Page 40 of Billionaire Unforgettable: Tanner

Okay, I wasn’t exactly sure that was true, but I wanted to think it was the truth.

As I started shampooing her hair, she answered, “I think you should let him clear things up regardless. Be seen with him, let the gossip disappear. I adore Tanner. I don’t think he’d ever intentionally hurt you again, but I know what it’s like to try to be a man’s friend when you want to jump him every single moment of the day. Just be careful, Hannah.”

“I completely agree,” Lauren added.

My heart warmed as I realized that Anna and Lauren were trying to protect my heart.

They both knew and loved Tanner, but they wanted to make sure that I was okay, too.

I’d ached for this kind of relationship with female friends again, and they probably had no idea how much their comradery meant to me.

“Can you manage to be with him without getting hurt?” Lauren asked softly.

“I think so,” I mused. “It feels pretty awkward right now because we’re both used to another type of relationship, but there was a strong friendship component to our relationship, too.”

“Tanner is pretty stubborn,” Lauren commented. “I doubt he’s going to give up until everyone in this town treats you the way you should be treated.”

“We haven’t actually made any plans for this week,” I shared. “I’m not even sure we’ll see each other.”

“He’ll show up somewhere,” Lauren said. “He has an overinflated sense of guilt and honor sometimes. I also think he probably wants to be there for you when you need him now. He really is different, Hannah. He isn’t the same guy he was when you broke up. He hasn’t been for a long time.”

“Do you really think he’s changed that much?” I asked cautiously.

“You know Tanner,” Lauren replied. “Even when he was being a jerk, he was generally honest, and he was faithful. He’s not a manipulator. If he says he wants to help, he’s doing it for the right reasons. He obviouslywantsto help make things right.”

Her statements made sense to me.

Maybe Tanner had neglected our relationship, but he’d never tried to gaslight me or manipulate me.

I wasn’t sure if doing something like that was even in his nature.

It was probably totally wrong for me to think that Tanner had any ulterior motives.

He never had before.

What you saw was what you got with Tanner.

“I guess we’ll just see what happens this week,” I said as I dried Anna’s hair with a towel.

“You don’t just have to count on Tanner to help,” Anna said. “We can go out around town together when I get back from New York. If people see us together, it will be further proof that there’s no hard feelings between you and Tanner or his family.”

“I’ll go, too,” Lauren offered in an enthusiastic voice.

“But you’re both so busy, and—”

“Not that busy,” Anna insisted. “I’d honestly like to be friends with you, Hannah, if you’ll let me. My best friend in the world was my stylist back in Los Angeles. We hardly get to see each other anymore. This world in Crystal Fork is so damn new to me, and I could use genuine friends.”

“Me, too,” Lauren added. “Anna and I could use an addition to our ‘getting used to a small town after living in the city’ club.”

I’d been so damn lonely since I’d gotten back from Seattle, and it seemed incredible to me that Anna and Lauren were both adamant about being my friend.

I genuinely liked both of these women, and it would be so nice to have friends I could talk to again.

“Let’s meet up at The Mug And Jug for coffee when I get back,” Anna suggested. “I can never get enough coffee.”

“I’ll end up having one of the cinnamon rolls,” Lauren said like she was disgusted with herself. “I can’t resist them.”

“I’ll split one with you,” Anna offered. “Since I got married and went on a honeymoon that was like an eating orgy, I’m barely squeezing into my stage costumes.”

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