Page 40 of Tailored for Them

I wanted to keep going to Leo’s rugby games with Jacqueline, without being haunted by memories Taylor and I had together.

So, yes, it made the most sense for me to end things now before I started entertaining the idea of Taylor and I being an item.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, a sour rock formed in my gut.

I hated that idea.

Which put me right back at square one.

“Nicole?” Taylor asked me after rinsing their mouth out in the sink.

I was in the middle of applying the moisturizer that Taylor said they used every morning. I was determined to look as youthful as them at thirty-nine.

“Yeah?” I asked, massaging the cream into my cheeks.

“Can we go on a real date?”

I froze, giving them a curious look in the mirror.

What the hell?

I was completely caught off guard.

“A real date?” I asked, making sure I heard them correctly.

Taylor was styling their hair with some mousse and their fingers, looking casual as they elaborated.

“Yeah.” They lifted a shoulder, and I almost felt gaslit over how casual they were acting. As if the “they have flings” person wasn’t formally asking me out on a date. “…I want to take you out. I think we’re good together.” After that, they rinsed their fingers off in the sink, giving me a nervous look, “…Do you?”

I took a moment to study their face, because yeah, they lookednervousnow.

So, I wasn’t completely crazy for being surprised by this request.

I blushed, but I couldn’t stop the smile that curved the corners of my mouth.

“I—yeah. We’re good together,” I nodded, rinsing my toothbrush out in the sink, “…I like you.”

Taylor grinned at me in the bathroom mirror, “I like you too, gorgeous.”

I tucked my lips between my teeth, low-key appreciating this unexpected turn of events.

But there was still a big, fat elephant in the room, I just couldn’t ignore anymore.

They have flings.

“Taylor?” I asked.

“Yeah, babe?”

My heart expanded in my chest; it was almost hard to breathe, but I was a grown woman. I forced myself to move past the thrill of hearing them call me that and focus on my question.

Except I didn’t ask a question.

There was a disconnect between my brain and mouth.

Because what I said instead was, “I want to get married someday.”

Oh my god,thatis what I decided to say.

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