Pitch Perfect Harmony

First Visit, First Contract

"Oh, I'm so happy for you!", Blake said when Taylor told her that she would meet Travis next week. "What do we need to talk about? What are you going to do? Do we need to prepare anything?", she immediately started asking more questions. Taylor laughed about her excitement. It almost felt like a first date in her teenage years. "I just invited him over. We're going to at least try to keep it private. He... he doesn't seem that scared of it though", she explained. "That's good! He got a little taste of it all after his podcast", Blake thought out loud. "But he did say that it got more attention than he thought", Taylor mentioned. "Well... You can't be mad at him for that. Also, he knows now", her friend said. Taylor nodded. "But back to your date: Do we need to prepare anything? Will you cook?", Blake asked again. "Yes, I think I'll prepare dinner and get some wine", Taylor explained. "But... there's something more", she added mumbling a bit insecure.

"What is it?", Blake wanted to know curiously. "I invited him to stay for the night", her friend admitted embarrassed. "In the guest room!", she added after re-thinking her words. Blake just laughed at her. "Do you have plans?", she asked jokingly. "No! I just... I didn't think about it. I always ask friends to stay over, so I just asked him too", Taylor explained. "And he said yes?", Blake wanted to know and got an embarrassed noise as an answer that meant yes. "Okay", Blake laughed. "But you are sure that he understood the guest room thing?", she added. "I think so", Taylor said adding a silent: "I hope." Blake couldn't stop laughing until Taylor changed the whole topic to her friend's children.

Later that day, Taylor wanted to talk to Tree about Travis coming over. She needed to know in case anything would get out. After all these years, Tree was one of Taylor's closest friends, so she was happy for her when she told her that Travis really seemed like a good guy. "I'm really happy for you already. Just one thing", she said. Taylor looked at her in anticipation. "Let him sign this", Tree explained while handing her a prepared NDA. Taylor sighed. Of course, this wasn't new to her. It just bothered her that it seemed necessary in her life. Without answering she just took the paper and put it in her bag.

Taylor also talked to her mom about it but when he finally was on his way, she got pretty anxious. Since her and Joe were officially over, the old serial dater narrative popped up again and she knew that if someone saw Travis entering, she would have to hear it all again. Of course, she didn't care as much anymore but it still stung. Also, he would hear it too and that was what she was most scared of. Even if he could handle the attention, he could very likely believe one of the rumors and hate her for it. At least that's what Taylor's mind made her think.

Until she heard the doorbell of her apartment. He was here. Just one door between them was left. Taylor had distracted herself with baking and cooking for most of the day but now she had to take this step and open the door. So she took a deep breath and opened it. Immediately, her eyes met a smiling Travis who looked slightly insecure even though he was a really big guy. The first thing she could think of was: "He's big but kinda cute". "Hi, Taylor", he got her back into reality pulling out a small bouquet of colorful flowers. "Oh, thank you! Hi!", she smiled and let him in while taking the flowers. Her security checked in with her via a short look that they both knew very well, and then she closed the door.

"It smells incredible in here", Travis noticed while taking his shoes off. "I made a cake and prepared dinner. Are you hungry?", she asked guiding him into her living space to the table she set. He wasn't sure if it was the cake or if his nose had picked up on her perfume but it was too early for that comment. "I'm always hungry", he just said looking at all the antique furniture mixed with fitting modern stuff in between. "Are these actually old or supposed to look like they were?", he wanted to know looking at a beautiful bookshelf. He normally wasn't that interested in furniture but he liked her style a lot. It felt like a home rather than a space to portray wealth. "Most of them are old. I have a thing for antique stuff. The chairs are new though, so don't worry", she joked looking at the big man and the small-looking chairs. He laughed at that and smiled at her. "Do you want a coffee or tea or something else?", she asked while gesturing for him to sit down. "I just had a coffee actually, so water would be fine", he explained sitting down. "I'll be right back", she said getting herself a tea and him a glass of water.

"I didn't even see it. The cake looks delicious", he mentioned when she came back. "Thanks. Baking is kind of a hobby for me", she told him sitting down across the table and cutting the cake. It didn't take long until they got lost in their conversation. Just like in those last two phone calls, they always found something to say and laugh about. Taylor's anxiety from before calmed down more and more. He was so easy to talk to and their humor was kinda similar too.

Then she remembered the NDA Tree had given her. How would she even ask him to sign that? It felt so out of place. But Tree was not wrong. They were talking about a lot of private things already and she wouldn't want them to get out. "Ahm, can I ask for something real quick?", she finally found a break in their conversation. "Sure, what is it?", he asked. "I'll be right back", she said getting the paper from her office. "I know, we just met and... it's not really romantic or anything, I just...", she struggled to find the words. "I guess it's not a proposal, so it doesn't need to be romantic", he tried to make her laugh a bit because he could imagine what this was. He thought about that before. "No! It's ahm... It's an NDA. My publicist gave it to me and... I mean, she's kinda right", Taylor said insecurely putting the paper on the table.

"She is. And you are too. I don't mind signing this. Just give me a pen, let me read it and we're good", he explained calmly already taking the NDA. "Sure, I'll get one...", she said surprised mumbling: "Thank you", when putting down a pen for him. "Oh, it's fine, really. I don't need a paper to tell me not to talk about your private life but I understand that. It doesn't hurt me to just sign this. You have every right to take the safer route and have me assure you on paper that I won't do that", he said looking at her slightly surprised face. "It's not that I don't believe you...", she started but he interrupted her: "I know. It's okay. Just consider this done and let's get back to the cake. I'd really like another piece", he smiled after signing the paper. She couldn't help but smile at him too before taking the NDA back to her office and giving him another piece of cake.