous because Maureen drops the superhero talk and turns her attention and intense questioning toward me. Miraculously, I manage to answer all her questions about the program and what comes next for Miko, and our time dwindles down. The crew is breaking down the set to get ready for the next segment, and Tanner and I are ushered back to the green room. Everything happens quickly, and soon, we're walking out to the parking lot.
"See? I told you it wouldn't be all that bad," Tanner gloats as he walks a half step in front of me, duffle bag slung over his shoulder, and his hands shoved in his pockets. He's relaxed again, and any bit of unease he might have felt before seems to be gone.
