Page 57 of Tailored for Them

Taylor waswonderful.

I felt safe with them. I felt appreciated. I feltwanted. When was the last time I felt all of this with a partner? Consistently like this?

They knew my concerns about breaking up with mutual friends.

If they were going out of their way to “formally” introduce me to their friends tonight, that meant something to them. They knew that meant something to me.

They were acting like they wereallin.

Like they didn’twantto break up.

Ever.

Perhaps it was time for me to have a chat with them again. We hadn’t talked about the progress of our relationship in detail since that conversation during our date.

Perhaps this was a new, improved Nicole.

Willing to take what she wants.

Done mourning her last breakup.

Ready to step into the deep end with someone she did not expect at all.

“Yeah,” I sighed to myself as I clicked my laptop to life, “Tonight, we’ll talk.”

I tried really hard not to think myself into a negative, anxious spiral about my plans for the rest of the day. Before, it would be easy for me to focus on the risk of getting too close to Taylor and their friends. We already had a couple of mutual friends, my coworkers, whom I cherished more and more every day.

I didn’t want to lose them if things went south with Taylor and me.

But I didn’t want my fears and insecurities to get in the way of this, either.

There was a chance all of this would work out, right?

That Taylor and I could be happy together.

They wouldn’t want me to meet their friends if they didn’t think that, too.

So instead of worrying about sharing my friends with them at their rugby practice today, I forced myself to get lost in numbers, budgets, and company spending.

I’d found success in my career, but for some reason, finding success with romance felt much more intimidating.

Chapter Sixteen

NICOLE

Taylor: You coming?

Me: I’m just finishing up work.

Taylor: Can’t wait to see you!

I grinnedto myself as I saved my work and closed my laptop. I decided to run home and change, considering I had a bit of time before rugby practice was supposed to start. I reapplied deodorant, added some blush to my cheeks, and applied a coat of mascara. I was getting dolled up to watch Taylor at their rugby practice.

It wasn’t even a date.

It was just Taylor.

Leo and Zaid would be there. Maybe Jacqueline and Signe, depending on how her morning-but-actually-all-day sickness was going.

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