Page 9 of The Rule of 3

On Saturday, Tanner invoked his mayoral privilege and traced the license of the car he’d seen Zoë getting into. It turned out it belonged to some jerk named Brandon Johnny.Even his name sounds dumb.Brandon had recently relocated to Honeybee Hollow to sell real estate.So that’s why he looks familiar. His face is on the shopping carts at the Piggly Wiggly. He has to be a douche; I just know it. What’s she doing with that dipshit?

Tanner wanted to kick himself in the ass. All of the improvements he’d made in Honeybee Hollow were definitely getting the town the recognition it deserved, and the local economy was beginning to thrive, but in doing so, it attracted the likes of Brandon Johnny who hoped to swoop in and make a killing selling houses and commercial properties.

Every time he saw that guy’s photo, with his plastic smile and overly-styled hair, Tanner wanted to puke. He always threw something over the mini-poster on the shopping cart when he needed anything from Piggly Wiggly. Tanner didn’t need to see,“Your friend in the real estate business! Call Brandon Johnny to get the job done!”each time he bought cereal.

Tanner saw Zoë and Brandon the Douche all over town. They ate out, they went to the movies and to community theater events. They volunteered together at all of the charitable places that Tanner had always considered “his.” But the worst thing of all was that Brandon seemed hell-bent on becoming friends with Tanner. Tanner hated the asshole’s guts—just because. But, as mayor, he couldn’t be rude to anyone and get away with it.

Each time he saw them together, Tanner watched Zoë for any sign of unhappiness or discomfort, but all he could tell was that she put up with Brandon’s fawning and seemed a teensy bit bored. Tanner remembered all too well what Zoë was like when she was passionate about something, and he didn’t get a whiff of that from her now as she spoke to Brandon.

Brandon tried and tried to get chummy with Tanner, but so far Tanner had managed to avoid him pretty successfully. Not only did the guy piss Tanner off because he was with Zoë, but Tanner also suspected Brandon wanted to get in the good graces of the mayor for his own purposes that had nothing to do with friendship.

Even though Tanner had ducked Brandon’s calls so far, his assistant answered the office phone one afternoon about a year after the couple had started dating. Opal put the call through to Tanner who answered distractedly. He’d been studying a proposal for some maintenance work for the nearby bridge that needed attention. The proposal was full of doubletalk and vague language that confused him, so he wasn’t paying attention when he picked up the phone. “This is Mayor Lassiter.”

“Tan, my man! Hi buddy!” a cheerful voice said too loudly in Tanner’s ear.

“Sorry, who’s this?” The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. He wondered if it was an old friend from college.

“It’s Brandon, Tanner. Brandon Johnny. Zoë’s boyfriend.” Tanner felt his stomach lurch as the asshole carried on. “Me and Zoë were talkin’ last night and I, uh…wedecided we’d like to have you over for dinner at her place. I didn’t realize you two knew each other so well. She said you kinda grew up together. Anyway, you’re in for a treat. Zoë’s pot roast is just as tasty as she is. Feel free to bring a date, if you like.”

Tanner wanted to hurl. But maybe he’d learn something if he saw Brandon up close. He also couldn’t resist the chance to be near Zoë, even if she had a stupid boyfriend. Then he brightened up when he realized Brandon had said ‘her place’ as if they weren’t living together.Thank heaven for small favors.

So, that Saturday, Tanner got dressed up and arrived at Zoë’s house right on time. He had a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers that he offered to Zoë when she answered the door.

Zoë’s face was as red as he’d ever seen it.Maybe she’s been slaving over the hot stove? Or is she as uncomfortable as I am?Just to test the waters a bit, Tanner leaned in and gave her a friendly peck on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Zoë. Thanks for having me.” He looked around. “Where’s Brandon?”

She hadn’t pulled away, and he took that as a good sign.

Taking the flowers, Zoë answered in a shaky voice, “Thank you. Oh, um… he’s late. I’m sorry. He called a couple of minutes ago and said he had to write up an offer. Some people who’ve been on the fence about a house now want it all of a sudden, and he couldn’t put them off. Come in and have a drink, Tanner. He shouldn’t be too long.”

“The house looks amazing, Zoë.” Tanner had to suppress a smile.

“Thanks.” She got a faraway look on her face and continued, “It’s so weird. The house had been looking pretty bad for quite a while, but then out of the blue someone had it painted for me. It might have been my parents, but that’s not really their style. So, I think it was either the neighbors who got sick of looking at it or, more than likely, it was Brandon, and he wanted to surprise me. He hinted that it was his doing but he won’t confirm it one way or the other. Anyway, it was sure a beautiful gesture.”

Oh crap.

Tanner hated himself for asking but couldn’t help it. “Are you guys serious?”

Handing Tanner a bourbon on ice, she looked put out. “It’s not really your business, is it?”

Knowing he only had a short time alone with Zoë, Tanner decided to lay it all out for her. “Zoë, I still love you. I never stopped. I know how badly I messed up, but I was young and stupid, and I thought I was doing you a favor, especially when I saw the heartache Madison went through trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend during college. Please, can’t you give me a chance?”

“Brandon asked me to marry him,” she whispered, looking at her hands in her lap. She wasn’t wearing an engagement ring at least.

“You can’t be serious! Do you really lovehim?” Tanner bellowed.

Zoë looked pleadingly into Tanner’s eyes. “I don’t think he’d ever leave me.”

“That’s not an answer.” Tanner took a gulp of his bourbon and shuddered. It was the cheap stuff. “Ugh! Why did you buy this shit?” he asked looking into the glass like it was the enemy.

“Oh, sorry. That’s Brandon’s favorite brand.”

“Figures.” Tanner set down the glass on a coaster and grasped Zoë’s hand. Again, she did not pull away. “Zoë, I can see it written all over you. He’s not the man for you. You know that’s a fact.”

Zoë’s soulful brown eyes bore into Tanner’s, and as a tear began to form in the corner of one eye, she answered, “Maybe not. But I think I’m going to tell him yes. Probably. Soon…maybe. He’s a decent guy, Tanner. He wants kids. He’ll move me into a bigger house. He’ll… oh!” She snatched her hand away. “He’s here.”

The kitchen door slammed then and a voice shouted too loudly considering the size of the house, “Hey, babycakes! I’m home!”

Tanner whispered to her one last plea, “Don’t do it Zoë. Please don’t.”

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