Ours - Taylor Swift WLW Romance Fanfiction

Chapter 13: Professional Pain in the Ass

Tree Paine sat across from Taylor, her keen eyes studying the singer's face. They'd been through a lot together over the years, weathering countless storms and celebrating just as many triumphs. If anyone could read Taylor like an open book, it was Tree.

"So," Tree began, leaning back in her chair, "what's the big news? You sounded pretty serious on the phone."

Taylor took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. "Joe and I broke up."

Tree's eyebrows shot up, but to her credit, she didn't look entirely surprised. "I'm sorry to hear that, Taylor. I know you two had been together for a while."

Taylor nodded, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "It was a long time coming, if I'm being honest. We just... we grew apart. Wanted different things."

"And does one of those 'different things' have anything to do with a certain producer you've been spending an awful lot of time with lately?" Tree asked, her tone gentle but probing.

Taylor felt her cheeks heat, a telltale blush giving her away. "How did you...?"

Tree chuckled, shaking her head fondly. "Taylor, I've known you for how long now? I can read you like a book. And lately, every time you mention Ava, you get this look on your face. Like she hung the moon and stars."

Taylor ducked her head, a small smile tugging at her lips despite her nerves. "Is it that obvious?"

"To me? Yes. To the rest of the world? Not yet. But it will be, if we're not careful."

Taylor sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I know. And I'm sorry, Tree. I know this complicates things. I know it's not going to be easy, navigating all of this in the public eye. But I can't help how I feel about her. I don't want to hide it."

Tree's expression softened, a hint of understanding in her eyes. "I get it, Taylor. I do. But we have to be smart about this. The media will have a field day if they find out you're dating your much younger producer. They'll paint you as some sort of predator, taking advantage of her."

"That's not what this is!" Taylor protested, her voice rising slightly. "Ava is a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions. Our age difference doesn't define us."

"I know that," Tree placated, holding up a hand. "But the public can be quick to judge, Taylor. You know that better than anyone. We'll have to be very careful about how we handle this going forward."

Taylor's shoulders slumped, the weight of reality pressing down on her. "So what do we do? I can't just ignore my feelings, Tree. I won't."

Tree was silent for a moment, considering. Then, she straightened, resolution hardening her features.

"Okay. Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to keep a very close eye on any stories or speculation about you and Ava. If anything starts to gain traction, we'll get ahead of it. Control the narrative."

Taylor nodded, relief and gratitude welling up inside her. "Thank you, Tree. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"In the meantime," Tree continued, "you and Ava need to be very discreet. I know it's not ideal, but the less fuel we give the rumor mill, the better. At least until we have a solid plan in place."

"We can do that," Taylor assured her. "Ava will understand. She knows how tricky this all is."

"Good. That's good." Tree gave Taylor a small, supportive smile. "Communication is key in any relationship, but especially in one under this kind of scrutiny."

Taylor felt a weight lift off her shoulders, the knot of anxiety in her chest loosening slightly. With Tree in her corner, she felt like maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.