Playing The Field

Chapter 4

Travis Kelce

The nerves in my stomach shake rapidly as my driver drives through the streets of New York City. Coach gave us the week off to rest as the season is starting soon and we've been working hard in pre-season training. Taylor has a rare break in her tour and the dates matched up so perfectly that we just had me meet up (I almost had to beg her too).

Taylor told me one night when we called that she was worried about meeting up because she thought it would be too much hassle.

"What if it's too much work and you dont want to see me?" She asked, her voice full of weariness and a hint of sadness. I wondered at that moment if other men that she'd been with had told her she was "too much work"

"Darling, I would walk to the ends earth to see you. Nothing could ever be "too much work" with you" I reassured her. After that, she seemed lighter, like a weight had been lifted off of her. We stayed up the whole night talking and giggling over random things. We talked about everything and anything, my stomach fluttered and my checks burned every time she laughed.

My car pulled outside the restaurant. I exited the car, straightening my suit jacket and walking in. We had rented out the VIP section of the restaurant. There was a low hum throughout the dimly lit restaurant, only scatters of people at tables enjoying their meals. It was a slow Tuesday night and Taylor had been to the restaurant many times before and they allowed her to use the back entry to draw less attention to her, so she suggested this place when we were making plans. I tried to plan the date and be all gentlemanly but I didn't know New York well and she knew it like the back of her hand. I also wanted to make sure that she was safe. I've seen videos on social media of how the paparazzi treat her, how they track her every move and follow her to get a shot of her walking on the footpath for 5 seconds. But again, only she knew how to deal with them.

I made it my mission to learn everything about what keeps her safe, what she's comfortable with and what she's allowed to do so that she could get the treatment she deserves. I enter the closed-off VIP section and sit down, pouring out two glasses of water while I wait for her to arrive. After calling her many times in the past week I feel as if I've known her for years but I'm still hella nervous about seeing her.

I pat the pocket in my grey suit pants and make sure that I still have the friendship bracelet that I wanted to give her. We already have each other's numbers so the bracelet is pointless, but I want her to have it.

I feel the start of a nervous sweat start to break out as it gets closer to the time we agreed to meet. I came early because I didn't like the idea of her waiting on me. I pull out my phone quickly checking that I look ok and nothing is out of place. Putting my phone back, I check that everything is ok in the room, I straighten our cutlery, pull any wrinkles out from the tablecloths and make sure there are no smudges on the glasses. Obviously, the restaurant staff did this before I came in, but I need everything to be perfect. If I want this, whatever I have with Taylor, to turn into what I want, then we need to have a perfect first date.

Just as I'm pulling the tablecloth smooth, Taylor walks in. Her security gives me a smile, letting her through the door and closing it as they wait outside. I feel like telling them that they can go home, she's safe with me, but I'm not pulling anything risky on the first date.

I stand up abruptly and in the process, accidentally knocking over my chair. I mutter a series of "sorry's" while picking it back up. Taylor hides a small laugh behind her hand. I walk over to her, my face pink and flushed from embarrassment.

"Hi," I say, smiling so goddamn wide I feel like my face is going to split in half.

"Hi," she says back, smirking up at me. Even in her heels, she's still looking up at me and there's a small part of me that loves that so fucking much.

"You look stunning," I tell her, in awe of her beauty. Her long curly hair is tied back into a bun. She's wearing black heels that strap across her feet and up her ankle. Her little black dress stops midthigh and hugs her body as if it's tailor-made for her (let's be real, it probably is). The V-neckline grabs my attention but I don't stare too long recounting what my Mama said when I called her before our date. "Be a gentleman, Trav. Be the man she deserves"

With this fresh in my mind, I walk over to the table and pull her chair out for her. Taylor smiles widely at me, hanging her small Louis Vitton bag over the back of the chair before sitting down. I tuck in her chair and we both giggle at how weird it is trying to match our rhythms while the chair moves in.

"It looks so much easier on TV" I laugh, taking my seat across from her. She laughs along with me, her eyes flicking to her water-filled cup and the half-empty bottle in the middle of the table and she smiles widely. I tuck that back in the back of my brain she likes small gestures.

The conversation starts with the usual "how have you been" small talk. It only takes us a couple of minutes to warm back up to each other. It's so easy with her, comfortable and fun. The waiter comes in and takes out orders, briefly interrupting our conversation but as soon as he leaves it snaps back to us.

We talk and talk throughout the whole dinner, never a lull in conversation. Nearing the end, I quickly remember.

"Wait," I say, reaching into my pocket "I didn't get to give this to you last time so here you go." I pass her the gold and red bracelet and she beams at me. Taylor inspects it before putting it on her wrist.

"I'm going to wear this every day," she says, flashing me the bracelet and looking down at it as if it's a diamond bracelet.

"I might get some weird texts and calls if you wear that every day" I joke and she laughs out loud.

"Thank you, Travis," she says through a genuine smile.

"No problem, Darling," I tell her.