Chapter Nineteen
Todd
Taylor falls asleep with her head on my lap before the Cavs game ends, and I don’t have the heart to wake her. After everything we’ve done since returning from New Orleans, this still feels infinitely more intimate.
After gently sliding out from beneath her, I pick her up and carry her to my bed. Then once she’s settled, I head back to the living room and dial Chase’s number.
He picks up on the second ring. “I thought these little phone calls were going to end once the mission was over.”
“This is a courtesy call—I have information you’re gonna want.”
“I’m listening . . .”
“When Taylor went to check on Emma, she found an email from a partner in your mother’s law firm. They were trying to get her to resign, citing gross misconduct and embarrassment to the firm if she continued working there, so Taylor thinks she was fired.”
“You gotta be kidding . . .”
“I told her to call and tell you, but she had her I’ll-handle-this-myself look on her face.”
“I appreciate you telling me, but you know that if she ever finds out she’s going to claim betrayal of your friendship.”
“I’m not worried about that right now.” I sneak a peek at her still passed-out on my bed. “I’m only worried about her well-being.”
“You know she won’t see it that way—she’ll see it as you taking my side.”
“I’m not taking sides. I’m doing what’s best for Taylor.”
“Because you know what’s best for her?” he asks, his tone filled with doubt.
“At least as much as you do.”
The line goes quiet. For a second I wonder if he hung up, or if he’s just letting my words marinate, which is honestly worse. A whole minute passes—sixty long seconds punctuated by the faint sounds of Taylor snoring from the next room, and my own pulse hammering in my ears.
My thumb hovers over the screen, debating if I should say something else to break the tension or if I should just let it hang there. I wish I could see his face, gauge how much damage I just did, but all I have is the silent glow of my phone to judge the magnitude of the fallout.
“Okay,” he finally says. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Classes drag on endlessly the next day, and then practice kicks my ass. I sit in the locker room with my head in my hands when it’s over, trying to find the energy to make it to my car.
“You all right?” Adam asks, appearing beside me fresh from a shower.
“Yeah, just exhausted,” I reply, reaching for my bag. “It’s always at this point in the season that I question my sanity. I don’t know how you do it playing basketball and baseball.”
“If I didn’t, my dad would just train me even harder during the offseason.”
I nod slowly, understanding how parents can be. With my bag on my shoulder, I stand. “Catch you later.”
“Hey, wait—quick question.” He towel-dries his hair. “Did you and, uh, Taylor hook up over the weekend?”
My eyes narrow. “What’s it to you? Jacob waiting for a full report?”
“Whoa, dude, chill.” He raises his hands. “I didn’t mean for it to go down like that last time. I didn’t know you and Jacob would rip into each other like that.”
Oddly enough, I believe Adam because I actually consider him a friend while Jacob is a wild card I don’t trust at all.
He averts his gaze, fiddling with the stuff inside his locker. “I’m genuinely asking about you and Taylor.”
I arch a brow. “And I genuinely want to know why you want to know.”
He sighs. “I was thinking of asking if she wanted to catch a movie with me sometime . . .”
I drag a hand down my face. It’s just as I feared—he’s into her—and now I gotta decide how I want to respond.
Should I tell him the truth, that we have gotten together in some friends-with-benefits kinda way, or lie and say we haven’t?
The truth would get him to back off, but I don’t think Taylor would like me telling anyone about our deal.
“We’re just friends, man,” I finally say, deciding to go with a portion of the truth.
“So you wouldn’t mind if I asked her out?”
My face must give me away because he cuts me off before I can even come up with an answer.
“Got it—I’ll stay away.”
“Why are you asking my permission anyway?”
“Because you and Taylor are probably the only two people who don’t realize you belong together.”
It’s my turn to sigh. “That’s at least half true.”
He smirks. “Exactly my point.”
My stomach stops twisting, but I can’t fully shake the feeling that I’m doing something wrong. I think back to how Taylor reacted to Chase mocking her femininity. Would she see me scaring Adam off the same way?
“Look, if you want to ask her out, don’t let me stand in your way,” I say. “Taylor’s her own woman.”
“Yeah?” His eyes light up. “All right, then.”
I offer a curt nod, knowing it’s what’s best for Taylor, but my chest aches at the thought of her with anyone but me.