Try.

Chapter 11: Driving Me Crazy

"I can't believe this," Tanner steamed as he paced the living room. Pictures of Harry and I at the office were flashing across the television screen one by one, only feeding into Tanner's anger. "He waltzes in and you just say yes? Are you completely oblivious to your current relationship?"

"Tanner, please listen —," I began, but he groaned and rolled his eyes.

"No, Viv, I don't want to hear any excuse you're going to try and make."

"Why were you even there?" I interrupted, standing up and looking at him in confusion.

"Because it was all over social media!" He stared harshly. "People were live-streaming the entire thing so I raced to your office to try and, I don't know, stop it, but obviously I was too late."

"Oh, I just said it because we were in public," I said with a dramatic eye roll. "I wasn't about to embarrass the both of us in front of all my coworkers after I now sit at a higher standard —,"

"Why? 'Cause of your interview with him? Does the office think so highly of you now?"

"Actually, yes, they do." I said firmly. "My boss is very proud of my work and would love to see more from me. I wouldn't have gotten that recognition with anything else."

He rolled his eyes and turned away from me momentarily. "You could've written about literally anything else and it would've been fine. And now you're going on a date with him?"

"Are you listening to any of the words that have left my mouth?" I asked with raised eyebrows. "I told you I only said yes because we were in front of so many people. It would've been so degrading to say no —,"

"No, no, it wouldn't. It would've been fine, his ego would suffer the most minor of damages and he'd find some other girl to get with."

"He's not like that, Tanner," I said as I crossed my arms. "He's been nothing but a gentleman to me; more than you have these past few weeks."

"Are you fûcking kidding?" He asked with wide eyes. "He only wants to get in your pants, he doesn't care about you."

"That makes two of you then." I muttered, and turned away from him.

"What did you just say?" He seethed.

"Nothing, it's not important."

"What the héll did you just say, Viv?" He demanded again, and I felt his hand grasp my arm tightly to pull me back towards him. I cringed at the harshness in his grip, looking at his fiery eyes.

"I said, that makes two of you then." I said, my words cutting deep.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I pried myself from his grip, looking at him with pure anger in my eyes. "You don't care about me."

He suddenly looked hurt, taken aback by my words. "Of course I care about you, Vivian. That's why I didn't want you going near him."

"Oh, bull. If you truly cared about me, you'd let me do my job. I have to interview people, Tanner. It's what a reporter does. I can't do my job if you're always telling me who I can and can't interview based on their intentions."

He sighed through his nose and rolled his eyes. He knew I was right; he was just too stubborn to admit it.

"Do you not trust me?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring him down.

"Vivian. . ." He said softly. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"No, Tanner, I need to know. Do you not trust me?"