Daylight

Taylor #1

"Thank you for coming out and supporting us tonight!" I shout into the mic, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline still buzzing through me. The crowd's deafening roar is a feeling I'll never get used to. It's like the whole world's vibrating with energy, and it's all because of me. Well, us. My band, my dancers—everyone who's been with me since day one.

I take a deep breath, taking in the last of the applause before tossing the mic to my assistant and strutting offstage. The moment I step behind the curtain, it's like the weight of the world lifts. I'm not the superstar anymore—I'm just Taylor, sweaty and exhilarated, finally able to relax for a few minutes.

"Holy shit," I say, glancing over at my backup dancers as they start high-fiving each other. "That was awesome! They were so loud, I thought they were gonna tear the building down."

"I think they might've," Maya laughed, wiping her face with a towel. "That was insane."

"Right?" I say, sipping my water. "I can't believe how wild they were tonight."

"Not to mention how hot you looked," Leah adds with a wink.

"Hey, gotta make sure the outfit's on point," I grin, giving her a playful little twirl. The truth is, I'm more relieved than anything. The performance went smoothly, and there's nothing more satisfying than that feeling of knowing you nailed it.

As I walk down the narrow corridor backstage, I can still feel the rush, but the exhaustion's starting to catch up to me. I stretch my arms over my head, savoring the relief as I head toward my dressing room. I've got a few minutes to myself, so I try to take in the calm before the next wave of interviews and meet-and-greets.

I'm weaving my way through the crowd, my mind already racing to the next thing on my list, when I catch a glimpse of something—or someone—out of the corner of my eye.

No. Fucking. Way.

There, in the VIP tent, I see him.

Travis.

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. He's standing by the bar, leaning casually against the railing, and I wonder if I'm imagining it.

I swallow hard, brushing it off. I'm probably just exhausted, and my brain's playing tricks on me. It's a big crowd, and lots of people look similar, right? Plus, I haven't seen him in what, almost 20 years? But as I keep walking, I can't shake the nagging feeling. I glance over my shoulder, my heart skipping a beat when I see him still standing there, clearly real.

But no. I don't have time for this. Not now. I'm about to walk straight into my dressing room, change into something more comfortable, and call it a night. I would love to be friends again, but I just don't have the time. Plus, I learned from Joe and Matty, all guys want is—

"Taylor?"

I freeze again. The voice sounds so familiar, but I don't turn around right away. My body goes rigid, knowing exactly who it is before I even have to look.

"Travis?" I ask, my voice coming out more breathless than I expected. "What are you doing here?"

He grins, his face lighting up with that same mischievous energy I remember from high school. "Came to see the show. Figured I'd pop by after practice and see you kill it out there."

"Holy shit," I laugh, my heart racing. "You're still playing football, huh?"

"Yep, still. Kicking ass, you know?" He shrugs, his tone cocky but with that warmth I always loved.

"What are you—what have you been up to?" I say, still not believing it.

"Busy. You know how it is," he says, stepping a little closer, still that same laid-back confidence that used to drive me crazy.

I can't help the grin spreading across my face. "It's been, what, years?"

"Too long," he agrees, his eyes sparkling like they always used to. "I see you're still rocking the music thing."

"Yeah," I say, shrugging. "You know, just living the dream."

He chuckles. "Well, you're killing it. I had to see it for myself."

I glance at him, my chest tightening for some reason. There's something familiar in the way he's looking at me. Something that feels like coming home.

I shake it off, though. Not the time for this shit. Not when my schedule's packed and I have a million things I need to do.

"Hey, you wanna grab dinner?" I ask before I can second-guess myself. "I mean, I haven't seen you in forever, and I don't know when I'll have time to just talk again."

"Dinner sounds perfect," he says, his smile widening. "Lead the way."