Page 27 of Faking it With the Player Next Door

Everything about Taylor calmed me. So, when our contact lessened, I felt as if my world was turned upside-down. I knew it wasn’t healthy, but I couldn’t break away from Taylor not being around and not being my midnight chatter on the phone buddy.

When I heard from Hunter that Taylor and Travis had broken off their engagement, my hopes were revived, and I waited a good amount of time before contacting Taylor. I didn’t want toboast, but I missed her, and could only wait so many days before contacting her.

I didn’t regret waiting any longer.

“What are you smirking about?” Taylor broke into my thoughts.

“Huh?” My eyes blinked several times before I could focus on the moment. I was so deep into my thoughts that I hadn’t heard Taylor.

“I called your name five times,” she frowned, twisting her lips.

“Sorry, just thinking,” I murmured.

“Must’ve been something pretty important,” she countered, leaning her arms on the table, which brought her face closer to mine.

In the darkened restaurant, with table lights and a few lowlights along the walls, Taylor appeared almost angelic, and my breath caught in my throat. Her eyes fluttered, and I couldn’t hide from her green eyes, which were almost a sparkling emerald in this light.

“Thanks for agreeing to come out to dinner with me,” I replied, avoiding telling her what I thought. But that’s the entire reason I was here,right?

I needed to put on my big boy pants and just tell Taylor. I hoped she felt the same, and every indication directed me there. Taylor didn’t arguetoo muchwhen I flung therelationshipat Hunter, nor could he deny the kiss.

“Well, as you know, I’m not too thrilled about it,” she pursed her lips. “I was surprised you agreed to my terms,” she smiled.

Thinking back to earlier in the day when Taylor texted me with her two conditions for going out for dinner, I laughed. She wanted to meet me wherever we were going, and as she explained, if she needed to leave abruptly, she didn’t have to wait for me.

The second stipulation was that she wanted to start talking first, as she had much to say.

In my mind, I was hoping she had fallen deeply in love with me, as I was with her…What? Deeply in love with Taylor?

Where the hell did that come from?

“First, you’re smiling, and now you’re frowning?” Taylor chided. “You’re worse than a hormonal teenage girl.”

“Just a lot on my mind,” I shrugged, as I glanced over Taylor’s shoulder and saw three women sitting at a table across the room, talking to one another with smiles and glancing in our direction.

Oh, not now!

“Well, that’s what tonight is about,” Taylor picked up her glass, sipped some water, then gazed at me. “Talking, and airing our grievances…”

“Grievances?” I turned my eyes back to Taylor, forgetting the three women who probably recognized me, and were on the verge of coming over. “What grievances?”

“Well, yes,” Taylor sighed, and her finger circled the rim of her water glass. “We have some things we need to hash out.”

“Okay, you wanted to talk first,” I reminded her, as I saw two women stand up, giggling and glancing at me.

“Yes, I do,” she cleared her throat and sipped more water. ‘The other day, well, I…” She paused, searching for what to say, or how to say it.

I leaned on the table, interlinked my fingers, and waited for her to continue. A movement over her shoulder caught my attention, and I saw all three women strolling towards me.

Rolling my eyes, I cursed under my breath and wished this wasn’t happening now. I was used to having fans come for autographs, women fawning all over me, and even an overzealous fan making a fool of themself in front of me, but having Taylor sitting two feet away from me when threegorgeous women were heading my way, I knew this was going to end badly.

“Now what?” Taylor tilted her head, then slowly turned it to see the three women approaching. “Oh, great.” Shaking her head, she glared at me. ‘Fans of yours?”

“I’m guessing,” I winced when Taylor’s eyes turned moist.

Her lower lip quivered, and I knew she was upset, and she’d start crying in a matter of seconds.

“I’m sorry, Taylor,” I whispered, reaching across the table to take her hand.

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