Page 104 of Taylor

Once they were back at the condo, they were walking onto the elevator when a voice called, “Hold the elevator.”

Wes and Kate came into the elevator with them.

“Are we still pretending this is nothing?” Wes asked with a cocky grin.

“No, this is definitely something,” she said, snaking her arms around his waist.

And that was it. One small gesture claiming him in public, and everything was right with the world.

She was his, and everyone could know.

He kissed the top of her head and decided not to be bothered by Wes’s shit-eating grin.

Alice Wagner was his sunshine, and that’s all he needed.

39

Alice

It had been a week since lunch with her dad at the cafe. While she didn’t plan on actually moving in with Taylor for a while, she had spent every night as his place. When he was busy skating, she was busy in her studio, making art. The stress of trying to be someone she wasn’t lessening every day.

She had finished her first author commission, and when her art was shared, her following on her page skyrocketed. Taylor’s personal assistant had offered to take her on as well. So, they had one person who helped to keep their lives running so she could focus on her art, and he, on the ice.

It felt like a privilege to her, but it was something she needed. She had more work lined up, and her personal assistant was helping her set up an online store.

All this progress in one week was surprising, as she didn’t even know what her life would look like in three months because, three months ago, she was hiding in a cabin. It changed from that scared woman, trying to be what everyone thought sheshould be, to falling in love and trying to figure out who she truly was. There was only one more thing she needed to take care of.

“Alice, I didn’t think you were going to be in today?” Sasha said as she looked up from her desk.

“Yeah, I was hoping we could talk.”

“Of course, come in,” Sasha said as she gestured to the chair across from her.

Alice took a deep breath.

This decision was right for her, but the people pleaser ran deep. Never did she want to let anyone down, let alone someone who had been as kind to her as Sasha had been.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Alice said.

Sasha gave her a knowing smile.

“I have loved working with you, but I think, at the end of the season, I’m going to move on.”

There, she’d said it. She glanced at Sasha’s face, thinking she would find anger, but all she saw was her kind smile.

“I kind of saw that coming. I can tell your heart is with your art.”

Alice bit her bottom lip, nodding.

“Are you sure you want to stay on for the rest of the season?”

“Yeah, I do like it, and I like sitting in the press box during home games. It’s nice to watch Taylor.”

“I know the feeling. I was actually going to ask you. If I gave you a photo of Conner and I, could you draw it? I’d love to include it in some of the wedding stuff. I will pay you for it.”

“Yeah, though don’t pay me. Consider this one a gift.”

“Are you sure?” Sasha asked.

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