Page 56 of Taylor

There was also the Taylor of it all. She wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever if she worked with the organization.

How had she been so wrong about that? It still boggled her mind. She had been so sure he felt something for her, but he had vanished.

When she got home, she had gotten ready for the game and drove to the arena. Before she got out of the car, she pulled down her visor to check her makeup in the mirror. She looked perfectly fine, her blonde hair pulled into a pony, black pants and a gray blazer...

She looked fine.

“You can do this,” she said to herself. “New Year, New You.”

She snapped the visor back up and got everything ready, bracing for the cold. She could do this, the mental reminder playing in her head as she made her way into the building.

25

Taylor

“Great game,” called out Coach Wagner as he walked into the locker room. “We didn’t even let them get their legs under ’em this time. Keep this energy for next week. I’ll see everyone back here for some game review and practice.”

“Are you going out tonight?” asked Cash as he sat down next to Taylor and took a long drink of water.

Taylor shook his head.

Cash knew the answer, but he always invited Taylor, which he liked. Maybe one day, he would take him up on it.

“I think Evie and I are going to go for a bit. Kate is here, so I think Conner and Sasha might come out, too.”

This did make it seem a bit more appealing but not enough.

Taylor tilted his head. “No, I’m just going to shower and head home.”

“Right on,” said Cash. “I’ll see you later.”

After Taylor was finished up, he was one of the first players out. He turned down the hallway to go to his car.

“Taylor.”

He turned and saw Sasha walking toward him. “Is Conner almost done in there?”

“Yeah, I think him and Cash were on their way out.”

“Thanks. See ya later.”

He turned to leave, but then another voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Sasha, do you need anything else from me tonight?”

He knew that voice, had been dreaming about it since leaving the magical little cabin in the woods.

“No, you can head home, or we’re headed to the Westside Pub if you’re interested.”

“No, I think I’m just going to head home.”

Taylor turned, ready to see her face and her color and smile. Only... that’s not what he found. Where the fuck was his rainbow girl?

Their eyes connected. He barely recognized her in her monochrome outfit. She even had a gray peacoat thrown over her arm. She looked like she was in a black-and-white film. It was like she had gone from Oz back to Kansas, and Taylor fucking hated it. All the life he had come to expect from her was gone.

“Hi,” she said quietly.

He knew he should answer. It was his turn to talk, but he couldn’t get anything past the screaming in his mind. This was wrong. This was all wrong. He had never felt anything this utterly wrong in his entire life.

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