Touchdown Hearts: The Swift-Kelce Love Story!

Chapter Nine

"you were my best four years"

tay was deep into cleaning, her hands moving through old boxes, but her mind was elsewhere, tangled in thoughts of travis and the growing confusion she felt with each passing day. as she reached into the back of her closet, her fingers brushed against something soft. she tugged it out, and her heart froze.

it was a small, worn teddy bear, brown with a faded red ribbon around its neck. her breath hitched. it wasn't hers. it had belonged to taylor's little brother, who had passed away just a few years ago, when he was just four years old. he was a healthy little boy when tay met him, full of life and love. only 5 short months later he was diagnosed with stage three leukemia. it broke her heart to see how fast the cancer took over. she only known him for a year when he passed. flowers pile up in the worst way, no one knows what to say about a beautiful boy who died. tay's eyes welled with tears as she remembered how much this bear had meant to taylor.

the bear had been a lifeline for him when they'd first started dating. he used to hold it as he fell asleep, a way to keep his brother close. she hadn't seen taylor since that heart-wrenching day at their daughter's grave. now, holding the bear in her hands, she felt a rush of guilt. she had no idea how it ended up in her closet, but she knew she had to return it.

but it wasn't just taylor she couldn't stop thinking about lately. travis's wedding was fast approaching, and the more she thought about him, the more confused she became. they had kissed once, brief and sudden, but it had been enough to stir something deep within her. she never got the chance to tell him how she felt before he announced he was marrying kayla. and now, every time she thought of that kiss, a wave of doubt and regret washed over her. should she have told him how she felt? should she have fought for him before it is too late?

shaking her head to clear her mind, tay grabbed the bear, sending a quick text to taylor. hey, can you come over? i have something of yours.

she didn't want to go to his place unannounced, and showing up out of the blue without warning felt wrong. a few hours later, taylor replied: on my way.

as she waited, she tried to calm her nerves. taylor wasn't just her ex; he had been her close friend, and even after everything that happened between them, she still cared about him deeply. but with travis's wedding looming, everything felt more complicated than ever.

when taylor arrived, the air between them was heavy, but familiar. she handed him the bear without a word, and the way his eyes softened as he took it made her heart ache. he hugged her tightly, his arms wrapping around her as if he didn't want to let go.

"thank you," he whispered, pulling back to look at her. "you didn't have to do this. you're amazing."

tay shrugged, trying to smile through the whirlwind of emotions swirling in her chest. "i just know how much it means to you. i'd do anything to make sure you're okay."

then, without thinking, without any warning, she kissed him. her mind was racing, emotions she couldn't fully process crashing into her all at once. was it because of travis? the jealousy, the confusion, the unresolved feelings? or was it because she wasn't over taylor, not really? she had no idea why she kissed him, but it happened.

taylor blinked in surprise, stepping back slightly, his expression unreadable. "tay..."

"i don't know why i did that," she admitted quickly, her voice shaky. "i'm sorry."

but as the words left her mouth, she realized she wasn't sure if she was sorry at all. and that terrified her.

taylor blinked in surprise, his lips still tingling from the kiss tay had just planted on him. for a second, everything stood still. tay's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts, regret, confusion, and the familiar warmth of taylor's presence. she had kissed him, and now her breath caught as she braced herself for his reaction.