Whiskey, On The Rocks

twenty

Travis

"I love you."

Her voice echoed in my head all day. Those three little words. How she'd smiled when I'd said them back.

I was so glad Taylor was as crazy as I was. She was one hell of a girl and I was head over heels for her. Which wasn't something I ever thought I'd be for anyone.

The first thing I did when I got to work was pick up an extra copy of the key to the door, and send someone to drop it in Taylor's mailbox with a little note. I just told her what it was for, just in case. She didn't ever have to use it, but if she ever needed anything, I wanted her to be able to use it. For safety, protection, coming to get a gun to shoot someone. I didn't care. She could do anything she wanted.

There was a lot that had happened while I'd been on Taylor's bedrest, but I'd made sure to keep updated with anything serious. My assistant - a young girl I'd employed a few months ago - gave me a rundown on the specifics. Sabrina was feisty, and I'd asked her if she'd wanted a job in my business after she'd been picked up. She'd been abused by her drug dealer of a dad and we'd taken her out of there, patched her up, and she hadn't left since. And she was a great assistant, loved her job, loved the protection that came with it.

"I want you to add someone to the full clearance list." I told Sabrina once she'd briefed me, and she nodded, pen poised above her pad of paper. "Taylor Alison Swift, nineteen. You'll find all of her information on the bar staff roster. Make sure everyone knows she has full protection, and if anyone so much as looks at her wrong, they'll answer to me."

"Yes sir." Sabrina nodded, jotting that down. 

"She has a key to the doors." I tacked on. "I want it known that she deserves the kind of respect people give to me."

"Of course." Sabrina agreed, a little smile on her face. 

"What?" I sat back. "Spit it out."

"Well." She set her pen down. "I hope this isn't too invasive to say, but I've never seen you care about someone so much. It's nice you have her."

"I love her." I admitted, and Sabrina's smile grew. "You know." I sighed. "You two would get along really well."

"I'd love to meet her."

"Maybe you will." I murmured, deep in thought. Yeah, maybe introducing Taylor to Sabrina would help her to better see the good in this place. She had mentioned she wanted to come back, so I might arrange for Sabrina to be here when I brought her. God knew those two would get along like a house on fire.

Afterwards, I left the office and went to the hospital, checking in on the staff to see how they were doing. There were only a few beds taken up, and I got a list of things the place needed before going out. I bought everything, took it back, and helped one of the nurses put it all away. Then I went to the new house, starting to unpack.

It took me the rest of the day, but by dark I had moved all of my things into the house. It seemed like a home, but it was still missing something. I stood in the middle of the living room, looking around, and realized what I thought it was missing.

Taylor.

I'd never been one for tradition. I wanted her here with me, all the time. Who cared how long we'd known each other. I knew I loved her. She just touched my heart like no one else ever had. I wanted her in my home.

Digging in my pocket, I pulled out my phone and found her number. I didn't know if she'd like the idea, or if I'd even ask, but I wanted to talk to her. And she picked up immediately.

"Hey baby." She whispered into the phone, her voice soft.

"Hey little kitten." I murmured. "You sound tired."