The One (Jaylor)

The One Part 97

Taylor POV:

The next day I woke up next to Joe...in Karlie's house. I stretched my arms and turned to look at him, his eyes bluer than mine staring down at me. I put a hand up to touch his face, feeling the roughness of his chin from not shaving in a few days.

"Good morning, Taylor." , Joe said, his accent stronger than normal, it was always like that when he was tired and he leaned down to kiss my face.

"Good morning." , I replied. "You didn't sleep?" , I said more as a fact then a question.

Joe stuttered for a moment. "No." , he finally said like a little kid who was in trouble. "I just...you looked so peaceful and I didn't want...anything to happen to you."

"Aww...", I said softly pulling him closer. "That's sweet."

Joe sighed and I immediately sensed something was off. Sitting up, I positioned myself where I could look directly at Joe and didn't have to strain my neck.

"Is everything alright?"

"Patricia told me why you really wanted to move. Why wouldn't you tell me?"

I collapsed, putting my face in my hands. The struggles of getting kidnapped. "She told you." , I mumbled into the comforter. 

"Taylor, why would you fear telling me?"

"I just guess I didn't want you to worry is all!" , I exclaimed.

"I have every right to be worried. I thought you were dead for days! Me and the kids. What even happened wherever you were."

"I don't want to talk about it." , I mumbled hearing my kids going downstairs. "Can we please just stop talking about this? I don't want the kids to be late and I need to pack them lunch."

Joe stared at me, worry filled his eyes as he held onto my hands. It turns out he was starting to understand bombarding me for answers wasn't going to do either of us any good. He nodded slowly, soaking in my words.

"Alright." , he said softly. "I believe you. Just let me know if you need anything. I don't want to be left in the dark."

"Fair enough."

By the time we had gotten downstairs, the kids had already left, which was a relief since I was jet-lag and exhausted. There was an aroma coming from the kitchen and my nose detected it was pancakes, one of my kids favorite foods. But on the other hand, that wasn't saying much because they loved all food.

Within a few moments, Karlie came into view from a close by room. She still had her pajamas on which 22-year-old me could totally relate to.

"Hey." , she said sweetly. "I made the kids some pancakes but there's a lot of leftovers if you two want some. I was just about to head out to the store to get some groceries." , she held up a large list in her left hand, car keys in the other. 

"You know." , Joe began glancing over at me. "I could go get those groceries for you. I don't have much to do today."

"You don't have to." , Karlie replied fidgeting when her keys, something she rarely did. "You should spend this time with Taylor. You two haven't seen each other for so long."

Both of them looked at me and I shrugged. "Don't put me in the middle." , I said putting my hands up in surrender. "But Karlie, we haven't hung out in a while eight. C'mon it'll be fun!"

Karlie looked, slightly shocked, at me. "Well, if you're sure." , she began allowing Joe to take the list from her.

"Positive." 

The main reason I wanted Joe to leave was so I could take to Karlie about getting a divorce with Joe. Adam saying it was one thing but I needed a friends perspective and someone who would take my side no matter what. Some encouragement, some advice.

"So.", she began sitting down with a plate stacked high with pancakes after I had politely declined. "What did you want to talk about?"

I sighed, pushing some hair behind my ear. "I think I"m going to get a divorce with Joe."

Saying that she choked on the bite of pancake in her mouth hand began coughing, fanning herself with her hand. "What?" , she finally made out with a raspy voice.

I nodded. "Don't tell Joe though. But the person who kidnapped me was Adam. While we were at the house he proposed."

Hey, eyes widened bigger then I had ever seen before. "And!"

"And I said no. Well...no at the moment, I should get a divorce first."

"Honey, do you really think this is the best idea? I mean, you've known Joe, like, three times as long as you've known Adam. You have five kids!"

"I know." , I whined. "But this is something I really want. I really have thought the entire thing through, multiple times! The kids...the kids will cope. I just don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't love anymore. Don't you understand?"

She sighed, pouring more syrup on the pancakes. "Yeah." , she mumbled. "I get it."

"Thanks." , I said a sad smile creeping through my face. "You're a great friend."

Karlie POV:

Would a 'great friend' kiss their friend's husband? Taylor saying that made me feel even more guilty and I wondered if I should just tell her. She would find out eventually.

"Taylor." , I said slowly, capturing her attention. "I need to tell you something too and I don't think you're going to be all that happy with it."

"What's up?" , she asked confused.

"Well...it's just...when you were gone. Ugh." , sighed frustrated. "When you were gone...I kinda got drunk and kissed Joe."

She looked at me for a moment than almost bolted her head down staring at the designs on the carpet. I couldn't really see her face so I didn't know how she was handling it.

"I'm really sorry." , I added it.

Taylor looked back up. "You know what...I'm... I not mad. Mistakes happen. I'm getting a divorce anyway so it doesn't really matter. Do you have feelings for him?"

"What?" , I laughed nervously. "I was drunk. I don't think at all when I'm drunk."

She laughed. She could be like that too when I saw her drunk. "I get it. But do you? BEcause if you do...you should go for it."

"I wouldn't do that to you!" , I exclaimed defensively.

"You aren't doing anything to me. Just tell me!"

I sighed. "I don't know. Maybe...kinda...Yes." , I mumbled. "I may have had some feelings...for him."

Taylor grinned. "Then tell him."

"What if he doesn't have the same feelings for me? It's too risky. I wouldn't. I couldn't. I can't."

I couldn't hear the garage door open, Joe was home and I put my face in my hands. This was too much. I had a massive crush on the guy who was living in my home with his wife, my best friend, and his five kids, my godchildren.

"How about this." , Taylor began coming up with a resolution. "Just...just tell him. Try."

I sighed hearing his footsteps. It sounded reasonable enough. "Fine." , I groaned standing up to help Joe put away the groceries. "But just so you'll stop bugging me about it."

"My mission has been accomplished." , Taylor beamed.