Since I really need to clear my head after that call with Mum, I am glad that I brought Tag here tonight.
“Because everything is dead and it’d be prettier in the spring?” I gaze up at Tag. His eyes are already focused on me. They always are. No matter where we are, whenever we’re together, I can feel his gaze on me.
“Well, yeah.”
“It’s my favourite, so I wanted to bring you here.”
Tag presses his lips to the top of my head. Warmth spreads through me at the slight touch. “I like that you want to bring me to your favorite places.”
“It’s peaceful here. Like I can put the chaos of the city in the back of my mind and just relax.”
And the chaos of my own family, but I don’t tell him that. Too heavy for this thing between the two of us.
Finding a bench, I sit down and pull Tag with me.
“I can understand that. This city is a lot different from Nashville, but I’m adjusting better than I thought.”
Resting my chin on his shoulder, I stare up at Tag. “Really? I couldn’t imagine moving to another country.”
Tag grabs my hand, holding it in his large, warm palm. His fingers trace patterns into my soft skin.
It’s soothing. Mesmerising.
“You’ve helped with it.”
“Yeah?” I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Yeah.” His warm breath ghosts across my forehead. “You’ve made it easy. Welcoming me. Showing me around. Just being you.”
“I’m glad I could help then.”
Tag’s thumb presses into the racing pulse of my wrist. “I thought I was running away after my divorce, but turns out, I don’t think I was.”
Shifting, I turn to look at Tag. “You don’t really talk about your divorce.”
He shrugs. “It’s not something that I really like to talk about.”
“You don’t have to.”
“It’s okay. We met when we were in college. I suppose at some point we were in love, but then it just became more about staying with someone when I got drafted. I didn’t want to deal with the whole dating scene while playing. And then when I stopped playing, she didn’t like that I gave up the life.”
“Does that make you sad?”
He shakes his head, turning to face me. “At first, it did. But then after therapy, I realized I was better off on my own than being in a loveless marriage.”
“I guess with age comes wisdom.”
Tag bursts out laughing and I love the sound of it. “Don’t get me wrong, I was opposed to the idea at first, but I like it.”
“Therapy? I don’t know if I could ever spill my guts out to anyone like that.”
Tag smiles at me. “It’s oddly refreshing.”
“Ripping open your emotions for a stranger? No, thanks.”
“Okay.” Tag shifts, tucking a wind-blown strand of hair behind my ear. “Why don’t you try talking to me? Tell me something no one else knows about you.”
“That is quite the change in conversation.”
