10 years later [Tayvin AU]

Part 8

TAYLOR POV

I have never in my life been so terrified of a date. The lead up over the course of the week, the anticipation, not seeing Adam for the whole week but texting like teenagers....my friends could tell there was something up but didn't push me to talk about it too much. On Friday morning I woke up with a major hangover, because we had had our final show last night and had then gone out to celebrate, making me feel like the whole dinner thing was off to a bad start.

"Taylor? Are you there?" I heard someone call from the door as they knocked. It was my best friend Sophia, who I met when I first came to the city and who worked at the zoo now.

"SOPH! What are you doing here?" I asked, flinging open the door and falling into her open arms. She was more like a sister than a friend really and had helped me through every tiny thing over the past few years.

"You called me last night, pretty drunk I must add, and started freaking out about Adam coming over today? So I thought I'd come over and see you myself....and to be honest thank goodness I did! Hun, you look like a mess, no offense..." She said

I took a look in my mirror next to the door and saw my hair was a mess and I had obviously not taken off my stage makeup from last night as it was now streaked across my face.

"Yeah....last night was....interesting.....although I barely remember it." I reply, sheepishly.

"Ok well, first things first: shower and get dressed. Then we are going shopping for food to cook this Adam fellow and a new outfit for you." Soph said pushing me towards the bathroom.

Sophia was the first person I called when I had met Adam again, and she was the only person who knew the whole story so far, eventhough she had been out of the city for the last 3 weeks visiting family abroad. It's like they always say: why get a therapist if you have a best friend.

30 minutes later we were on our way to find me a new outfit, as Soph insisted it was necessary, via Starbucks to get a large coffee and some food.

"So are we going for sexy vibe or cool/casual vibe? What exactly do you want to get out of this date night?" Soph asked as we browsed the racks in one of the stores.

"Umm....smart casual I guess.... you know I don't do sexy Soph....not me at all." I replied, blushing slightly.

"Well knowing guys and the fact you look like a model in most things you wear, he's bound to be attracted to you no matter what....so why not give him something to stare at all night? Make him drool over you!" She started teasing me, making me blush further.

"Not listening.....how about this?" I said, holding up a skater skirt and crop top combination. The skirt was a dark maroon colour and the top was black and long sleeved.

"YES! That's perfect! Ok, clothes sorted...next: food!" She replied excitedly.

As we wandered through the grocery store Sophia told me all about visiting her family and seeing old friends she used to spend summers with. It was nice to just listen to her and not have to be talking, it meant my thoughts could wander to Adam and Lottie and wonder what they were up to.

ADAM POV

"Wait...so you and Taylor are having dinner without me?" Lottie asked me, shocked by the prospect of us hanging out without her.

"Well....yes....but you get to hang out with Gemma from down the road and watch movies and stuff.... it's a grown-ups dinner." I tell her as we walk back from her school.

"Ok....grown up time....but I get to see Taylor tomorrow right?" She asks, nodding her head vigorously.

"We'll see darling....maybe...."I reply, trying not to get her hopes up in case this whole date night thing doesn't go well.

"Hmmmm...."She replies, going silent as we get to our building. "Well you should dress like a prince tonight. Because Tay is a princess and you should be her prince charming like in disney movies!"

"Well, what does a prince wear to dinner at the princesses house?" I ask her, suppressing my laugh as she throws off her coat and races down the hall to my room.

As I walked in I saw Lottie standing in my walk in closet moving around shirts and jackets, while jumping up to try and get them off the railing.

"Need help there?" I ask, smirking slightly at her

"Yes please daddy! Get the white and the blue shirts and the black jacket and black pants too....nice ones daddy!" She tells me, slightly bossily.

I never knew she was quite such a little fashionista...although I guess her love of shopping whould have alerted me to this fact.

After trying on a bunch of combinations for Lottie- including 5 different pairs of pants (3 of which were black), 4 shirts and 2 jackets- we settled on black pants and jacket with a open collar white shirt. Timelessly classic.

"So what do you think?" I asked her, giving her a little twirl.

"Perfect!" She replied from the bed. At some point through the afternoon she had changed from her school uniform into a fairy/princess dress claiming she was my fairy godmother, complete with a wand which she kept moving around as if she were casting a spell on me.

I looked at the clock. It was 6.30pm. Lottie's babysitter Gemma was arriving at 6.45 and I had told Taylor I'd be at her's by 7.15pm. We were on schedule.

"Let's get you some dinner ready Bippidity-Bop-Lottie." I told her, lifting her off the bed and carrying her into the kitchen.

"KRAFT DINNER!" She screamed as we went down the hall. We had agreed that she'd get kraft dinner as a treat since I was going out without her.

TAYLOR POV

It was almost 7pm and Sophia was getting ready to leave. We had decided to make a lasagna, since it could be ready and just sit in the oven keeping warm until we ate. She had also helped me make white chocolate and raspberry cookies and we had ice cream to go with them for dessert.

"Ok, hun, I'm going to get going now.....please just chill. He already loves you, and he'd be a fool not to. Just keep it relaxed, and let the night lead wherever it does. Don't do anything I wouldn't!" She told me, wrapping me in a warm hug and winking at me as she made her way to the door.

"Thanks Soph! I'll call you later to let you know how it all went!"I replied

"Don't worry about calling me! I don't want to disrupt your night....and maybe morning!" She continued to tease me as she left the apartment, leaving me alone.

OK. I could do this. But it was Adam....Adam Wiles.....deep breaths.