Page 56 of One Last Time?
She widened her eyes at me and burst out laughing. “Oh my God! Gilly? Taylor, please. He’s my best friend. That equals brother.”
“But he isn’t, though. Strip away everything, and he’s just a guy. A very good-looking guy who would do anything for you.” I nodded. “Quarterback for The Centaurs too.”
She giggled. “I’m aware of who he is, Taylor, and what he is. We’re just… us. I couldn’t imagine us any other way. Besides,Jesus, you should see what the man is like when it comes to women. Like you said… good-looking guy and quarterback for The Centaurs. That’s collateral. The man dates Victoria’s Secret models. While they have nothing on me, I’m not like them. Not his type.”
While she said that, it didn’t escape me that she hadn’t said he wasn’t her type. But… I wouldn’t push. I had my own love life to worry about. Of which it was looking like there was none. It was four in the afternoon, and no phone call from Dylan, and no message.
Abby reached out to touch my hand.
“I appreciate the talk, but I came home for you. First, to give you this.” She handed me the pink box.
I opened it and smiled when I saw a beautiful pair of diamond earrings with a pink glint to it.
“Thank you so much.” I smiled, giving her a massive hug. “You are the best older sister a girl could have.”
“And you, boss lady, are the best first sister a girl could have. You are, and I’m so proud of you. Dad called us all and told us he gave you the company. I was with Mom at the time, and she cried. We’re all so happy for you, so expect major spoilage.”
“Thank you. I’m grateful and happy.” I nodded.
“Yes, you are happy about the company, but I know you’re worried about Dylan, and that’s the second reason for me coming home.”
I bit the inside of my lip. “Abby, it was so strange how we met, and then I got to know him, and then I loved him.”
Her face brightened as I said that. “Well, here’s what I think you should do.”
“What?”
“Stop worrying. There’s a really hot guy walking up the path. Looks like Dylan, and from the way he’s looking at you, I think he feels the same.” She smiled and nodded.
I snapped my gaze right around to the path and looked ahead to see him.
My heart lifted along with my soul because I saw what Abby meant. She smiled at us both as he approached and left.
I stood up not knowing what to expect but hoping for the best.
“Hi.” I smiled at him.
“Hey.” He kept his gaze trained on me. In the bright sunlight, his eyes twinkled with a warmth that seeped into me. “I’m sorry I left this morning. There was some stuff I had to take care of.”
“Stuff?”
“Yeah. It turns out there’s this girl I met that I can’t get out of my head.” He smiled. “The funny thing is, I had this gut feeling from the minute I first saw her that she was going to be a girl I’d want in my life. I knew it, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself.”
Fresh energy bloomed within me on hearing that.
“Really? That sounds like a very interesting being considering you’re a no-strings-attached perpetual bachelor.”
“Tell me about it. It’s very shocking. With all my hard work to keep my spot in her bed, I transformed into the opposite. I’m not the no-strings bachelor anymore. And the idiot I was asked this interesting being to be no-strings-attached exclusive with me. Then I was an even bigger fool for thinking she could be my girl for a few weeks, but what I really wanted was her to be mine forever.”
My heart leapt with the excitement that raced through me. “Dylan…”
Affection glowed in his eyes as he gazed at me and reached out to touch my cheek.
“Taylor, I’m done being vague. I want to be with you, and I’m here to tell you that plain and simple. The situation with my dad and the company is nothing. It’s a long story, but I sorted it out, and I did that when I realized what mattered most to me. That was you.” He held my gaze for a few seconds then continued. “I left this morning because it was hard to talk about since there’s a lot more to the situation with my Dad that I haven’t really spoken about. Not to you and not to him. It’s to do with the way things have been since my brother’s death. This whole thing wasn’t just about me being with you. I know I’ve been gone all day without a word, but I’m here. I’m here because I love you.”
Those words lifted my spirit so high, soaring into the heavens. I stepped closer and cupped his face.
“I love you too,” I told him. That was the first time I’d said it to any man I’d been with. It was so nice to have this moment with the guy I’d found true love with. “I love you too, and I understand. Do you want to talk about it now?”
