Collapse ➳ T. Posey [3.2]

➳ 12

"You're a mess, Tyler," Paisley laughed as she was led into Tyler's room. Clothes were strewn across the bed and floor— there was even a tie on the ceiling. "Honestly, why didn't you ask for help sooner?"

"Because," he shrugged, "I thought I had it under control." Paisley raised an eyebrow at her friend, as she picked her way through the sea of clothing to stand near his bed.

"Where are you going for your date?" She asked, lifting a dark blue shirt up from the bed. "A restaurant or...?"

"We're going to that Italian place in town," he said, dropping down onto the only part of his bed without any clothes covering it.

"Wear this." She handed him the blue shirt— he'd been trying things on when she'd arrived, or so he'd told her after answering the door without a shirt and only one sock on. "And black pants. You know the shoes." He grinned, nodded, and then went about putting the shirt on. Paisley watched him, moving to help when buttoning the shirt proved to be difficult with shaking fingers. "If this goes well, I'll have to find someone else to be my date for the Carylan wedding," she joked, smiling brightly down at her friend.

"What if it doesn't?" He asked. "Go well, that is— I mean, it's been a while since I've been on a date with anyone— and I'm nervous as Hell, Pais. What if she doesn't like me?"

"Stop that." She flicked his forehead. "Don't be nervous. Just— just be yourself, because you are a wonderful guy, Tyler. One of the best— one of those guys you told me about the other night. The kind of guy that'll make you forget the pain and heartbreak. The best kind of guy, Tyler. That's what you are. And if Abbie can't see that, well, then she's an idiot. Because you're brilliant."

Tyler surged upwards, then, wrapping his arms around Paisley's waist and pulling her to his chest. "I love you." His words were muffled against her hair, but she heard them anyway. She felt him smile against her skin— and suddenly everything shifted. Tyler was there, and he was hugging her, and he was smiling, and she wished he'd never let go. Because Tyler was the kind of guy that made you forget about all the pain and heartache. Tyler was the kind of guy to make it all go away.

"I love you too," She choked out, smiling brightly at him as he pulled away. He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I better get dressed! I have to meet her in thirty minutes!" He moved away from her, gathering pants and shoes as he went. "Thanks for your help, Princess!"

"You're welcome," she said, as she moved to leave. "Call me when the date's over, I want to hear all about it!"

"Will do!" He called from the bathroom, where the sound of shuffling seeped through the door and into his bedroom.

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