The Bar Stool

Oops, I didn't see you there.

"So this is what you've been doing!" The girl storms in tossing papers of some sort in Tanner's face. I quickly sit up swinging my feet over the bed and bowing my head.

"You f**k some tramp! You have a damn child to worry about Tanner! Or you're going to f**k up again." She pauses, her harsh words stinging me slightly. Her feet shuffle across his wooden floors. "Excuse me, but you're wasting your time with him. All he's going to do is break your heart. You better run while you can." I look up at her. Her eyes so brown, so dark with anger towards Tanner.

Why is she warning me?

Who is she?

"Oh sorry, I'm Faith...Tanner's ex. I'm sure he didn't tell you right?" She snaps her glare to tanner who's standing in the corner of his room with the papers over his face.

"Faith don't..." Tanner warns.

"He didn't..."

She laughs, her head flying back in horror amusement. "Of course he didn't. Tanner... You're not serious?"

"Will you be quiet, our daughter is sleeping." He sighs.

Faith paces back and forth. Her hands on her hips. She much skinnier than I am. I mean much skinner. Her hair matches the color of her eyes and she very what I like to call fake'n'baked. All in all, in my opinion she looks like a f*****g brown crayon from a crayola box.

"I'm taking her home anyways Tanner, f*****g sign the damn papers and put this girl out of her misery." Faith looks back at me and smiles curdley before marching down the hall to gather up her daughter.

"What is she talking about Tanner?" I question. Something in my stomach stirs when I stand and see a glimpse of the letters on the papers scrunched in his hands. Something clicks and I've suddenly realized what she meant. Why she's warning me...

"Please Tayzley don't be mad with me, but its final after I sign these papers...please don't-"

I don't even have to hear him say it. I know what he's going to say. "You're still f*****g married?" I throw my hands into my hair.

"Yes, but-"

"No Tanner... No... I'm sorry but no. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to wait till it was final...I didn't know she was going to come over and-"

"f*****g stop, just stop. Why wait? So you didn't have to mention...oh wait Tayzley I was married for five years so I waited till now to tell you. Did you honestly think I would be okay after you told me once it was final?" I cut him off again holding up my hand at him. I shake my head and grab my phone dialing Bella's number.

"Hey Bells...yeah I'm okay... I'll tell you when you pick me up.. Yeah I'll text the address." I hang up the phone, texting her the address. I grab my coat from the floor and slip on my shoes. I don't even bother to look at Tanner as I leave down the hall.

His ex has Emerson in her arms as we bump into each other. She doesn't saying anything just shuts her daughters door and leaves.

"Tayzley, just let me explain..." I hear Tanner say from behind me. I stay quite. He of course takes my silence as a sign to continue.

"I was always gone....she couldn't handle it. I was deployed three times within the five years of being married..she couldn't take it. And after a while we both fell out of love for each other." But the truth behind his words hold a different tone.

"What did she mean by you'll break my heart or that I'm wasting my time Tanner?" I turn on my feet, my arms cross over my chest.

His eyes fall, and even though I've only known him shortly I know he's about to lie to me. Tell me he doesn't know what she's talking about, that she's just his crazy ex.

"You know what... Don't answer that." I look back and see that Bella's car is in his driveway. I then look back at him and say," when you finally come up with the truth, feel free to get ahold of me, but until then maybe you should finalize your f*****g divorce."

As if my feelings were crushed, which they somewhat are I slam his front door and run to Bells car and climb in telling her to leave now. I watch as Tanner stands in the window watching me as we finally head back into town.

***

"He's what?" Bells repeats herself again.

"Married, Bella..."I groan.

We've been driving around for quite sometime now. I'm really not in the damn mood to go home. Or let alone be in the presence of anyone except Bella.

"So what he was going to wait to tell you after he got it finalized or?"

"That's what it seems like..." I sigh leaning my forehead against the cold glass of her car window watching as the world flashes by me in a blur.

For the rest of our cruise around Groves Bella stays quiet; only the music of Taylor Swifts Blank Space playing in the back ground.

That line she sings about herself being a nightmare dressed like a daydream should be the other way around.

Tanner was the nightmare dressed like a daydream. I was his next name for his list I'm sure. But until he can come to me with the honest to god truth I'm going to move on and better myself without him.

We weren't even dating, but I was starting to feel for him. Like him even and meeting his daughter, it meant something for him to do that. It meant something to me..

But he's still married...

"You would think when his friends told me he just got out of a five year relationship I would get that it wasn't just a relationship..." I ponder to Bells, sitting up looking at her.

"I mean why didn't they tell you?"

"Who knows..."

"Don't be so down on yourself... When he's ready to tell you he will. In the mean time please cheer up and try to move on."

I look over at my best friend and smile the fakest smile I can pull off, receiving a slap in the arm.

"I'm serious Tay..."

"Just take me home in ready to sulk in my bed."

***

As Tuesday rolls around I'm finally back at work. My car is still getting fixed with the emergency money I've saved up. So for now I'm using my dad's old red Ford Focus.

Jules is doing a color when I walk in and clock in right at three.

I smile at Jules, but its not convincing.

I head back to the back room, where she follows as she lies and tells the client she needs more color.

When the door shut behind us age says,"spill. I need details... Wait what's wrong?" She lays the color bowl down on the washer. Concern filling her features.

"Well for starters he has a kid...do you want to know the worst part?" She pushes the frames of her glasses up her nose and nods. "He's married, currently going through a divorce." I say bluntly cutting to the chase.

Her mouth falls to her feet, her face turns red and she looks like she about to hit something. Knowing Jules and the fireball that she is, she might just do that, so I take a few steps back giving her full access to the wall behind me.

"How f*****g lovely of him. Ooo, if I didn't have a client out there so help I would punch that wall." Told you.

"Hence why I moved out of the way." I laugh. "But go finish her up and we'll talk about it once you're done."

When she leaves, she leaves the door open a little and I hear her say under her breath "speak of the damn devil." I groan. I don't want to talk to him. Not now, not here.

"Tell him I'm not here." I whisper and she nods.

"She's not here...Tanner you can't go-" the door opens wider. Tanners bloodshot blues are the first thing I notice when he comes into view.

I try to move past him, but he doesn't let me of course.

"Okay we aren't doing this here Tanner. I have nothing to say to you. I have to work."

"Listen to me then I'll leave," he begs.

"f**k, fine." I blow under my breath. "Proceed."

"You're frustrating."

"As are you. Are you going to tell me why your barged in here, while we have someone might I add. Or tell me how stubborn I am and what not." I c**k a brow at him. Pushing my glasses up my nose.

"Both, but first. I need to tell you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you when you asked at the bar that night..." Come to think of it he never did answer my question."you were so forward and so drunk," he laughs but continues, "I didn't want to mess things up by saying oh and by the way the thing is I'm still married, but we're getting a divorce its not finalized yet but it will be. Because I knew you would have left or moved on to someone else at the bar."

"Did you Tanner? Like who Carter? He's like my dads age."

He rolls his eyes at me. "No, Bobby or Mike."

"Bobby likes Carly and Mike isn't my type he's too lumberjack for me." I shake my head. "Continue..."

But before he can continue Jules opens the door hitting Tanner in the back causing him to groan a little.

"Oops, I didn't see you there," she smirks. "But there is someone needing a cut."

"I'll just see you after work then...." Tanner groans and shoots a glare at Jules who gladly sends one back.

"I have plans. Jules and I are going out to dinner." I lie.

"Then after that?"

"Nope, family movie night." I lie again and surprisingly he buys it and literally stomps out like a big baby.

As my day goes on I can't help but think to myself what I'll be getting myself into once I actually let Tanner sit down and explain himself. I can't even concentrate on what my clients are saying to me because I'm so focused on f*****g Tanner.