Chapter 35
Charlotte
The low lights of the fancy restaurant match the brimming light in Taysom’s eyes. “Is this technically our second date?” I ask him, the events of the day swirling in my belly.
I nibble on a small piece of bread. “Piece of bread” is not the right descriptor. More like a luxury snack of edible velvet with a whipped basil butter that is as soft as cotton candy.
He stares at my mouth, a flash of delight knocking me off kilter. Taysom Reed is affected by my mouth.
It’s hot. As is the way he looks tonight, in his crisp, white, long-sleeved shirt, green tie with tiny blue polka-dots (I call it his Wolves tie) and grey slacks.
“I would say so,” he says. “Want to go out on our third tomorrow night?”
“We’ve just started this one and you’re already thinking of the next one?”
“I’ve been thinking of our third date way before we went on our first one.” He pauses. “Wait. Was sushi our first date? Maybe this is our third one already.”
“Wanna go on a fourth a little later?” I ask, smiling.
We’ve been texting all day and he was as excited as I am about the success of the fundraiser and the new job offer.
He told me he has news, as well. I’ve been a worry wart ever since, but I’m grasping for patience. He’ll tell me his news when he’s ready.
He’s definitely stewing over something, even though he’s trying hard not to let it show.
“So, when will you get to go back to work?” he asks before taking a slice of the bread.
“There’s a whole rehiring process that has to happen, and before that, they need to secure the funds and it all has to go through a review of some kind, so I don’t know.
But Ron’s hoping I can come get set up in the new space within a couple weeks, he said.
And then hopefully we can start treating clients a week or two after that, depending on the state’s approval and all that. ”
“Will you get MJ back?”
I squeeze my fists together. “I really hope so. We’d set her up with another clinic, of course, but as soon as I can publicly announce the reopening, I’ll reach out to Lynette, her mom.”
“So, what’s going to happen to the Crest building?”
I sigh. “It’s devastating to me, but they’re getting rid of it. They’ll level it and then build something new. Not for our department, I’m pretty sure.” I click my tongue. “It’s probably going to be an extension of the Sports Medicine Institute.” My smile stretches across my face.
“Nope. Have you been in that building? It’s way too massive as it is!”
Ha! He’s repeating my very own sentiment.
“I seem to remember going in there, yes.” I tap my mouth, teasing him.
I definitely remember the frisson between us there. From the look on his face, so does he.
“Hey, like I said, I need to tell you something.”
My chest seizes. “I hate those words.”
“No, it’s okay.” He grows solemn. “But I think I’m going to accept an offer to start for the Washington Commanders.”
My already pounding heart stutter stops. “You’re leaving the Wolves?”
He nods. “It’s time. I’d rather be proactive in securing something I want than wait for the chips to fall.”
I sip my drink. “That’s wise. I…I’m excited for you.”
He grasps my hand on the table. “Are you? Because I dread living so far away from you.” He blinks and stares at our entwined fingers. “I’m thrilled about the center reopening, but I’m going to miss you.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and breathe. “I can’t even think about us being that far apart.”
Grasping my hand tighter, he nudges it so that I meet his gaze. “We can still make this work.”
“I really don’t want things to end, Taysom. I don’t even exactly know what we are or what to call us, I just know I want to be with you constantly.” I bite my bottom lip, my gaze willing him to understand how much I care about him.
How much I love him.
His voice is low. Gentle. “I don’t know how or what that will look like. But we overcame eleven years of not being together, Charlotte. This is strong and real and it’s going to be okay. I think we can figure this out.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because I can’t picture going to D.C. or anywhere without you in my life.
” His lips move silently as he lines up his thoughts.
“This isn’t me giving up on us. This is me giving us the best chance possible because I want to show up as my best self in this, and I can’t do that trying to fix my mom or trying to hold on to things that aren’t really there with my dad.
I need to do this for myself and for us. ”
Why are my eyes stinging? I stare at my plated entrée, a chicken and smashed potatoes dish that’s the best meal I’ve had in a year, and smile. “Yes, it’s what you need to do and it’s going to be great. Don’t worry about us. We’ll figure it out.”
I want to believe my own words, and part of me does. Still, not knowing how is killing me.
His gaze is steady and strong as he stands from the table and reaches for my hand.
I stand to join him, and he gently squeezes my fingers.
“Charlotte, I love you.” His gaze tenderly rakes over me, his breaths ragged.
He loves me. My heart seals to him at that moment. No matter what, I’ll never be the same again.
I tug him close, lifting my head to kiss him deeply. When we pull apart, I smile. “I’ve always loved you, Taysom.”
Six Weeks Later
Things are happening so fast, I wonder if motion sickness meds might help me feel a little more steady.
I know they won’t, but I’m desperate for some relief.
It seems like every day of the past six weeks, something new has happened.
An offer from the Washington Commanders.
The back and forth with management and Taysom’s agent about Taysom’s contract.
Evolving news about the Early Childhood Center.
The arduous steps toward realizing the creation of a new, smaller center.
Taysom’s in D.C. now and has been for a couple of weeks. It’s time for my nightly video call with him and I practically sag into the sofa with relief when I hear his voice. Miley comes trotting over like she’s been waiting all day for this, too.
“Mr. Taysom Reed,” I drawl, scooping Miley up. She purrs and headbutts my chin, her whiskers tickling my face.
“Hey,” Taysom says, and even through the screen, his smile tickles my insides.
“Hey yourself.” I prop the phone against a stack of books on my coffee table and settle back onto the couch.
“How was work?” he asks.
“Good. Really good, actually.” I run my fingers through Miley’s fur. “MJ crushed it today. She’s doing so well post-surgery, and her mom is just...very relieved.”
“That’s amazing, Charlotte.”
And it is. When Lynette brought MJ back to the center two weeks ago, I nearly cried. Getting to work with her again, seeing her progress—it’s exactly what I wanted.
Except.
“How’s training camp?” I ask, because thinking too hard about the ‘except’ makes my chest hurt.
“Brutal.” He laughs, running a hand through his hair. It’s a little longer than he usually keeps it, and it curls at the edges. “Billy Cairns is...intense. But in a good way, I think. The team’s coming together.”
“You look tired.”
“You look beautiful.”
“Taysom.” I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling.
“What? You do. Even with your—is that yogurt in your hair again?”
My hand flies to my head. “Oh my gosh, yes. MJ thought it would be hilarious to fling her snack at me during our session today.”
“Did you let her get away with it?”
“No, but she has the best giggle, so it was worth it.” I pick at the dried yogurt. “This is disgusting.”
Miley chooses that exact moment to leap from my lap onto the coffee table, batting at the phone screen with her paw.
“Miley, no—”
“Hey, Miley,” Taysom says, his voice going soft the way it always does when he talks to our cat. “You keeping Charlotte company for me?”
The kitten meows, then knocks over my water bottle.
“Miley!” I lunge for the bottle before it can soak my couch, and when I look back at the screen, Taysom’s laughing.
“It’s not funny,” I say, but I’m laughing too.
“It’s a little funny.”
I’m about to respond when there’s a knock at my door. “Hold on.”
Kyle’s standing in the hallway with a sack from our family’s favorite Chinese food place and the expression of someone who’s either done something nice or feels guilty. Maybe both.
“I brought dinner,” he says.
The smell of ginger, soy sauce, and rice fills my nose. “You’re my favorite brother tonight.”
“I won’t tell Gage that.” He steps inside, spots the phone propped up on the table, and waves. “Hey, Taysom.”
“Kyle.”
There’s a beat of silence that’s just awkward enough to make me want to crawl under the couch. My brother and my boyfriend. This is still weird.
“I’ll, uh, let you guys finish your call,” Kyle says, setting the food on my kitchen counter. “Just wanted to drop this off.”
“Thanks for bringing me food. You don’t have to leave, though,” I say.
“Nah, I’ve got plans.” He pauses at the door, glancing between me and the phone. “You know, this whole thing is still bizarre to me. Like, I’ve known you both forever and now you’re...you know.”
“Dating,” I supply. I could add “madly in love,” but I think that would freak out Kyle too much, so I keep the gushing to a minimum.
He points at me with both pointer fingers. “Yeah. That.” He shakes his head, but he’s smiling. “I’m happy for you. Both of you. Even if it’s weird.”
“Thanks, Kyle,” Taysom says through the screen.
“Don’t screw this up, man,” Kyle says, pointing at him. “She’s my sister.”
Taysom sobers. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
After Kyle leaves, I grab a couple of to-go boxes and settle back on the couch. Miley sniffs the food. “You have your own food in the kitchen,” I remind her.
“Kyle’s warming up to the idea,” Taysom observes.
“Slowly.” I take a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “He texted me yesterday asking if you were treating me right.”
“What’d you tell him?”
I grin. “That you’re tolerably adequate.”
“High praise.”
We fall into our usual rhythm—he tells me about practice, I tell him about my clients, we complain about being in different time zones even though it’s only an hour difference. It’s comfortable. Easy.
And it’s killing me.
“I should probably go,” Taysom says eventually, though he doesn’t look like he wants to. “Early conditioning tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I should shower. De-yogurt myself.”
“Charlotte?”
“Hmm?”
“I miss you.” His voice is raw in a way that makes my throat tight.
“I miss you too.” The words come out barely above a whisper.
“Eight more days until I fly back for the weekend.”
I shrug, trying to put on a brave face. “Who’s counting?”
“Me. Definitely me.” He runs his hand over his face. “This is harder than I thought it would be.”
“Yeah.” I swallow hard. “It really is.”
After we hang up, I sit there for a long moment, Miley curled in my lap, the house too quiet around me.
I got what I wanted. The center reopened. I have my job back. I’m working with MJ again, making a real difference in these kids’ lives.
So why do I feel so down?
I stare at the blank phone screen, Taysom’s face still burned into my mind, and the truth hits me like a freight train.
I’m not excited about this job. I’m grateful, sure. I love the kids. I love the work.
But I’m not excited.
What excites me is the thought of doing this work in the same city as the man I’m desperately in love with. I want to come home to Taysom in the flesh, not just a video call. I crave building a life together, not counting down the days until a weekend visit.
Miley meows, and I scratch behind her ears.
“What do you think, girl? Am I crazy?”
She purrs, which I choose to interpret as support.
We pulled off the impossible, Taysom and I, when we saved the center.
My life is grounded and good now that I’ve found my footing in my new roles both as the lone O.T.
at the center and as Taysom’s girlfriend.
How about pulling off the impossible a second time by figuring out a way for us to live in the same city—for us to both get what we want?
My mind travels over so many steps, big and small that would make that possible. This could work, right? For the first time in weeks, I feel something shift in my chest.
Not fear.
Hope.