Isn't That Sweet? | Tayvis Stories

Betting On Us Two (1/6)

This will be a series of moments where Travis thinks about marrying Taylor.

September 2023

It was a quiet Thursday evening, and Taylor was visiting Kansas for the second time, huddled up on the couch in his living room. They had been dating, officially, for close to a month, and he had finally worked up the courage to ask her if she would be interested in coming to a game in the next few weeks. But her energy suddenly shifted with his question. "Actually, can I ask you something before we start that conversation?" She seemed hesitant, nervous almost.

He wondered if maybe he sprung it on her too soon, that she wasn't ready for the notoriety that came with being a public couple. He swallowed down his own anxiousness, replying, "Of course, you can ask me anything."

"I hope this doesn't freak you out because I know it's pretty early to be having this conversation, but I need to know before we start anything public. Because there are a lot of implications to being in a public relationship, which we have already had some conversations about, but there is also something more personal that I haven't really discussed with you yet. So, I have to ask you this." She looked towards the television, which was playing a random episode of Law and Order, giving background noise to their conversation. "What are your thoughts on marriage?"

He was a little taken aback by the question, but not in a way that would have suggested offense. It was unexpected, a conversation he didn't yet plan to have with her, at least not at this moment. He could tell that his brief silence was already sending panic through her, and he cleared his own brain enough to respond, "I would love to get married someday."

"So you're saying that marriage is one hundred percent in the cards for you?" She was still looking at the television, her hands fidgeting abnormally in her lap.

He didn't hesitate this time, answering her question almost as soon as it was posed, "Yeah, one hundred percent. I want to get married one day in the near future."

She nodded and turned to look back at him. He could sense that she was still nervous, waiting to say something else, so he grabbed one of her hands in his own, rubbing his thumb soothingly over her knuckles. She sighed, and started, "I'm going to tell you something that has sort of been weighing on me. One of the many reasons why I was sort of scared about starting a new relationship and why this is an important conversation for us to have right now." She swallowed roughly, and he could see tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm listening, Tay," he reassured quietly, making sure she knew his full attention was on her.

She smiled thankfully, before continuing, "I've had marriage sort of dangled in front of me by more people than I care to admit, and obviously, no one has actually followed up on those promises. It's one of the reasons things didn't work out for Joe and me, and also one of the reasons I had the whole situationship afterwards, but it goes farther than that, so-" She pauses for a brief moment, taking a deep breath, "So, for this to work out between us, I need to make it abundantly clear that I am not interested in having my time wasted again." She stopped, and he squeezed her hand, telling her to keep going, to get it all off her chest. "If there is any point where your mind starts to change, or you figure out that I'm not the person for you, I hope that you would respect me enough to end it rather than string me along." There is some silence between them again, and he can see the panic settle over Taylor's shoulders, "Sorry I know that was a lot, it was probably too soon."

"No, it wasn't. It's perfectly valid to want to know someone's thoughts on marriage from the beginning. And I'm sorry for not being clear from the start about what my intentions are in being in a relationship with you."

She started to shake her head, "Travis, you don't have to apologize."

"I know, but I do think I need to clarify my actions." He geared himself up to have this conversation, the nerves starting to get to him as well. "Taylor, I know I can come across like I am not very serious, and I hate that I started all this with us so publicly."

"Don't, it was badass. I loved it." She told him several times that she thought him mentioning her on the podcast was hilarious, and it was one of the many things that drew her to him in the first place.

He laughed a bit, "I'm glad you feel that way. But I think in doing that, I didn't really make it clear why I wanted to be with you. I was very impressed with you at your show Tay, not going to lie. But I also heard so many wonderful things about you from Miles and other people, and I got this feeling that I should shoot my shot. Not because you are insanely smart, talented, and sexy, which you are all three, but because I also thought you would be a really good partner. And you have already proven that to be true." Her eyes softened at his expression, and some of her anxiety seemed to slip away, which encouraged him to continue, "I've seen what my brother has, with Kylie and them having the girls, and that's something I want for myself. And, if we continue to see where this goes, I think I would like it with you."

A tear made its way down her cheek, and he wiped it away with his free hand. She smiled and leaned in to hug him, tucking her face into his chest. "I think I would like that with you, too." He twists a strand of her hair, pressing a gentle kiss onto her temple. "But if you change your mind, you'll tell me right?"

"Yes, I will." He didn't say it aloud, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't be changing his mind.