Page 52 of Tailored for Them

“I’ll bite. Why am I still relevant?” Josh asked.

“Because Nicole is into your music.” I plopped myself down in one of the ugly accent chairs, watching them continue piecing together the outer exterior of the puzzle. “And I’m pretty sure she has no idea she’s met you already.”

“At rugby?” Courtney asked. Cooper randomly chucked the teething toy across the couch, then laughed when his mom had to reach across to retrieve it for him.

“Yup.”

“You don’t think she knows who I am?” Josh asked. He frowned at a puzzle piece in his hand before Susie plucked it from his fingertips and placed it in a spot closer to her.

“No, because after your music started playing, she looked at me and apologized.”

“Why?” Susie asked.

“It was your dad’s older stuff. From before you were born,” I explained, “He screamed a lot. She assumed I didn’t like it.”

“But…you don’t like it.” Susie cocked her head at me.

“The point is,” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees and clasping my hands together, “While I was sitting there wondering if she was playing the music because she knew I was friends with you, it became very apparent that she hasno ideathat I’m friends with you. And she clocked me as someone who doesn’t like heavier music like that.”

“You don’t,” Susie said again.

“Oh my god,” I rolled my eyes at the stinker, “Fine. It’s not my first choice. But it’s clearly Nicole’s. And she has no idea how close she is to a band she enjoys listening to.”

“So, what makes you bring this up?” Courtney asked. Cooper was wearing a bib around his neck to catch the drool, and Courtney lifted the bib to dab at his cheeks and lips.

“I thought it might be nice to, I don’t know…” I scratched the back of my head. “Maybe have you sign something for her. Formally meet her, or something.” I shrugged, lowering my hand so I could rub both of them together.

Silence greeted me after my words.

I glanced up to see Court and Josh sharing a look before they both turned to me. Susie was focused on her puzzle, and Cooper was busy gnawing on his teether.

“But, why?” Josh pressed, grinning when he finally placed a puzzle piece in the right spot.

“Why not?” I countered, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms, “It’s not like you’re busy.”

“Heaven forbid I enjoy a few years off from touring,” Josh snickered as Susie plucked his next piece from his hand and added it to her side of the puzzle again.

“But meeting Nicole and signing something for her would take two seconds out of your day,” I countered.

“But why, T?” Courtney pressed. I glanced up at her, ready to repeat myself, before she interrupted me, “I know, logically there’s no issue with this request. Butwhydo you want to do this for Nicole? She’s not the first person you’ve dated who likes Carbon Cut’s music. She won’t be the last. You’ve never felt the need to show Josh off for relationship points before. So, why now?”

I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times before releasing a heavy sigh and scraping a hand down my face.

“What if…Nicolewasthe last person I dated?” I finally asked.

I had to give it to Court, because she didn’t get silly or teasing. She thoughtfully studied me. My words lingered thick in the air, and the more I let them soak into the moment, the safer the admission felt.

However, I stood, scraping my hands over my face as I started to pace back and forth. My friends knew me as the chronically single friend. The one who always left the party early to go hook up with someone. Hell, Beck and I bonded over never wanting to get married at Josh and Courtney’s wedding.

So, I essentially threw my closest friends a sudden curveball.

“Taylor Desmond,” Courtney’s voice was quieter. When I glanced over at her, I realized that the reason for her softer tone was that Cooper’s eyes were starting to droop with sleepiness. “Are you…really that into Nicole?”

Susie glanced up from her puzzle with a frown on her face. “Why is this bad?”

I didn’t know how to answer that, so I let Josh answer for me.

“It’s not bad at all,” Josh explained to his daughter, “But Taylor doesn’t usually settle down with one specific person.”

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