(un)holy

jacob tanner. 31. jessamine street.

[paaarish]

casey + being a goofball , part 1

[jacobtanncr]

cassandramiles​:

.

          “Brennan? — Yeah, he kinda took the first chance he could at getting the hell out of dodge, so not surprising he did all that for himself.” A sore subject, to say the least, but one she didn’t want to burden Jacob with, so she’d bite her tongue and allow the conversation to move swiftly on. “Hey, the dirt-eating-kid made something of himself, after all. He’s actually been in here recently, and mumbled something about wanting to start his own medical practice.” They had the hospital of course, but he was looking to start his own General Practice, apparently. It was strange to think that these were all people she grew up with. Played in the park with. Scrapped knees as they crashed their bikes with. And finally, she was reunited with one of the best of them. Years of experiences under their belt, and stories that they could eventually share, getting to know one another again.

           “Well, when you do eventually achieve said famous dog, let me know. I’ll be sure to actually log into my Instagram for once to check it out.” It wasn’t often she indulged the cyber world of social media, every once in a while to update the people no longer in town that she was still alive, but that was more or less it. The bar didn’t even have social media. It did well on it’s own, and she felt there was never any need for it. “Wow, that’s quite the Tinder bio. You must get all the swipes, right?” A scoff soon followed before rolling her eyes. “You know what I mean. You’re hot, and you know it, asshole.” She countered, unable to fully dish out the compliment without the tailend insult to balance it out. The woman had never been too good at the warm and fuzzies, even in something as small as a compliment to someone she knew years prior. “But, it seems like we’ve both kinda grew out of the small and skinny stage. I’ll take it.” His compliment too. Even if it took her a moment. The once tomboy child with short hair, and clothes far too baggy, had now grown into the woman before him. “God no, it didn’t work.” Immediately, she spat that out, eyes glaring at the male before her, yet amused he was entertaining the line in question. He was surely kidding, right? He had to be. “Besides, I don’t really date. So, not many lines work these days.” She hadn’t really since Emmett, a few things here and there, but nothing that she saw amounting to the whole ‘life’ aspect people tend to strive for in society.

         Losing a parent was never easy. She understood that. And now, Jacob was battling that same grief. Brennan too for that matter. It was why they were both in town. “Maybe we should take a bottle of something with us?” It would surely help with the pain? A little numbness for a few hours never hurt anyone, right? And this way, she wouldn’t need to force the cliches down her friends throat, of ‘I’m sorry’, ‘he’s at peace’. blah blah. None of it was comforting, and she’d heard it all before. So, grabbing a bottle of whiskey, she slipped her coat on and chucked the bottle in her bag as the pair began their descent into the streets, not before she was caught off guard by his own apology. “Lucky for you, he’s a massive baseball fan. His sport of choice.” She admitted, knowing she’d been forced into a round or two of catch with his mit in the garden plenty of times in the past. “So, maybe you could take over some of those games for me at some point?” She’d never been too overly into sport, but she made-do for the sake of her son, of course. “Wanna go to the high school first? Can’t get in obviously, but we can swing by, and then we usually hung out by the lake.” It was the warm weather, always permitting a dip into the cool waters around town. “Not sure what you expect, this place really wasn’t all that excited. Especially compared to the city, Hot Shot.”

.

Jacob raised his brow at Andie’s comment about Brennan. Truthfully, he hadn’t properly caught up with the guy so he wasn’t quite aware of the specifics of how long Brennan stayed in town and the people he left behind when he took off towards the east coast. “Yeah? I didn’t know about that...” He said, words drifting as the thoughts came rushing to his head. With the lack of filter in his brain, Jacob continued on with his pestering questions without thinking things through, “You guys hang a=out in high school together, too?” He was once again trying to live vicariously through Andie since he wished he would have gone to high school with the friends he had back in Magnolia springs. Instead he began high school as somewhat of a new kid which isolated him entiredly, which was probably why he chose to hang around his brothers growing up more than anything else. “Hey c’mon, Andie, that’s rude. The guy went to medical school and he’s a professional so I’m sure it’s Dr. dirt-eating-kid now” His lip curved upward into a shit eating grin as a chuckle soon fell from his mouth only a second later. “But good for him, he’s makin’ something of himself and really helping people...” He nodded his head, almost envious. He wasn’t quite sure why but he felt like he didn’t quite measure up to the people around him. He just didn’t feel good enough compared to everyone, even Andie who had a son and a bar ––– where as all he had these days was his grandmother and the car his brother let him borrow for his trip back to Alabama. Everything else wasn’t in arms reach. 

“You’d think with this face and this height I’d be a killin’ it on Tinder but honestly? I ain’t getting any dates on there” He sighed heavily to add more dramatics to his first world problem, though a faint smile came peeking out soon enough. “Thanks, I know that’s incredibly difficult for you to admit so I’m gonna soak up that compliment while I still can” he teased, nudging her side lightly as he walked beside her. “You don’t date? That must be by choice” Because surely there had been opportunities everywhere. “Or maybe you just haven’t heard the right line? I bet I can come up with one to win you over...” And in an effort to lighten the mood, Jacob tossed one of the lines he had heard Walker tell a girl on a night out, “Are you Siri? Because you autocomplete me” He said, a deceptively sincere smile rising to his features that was begging to bubble with some laughter. The difference between his older brother saying that line and himself was that Walker had always had a natural gift of charm, whereas Jacob tended to steer more towards just cute enough to get away with something so ridiculous. 

“Really? The kid’s into baseball? Alright see now I can work with that” Jacob couldn’t help but be genuinely pleased that he could somehow fit right back into Andie’s life. He truly did appreciate her friendship growing up and he hoped they could continue it despite the major break in between. So far it seemed like they were picking back up right where they left off. Instead of riding their bikes and catching bugs they were laughing about dating websites –– it was the same but different. “No, that’s not obvious to me, actually” Jacob said, eyebrows wiggling with the intention of mischief. What was the point of having older brothers if they didn’t teach you how to pick locks, jump a fence, or hotwire cars, right? At least those skills could come in handy. “But sure, gotta see this high school where I missed out on prom and senior pranks and all that good shit” Jacob was probably imagining something a hell of a lot better than reality but it was still a bit nostalgic for him to run through the places where he should have grown up. “Yeah well maybe I should take you to the city and show you all the cool shit there then” That would certainly be a nice trip, if only because going back to New York would feel incredibly heavy and it’d be easier to have distractions everywhere. That was why he hadn’t returned despite the fact that the wake and closure for his grandmother had taken its toll. “Also, I can’t remember the last time I went down to the lake. Must have been when I was ten and my dad took me fishing. Didn’t catch a damn thing but, I don’t know, I still remember it...” It wasn’t particularly eventful or exciting but it was one of the better memories he had with his father that didn’t include his brotherrs. 

[jacobtanncr]

khairsonmez​:

-

       What he’d do? The better question would’ve been what hadn’t Daniel done. He’d cheated, emotionally manipulated her, and played her for a fool. As far as Khair was concerned, he’d done it all. Taking a seat across Jacob, she couldn’t help the humourless smile which crossed her features. “Cheated,” she responded simply. “Isn’t that how it always goes? Granted, most men have enough tact and heart to not do that while their wife is in treatment for an eating disorder, but Daniel’s always been special. It was his way or the highway. He was a shitty husband in general, really, but of course I didn’t realize that until the damage was done,” she paused, feeling the anger rise. This time Khair couldn’t tell if it was at herself or her ex-husband. “Anyway, it’s not too bad. He got his own in the end and like you said, I’m happier now so there’s that.” What the brunette wouldn’t divulge was that she was far from fine. Each day she was reminded of her marriage was one where she fought heavily to keep the sadness from choking her up. The entire ordeal had done a number on her and there was only so much she could fake. “I’m sorry about your father, though, Jacob,” Khair told him sincerely, tone softening. Despite all her trials and tribulations, she still had her parents. Flawed, but alive and she couldn’t ask for anything more than that. She couldn’t imagine what it must’ve felt like to lose a parent. It was arguably one of her worst fears, even if it was a natural fact of life. It didn’t lessen the pain. “I trust you’re doing better? Or if not better then at least alright? I mean, at the risk of overstepping a boundary, I’m kind of a great listener. Life sucks and if there’s anything I’ve learned these past few years is it’s better not to go through it alone.” If only because she had. “Also, back to the Amsterdam thing, I’ll admit Magnolia doesn’t look like it. What I mean is the vibe of the place. It’s calm, happy, quaint. It feels like home. Speaking of which, I had no idea you were a native Alabamian. You’re just so New York. Does it feel weird being back?”

Of couse that’s what put the nail in the coffin. Jacob had enough friends to know just how sour relationships could get so he was a bit sad to hear Khair had been subjected to the same awful cliches in movies. “Well fuck, that makes him even more of a dick than I originally thought” He said a bit candidly. Jacob didn’t mean to light a flame to her emotions inside but he figured it was inevitable when the chaos of her divorce was probably still a very fresh wound. “Well, as long as you’re happy” He added with a shrug, “You sure you’re not one of those girls who won’t be completely happy until you get some revenge? Because if you need someone to slash his tires, I got you” He said with a smirk, only half-joking since it was certainly a very completeable task despite the fact that they were both all the way in Alabama. Jacob still had connections in New York. “Thanks, I appreciate that but yeah, I’m doin’ alright” At least as alright as anyone who had a tragic loss in the family could be. Jacob figured these days he was still grieving and processing life without someone he spent his entire life with. It would heal in time, at least he hoped so. “Thank you? I mean I think that’s a compliment, I can’t really be sure” he let out a chuckle since she was right, most people took one look at him and thought he was definitely a New Yorker, or at the very least a big city kind of guy. However, they’d be wrong. “Yeah, my parents grew up here. We moved when I was just a kid so I guess my roots belong here. It feels a little weird but I’ve been back for a few months and it’s slowly beginning to feel like home again... all it needs is a Starbucks on every corner and a subway system and it’ll feel just like New York.”

[jacobtanncr]

margothughes​:

“You go right ahead. I’m sure she’ll call me a silly girl and go right back to looking at you adoringly,” she pointed out with a knowing look. His grandmother had always been incredibly lovely to her and her family. Even after she moved away to live with her aunt, she always said hello and asked how she was whenever they saw each other in town. She was just clearly in love with those three boys. “Do you really want to get that deep on such a lovely afternoon?” Margot said with a scoff, knowing immediately she wouldn’t give him her true regrets and keep it light instead. “Not being good enough to pull off that move that destroyed my knee is at the top of that list, not hiding the record player before my roomie got ahold of the new Taylor Swift record and, obviously, not watching enough HGTV.” Dumping her boyfriend when she left for New York because she thought that would help her stay focused on her goals, not telling her parents and brother she loved them enough, stopping herself from living her life properly because of the things she’d lost… Those weren’t things she could share with Jacob who, no matter how long she’d known him, was still essentially a stranger. “Aren’t I always?” She said with a playful smile as she got up to look at his handy work. “Uh, I mean… better than I could have done. A bit crooked, but I guess that fits into the mess that is my life. I thought you said you were good at this, Mr. don’t-you-watch-HGTV,” she mocked, all in good fun. Her eyes narrowed at him at the mention of Black Swan, as if that was any indication of how real life ballet worked. “That’s a just a movie, you dork. Most ballerinas don’t tear their ACL so early in their careers. I just have shit luck. Anyways, what were you up to apart from turning into a gluten-free, vegan hipster?” 

“As she should” Jacob chimed in. He was biased, obviously, that and he was the apple of his grandmother’s eye, especially right now when he seemed to be the only connection to her late daughter. While he and his brothers all took after their father more when it came to appearances –– dark hair, dark eyes –– Jacob had certainly had more of his mother’s compassionate nature in him. “It’s only as deep as you let it be” He added with the shrug of his shoulders. Besides, he understood why people were so guarded all the time, however, he never lived his life that way, at least not with people he knew. “That last one sounds like the biggest regret considering the look of this wall right now” he said witha. smirk, taking another look at the uneven shelf along with the various holes from the screws put into the wall previously. “Yeah see I never said I was good at this. You’re the one who assumed I was because of my height, so you pretty much fucked yourself on this one” He said, not taking any blame even though he probably should have. “Movies based on semi-accurate lives” he corrected, “Nothin’ just hangin’ around” Jacob offered as an answer. While he had obviously gotten up to a lot over the last twenty-years, there was nothing particularly worth mentioning. He didn’t go to an impressive college like Brennan, or have a family like Andie. All he had was his father and now he was gone there wasn’t much left in his life that was worth anything. 

[jacobtanncr]

brennanxwalsh​:

Far from the braggart, a blush rose in Brennan’s cheeks as he shook off Jacob’s compliments, never one to boast about his successes in life. He supposed matched up to Rebecca’s own achievements he didn’t feel so overexposed — she had worked just as hard as he, done much of the same things. With Rebecca, Brennan was blissfully ordinary. “I got lucky, that’s all.” Law School had always been the school for Brennan once he’d gotten into high school and discovered the debate team, among other activities. With a knack for formulating arguments and policies through Model UN, he’d become a formidable force, particularly during his undergrad years. It would either be Yale or Harvard, or die trying. And, he’d managed to get into both, his safety schools becoming unnecessary. The truth was, from the moment Brennan toured Boston College, he’d fallen in love with the city at seventeen and couldn’t imagine wanting anything else more. It was part of the reason why he and Andi’s relationship had reached an inevitable demise. They’d stopped wanting the same things long before they’d realized it. “I’ve got plenty of single friends from law school. Do you know how annoying it is to date a lawyer?” He grinned, head shaking at the thought. Brennan’s hours had been even worse when he’d worked in the District Attorney’s office, which was part of the reason they’d both migrated from practices to other professions.

“It’ll always be home, here. Always.” Brennan could agree on that much easily. It was easy to slip into old patterns and habits, finding ways to enjoy the things that had once brought him so much joy as a child and young adult. It was the backdrop to his great love story, every memory soaked in the reverie of what he’d once shared with Andi. That was part of why it was so difficult to come home and stay put for as long as he had already. Having left with a clean slate and never looked back, he’d been able to avoid unresolved relationships he’d abandoned when he’d departed for law school. Now, it was only inevitable his past mistakes would rear their ugly heads. Andi most of all. “Corner offices are overrated, man. I think I’d rather be selling Kombucha these days.” Brennan offered with an easy-going laugh. “That actually sounds good, man. I’ll bring Rebecca by. I’d love for you two to meet. And let’s get drinks on the books, huh?” Brandishing his phone, he’d offer the device Jacob’s way. “This way we won’t let another twenty years go by, right?”

.

Jacob didn’t believe luck had anything to do with Brennan’s outcome in life. It was no doubt through a hell of a lot of work and passion that he was able to achieve the things he did. No one lucked into one of the best schools in the country and no one lucked into such a high seat in conrgess. Where Brennan was modest about his accomplishments, Jacob saw them so clearly and he was proud just to be friends with someone like Brennan. It was safe to say that a lot of the people Jacob surrounded himself with back in New York weren’t nearly as successful nor were they humble so it was all very refreshing. “Yeah, maybe try buying a lotto ticket then, your luck should have some cash gains to back it up” Jacob joked with a chuckle. “No but I would love to date an annoying lawyer. Bet I can be more annoying than them” He added with a smirk, not even sure if he was joking or not at this point. Considering the dread that was his love life, he’d be willing to give it a shot. “I mean, I love a pencil skirt and if it’s anything like Law & Order then I’d love to bag myself an Alex Cabot” As if he could be so lucky. 

“I can’t even imagine you selling Kombucha right now” And he truly couldn’t despite reconnecting with Brennan just five seconds ago. Taking Brennan’s phone, Jacob quickly added his number and hoped this meant they wouldn’t go another two decades with radio silence. “There ya go” he said, handing the phone back, “Sounds good man, I hope you know this means I’m gonna be buggin’ you twenty-four-seven. Can’t get rid of me now.” When the barista at the counter finally called his name, Jacob paused for a moment and went to grab his tea and heading back to Brennan, “Well, I’m already about forty-five minutes late for my shift at the farm, but now I have an excuse for my tardiness, huh? I’ll hit you up for that drink though.”

[jacobtanncr]

xaviernavarro​:

━━━━━━  ( @jacobtanncr​​ )

                If there was one thing Xavier loved about Magnolia Springs, it was being close to Jacob again and now his, spunky grandma. The old bat was a hoot, and practically a bonfire of light. One of the sweetest people Xavier’s ever had the privilege of knowing. On days like today, when the hours felt long and the stress felt even longer, Xavier sought out the Tanners farm for some peaceful reprieve. No matter the hour, or the day, Jacob’s grandmother always welcomed him in with open arms and because she was so sweet, Xavier always made it a habit to bring her a gift every time he visited. Her presents usually varied but always consisted of treats, flowers, or something else she showed interest in. If she mentioned a book she hadn’t read yet, he bought it. Or if she talked about some gadget she saw on the TV that was cool, he picked it up for her. By now, he felt like a part of the family and would often joke around with Jacob that he was the new favorite grandson, out to steal his grandma. This usually earned him a punch to the shoulder or a quirk rebuttal, to which made his jests all the more worth it. Even now. “I think she finally passed out on the couch, brother.” With Grandma Tanner safely snoozing away, Xavier plopped down on the front porch step beside Jacob and produced two bottles of cold beers in his hand. He offered one out to his friend and then tapped the neck to Jacob’s in a silent toast before taking a much needed sip. “Whatchu been up to these days? I feel like I haven’t seen you in a minute. You good?”

Being back home in Magnolia Springs made Jacob miss parts of New York –– like the bagels and the coffee, and his dingy little apartment –– but thankfully, there way a bit of New York right here in Alabama with Xavier. While Xavier had originally been a friend of his brother’s, it seemed like their paths had crossed enough that he had cemented himself into a special place in Jacob’s heart (and his grandmother’s as well). Jacob had been sitting out on the porch enjoying the faint sounds of nature. Peace an quiet was practically nonexistent back in New York so he was trying to appreciate it while he could. “Careful, once I tell Mason and Walker that grams likes you better than them they might actually take the trip out here to change that” Jacob joked with a chuckle, though that seemed like a pipe dream. While Jacob wanted his brothers to join him back home, they were uninterested. Taking the beer Xavier handed to him, Jacob took a sip, “Yeah, I’m good” he reassured his friend. “I’m just keepin’ busy these days” The errands his grandmother sent him on for the farm seemed to keep his mind off of things, that and being around some of his childhood friends helped a lot more than he thought it would. “You know losing my dad and then coming here and seeing everyone I grew up with having their shit together with their perfect lives... I don’t know, makes me feel like my ex was right –– I don’t really have anything goin’ for me, no end goal, no plan for life” After all, here he was at almost thirty-two years old living with his grandmother, no stable job, and no family of his own. Being surrounded by death sure made a person wanna live a little more, that much was apparent the last few months. “What about you? Besides trying to win my grams over, what have you been up to?”

[jacobtanncr]

karliozturk​:

             She’s thrilled, utterly thrilled that he said yes. While she wasn’t so much worried that he would say no, she didn’t know if he’d have the time. It was pretty last minute on her part, and admittedly she was on a sensitive time crunch now. But she was fully confident that with the right help, she could pull it off. “That’s genius!” Karli has to fight to not let go of the jar of jam. She doesn’t want to break it and miss out on its obvious richness but she’s just so excited, her arms start aching to throw themselves around his neck and give him a tight squeeze. She doesn’t, she keeps her hands to herself and cradles the jar with care. “See, I knew you wouldn’t let me down. I would’ve never thought of that, honestly. Good sales tactic. I take it, you have some experience in the matter?” Least, it seems that way. With his agreement now, Karli leads them further away from the farmer’s market. She’s casually guiding him back to her apartment so they can get started. Afterall, did she mention she was on a timecrunch? He wouldn’t have to wait for that homecooked meal. She’d whip it up while he gets those nimble fingers to work. “I don’t know if I said this, but…..” she pauses to rock on her heels, nervously. He said he was free now, so she was hoping that still stands. “We have to get started tonight. It’s in a few days so, I think the faster I get it done the more time I’ll have to post them up around town. Maybe in some coffee shops or something? I’ve seen ads stuck to boards there. I can totally cook while we work. It’ll be a fun challenge of me multitasking. But, I must ask you… are you allergic to cats?”

Jacob slowly caught up to Karli’s enthusiasm. Being praised for his ideas wasn’t something that happened very often since his late father and brothers just weren’t the type to throw him a bone when he deserved it. However, he did appreciate it coming from Karli and perhaps it made him feel better about the fact that he hadn’t gotten called onto more projects ever since he moved to Alabama. “Yeah, back in New York I helped my dad’s autobody shop with some stupid marketing stuff like that” Jacob said with a shrug as he bashfully shook his head. After all, that was how his little mishap into the field of graphic design and marketing happened to begin with. He started out just wanting to help his dad out and then it became about helping his girlfriend’s family out, then friends with small businesses, and it grew into a career for him. “I guess I wasn’t all that good with a wrench but I’ve got ideas sometimes” he added with a faint smile. Where they were heading, Jaocb had no clue but that didn’t stop him from following Karli anyway. “Tonight?” He repeated with an amused grin, “You really are all about the hustle, huh” He couldn’t help but admire that about her, especially when it was clear that she cared about the art shop and was passionate about this project. It was enough to make him care, too. “Guess I’ll cancel Scrabble with my gram and her friends tonight, but don’t feel bad, they kick my ass every weekend. I’m pretty sure they’re just makin’ words up, too” He let out a faint chuckle and for the first time in a long time he was actually excited about a work project. “I’d say hanging them up at coffee shops is a good idea, I can even take a few and pass ‘em out at the pumpkin patch at the farm this week” He was sure the people there would be interested in making some crafts of their own so it’d work out perfectly. “Nah, I’m not allergic to cats. How man do you got, just one?” 

[jacobtanncr]

cassandramiles​:

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          She too wished he could’ve stayed here and grown up with her and their friends. But apparently, the world had another way of working out, tearing away someone she considered her best friend at such a young age. “Well, I guess you’re in for a treat. You sure you’re ready for the tour of my teenage years, Tanner?” A smirk formed thereafter, before taking note of her manager walking through the door to take over. “And lucky for you, in about ten minutes I’m all yours.” She countered, though she felt as though she had to warn him of the lack of arson in past. “And just a forewarning, I don’t have any charred vehicles to show you, or tell you about. But the night is still young.” Of course it wasn’t going to happen, but she wasn’t above throwing a little sarcasm in there for good measure and amusement, mostly on her part.

          “As for the girlfriend and instafamous dog, I’m gonna call your bluff on that one. You don’t strike me as the type to get all worked up over social media.” At least, from what she’d gathered since his return. Not to mention that they had some similarities, and she too wasn’t overly phased by that of Instagram, Twitter and the like. “’Cause like I said, you’re the same as the guy I remember in a lot of ways. So, tell me, did you really become a douchebag who has the models on the backburner, and the thousands of Insta followers?” She doubted as much, but at least this way, she could solve that mystery. “But no. Not entirely the same.” A smirk, so effortlessly tugging on her lips once again, eyebrow raised before she proceeded to confirm just how he differed from the scrawny kid she once knew. “You’ve definitely grown into your limbs. And you’re not hideous to look at, so there’s that.” A laugh then erupted, genuine and soft in nature before licking her bottom lip, head turning as her friend came to relieve her of the shift she’d been working since earlier in the morning. “You think I’m a MILF, huh? — Oddly not the first time that’s been said. You’d be horrified how many times that’s been used as a pick up line.” At least, it horrified her.

          “I’m sorry about your dad, by the way. Trust me, I get it. I lost my folks a couple of years ago now, so if there’s anyone that gets it, it’s me.” She was always going to be there to talk, or to offer up the drinks, if that’s what he needed. Despite the separation, and distance between them, she was still going to offer her friendship up. “So, how ‘bout we get outta here?”

.

“I’ve been ready since I got back into town. I wanna know where everyone I grew up with ended up. I don’t know, I ran into Brennan and that guy is in congress with a wife and living that apple pie life. My grams even told me that the weird kid down the street who used to eat dirt is a doctor now, can you fuckin’ believe that?” Jacob rambled on, if only because he felt so incredibly connected to the people he grew up with as a kid that being stripped from them early on made him curious how they all were now. Did they do everything they wanted to? Were they living their dreams? Were they at least happy? He wondered where everyone thought he and his brothers would end up. At this point, he figured the expectations were fairly low considering the Tanner boys weren’t always known for their halos. “I mean you’re right, the night is still young and I’ve got a lighter so let’s make it memorable,” He said with a grin, mostly joking since he wasn’t as troublesome in adulthood, that much was for sure. At least, not property damage kind of troublesome anymore. 

“Other than winning arguments on Twitter with douchebags from college and my borough’s reps? My social media is pretty nonexistent” Jacob shrugged his shoulders since she had already guessed as much and he figured she’d be happy to know she was mostly right. “Nah, I didn’t become that guy... Still working on the instafamous dog though, that one’s just a dream. Couldn’t really justify keeping a dog in a five-hundred square feet apartment though” He added with a chuckle. Though now that he was back in Magnolia Springs, his grandmother had plenty of animals to keep him from complaining anymore. “Thanks, that’s my Tinder bio right now –– long limbs. Not hideous to look at” There was a bubble of laughter as he shook his head. Noticing Andie’s friend arrive to take over her shift, Jacob left a twenty on the table top for his water and gave the woman a polite nod. It was probably way too much for something that was free but it was a habit he picked up early on. He had a lot of generosity in him, something he no doubt inherited from his mother. “I said kind of. Don’t let it go to your head, we both know you’re pretty okay” He said, rolling his eyes since it seemed obvious to him and he wasn’t going to deny it either. “I don’t know, that pick-up line, if you can even call it that, is like low-hanging fruit. People ‘round here need to be a little more creative. Plus, kind of a douchebag line... but did it work? Because I’m looking for tips for the dating pool around here” He said, not sure if he was even joking at this point.

At the mention of his father, Jacob only nodded and forced a smile. He understood that sympathy was normal when a friend lost a family member and he appreciated the sentiment, but he wasn’t quite ready to deal with it yet. “Thanks, I guess I’m just still trying to adjust to not havin’ him around anymore –– I mean, we were really close, we had to be” They left all their friends and family back in Alabama when they moved to New York and being on their own made their family a lot closer. Having the rock of that family die suddenly had caused a ripple in the Tanner pong and it was safe to say things weren’t as solid as they used to be. “Thought you’d never ask...” he said, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair to slide it on. Heading out of the bar, Jacob looked back over at Andie for a moment, “By the way, I’m sorry about your parents too” He said quietly, not wanting to completely brush over the fact that she had gone through a tragic loss as well, “I’m sorry they couldn’t see Emmett grow up and all that stuff. But if you need a stand in at future plays or baseball games I’ll be there... but he’s gotta be a Yankees fan, that’s kind of a deal-breaker for me” He didn’t mind being a fun uncle or whatever else Andie would need because despite their long period of radio silence, he still considered her someone special in his life. Someone who couldn’t be replaced and someone who would always be there for him when he needed her. 

[jacobtanncr]

margothughes​:

“Your grandmother is clearly still blinded by that little boy and his deceivingly innocent smile. I saw right through all that from the start, just saying,” she said with a chuckle, although she too believed him to be the good Tanner sibling the first time she met him. “You know, asking you for help is quickly climbing the list of things I regret the most. I’ll have you know the holes may be pre-drilled, but those instructions might as well be in another language. We both know it takes great intellect and skills to pull it off like I did.” She didn’t tell him that this was one of the easier models that didn’t even require any sort of tool. All she had to do was screw the legs to the table and voilà. She gagged dramatically at his requests, judging him openly. “What has New York done to you?” Margot wasn’t there long enough to become fully immersed in the New York lifestyle and, even if she had such a strict diet back then that bagels or muffins were never on her menu. “Which made you the most obnoxious of the bunch. I would beg my mother to keep you away from you. Pretty sure I had nightmares about you.” She was just being dramatic now, that much hadn’t changed. Once a drama queen, always a drama queen. “I’ve been waiting for you all these years, obviously. I can hold a grudge, you know,” she said with a smile, taking another sip of her beer. She hadn’t been over that period of her life in a long time. Everyone here knew what happened to her in New York and they knew better than to bring it up. Same went for her parents and brother’s accident. Except he’d missed all that. “I left for a year or so. Went to Juilliard to study ballet. Obviously that didn’t work out too great. The doctors called it a career ending injury. So, I came back here with my fucked up knee and very little pride left.”

“You think so? I’m gonna tell her you said that” Jacob shot back with a playful glare. Would he actually though? Probably. Family had always been important to Jacob and since his brothers were still back in New York it seemed like the only other person who he could talk to these days was his grandmother. Thankfully she always seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt no matter the issue. “Okay and what’s first on that list of regrets then?” he asked with the raise of his brow. “Pretty sure anyone could put that shit together” He’d seen too many stupid people back in Queens put a coffee table together better than they could put together a string of words into a sentence. “You’re being dramatic” Of that he was sure since he wasn’t a particularly cruel kid, that title had belonged to his older brother hands down. Jacob took another sip of his beer and tried not to look at the shelf now since he was growing embarrassed by it by the second. Still, he wasn’t quite sure what Margot had been up to the last few years. He didn’t ask his grandmother and she didn’t offer the information and he didn’t care enough to pry. Whatever happened she seemed to be doing well. “Alright psycho...” Jacob said even though he knew she was joking. As she told him about her study of ballet, he couldn’t help but be surprised. He wasn’t quite sure what he thought she’d grow up to be but a ballet certainly never crossed his mind. “Okay cool, sounds fun. I mean I saw Black Swan, doesn’t ever end well for the ballet girls.”

[jacobtanncr]

khairsonmez​:

-

         “Don’t tell me you live here,” Khair teased, tilting her head. “Because then that’d make two of us.” Her move to Magnolia had been a sweet one. Granted, it’d stemmed from pretty horrific circumstances, but she liked to think of it as the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe even the start of a new era: one where she was the main character instead of someone else. Khair shrugged. “As for me, turns out marriage isn’t really my thing and neither is New York. So, I got a divorce, packed my things, and came down here. It’s different but nice. Kind of reminds me of Amsterdam actually.” It was the condensed version—- the reality serving to be much darker. However, there was no reason to bog it all down on Jacob, especially on such a nice day. No one liked being an emotional dumpster, after all. “What about you? What sent you crawling out of the city? Not to be nosy, but I’m curious to find out how the infamous Jacob Tanner made his way here and whether or not he’d let me sit with him for a second.”

At Khair’s next statement, Jacob’s brow furrowed and he shut his mouth immediately as if to confirm her the answer to her question. “Born and raised, actually” he finally added with a faint smile, a bit proud of that fact. As much as he heard people complain about the town, Jacob thought it provided a humble beginning and certainly prepared him for life in New York in a lot of ways. “I know I don’t look it, but I’m a southern boy” That fact would probably surprise a lot of people back in Queens but it certainly was beginning to feel more a part of his identity since h came back home. While Jacob and Khair didn’t know that much about each other’s personal lives, Jacob still felt bad about the circumstances Khair had been in so he nodded to her statement about the divorce, “That’s alright, marriage isn’t a lot of people’s thing. Sometimes a divoirce is better than staying in a marriage that just doesn’t work.” At least that’s what he believed... “So what’d he do? I mean you gotta be an idiot to fuck somethin’ that good up” He was curious himself, especially since Khair was obviously a very beautiful girl who was smart and put together. That being said, Jacob had always wanted to have that kind of happy ending but it hadn’t been in the cards for him so far. “Amsterdam? Really?” He said taking a glance around as if inspecting if Alabama truly lived up to to Amsterdam, “I think you’re being a little too generous there, but yeah, it ain’t so bad here.” It could certainly be worse. Khair’s question was one Jacob should have anticipated and yet he still found himself at a loss for words when she asked. It was difficult confessing to loss without bringing the mood down but he figured he owed Khair honesty since she had always been honest with him in the past. “My dad recently passed so I brought his ashes back here for my grandma. But yeah, please sit with me. I’ll let you do whatever you want” He said with a charming smile since he wouldn’t turn down company, especially when it seemed loss had brought them both back to Alabama. 

[jacobtanncr]

brennanxwalsh​:

“We’re around that age where it just becomes a standard part of life, I guess.” Brennan shrugged, willing himself not to be caught up in the grief that was still very a daily reality for Brennan. But as the topic drifted to Rebecca, Brennan was happy to redirect, animated nod bobbing his head up and down as he grew a wide grin, reaching into his pocket for his phone. The lock screen was undoubtedly an older photo of the two of them, but it was a favorite. “Her name’s Rebecca. We met at Harvard… The rest is history.” Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Brennan would simp from his coffee, aware it was still nearly scalding. “We’ve been married for a little over six years, now. What about you, Jake? Someone special? Several special someones?” He laughed quietly, assuming, of course, not many people would find moving to rural Alabama to work on their significant other’s grandmother’s farm a romantic excursion. But, Jake seemed like he wouldn’t have any issues in the romance department either.

“He’s from New England originally, so all of our family is up north. Kind of hoping he wants to ship back up to Boston with us, but, if this is where he wants to stay…” Brennan shrugged. “I just want to make sure he’s alright on his own before we go. That’s all.” With a bashful smile and a dismissive wave, Brennan shook his head. “Nah. It’s just what I’m good at. Talking out of my ass and writing lengthy policy memos. Nothing that special.” For what it was worth, Brennan loved his job. It was exactly what he wanted to do — and he worked for one of the most powerful men in America. It was a hard thing to dislike, even if he didn’t much care for his father-in-law on a personal level. His rise to the top had been meteoric because of Jack Gilmore. “Well if you ever need help slinging shit, I’ve got a pretty empty schedule these days.” While Brennan privately dreaded the thought of still being in Magnolia Springs by Thanksgiving, it felt like more and more of a present reality. “Probably about the same for us, honestly. Hoping he’s made up his mind by the holidays, but we’ll just have to see. My aunt lives up in Pawtucket, so maybe her turkey dinner will get him on a plane.”

“Yeah, I guess we are...” Jacob conceded since it was true enough despite how much he wish it wasn’t. They weren’t kids anymore and their parents weren’t superhuman either, though Jacob had always like to live in the fairytale world where they were. It was probably why he was the one who dealt with all his father’s funeral arrangements, because seeing it for himself made him come to terms with the harsh reality of their temporary existence. “Harvard? Alright, brag much, Walsh?” Jacob teased with a smirk. It sounded impressive and even though they had only known each other as kids, Jacob couldn’t help but feel a bit proud for his friend. Perhaps even a bit envious, too. “Shit, man. Six years is a long time, I’m really happy for you. Seems like you’re doin’ alright” Though given the semi-recent loss, Jacob figured Brennan wasn’t feeling all that good these days despite his accomplishments. “Someone special” Jacob repeated with the shake of his head and an amused look across his face, “Nah, not really. But if you’ve got any hot Harvard friends please give’em my number” he joked. Relationships were hard and given all the drama in his family the last few years leading up to his father’s passing, it was no surprise that his love life had plummeted as well. However, that didn’t keep Jacob down at all. He figured the right person would come along and things would all work out perfectly. His brothers would make fun of him for that kind of optimism but he truly did believe in his own bullshit. 

“Yeah, I get it. Well, I hope it all works out for you and your family. If not, I mean comin’ back down to Alabama isn’t such a bad thing, right?” At least Jacob didn’t think so anymore. In fact, he wished he had visited sooner. “I think I’m a professional at talking outta my ass but I ain’t got no corner office” He said with a chuckle. Truthfully, Jacob didn’t have an office at all, but that was mostly by design. He felt like those office jobs he had been offered in the past were too constricting and would eventually trap him into a life he didn’t want. “Sounds good, if you wanna get wasted on Kombucha find me at the farmer’s market on Sunday, I’ll hook you up.” 

[jacobtanncr]

karliozturk​:

~

                  She was so stinking clumsy. Jacob had her tripping over her own two feet. It didn’t help that they had five pairs of prying eyes on them too. One woman in particular, felt the need to scold Jacob on his manners while her friend gaped at them as if they were starring in some kind of romantic hallmark movie. It felt more like a comedy to Karli though with Jacob’s poorly executed insistence. She knew what he meant but that didn’t stop her own amusement from surfacing or her own cheeks from overheating. She often folded under pressure and too much scrutiny. The feeling of being watched wasn’t one she particularly liked although she was very familiar with. She was glad though when their feet guided them away from his sweet grandmother and her snoopy friends. “Oh, Jam.” Karli too, was a vegan. Her ex husband used to love meat. Specifically steak. And he enjoyed it extra raw. The sight of too much pink always made Karli’s stomach turn. She felt bad for the poor animals whose lives were taken to feed. Thus: she became a vegan. After opening the jar of jam to have a quick sniff, Karli felt her eyes roll delightedly to the back of her head. “Peach,” she mused. “Don’t mind if I keep this? It smells like it would be great on toast.” She cradled the jar against her chest as if it were a keepsake and rocked on her heels excitedly as they strolled, with her mind gearing up to enlist his help on a major project. “I remember you telling me about your graphic design major? Well, I think with my creative brain and your skilled expertise we could make something magical. I need a flyer for my grand opening yet I absolutely suck with computers. Doesn’t have to be anything too extravagant because you’ve seen the store and it’s small and I don’t think more than fifteen to twenty people would fit in it at once. But, I do want to spread the word a little. Business has been really slow and I think I need to spice things up if I ever want to remedy that. The only problem is, I’m on a low budget so I won’t be able to pay you for your services. I am, however, up for the task of cooking you a delicious, vegan meal to show you my thanks. What do you say?”

“Yeah, my grams made it from the fruit she grew. I tried to convince her to make it into a pie but obviously I lost that argument” Jacob said with a faint chuckle, and given how Karli’s features lit up at the simple gift made that argument completely irrelevant. “It’s all yours” He said with a nod as he joined her on a walk. That was one thing he truly appreciated about Magnolia Springs –– the fresh air. Back in New York it seemed like even Central Park had a distinctly unpleasant aroma, but around here, the air was so crisp it was hard to imagine ever returning back to Queens. Jacob perked up just a little at the fact that Karli seemed to remember something about him. Most of the time he felt like he was just saying stupid stuff that wouldn’t stick, but it seemed that hadn’t been the case. Listening to her idea, it sounded like a good opportunity to help a small business so there was no way he was going to turn it down. That and she had asked him.  Perhaps if it had been anyone else he might’ve needed a bit more convincing. “Sounds like a cool project. I’ve done some flyers in the past so I can definitely help you out. Just run the details by me and I can whip somethin’ up that fits your style –– you know, small local shop supporting and helping artists” After all, he picked up supplies there quite frequently himself and found the place rather welcoming. “I don’t know, maybe some sort of a deal to get them in the door to buy –– like bring the flyer in for 10% off your oder or somethin’” he suggested, only because he had run a similar scheme at his dad’s autoshop back in the day and it worked out for them. “Alright sounds like a deal, but only because I can’t say no to a homecooked meal. Plus I don’t think there’s a single vegan restaurant ‘round here and I’m tired of the cafe in town callin’ me a city slicker for my oatmilk obsession. It just tastes fuckin’ good, that’s all.” 

[jacobtanncr]

margothughes​:

Margot was half a second away from thanking him for ignoring her pathetic attempts at putting the shelves up herself when he made it impossible for her to do so. “Ha, ha, ha,” she said with a wry smile, rolling her eyes in the way she did back when he and his brothers would call her Maggot. “Just when I thought you’d grown up to be more pleasant than you used to be when we were kids you go and prove me wrong.This might not be my best work, but I’m not completely useless. I put that together.” She motioned to the coffee table she had gotten from Ikea. Now she just had to cross her fingers that he wouldn’t touch it and see how wobbly it was. The brunette was a proud woman. It took everything she had for her to crawl back to town after her injury at Juilliard and admit she hadn’t achieved her goals. Everyday since then she had tried to salvage what was left of her dignity. That had clearly made her the tiniest bit defensive when it came to, well, everything other skill she had or, in this case, didn’t have. She watched in silence as he worked, frowning when she realized that he may not be all that knowledgable about this stuff as she thought he was. She tilted her head to the side the shelf was now leaning. Her mouth was already open, ready to comment on his work when he assured her he wasn’t done. She nodded slowly, skeptical. “Right,” she said with a chuckle, taking a sip of her beer instead of saying something that would make him turn around and leave the shelves unfinished. “Is it? Tomorrow we can pretend you just moved to town and I’ll show up on your doorstep with a basket of freshly baked muffins to properly welcome back the boy who nicknamed me after a larva.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. I was always pleasant to be around, go ahead and ask my grams” Jacob shot back, though his grandmother always did have a soft spot for him since he was the baby of the family. No doubt she’d take his side on the matter despite the fact that he had his devilish moments as a kid. Calling the neighbor girl names happened to be one of those moments. “The coffee table? That came with instuctions? And Pre-drilled holes? I’m so impressed” He said sarcastically with a smirk. He had no reason to be grinning like he was considering he was probably just as bad as she was when it came to building real furniture. An IKEA table was easy peasy, but carving wood and forming it into a piece of furniture like he saw people do at the farmer’s market was a skill he could only hope to work at. Setting the beer back down, Jacob took another stab at the shelved and hammered in a new set of nails before resting the board on top. Still a bit crooked. But it would have to do for now. “Yeah, I don’t like muffins. More of a bagel guys. Gotta be gluten free though” That was the New York in him talking now, “Also, I wasn’t the one who gave you that nickname. I’m just the one who said it the loudest” True. Walker had dubbed Margot with that horrendous nickname, and Jacob remembered thinking his brother was so smart and funny at the time, looking back now he should have realized sooner that they were all idiots. “So did you ever even get out of this town or did you wait all these years until I showed up to air your grievances over the nicknames?” he asked with the raise of his brow, still a little too amused at the ordeal.

[jacobtanncr]

cassandramiles​:

         It was strange — someone with whom Andi once swore she wouldn’t be able to live without, her best friend, twenty years of silence under their belt, before his triumphant return. Well, unless you counted the few years or letters, that is? in which case, it was a little less. A tradition that both parties discontinued, and let fade away, as soon as they entered high school. Their childhood bestie nothing but a shadow of a former life. Until now. “Lucky for you, I finish pretty soon. I’m just waiting for my manager to turn up and take over for me.” The brunette admitted, resting her elbows onto the bar, before her chin rested on her palms. And hopefully, if she had anything to say about it, she’d be rocking up to continue the shift within the next twenty minutes or so. “You really wanna go down my memory lane?” A scoff followed suit, knowing she hardly considered herself one of the ‘cool’ kids. In fact, she liked to think of herself as more of the outcast and black sheep amongst her friends, she was only in the crowd itself due to the fact that she was dating a jock. Quarterback, at that. It was safe to say she eventually grew into her gangly limbs, and puberty definitely did her a favour, ultimately being what initially must’ve taken his attention, right?

          “Wow, well, what an honour to take your attention instead of those runway model ex’s, or future date’s, of yours.” Rolling her eyes, she soon rose from her slumped position as one hand went to push at his shoulder slightly. It wasn’t long before it was followed with a small laugh, his pun and obvious attempt at humour definitely not falling short in the moment. “You’re both entirely different, and the same kid from twenty years ago, Tanner.” It was strange. He was both familiar, and a total stranger, all wrapped into one odd sense of comfort. And it seemed he wasn’t the only one who had an entirely different part of himself now. Evident when he bought up her son once more. A mother to a ten year old — yeah, it kinda came out of left field, her life turned on it’s axis entirely. And yet, he was of course the most important part of that life now. “You and me both. I still think I’m trying to get my shit together, and all the while trying to raise Emmett.” A shrug emulated thereafter, lips pursed as she let the first few years of his life come into focus; a difficult time to say the least. “A single mother, who had a kid when she still considered herself a kid? No. Not at all where I thought I’d be. In fact, I used to think I’d never have kids.” It was just one of those things she didn’t grow up wishing for like some women did. “But, it all worked out in the end.” Reassurance was obvious in her features, alongside her tone. “And what about you, Jake? You happy with how things turned out?”

Despite the fact that Andie’s question was rhetorical, that didn’t seem to stop Jacob from responding with an answer, “Well, yeah” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Memory lane with Cassandra meant bringing to life some of the things she wrote to him those few short years they stayed in contact. More than that, it would remove some of the space between them because from where Jacob was standing, it felt like Andie was a stranger and a home at the same time and he was too busy teetering from each end to figure out which one. “I don’t know, I just feel like I missed out on a lot...” Jacob shrugged his shoulders, “Sometimes I wish I could’ve stayed, you know? Grown up here like my mom wanted.... but since I didn’t, I gotta live vicariously through you. So please tell me you did some crazy shit in high school –– like light a car on fire or somethin’” Now his grin was beginning to show, though he somehow felt like he was setting the bar fairly high. 

“Yeah, maybe I left behind a hot girlfriend back in Queens and a dog with more Instagram followers than me, you don’t know” He didn’t, and the way he was grinning from ear to ear let Andie know he was only joking. Truth be told, Jacob didn’t leave behind very much. Other than his two brothers, there was nothing in New York with roots for him anymore now that his father had passed. “I mean not exactly the same, right?” As a kid he had been so used to being picked on by his older brothers since he was still a bit of a runt back then. As Andie went on, Jacob couldn’t help but feel the opposite –– through his eyes it seemed like she had accomplished a lot. She had a son, a bar, and as far as he knew she was living honestly. “Well at least you’re kind of a milf if that makes you feel better?” he tacked on as his lip curved up into an amused smile. To him she still seemed like the lanky girl he used to try and scare with bugs he found in the dirt. It was hard to imagine that they were both adults now with lives of their own. He went silent for a moment at her question though, because truthfully Jacob wasn’t quite sure how he felt about things right now. “Yeah, I think so. I could have done without losing my dad, but guess we don’t really make those decisions. But I don’t know if happier is how I’d define it. Being back here has definitely made me feel more whole. Like I’m a complete person again, just forgot bits and pieces of myself here that I didn’t even know existed.”

[jacobtanncr]

brennanxwalsh​:

The last thing Brennan had anticipated out of his day was a reunion he actually looked forward to — so to give Jacob a clap on the back as they briefly embraced was a welcome interaction. They’d once been thick as thieves. With little to do in this painfully small town, it really only left room for mischief. While Brennan was never a trouble maker — there was plenty the adults in their lives would always be ignorant too, and that was likely for the best. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Brennan nodded, sympathetic look shot the other man’s way. “I lost my mom in July, so my wife and I are back here helping my dad out. Store’s still busy as ever, and keeping a house on his own…” Brennan let out a brief, exasperated laugh. “But you get that. Nothing easy about farm work.” Memories of Jacob’s grandmother were vague at best, though he seemed to recall inciting the rage of a particularly ornery rooster back in the day. 

Snorting into another laugh, Brennan shook his head as he seemed to stand in disbelief that this was a real interaction. With everything feeling suffocatingly stationary, this chance encounter felt like just what he needed to feel even remotely himself again. “I’ll be here for awhile yet, yeah. So I’ll hold you to that beer, or several.” With Brennan’s coffee finally ready on the to-go counter, he’d step away briefly to collect it before returning to Jacob’s side. “Home base is Boston, but we’re sticking around until my dad knows if he wants to stay here or come back with us. Just giving him the time and space to make up his mind, you know?” It seemed just from the brief context that Jacob understood exactly what Brennan meant when it came to familial obligations. “I work in Congress, so I commute to D.C. a lot. Kind of nice to just… Slow down for a little while. What about you, man? Sticking around for awhile?”

“Hey, it’s alright” Jacob reassured his old friend, if only because addressing the issue would probably ruin the happiness he felt at reuniting with someone from his childhood. After all, the days of his youth were memories he looked back on and remembered being happy. Even with his mother’s constant hospital visits, he found solace hanging around friends like Brennan once upon and time and perhaps he was calling on that same feeling nearly two decades later after another tragedy. “Guess no one’s safe from loss, huh” he said with a small sigh before nodding at his friend to express his condolences to his mother. “You’re married? No shit” he said with a smirk, it was just hard to believe that the same kid he used to skateboard with was all grown up with a family of his own now. “Yeah, I think I’ve been away too long since farm work is a hell of a lot worse than a session at Soulcycle” He added with a laugh. Life in Magnolia Springs was a stark contrast to the life he had back in New York but right now that’s what he needed. 

“Yeah man, that makes sense. You hopin’ your dad chooses to head back up to Boston with you or do you kinda miss being back here?” he asked, mostly because the thought had crossed his own mind a few times since he’d been back and perhaps he wanted to get another opinion. “Congresss? Well fuck dude, you’re really out there changing the world. You’ve got a big boy job and everything” He said in admiration. Jacob had always been very outspoken about his own beliefs about the world and how it worked and it didn’t matter how many protests he joined, people he helped, or information he gave, it never seemed to have a good enough impact to suffice his bleeding heart. “Yeah I’m sticking around to help my grams out for a bit, not sure how long I’ll stay but for sure through the holidays. Kinda hard to say no to homemade pumpkin pie and turkey, ya know?” That wasn’t really what had him sticking around but it certainly helped.

[jacobtanncr]

khairsonmez​:

LOCATION: a café WHEN: noon WHO: @jacobtanncr​

          There weren’t many aspects of New York which Khair maintained. Her move to Magnolia had come as a way to forget the city and the demons that dwelled within it. It was as if overnight it’d become too suffocating, too loud, too close. She needed air and Magnolia provided just that. Granted, Khair hadn’t fully escaped the claws of NYC. Her profession required frequent trips back and most of her friends (a rather loose term) remained inhabitants. It wasn’t that she hated the city—- it’d simply been ruined for her. Her marriage, so it seemed, had ruined a lot of things. Nonetheless, holding tightly to her macchiato, she wasn’t expecting to see a familiar face, least of all one she’d met so far from the streets of Alabama. Still, there he was: Jacob Tanner. The man who’d helped her out more than a few times over the years. She’d first heard of him through a friend when she’d been in a panic over a missing visa document. He could help, they’d said, and thus a pattern began. Walking over, she called his name quizzically. “Jacob?” she leaned over as if to verify his identity before a small smile crossed her features. “Kind of far from home, aren’t you? Remember me?” 

Once the afternoon came by, Jacob found himself slipping away from the farm and heading into town to get his caffeine fix. He truly did miss the convenience of having a Starbucks on every corner but he was grafeful the small shop in Magnolia Springs regardless. He had just finished taking a sip from his tea when he heard someone call his name, causing him to look over at a woman he didn’t think he’d ever see in Alabama. “Actually a little too close to home is more like it” Jacob replied back with a grin before his features fell into a polite smile. “But yeah, you ain’t that easy to forget” It was hard to forget his clients when it came to his not-so-legal side hustle. “Definitely didn’t expect to find you hanging around here. Not willingly anyway” he added with a chuckle, “So what brings you to charming Magnolia Springs anyway?” 

[jacobtanncr]

karliozturk​:

━━━━━━  ( @jacobtanncr​ )

                   When she initially proposed the idea about help with a flyer, Jacob didn’t immediately cross her mind. But now that she’s had time to think about it and calm down she remembers him mentioning something once about a degree in graphic design. It’s one of the few things they bonded over initially. Both creative artists. Therefore, with him now running around her brain - Karli tightens her satchel over her shoulder and makes her way down to the local farmer’s market where she knows he’ll be. It’s the middle of the day and so she’s fully confident he’s working, helping his adorable grandmother sell her produce. The elderly woman is a treasure, truly. Makes Karli wish she had more family. Not that it would matter if she did because, she was safer on her own. Even if at times that got incredibly lonely. “There you are!” Her excitement and relief can be felt from the ground up. It’s radiating through her, making her tanned complexion glow and her defining dimples, soften. The same dimples that most people would’ve killed for. “Think I can borrow you for a sec? I need a favor.”

Another weekend meant another farmers market to drive his grandmother to. Jacob had been to one every weekend since he came back into town and truth be told, he preferred it over the autobody shop his dad used to run in New York. For one, the people were always kind and second, there was fresh fruit and produce everywhere that the vegan in him could appreciate. Plus, it only took a few encounters for Jacob to be gracefully accepted into his grandmother’s circle of friends that consisted of older women in their seventies who liked making and sharing preserves and jams. He was just in the middle of a taste test when a familiar face seemed to pull him from the lovingly overbearing trenches. His grandmother handed him a few mini jars of their batch and pushed him in the direction of the young woman, who she had grown fond of ever since she saw the woman at their booth weeks prior. 

Meeting her halfway, Jacob tried not to feel too embarrassed from his grandmother’s antics, or her group of friends’ chatter, “Hey, what’s up?” he said cooly after clearing his throat, if only to keep the red from rising to his cheeks. Because as much as his grandmother joked about all three of her grandsons being complete loners, it was fairly true for the time being –– Walker and Mason had never settled down with anyone and kept to themselves most of the time. Once upon a time Jacob considered the classic path of girl, house, kids, and dog, but fate didn’t seem to agree with him. So now he was left here in Magnolia Springs with the highlight of his day being gawking at the cute girl from the art supply store. “Yeah sure, borrow me for all the secs” Jacob replied, shaking his head to rephase his words, “I mean, I’m free right now or whatever.” It was odd seeing himself a bit flustered since normally Jacob was fairly confident and smooth (lessons he no doubt got from his older brothers), but he found himself slipping just a little, though his recovery was still quite good. “Also pretty sure they’re gossiping ‘bout you right now so take this” he said, handing her the jars of jam with a smile, “Anyway, what do you need me for?” He finally asked with the raise of his brow. Helping people had always been in his nature so it didn’t matter whether the request was out of his wheelhouse or not, he’d gladly figure out a way to contribute.