A request. :)
"The fact she wants the two of us to get to know each other better is so sweet. And I love getting to talk to her and your brother on FaceTime...those adorable girls, too. I just can't help but be a little ---"
"Nervous?" Travis supplied, coming closer in bed to put an arm around my shoulder. His fingers automatically zoned in on a particularly stubborn knot that had wedged itself at the very top of my spinal column, massaging the tissue with the perfect amount of pressure.
I sighed, breathing into the place he was working on, lifting into his touch. "Well, yeah. I really want her to like me."
There was no need to mince words; that was about as honest as it got. Both Jason and Kylie meant the world to him and I knew for a fact he saw her as the sister he never had. We obviously got along great over a phone screen, but meeting in person was a whole different animal. What if we didn't click? Even having things in common (both Pennsylvania girls, both Eagles fans, both in love with Kelce boys) somehow didn't make the anxiety settle.
It was going to be the quickest trip to Philly ever. Both of the guys were busy with practice the upcoming week, but we had a little time between Christmas and New Year's where Kylie had invited us to come hang out. She was especially excited, she mentioned, for her and I to maybe have lunch at the house, just the two of us, while Jason and Travis wrangled the girls.
The idea had both excited me and elicited fear. Her warmth, how easygoing she was had come through the first time we spoke. Meeting in person, though...there was an added pressure, for sure.
"Tay," he stopped what he was doing, pausing to turn his head, "there's no way she's not gonna like you. You guys actually remind me of each other."
"Why, because we're both tall blondes?" I couldn't resist teasing, "I'm pretty sure you can say that for a few people..."
"No," he quickly kissed my forehead, "I mean, yeah, but not just physically. You're both really smart. Talented...Ky's an incredible athlete and you're an incredible musician. You're both strong. Kind. Amazing. So, there's just not any way you won't hit it off. She already admires you a whole bunch. And she knows how happy I am."
He was the best and typically, all it took was a confirmation from him that I was overthinking the situation to set me at ease.
The stakes were higher. That was the problem. I'd learned to let a lot roll right off my back over the years, but my boyfriend's sister-in-law not thinking I was genuine or voicing concern about security hanging around or posing a danger to her kids because of what came with my life mattered. It truly mattered, especially given I'd never, ever blame her or Jason for doing what was right for their family.
"Taylor," he said once more, knowing me so well by now that he could tell I was catastrophizing immediately, "I'm a hundred percent sure you guys are gonna get along great. Not only are you gonna get along, but she'll love you, just like everyone else in my family. Number one, they loved you right away because they see the change in me, how I'm smiling big, all the time, how happy you make me and then second, they love you because of who you are, Tay. Just like everyone does. Please don't worry about it."
I opened my mouth to protest his incredibly sincere, gentle words (and not because I wanted to argue, the insecurity tended to run that deep) and he took my hand. "You're still gonna worry about it, aren't you."
"I'm sorry. I wish I was different sometimes. More like you. You never seem to stress over anything."
"Hey, hey," his fingers laced with mine. "I never, not once, wished you were different. I love you. That includes everything that goes with it, okay? And I definitely stress about things. Remember how worried I was about saying the wrong thing when I got asked about you? It was still new and I used to beat myself up, thinking I would push you away, questioning myself all the time."
