Page 55 of Wish We Were There

Eventually, though, the group seemed to wrap up whatever they were discussing. Angie and Dean stepped away, the first to leave, waving goodbye as they headed for the exit.

Taylor and Kylie exchanged something in hushed tones for a little longer, then they looked over at him, both smiling.

“Bye, Parker!” Kylie exclaimed with an exaggerated wave. Parker returned the wave with a confused smile. He had no idea what they were saying about him, but Taylor had a small, fond smile on his face, so it must have been good.

“Bye,” he replied uncertainly, but she was already turning to go.

Taylor joined him at the bar. Moss had been idly wiping down the counter, but when he sat down, they pulled a bottle of the same beer Parker was drinking from the fridge and set it in front of Taylor, who laughed and took it.

“Thanks, Moss,” he said, and they shot him a wink.

“Figured you’d want something to wind down with,” they said. “I’ve got some dishes to do in the back, so give me a shout if you need anything. Or, you know, take whatever you want. It’s your bar.”

“Will do,” Taylor laughed. The door to the back-of-house swung shut behind them, then it was only Parker and Taylor left. Even though he knew Moss was in the back, and Reid and the stage crew were probably still around, for now, they were alone—like it was just the two of them again, fixing up the old, outdated venue all those months ago.

In that moment, they might have been the only ones in the world, sitting with their thighs pressed together at the bar. Maybe the timing wasn’t good, but he was sure he couldn’t keep the words down any longer.

Even watching from the sidelines, Taylor had been so incredible to witness. He had been like an angel on the stage: the moody lighting cast long shadows from his eyelashes down his face, alternating between a dreamy half-lidded expression when he would look down at his keyboard, and illuminating his eyes into a bright, pearlescent blue when he looked up and out toward the audience, or toward Parker.

He had known it maybe since the beginning, but the words couldn’t be held back any longer. He had to say something.

“That was really nice of you,” he said softly, looking down at his beer on the bar in front of him. “Back when you were onstage... It was really sweet of you to say that. I hope you know I was happy to help with everything.”

Taylor’s gaze softened as he smiled. “I know. But I really meant it, Parker. I want... Well, I hope you’d want to be part of the Caesura Room forever.”

Parker’s heart stuttered, all but bursting out of his chest. How had he ever gotten so lucky that someone as incredible as Taylor wanted to be with him? His mouth worked silently for a moment, trying to say something just as sweet, something just as heartfelt; but his mind kept going back to the same three-word phrase.

He had never been unsure of his feelings, but that same familiar worry of moving too fast had kept him from saying it. Now, though, it seemed like the only thing left he could say after witnessing something so sublime.

“I love you,” Parker said, the words all leaving him in a rush, like he’d unplugged a dam. “You were so incredible up on the stage, Taylor, you’re just... You’re the most important person in the world to me. I love you, and I want to be part of your life for as long as you’ll have me.”

Taylor had frozen beside him, eyes wide and shining as a faint pinkish flush rose in his cheeks. But then a slow smile spread across his face, and warmth flooded Parker’s heart.

“I love you, too,” Taylor said, reaching over to grab both his hands. He let out a nervous laugh, but his smile was pure and genuine. “Fuck, I was amping myself up to say it first.”

Parker laughed, squeezing his hands. “I guess we both were.”

“I love you, Parker,” Taylor repeated, the words coming out breathlessly, like he couldn’t wait to say them. “I love you. I love you.”

Parker leaned closer and kissed him. Taylor made a soft, muffled noise against his mouth, kissing him back fervently. He had been just as sure of Taylor’s feelings as he had been of his own; but hearing Taylor say it, repeating it like he’d wanted to say it a hundred times before—how could he do anything but kiss him? The tension that had been building in his body drained away all at once, filling him with a bright, euphoric relief in its place.

Taylor loved him. Taylor wanted to be with him. Taylor wanted him around forever. It was everything Parker had ever dreamed of.

Taylor’s warm hands were cupping his face, holding him close, even as he broke their kiss to say it again. “I love you, too, Taylor,” he murmured, the other man’s lips brushing against his own as he spoke. He felt Taylor smile.

“You know, maybe I will still play piano,” he said softly. “If it gets this kind of reaction out of you...”

Parker chuckled before pressing another kiss to his lips. “I’ll be your most dedicated fan. I’ll make it to every show.”

Taylor’s expression melted from one of amusement to something much more sincere. “I forgot how much I like performing, to be honest. Touring and all that sucked, but being onstage... That’s the good part, you know? And if you like it, too, maybe I will.”

Parker could tell his expression must have been sappy and adoring, but he couldn’t help it—even remembering how beautiful Taylor had been in the stage lights was enough to make his heart skip a beat. “Whatever you want to do, but honestly, I would love that.”

Before Taylor could respond, Moss came through the back-of-house door, carrying a bucket of clean glasses. They didn’t say anything, but Parker could tell from their stifled grin that they had probably seen the scene play out between him and Taylor through the window in the door, waiting until they’d had their moment to return to the bar.

Taylor must have noticed the same thing; he hid a laugh behind his hand and swiveled in his bar seat to face back out toward the stage, his back pressed against the bar countertop. Parker turned to look: the stage crew had started breaking down the equipment, packing instruments away, and pulling up cords from where they’d been taped down. The venue had come back to life around them. Still, this little piece of it was Taylor’s—theirs.

“You know,” he said softly, interlacing his fingers with Taylor’s. “I think this is shaping up to become something really amazing.”

---