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Taylor took a calming breath as she straightened her diamond necklace. She smoothed her hands over her black bodycon dress and fiddled with her hair. She had to be dressed to the nines today. Grant was proposing to her--not that she was supposed to know that-- and her little stint, which had already gone on for 6 months, was finally ending.
A car pulled up outside her window. Taylor glanced around her shoebox studio apartment. Her mattress was pushed against one wall-- she hadn’t bothered with a bed frame this time. Clothes lay littered across every surface and haphazardly thrown into a suitcase. The walls were bare and there was no food in the cupboards, but it was home. At least, it would be home for the next 24 hours. It was a pity, the beautiful sunsets that could be seen from the rooftop of the complex were worth the hell of listening to her neighbors arguing every day.
She glanced back at the full length mirror--the one furniture purchase she made-- that made her figure look like she could grace the cover of Vogue and practiced her fake-surprised smile one last time. Then she pulled on her heels and left. Grant never honked, but she knew that he got impatient quickly. It was of utmost importance that he was in a good mood today. She hurried down the stairs-- the elevator obviously didn’t work-- and got into the passenger seat. She kissed his cheek, internally scrunching her nose at his wrinkly skin, and greeted him.
“Grant, what adventure are you taking me on today?” Taylor smiled.
She dropped her clutch in her lap and crossed her legs as Grant pulled into the traffic. He grinned excitedly, silvery hair reflecting the moonlight. It never failed to surprise her when November came around and night fell early.
“Nowhere crazy, sweetheart. I wanted to take you to my favorite restaurant. I have something special planned,” Grant replied.
Taylor clapped her hands excitedly and the two fell into silence as she fiddled with the radio. The leather seats of Grant’s Porsche felt like leather against the cold, bare skin on her arms and legs. She should’ve brought a jacket. She shook her head, there would be time for that later. She settled back as some obscure indie singer began to sing about the meaning of love. She preferred pop but it wasn’t about her. It was about Grant. She felt bad for a second, watching the buildings pass by and seeing happy couples walking along the sidewalks. Grant honestly wasn’t a bad person, no matter the fact that strangers would always think he was her father. He was sweet and attentive, always talking about how Taylor deserved better than what she had. He had some naive idea about what love should be ever since his wife died. One forgotten ride home after work and she had been mugged while trying to walk back. She never made it to the neighborhood. Now he made sure to call Taylor whenever he could and was always on time for dates. No, he was a good person. But he was also rich after decades of investing in the stock market and running a successful company. He should’ve thought twice before asking the beautiful girl who was half his age that he met at the grocery store out for drinks. But how could he? Even their fateful meeting was predetermined by weeks of research during which Taylor learned exactly what whiskey he would be looking at in exactly which aisle. He said her red hair and beauty reminded him of his ex-wife, Cherry. And that was that.
She snapped out of it as Grant pulled up into the parking lot of Tide. The two were escorted to a table towards the back of the restaurant. There was a single candle in the middle and rose petals were scattered around on the ground. It was clear that there was a generational gap between the two. Waiters stood around the set-up; some holding wine, others carrying trays of food. They were obviously privy on the engagement but some narrowed their eyes at the two, obviously wondering if she was being taken advantage of. If only they knew. But Taylor had been doing this for years. At 27, there were at least 5 men out there somewhere wondering where she had gone to and when she would be back. Or maybe they were dead, who knew. The dinner went by quickly enough and soon enough Grant was reaching into his breast pocket.
“Taylor, I know we’ve only known each other for six months, but I love you. I haven’t felt happiness like this in years,” Grant said, opening the navy velvet box he pulled out and revealing a beautiful diamond ring. The stone sat on a thin sterling silver band, it was simplistic but gorgeous.
“Grant, what are you doing?” Taylor giggled, blush sat high on her cheeks. Her eyes reflected the sparkle of the ring and danced with the candlelight.
“You’re the one. You understand me in ways that even I don’t understand myself. Spend the rest of your life with me, I’ll take care of you. You are what I need and I’m hoping that you would make me the happiest man on earth and marry me.”
There was a moment when Taylor paused, pretending to be overwhelmed and considering her decision. Grant’s expression became confused, the arm holding the box falling a little bit. It was always this part that sealed the deal. They needed to remember that she was still younger than 30, they needed to grasp the full extent of commitment they were asking. Then Taylor’s face split into childish excitement.
“Yes, yes, yes!” She squealed.
Grant grinned, face exploding with relief. Taylor slipped on the ring and her facade slipped for a moment. The ring fit perfectly and it was one of the prettiest she had received. For a brief blink, her eyes watered as she wondered what it would be like to actually stay. Have a real wedding with a real husband who would treat her well. She would never be wanting for anything. Except freedom. Domestic life wasn’t for her, it would do her well to remember that. She turned back to Grant paying the bill and beckoning her to leave.
That night she lay beside him in bed staring up at the ceiling. In a few hours the sun would rise, Grant would wake up ready for his first day with his new fiance and he would see an empty spot next to him. Taylor would be long gone, already on a train researching the next person. Her small apartment would be empty when he went to check, her landlord would have no information because she always paid in cash. His accounts would be drained of all assets except for the bare minimum he would need to survive. And his Porsche would be gone. Taylor waited for one more minute, allowing herself to live in this fantasy for a little while longer. Then she crawled out of the sheets, tiptoed around the penthouse picking up her things-- and a few things that weren’t hers-- and quietly closed the door behind her.
The ring was buried somewhere towards the bottom of her duffel back. It would never see the light of day again.
🖤
His name was Garret Smith. Taylor had already found the next eligible silver fox and finished putting the final touches on her file for him before she closed her laptop. It was hard to find passenger trains nowadays but the new money she had acquired helped her buy a first class ticket to the next town. It’s not like she couldn’t afford a plane ticket, especially now, but something about the steady rocking of a train and the picturesque countryside that blurred beyond the window was soothing to her. She had just gotten invested in the novel she had brought along, when a man slid into the seat opposite her.
Upon closer examination, she realized he was quite attractive. He had messy blonde hair that was pushed out of his face and lightly tanned skin. His face was accentuated with sharp cheekbones and his eyes-- which were now staring at her, questioning-- were an electric blue. Taylor startled at the sudden spotlight and blushed.
“Sorry, I was staring wasn’t I?”
The man smiled, all perfect white teeth. “Yes, but so was I.”
“That’s awkward. Let me start over, I’m Taylor. Are you going to Sacramento too?” Taylor laughed to ease the tension.
“Joe and, yes, I am. This is unusually bold of me, but can I say something stupid?”
“Well, Joe, there’s a good chance we’ll never see each other again. Go for it.”
“I’m quite enchanted by you,” Joe said, shaking his head at his own words.
“Pity,” Taylor grinned, “I wish I could say the same about you.”
They both started giggling like schoolchildren. Giggles turned into small talk and small talk turned into chatting easily for hours. Soon, the moon was bright and the train was slowing down to a stop in front of Taylor’s station.
“This is me, I guess,” she said, picking up her cardigan and standing on her tip-toes, trying to get her suitcases down.
“Here, love, let me,” Joe smiled, pressing his chest to her back and easily lifting them down. Taylor blushed and looked at the ground. She could’ve easily gotten them herself, but a gesture was always appreciated. “This is my stop, too, actually.”
“Maybe I’ll see you around then.” She winked and walked away. Cold, winter air hit her face as she stepped out of the compartment and she shook her head.
It was time for business.
~
Taylor looped her arm around Garret’s elbow and followed him into the large house. She’d spent the last month getting close to him and he’d invited her to his friend’s charity gala. Finally she was getting somewhere. Gaining his trust had been harder than she’d planned for. No matter now. She looked like the belle of the ball with her flowing sage green dress and complimenting gold jewelry. The house itself was massive with 3 stories, a majestic double staircase in the landing, a separate ballroom, and Taylor thinks she spotted a whole greenhouse in the sprawling gardens.
“Sweetheart, I hate to do this, but I need to go speak to some colleagues of mine about a deal that fell through. Will you be alright to mingle for a bit?” Garret asked, smiling apologetically. Laugh lines crinkled around his eyes.
“Yes, yes, go ahead. Of course you need to make your money, diamond necklaces won’t buy themselves,” Taylor grinned. She wasn’t joking but Garret laughed and went off to find his acquaintances.
Taylor sighed and started towards the kitchen. It would be a long night of making pointless conversation with people at least 25 years older than her and she needed alcohol in her system as soon as possible. Finding the nearest waiter, she grabbed a flute of champagne and stood by a couple of older women who seemed to be in the midst of trading the latest gossip.
“Yes, didn’t you hear? She said no!” a woman with a large butterfly brooch exclaimed.
“She said no? But he was such a gentleman. I heard he proposed with his mother’s ring,” a taller woman replied, shaking her head.
“And she was so beautiful as well; what a shame she’s fucked in the head,” the first sighed.
Taylor internally rolled her eyes. Champagne problems. The air was getting too stuffy in the admittedly large room– floral perfume and age-old cologne everywhere she turned. Luckily, she spied large french doors leading to the patio and quickly hurried to them, grabbing another flute of alcohol as she went.
The first breath of fresh air was heaven. The next not quite as much as she realized it was still winter and she was wearing a sleeveless gown. She’d also have to find Garret soon, too. If left alone too long, he might find another young thing to latch onto. But for 5 minutes, she could enjoy her solitude and finally collect her thoughts. But, just as she raised her glass to her lips, she heard a familiar voice.
“Hey! Taylor, wasn’t it?”
She turned and saw Joe leaning against the house further down, wearing a crisp black suit with hair styled immaculately. She smiled.
“Yeah, hi Joe. I didn’t realize you’d be here too,” Taylor smiled. Despite herself, she couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed his company.
“Right, yes, my date knows the hosts and I thought I’d come get some air before going back inside. Would you want to walk with me?” Joe gestured to the gardens. In the distance, Taylor could spot the greenhouse from earlier, a swimming pool, and a large area covered in a tarp.
Before she could overthink, Taylor nodded. The music from the party filtered out through open windows and provided a nice background to the companionable silence that Taylor found herself in as they explored the grounds. Curious, she walked over to the large tarp and peeked under to see what it was.
“It’s a tennis court!” she gasped. “But it’s covered up with some tent-like thing.”
“Seriously? Who has a tennis court in their backyard?” Joe chuckled, exasperated.
Taylor giggled, “I have no idea, this is not how I grew up.”
“Where did you grow up then? I used to live in a small house in Virginia. It was nice because the windows opened seamlessly and I could always sneak out.”
“I grew up on a farm. No, it definitely wasn’t like this mansion. Just living room dancing and kitchen table bills.”
“Dance with me then.”
“What?” Taylor looked at him but Joe just smiled and extended his hand. The stars reflected in his eyes and, in that moment, she couldn’t feel the chill of the air at all.
“You heard me. C’mon, let’s dance.”
“Dancing is a dangerous game.” But the moon was high, the music was nice, and the air buzzed with mischief and wishfulness.
So she allowed herself to be pulled in and the two danced until the bottom of Taylor’s dress was damp with dew. Only when they heard the clinking of silverware on glasses did they realize that time had flown. They hurried back inside to the party like children and Taylor quickly found Garret again.
“Oh there you are, dear. I’m sorry I was a bit late, but I couldn’t find you when I finished,” Garret said, putting his hand on Taylor’s waist and guiding her to their assigned dinner table seats.
“Sorry, I was out in the garden. Needed some air,” Taylor smiled. “You know you’re my favorite person to talk to and I got bored.”
Garret grinned, kissing her cheek then joining a conversation across the table. Taylor busied herself with her food and made polite small talk for the rest of the evening. But, when she glanced around the table while everybody was getting ready to go home, she caught Joe’s gaze and he gave her a wink. Something akin to butterflies erupted in Taylor’s stomach but she quickly tamped them down. She turned her attention back to Garret.
Yet, as she laid in bed that night– this time in a slightly nicer, more contemporary apartment but still on a mattress on the floor– she wasn’t thinking about her plan with Garret at all.
She fell asleep dreaming of blue eyes and night skies.
🖤
Time passed in a haze of daytime and nighttime adventures. In the morning light, she was Taylor Swift™. An ever lovely jewel who was the picture-perfect girlfriend. From early brunches to fancy, late night dinners, Taylor could see Garret falling in love with her more and more each day. But in the glow of the moon– in hidden alcoves and abandoned parks with Joe– she could be just Taylor. The girl who had always wanted cats and who loved to sing.
In the 2 or 3 hours of sleep she would get a night, she spent a good majority tossing and turning with her thoughts. Love was never a real feeling to her. It was always a game that she could win. Even now, she could picture Garret’s fond gazes directed at her, yet she felt nothing. So what was the giddy excitement that she now felt when she looked at Joe? What was the itchy need to know everything about him?
In her years in this… business, she was never in one place long enough to find someone she liked. No friends, no partners, no one. But, here was Joe. Someone who really understood her– every side of her. He knew this life. He knew what it was like to be constantly on the move. He knew what it was like to have to calculate every action.
“You’re a cowboy like me,” Taylor had whispered one night. They were laying on a hill overlooking the city, talking about their families, their experiences, and everything in between.
“You’re a bandit like me,” Joe had agreed, eyes full of stars. “Hustling for the good life.”
“I never thought I’d meet you here. I never thought I’d meet anyone here.”
Joe turned around then and raised a hand to cup her cheek. “Time is a curious thing. All along there must have been some invisible string tying you to me.” And he kissed her, soft and slow.
If this is love, she thought, then I’m never going to love again.
~
It was the last day of February when Taylor decided to go shopping. The money from her spiel with Grant had been sitting in her bank account and, with the weather getting warmer, she decided to treat herself to a new wardrobe. She and Garret were going to his house to have a movie night and Taylor realized it was high time she focused back on her plan. Joe was a beautiful escape from her days but she couldn’t forget what she was there for. This would be the perfect opportunity to scope out where the valuables were.
She stopped in front of the food court, dropped her bags on a nearby table, and was about to order some Indian takeout when a movement caught her eye. Now, movement wasn’t uncommon in a mall, but something about the person seemed familiar to Taylor. She hid herself partially behind a pillar and quietly gasped when her eyes landed on the tall figure. No, it couldn’t be. She grabbed her bags and looked again, but the shape hadn’t changed. In the 5 minutes it took her to flee the mall and find her car– a rental, of course– in the parking lot, her mind worked overtime.
Jonathan Miller. Her first real boyfriend. Her first hustle.
The memories that she had kept under lock and key in a box beneath her bed were flooding back now. 19 years old, fresh-faced and naive, Jonathan had come in and swept her off her feet. He was the most caring, attentive boyfriend… for the first two months. Then he became cold and manipulating. Their relationship didn’t feel like a relationship anymore, it felt like a chess game with no rules. What was he doing back here? Last she knew of, he was living down in Tampa.
A sudden, bone-chilling thought came to her mind. What if he was here for revenge? She had never disappeared off the face of the planet before him so it was possible she had accidentally left clues. The skeletons in her closets had come back to haunt her.
She was driving with no destination in mind but she emerged from her spiral to recognize the apartment complex she parked in front of. Leaving everything inside the car, she slowly walked up the steps and knocked on room #1989. Joe opened the door, confusion etched on his face and one hand in his messy hair.
“Taylor? What are you doi–” Joe started before Taylor wrapped her arms around him with no hesitation. He quickly reciprocated, shutting the door and guiding her to his small couch. She was so caught up in the comfort that felt already that she didn’t notice the pig sty that was his living room and sunk into their embrace.
“I don’t want to explain right now. I promise I’ll tell you later,” Taylor said into his chest. “Can I please just stay here tonight?”
Joe looked into her pleading eyes and his resolve crumbled. He got up and started towards the kitchen. “Yeah, baby, whatever you need. Let me get you some water.”
Taylor didn’t want to think about what this meant. She didn’t want to analyze the fact that she’d come to Joe for help and comfort. She didn’t want to think about how many more months this would set her back with Garret. And she especially didn’t want to think about Jonathan.
For now, she would drink the glass of water, allow herself to be wrapped up in blankets, and ignore the silent tears streaming down her face.
If her blissful time with Joe was limited, she would enjoy every bit of it.
🖤
Taylor woke up to warmth. No, not warmth, overwhelming heat. This was weird, she thought, because her apartment had horrible heating and she woke up cold most mornings, no matter how many layers she piled on. She tried to turn over to see where the heat was coming from when she discovered the source. An arm laid across her waist and a body pressed against her back.
Joe.
Carefully, Taylor pulled the arm off of her and looked around. She was lying on the couch with Joe wrapped around behind her. Memories of the night before came back in flashes. Joe comforting her while she hiccuped her way through telling him what happened with Jonathan, insisting she sleep in his bed while he took the couch but her not having it, and– most importantly– just being there for her.
In that moment she knew she had fallen in deep.
She didn’t know how he really felt about her. Whether it was normal for him to find flings in new cities or whether he could feel the sparks fly too. But, for now, she would settle for falling back into his arms and procrastinating her problems until the sun was higher in the sky. The next time she woke up, it was to the smell of bacon sizzling in the kitchen. The extra warmth was gone but she could hear a beautiful bass singing softly in the next room so she knew Joe hadn’t disappeared. Taylor reached her arm out to pat at the coffee table in search of her phone but quickly realized she had left everything in her car last night.
Shit, Garret had probably called her when she hadn’t shown up to their date. This was not good. She was already behind schedule in getting Garret to really open up to her and now, with Jonathan in town, it would be even harder to go on dates. Not to mention how Taylor had broken her rule of not getting close to anyone when she relocated and realizing that her little romance with Joe could ruin both of their lives.
Okay, breathe.
It was fine if her plan with Garret got a little off track. The longer she had to stay with him, the longer she would be in the same city as Joe. Her storybook romance would be beautiful– she refused to think about it ending. And as for Jonathan, Sacramento was a big city. What were the chances they would bump into each other again?
Taylor smiled to herself as she heard Joe curse and rush to the stove to make sure the bacon wasn’t burnt and padded over to join him. He grinned when he caught sight of her, turning to her after putting the food on plates.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
Taylor nodded and the two enjoyed their breakfast in comfortable silence. They didn’t talk about the night before but Taylor could feel his gaze lingering on her while she chewed her toast. As Joe was putting their empty plates in the dishwasher, Taylor flipped channels on Joe’s small TV to find a movie to watch. It was moments like this when she realized how similar their lives really were. He understood what it was like to pack up in a moment’s notice and how luxuries, like cars and TVs, were few and far between. Nevertheless, the movie-pickings were fresh on that day and Joe joined her as they curled up on the couch for the next few hours to watch a rom-com marathon. Maybe Taylor got a little comfortable and rested her head on his shoulder. Maybe Joe adjusted their position so that they were cuddled up against the corner of the small sofa. Maybe they made out for a little bit and completely missed the end of The Notebook. No one except the small cactus on the kitchen counter would be the wiser.
When dusk finally filtered through the small living room window, Joe stretched and stood up, walking over to the small table in the entryway. Taylor watched him curiously.
“We should get out of the apartment for a little bit. We’ve been in the same spot for, like, 7 hours,” he said, putting shoes on.
“I’m not seeing the problem,” Taylor replied, not moving.
“C’mon, let’s go to Olive Garden for dinner. The woman I’m working on right now, Este, loves it there and they have endless breadsticks.”
“Endless breadsticks? Say less,” Taylor agreed, grabbing her jacket and coat. This way they could stop by her car and she could try to do some damage control on the Garret-situation.
The ride to the restaurant was spent singing at the top of their lungs to Fine Line songs and making pointless conversation. It was wonderful. And their not-date to Olive Garden was also going wonderfully until Taylor looked up and saw Jonathan walking towards their table with a server. The server escorted him to the booth next to them and Jonathan winked when he caught her staring in alarm.
“Ok, so we can either do the carbonara or the chicken alfredo. Taylor, what do you– Taylor? What’s wrong?” Joe looked up in alarm.
“The guy sitting in the booth next to us. That’s Jonathan. He’s either following me or he knew exactly where I was going to be twice in a row. Don’t turn around so obviously!” Taylor hissed.
Joe got a glimpse of Jonathan calmly scanning his menu and sipping his glass of water. “Let’s stay here for a little bit. He might not cause any drama, he might just recognize your face, not who you are exactly. I want to have a nice dinner with you. Who knows when we’ll get this chance again.”
Taylor nodded shakily. He was right. It might be painless and a dinner with the man she had fallen for didn’t seem like a bad idea– even if she couldn’t call it a date. Their nice evening returned for a little while as they chatted pleasantly while they waited for their food to arrive. Then they heard a small crash and Taylor felt water on her shoes. She turned to see Jonathan’s water glass had crashed on the floor, water and glass spread everywhere. Jonathan looked up and made eye contact with Taylor.
“Oops,” he smiled, not looking very apologetic at all.
An employee, with a bedazzled name tag that spelled ‘Harry’, rushed in to clean up the mess but Jonathan, maintaining eye contact, pushed over his plate of spaghetti too.
“Oh wow, I’ve made such a mess. Maybe I should just take this chocolate cake to-go,” he said, eyes wide. He picked up the piece of cake and started to walk away but made a show of slipping on the spilled drink and sauce and pushed the slice into Taylor’s dress.
“Woah, woah, hey now–” Joe started, standing up, ready for confrontation.
“Joe, please, I can handle this, I promise. Who do you think you–” Taylor fumed, turning to Jonathan.
“Hey, let’s not cause a scene. Why don’t we step outside,” Jonathan grinned, gesturing to the doors. The employees that had gathered around to watch the event unfold looked like they couldn’t agree more; the customers who had stared looked like they wanted to see the resolution.
The three walked outside, Jonathan leading calmly while Taylor and Joe exchanged glances, trying to communicate silently. In a way that seemed like Joe could sense Taylor’s apprehension, he brushed his hand against hers once then grabbed it. Once in the cool night air, Jonathan directly addressed Taylor.
“So, fancy seeing you here. It’s been, how many years? 8, I believe,” Jonathan said. His tone was eerily cool, like black ice you don’t see on the road until you’re already slipping. Taylor swallowed. “It’s so crazy to walk into a restaurant to see you all cozied up with a new man. Happy, free, comfortable, unaware”-- at this Joe tensed and stepped forward, but Taylor grabbed his arm to pull him back, she wanted to hear where this monologue would go– “so unlike how you left me all those years ago. Broke, confused, angry.”
“You have no right. You have no right to tell me that you were angry when you spent all your time treating me like I was a worthless pile of garbage. Don’t you think for one second that you didn’t deserve what you got. Karma comes for everyone,” Taylor said furiously.
“Maybe I got mine but you’ll also get yours. Did you think I would let you get away with the little con you pulled? You were so young, so fresh-faced, you left so many trails on how to find you. But I bided my time. I knew that revenge would taste sweetest when you really thought you got away.” His tone was unforgiving, a lion describing its hunt of the gazelle.
It happened so fast Taylor didn’t see it coming. In a second, he pushed Joe away so he went stumbling down the parking lot and lunged at Taylor. Though she screamed and clawed at his arms, it was clear that Jonathan had spent the last eight years perfecting every part of his plan and his grip was tight. Joe regained his footing and punched Jonathan’s face but it was no use. Jonathan started pulling Taylor to his van when suddenly the sound of police sirens cut through the still air. Jonathan stilled. Taylor resumed her efforts of scratching and kicking out while Joe came back and pried Jonathan’s arms off of her. However, Jonathan didn’t seem to realize as his eyes widened in fear and he took off running in the opposite direction of the cop cars.
Taylor glanced around to see who called the police as there was no one else in the deserted parking lot. Her eyes caught the disappearing movement of a black waiter’s uniform and a spot of light reflecting from his or her chest. Taylor smiled for a second until Joe’s crushing embrace brought her back to the gravity of the situation. They held onto each other until a policeman came up to them for a testimony. As soon as they were allowed home, they climbed into Joe’s bed and just breathed in the other’s presence. The last thing on her mind right now was that she would have to talk to Garret again.
Tangled between sheets Taylor realized that her perception of love was flawed. She was so used to people doing grand gestures for her that she assumed love was about those big moments. But love was about the small ones. Love was about cooking breakfast after a late night. Love was about holding hands to feel the other, even during a lack of communication. Love was right here, in a shitty apartment, in her messed up life, just being able to feel completely safe in another’s arms.
🖤
Taylor was done. It had been 2 years and finally all ties had been cut. It had taken a while to get out of Garret’s reach— this one was more attached than it seemed, and he hadn’t wanted to let go— but she was unreachable at this point. All the money she had accumulated over the many years as a… girl who looked out for herself was safely in a bank account and she was getting a steady income now from a stable job. Who knew she was so good at writing and that there was such a demand for ghostwriters?
But the best part was Joe. The two had stayed together after that fateful night and they supported each other in their break from the life of secrets and high society. She was sure that those rich ladies gossiped about the stories of them passing through town during their luncheons but it didn’t matter anymore.
Her cowboy hat was hung and Joe’s were beneath their bed. Maybe she was wrong for promising Joe forever. Maybe forever didn’t exist. But Taylor was okay with spending whatever time she had with him. She wanted the dreary Mondays. She wanted the burning red and she wanted the soft golden glows.
Maybe forever was a myth made up by lovestruck poets.
But forever was the sweetest con.