Monday July 18th 2022

Next day

Tonight was the night, Joe was going to talk to Taylor and lay it all out. He was nervous as hell, he could hardly focus at work today. He heard through the grapevine Brian was screwing some blonde now so, he figured and hoped Taylor ended things with him.

——

2 hours before tour was over Joe was in heavy gunfire with his team. Him and a couple of them ended up in the hospital from getting shot, everyone was still alive. Joe was just pissed this messed up his evening.

He needed minor surgery to remove the bullet from his arm. He woke up from the meds/anesthesia to see Taylor sitting by his bed side, on her phone.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"You're awake!" She said.

"How long have I been out?" He was concerned.

"A couple hours, you remember what happened?"

"Yeah, gun bust went south real fast. Everyone's still okay?" He asked.

"Far as I know. Your mom was here for awhile, she just left to get coffees for everyone." She said.

"You met my mom?" Joe asked nervously.

"I did…" she said with a laugh and crossing her arms.

"Oh god…what did she say?" Joe rubbed his face and sighed.

"Oh nothing…might've accidentally slipped up on what happened between Kelsey and you…"

"Damn it." Joe laid his head back in the bed and closed his eyes. Taylor didn't know about any of that.

"You don't have to talk about it right now, beings I can tell you aren't ready to." She said laughing.

"I will, just not now. Wait, Why are you here? How'd you even know about me?" Joe asked back tracking.

"Angelina got the call, I guess when they asked who to call for you, someone told them she was your girlfriend." She shrugged.

"Gotchya. Wait where is she?" Joe said coming to realization.

"She passed the message onto me, said you ended things with her and that she isn't good with blood." Taylor said trying not to laugh.

"Oh my." Joe laughed at her lack of effort and misinterpretation of the situation.

"You chase after the wrong girls…"

"Hey it was one bad apple, besides you're one to talk." Joe pointed out.

"Yeah I know sorry. You were right by the way, about Brian. He was a player, just looking for one thing."

"And did you give it to him?" Joe asked then immediately wishing he maybe didn't ask.

"For you information I didn't." She said with a dramatic blink of the personal information she felt like she had to share.

"Good. Guy can screw off." Joe was relieved. Taylor didn't have anything else to say really, it was kinda awkward.

"You didn't have to come see me…I know I said I wanted to talk tonight but I'm afraid we'll have to postpone it." He said with a laugh. No way he was professing his love while he's laid up in a hospital bed.

"You look out for me…it's the least I could do." She said shrugging with a smile.

"Well I appreciate it." He smiled back and his hand met hers where is was resting on the bed, her eyes glanced at it and then back to his eyes, she started to blush.

"I'm back with the goods." Paula interrupted the moment.

"Joe!" She was surprised to see him awake and so happy.

"Hey mom" he let go of Taylor's hand before she saw and Taylor backed away from the bed so she could see him.

"I hate when you scare me like that!"

She said gritting her teeth and hugging him, then kissing his forehead. Taylor still in the room made him blush.

"Mom…"

"I should go, glad your okay!" Taylor said excusing herself.

"Are you sure!?" Paula asked her.

"Yeah it's getting late anyway, and your here now so it's all good!" Taylor said.

"If you say so, thanks for hanging out with me sweetheart, don't forget a coffee!" Paula told her and pointed to where she set them down.

"Of course, Thank you for the coffee." She replied.

"Thanks Tay." Joe said, exchanging smiling looks with one another before she left.

———

Joe home from the hospital a day later, he made plans to go see Taylor tonight finally. He was nervous again, but not as nervous as the last time he tried to do this. After the vibe she was throwing him at the hospital he had a hard time believing she would disagree.

"Hey, good as new?" She asked opening the door. She was in tight black biker shorts, and an oversized t shirt, and Joe loved it. She was beautiful no matter what she had on.

"Ha, So they tell me." He said with open arms to hug her. It was a good hug, it felt meaningful.

"How was your day?" He asked when they let go and he came in.

"Long, the schedule was crazy, I don't know why they jam pack so many people in some days." She said after she shut the door.

"Yeah, sounds unnecessary." He added when he followed her to her living room. Her apartment was 3 times the size as his, the living room itself was as big as his whole apartment about.

"Anyway, you wanted to chat?" She asked when they sat down on the couch.

"I did. Um. So…"

"You seem nervous." She pointed out.

"Well not gonna lie, I am haha." He twirled around the idea trying to figure out how to say it. He had it all written out in his head on the way over but that went out the window when he saw her.

"Aw." She said laughing at the awkwardness, she didn't know what he was gonna say.

"I'm just gonna come out and say it." He told her with hard swallow, he rubbed his hands together.

"Okay." She said trying to remain cool and calm.

"I'm in love with you." He said. Her eyes glued to his.

"What…" she started to smile, making him smile.

"I love you." He said again, his nerves that had built up the last few days leading to this moment had completely vanished.

He didn't say anything else, he kissed her passionately, and she returned it with the same energy. It was perfect, it was this kiss that answered all the questions in Joes head. She was it, this was the one he wanted.

"I lov-" she started to say after the kiss, there lips no more then an inch apart.

"No. Don't say it back until you mean it for sure. Please." Joe cut her off.

"I wouldn't lie, I love you too." She assured, there eyes caught each others. Both smiling ear to ear, she wrapped her fingers in his hair gently before he kissed her again, this time with tongue and a hell of a lot of passion.

"So can we do this?" He asked pulling away.

"Do what?" She asked confused.

"Date. Can we just pursue this? You and I, no one else, no side pieces, no exes, none of that shit." Joe asked.

"100%." She laughed.

"Good." He kissed her again, he's waited so long to finally be able to do that.

"We should celebrate!" She said jumping up.

"Celebrate how?" He asked following her to stand. She wrapped her arms around his middle and looked up at him swaying side to side.

"Dance?" He questioned.

"I don't know. Something." She flirted.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what!?" She stepped back from him.

"I've seen those eyes, no…" he laughed and shook his head.

"What do you mean?!" She was confused but laughed.

"I'm not fucking around tonight." He laughed again and headed to leave. He didn't wanna jump into everything right away, granted they slept together before but, it was gonna be different now.

"Okay then let's get dinner! Or dessert! Or a drink!" She blurted.

"Ha, it's already 7, pick one? what do you want?" he was up for one of them.

"Definitely Ice cream, I'll drink some wine later." She said and grabbed her purse.

"Ice cream it is." He opened the door and followed her out.

——

Awwwww they're FINALLY TOGETHER!!! And Joe was very brave admitting he loved her right off the bat. Comments are much appreciated!