Page 27 of Charmed, I'm Sure
“You gonna tell me, or are you gonna drag this out?”
“It was Taylor.”
“Shut the front door!”
“Ya’ know, I think this is one time ‘shut the fuck up’ would trump that statement, sis.”
Yanking something from a hanger, Maddie chucked it at my face, a saccharine smile pulling across her lips. “Wear this. Oh, and, sis? You aresoscrewed.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?!”
“Awe, Mags. My sweet, sweet sister.” Maddie perched beside me on my bed, a smile on her face and ‘you’re an idiot’ in her eyes. “Because you like him.”
“I do not,” I scoffed, examining the sweater in my hands far more closely than was necessary. Yes, Taylor Hallows was good-looking.Yes, he’d kissed me until my bones turned to liquid. But he was still one of the reasons I wouldn’t relive high school for all the money in the world. Sure, he seemed to have changed—I certainly had—but was that enough?
“Mags, honey. I don’t know if this is a date or not, but promise me you’ll put your best foot forward? Try not to judge him too harshlyfor something that happened over ten years ago. At least give him a chance to show you he’s changed.”
I didn’t understand why everyone was pushing this. First, Aunt Evie insisted he liked me after the festival, and now both my best friend and sister seemed determined to convince me to push one of the worst years of my life aside. Some part of me wanted to. Wanted to see if there was indeed more than history had established, but there would always be that girl in the back of my mind reminding me of everything he hadn’t done.
“Would you if it were Adam?” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, the hurt on my sister’s face striking like a knife to the heart. “Maddie, I—”
“It’s fine.” She cleared her throat, wiped her hands on her joggers, and stood, heading for the door. Pausing at the threshold, her sigh was audible even from across the room. “Two things, Mags,” she said, looking back at me. “One: our scenarios are completely different, and you know that. Two,” a small smile graced her lips but didn’t reach her eyes, “let your heart lead for once, okay?”
“Okay. But Maddie?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
Nodding sagely, she said, “Text me if you need a family emergency, okay?”
Anytime my sisters or I had a date or went out with friends and needed an excuse to leave, we’d text a random phrase to each other. Within minutes, our phones would ring, giving us an out. It never mattered what time it was, what we were doing, or if we were in a fight. We always had that—each other.
I chuckled lightly and asked, “What’s the code phrase this time?”
Her brows drew together for a moment before she rolled her lips inward, mischief lighting her eyes. “Inconceivable.”
“Clearly, the only logical option,” I said with a laugh.
Taylor
I’d been waiting outside for approximately thirty minutes when the teal-blue door swung open, and my breath lodged itself in my throat. Mags, covered in frosting and flour, was adorable, but the woman walking down the porch steps was something else entirely. Black jeans hugged her curves and cinched her waist. Delicate lace peeked out from her off-the-shoulder dark green sweater, and her hair was twisted into a bun atop her head. Every inch of her radiated comfort and an effortless sensuality that most women worked far too hard to achieve. She was stunning, and how I’d missed that all those years ago was beyond me.
Scrambling from the front of the car to the passenger-side door, I somehow managed a simple, “Hi,” as I pulled it open.
“Hi, yourself,” she replied, sliding into my Bronco. Her eyes widened as she looked around, and I closed the door behind her.
Deep breaths, Taylor. It’s just house shopping… with a gorgeous girl… who probably still hates your guts and is helping you out of pity.
When I slid into my seat, her eyes locked onto me. “So, what’s the plan? Do you have a list of properties or open houses?”
“I, uh… just thought we’d drive around and see what we could find?”
“You’re joking, right?” she deadpanned, crossing her arms over her chest.
A nervous laugh slipped from my lips as I pushed the ignition button. “My realtor should be sending me a list of properties, but it hasn’t come through yet.”
“Ah.” She chuckled as she buckled her seatbelt. “Someone’ssuperprepared.” Mirth sparked in her eyes as her lips curved into a delicate smile.
