Page 48 of Power Play

17

Taylor

“What are you doing, Taylor?” Carrie’s concerned eyes scanned my face in our video chat as if the answer was written on my forehead.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I have no idea. Nothing is going according to plan. It’s like my life has been taken over control, and I’m just along for the ride.”

“I don’t want you getting hurt.” She didn’t have to say again for me to know she was thinking it.

The episode in Jason’s car was expected. I thought maybe we’d fight or skirt around things again. I never imagined he would bring up Alexander. The way he’d been acting, I didn’t even know if he remembered or cared. Obviously, I was very wrong.

The whole conversation had been as painful as it was cathartic.

We needed to get it all out in the open in order for us to move on. We could have continued in the awkward, polite cycle of acknowledging that we did indeed have a past relationship, but never admitting the extent. But that made my heart ache. I never would have told him––or anyone else––that. It wasn’t any of his business.

Not until he said his name.

That was all it took to break me. To fall apart in his arms. And boy did that feel good. No, it felt right. It felt like home.

“I don’t think he can hurt me any more than he already has at this point,” I pointed out.

“No, don’t you dare fall for that.” She gave me her best stern mom look.

“What do you mean?”

“That is where hope is bred. Thinking that there’s a chance that he’s changed. That he learned his lesson. That is dangerous.” She sighed. “Taylor, I know you loved that boy with everything you had at eighteen, but didn’t you learn your lesson. You can’t trust him. You can’t rely on him.”

I nodded. “I know. Trust me, I’m not going to fall for him again. It’s just nice to get it out in the open. To finally talk about it.”

She bit her lip.

“It didn’t change anything. We’re not magically friends again. We’re not going to start dating.”

Her eyebrows rose in challenge.

“We’re not!” I nearly yelled before lowering my voice. “I couldn’t go on pretending. I couldn’t act like there was no more to us than just being high school sweethearts. Now that everything’s been discussed, we got the closure we needed. We can move on now.”

“Move on?” She huffed. “You never moved on, Tay. You never dated anyone else. You threw yourself into school and work to keep busy, but your heart never moved on.”

I nearly dropped my phone on the floor. “That’s not true. Just because I didn’t date a ton in college doesn’t mean it was because I was still hung up on him. I just didn’t have time and never met a guy I was interested in.”

Carrie met her husband in college, but that didn’t mean everyone else did. Her life was her dream come true, but not mine.

“I’m worried about you. If something happens, it’s not like I can drive an hour to come see you.”

“I don’t need you to come pick up the pieces. Nothing bad is going to happen.” This call was originally supposed to be about my new job. I shouldn’t have even mentioned seeing Jason.

“Be careful,” she pleaded.

“I will. I promise.”

“Are you still liking living in the pool house?”

I looked around my room and nodded. “Yeah, but now that I have a job I should start looking for my own place.”

“That’s exciting. It will be your first place by yourself! Are you ready for that?”

I blew out a breath, and she started laughing.