The Beard

- Twenty-One -

The days had blurred into weeks, and Y/N hadn't even noticed. She and Taylor had slipped back into an unspoken routine, spending more time together than they probably should. It felt almost like it had before—the late-night talks, the constant presence at each other's events. Taylor started showing up at Y/N's baseball games, cheering from the stands. Y/N, in turn, had found herself in Kansas City more than once, sitting through Chiefs games and acting the part of the supportive friend.

To the world, it was a feel-good story. The media couldn't get enough of their rekindled friendship, and fans ate it up. Everywhere she went, Y/N saw headlines about the duo's bond, the speculation about their "unbreakable" connection, them being the best of friends and supporting each other throughout everything.

But Y/N's friends saw it differently. They saw the cracks, the way Y/N's life had begun to revolve around Taylor again.

She was there when Taylor needed her, a shadow at her side. Y/N had stopped going out with Karlie. She hadn't seen Toni in weeks, she had cancelled plans with Dominic a few times because she was travelling with Taylor.

She didn't even realize how much she'd cut herself off until one quiet Sunday afternoon Don Adler pointed it out.

Y/N had invited Don over for lunch. They'd bonded over their shared love of football, and their shared stories, Don first wife was Evelyn, and Evelyn former lover and best friend was Celia, Y/N best friend.

Don and Y/N were settled on the couch, watching the Rams game in a comfortable silence as the game played on the screens.

Don sipped his beer, eyes fixed on the screen before he said " So, Y/N, where's that beautiful woman and the kids?" he asked casually.

Y/N frowned, glancing at him. "Who"

Don didn't look away from the TV. "That tall brunette. Green eyes. Always here with two kids. She used to bring me cookies on Saturday morning, she was very sweet and I used to see you all out in the yard, playing catch with the children laughing." He finally turned to face her. "Haven't seen her in a while."

Y/N's chest tightened. "Karlie? She's... we haven't hung out lately. I've been busy, I guess."

Don set his beer down and gave her a long, searching look. "Busy doing what? Sneaking around with that tall blonde woman?

Y/N's brow furrowed. "I'm not sneaking around ."

He shook his head slowly. "Every weekend, I'd see you out there, happy. Now, all I see is you sneaking someone in and out of this house. You're different, Y/N. Colder more distant. Like you are doing something you are not supposed to, like you are terrified someone will catch you and that woman together."

She looked away, focusing on the flickering screen. "It's not like that."

Don finished his beer. " Is she married?"

" no! Not at all."

"then why js she hiding you darling?l Don's voice softened, but it held an edge of sadness. "Never be with a woman who hides you, sweetheart. That's not a life worth living. A life in the shadows."

She swallowed hard, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. "It's not that simple."

He leaned forward, his eyes gentle but firm. "Yes, it is. Someone like you, Miss St. James—you deserve to be worshiped. Loved loudly and proudly. Not hidden away in the shadows. If they don't want people to know that they love you, then they don't love you enough."

Y/N's throat tightened. She couldn't look at him. "It's complicated, Don."

He sighed, his voice softening even more. "Then explain it to me...."

" people don't know she likes women, she could lose her career over it, and it's just not all that good and it's complicated Don... I'm also not dating her, she and I we are friends but that is it. We are just friends, but I care about her and I guess I just got caught up in all of it."

" That's an excuse darling, if she loved you, if she cared about you the same why you care about her, she would never have let you go, she wouldn't be sneaking in and out of you house, she would be holding your hand and laughing with you in public, like that Karlie girl did."

The room fell silent except for the muted sound of the game. Y/N felt a knot in her stomach, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She hadn't seen it—how much she'd lost herself. How much she'd let her life revolve around Taylor again, just like before, how she was back in the same place she was almost a year ago, sneaking around and being Taylor secret.

Don's voice broke through her thoughts. "You remember what you told me when you moved in here? You said you wanted a fresh start. To find yourself again. Have you done that?"

Y/N blinked back tears, shaking her head. "I don't know."

He reached over, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "You've been hiding, kid. And I get it. Love makes us do crazy things. But real love... it doesn't hide. It doesn't make you feel small. It doesn't make you lose who you are. It makes you happy, it makes you proud of who you are and who you are with, you want to show off the person you are with, you want the world to know that you found your person!l

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I just... I don't know how to stop. I love her, I am scared that I will never love someone as much as I love her... I'm afraid that no one will ever understand me like she does."

Don smiled, a soft, sad smile. "You are never going to find someone else if you don't start looking, and who knows, maybe the perfect woman is right there but you can't see her because you won't step out of the shadows."

Y/N took a deep, shaky breath. " yeah... maybe... thanks Don..."

He patted her shoulder, and reached for another beer on the coffee table. "Anytime, kid. Now, let's watch the game. Rams need all the help they can get... there was a time where they used to be a good team! Did you know that?!"

Y/N laughed through her tears, the weight in her chest a little lighter. She reached for the bowl of popcorn " You know... I think I could set us up with some tickets."

Don smiled " Kid, if you get me tickets for the superbowl I would never forget it, I haven't been to a Super Bowl game since 1990, I went with a few friends and my Godchildren. My Goddaughter had just given birth to her third daughter."

Don thought about it. " You know what... you and her would get along wonderfully, what would you say to having dinner with my family and I next Sunday?"

Y/N smiled " I would love to Don."

Don smiled " You are going to Love The Twins and Ellie."