The Lucky One (2) - Taylor Swift

40

"Consider it done, superstar," Grace offered a thumbs up and Taylor chuckled at the nickname, "I know it's a lot but tomorrow I need you to send your proposal for the next tour, okay? Just a rough idea, they've been asking me one after another all day."

"Why are they asking you that?" Taylor didn't want to think about the next tour yet, she was still on the current one. She had months of the reputation tour to go.

"Because my job is to estimate the income of that tour and they know if they ask me to get you to do something, it gets done faster than if they send you an email," Grace stood up and shoved the blanket off of her lap to reveal her jeans and rep t-shirt.

"Write a draft for me, I'm thinking smaller venues. Maybe more acoustic and definitely not as many shows," Taylor watched Grace write that down on her notes app quickly and then nodded, that was it. That was all she had thought of so far.

"Have you started writing the next album?"

"Have I started writing the next album?" Taylor grinned as she repeated that playfully, "Sweetheart, do you hate Prada? It's a given."

"I haven't heard anything besides you playing piano at three in the morning."

"That's the best time to write! And I don't want to play you anything yet, not right now," Taylor had been keeping it to herself because she wasn't sure what direction she wanted the album to go in. Some of the songs she had been writing were very mature accounts of wanting to spend forever with someone and Grace wasn't ready for that commitment yet. She didn't want to scare her off or make her feel like she was being rushed into things.

She understood wanting to find yourself before giving that person to someone else. Taylor had wanted to know who she was for as long as she could remember and she was starting to feel like maybe she was on the edge of that. She felt as thought she was at the peak of her career and slowly winding down... once it was over, she'd know. She didn't think it would be long before they tossed her aside for someone prettier and younger.

So she didn't want to rush Grace, but she also couldn't play these songs she'd been writing without the message being loud and clear. I want to marry you! You! And I'm scared you're going to leave because I love you so much!

Yeah, that wasn't happening.

As with every show, Grace held her sign up during the piano part. What amazed her is that even though she was the only one in their tent to continue the declaration, fans had started holding them up too. Across every stadium, it only took her seconds to find a group that had designed their own and turned it into a thing and with every show, the groups became more and more common.

Taylor didn't mention it but she always looked up from the piano and right at Grace with a watery smile. It was the part of the night she looked forward to the most.

After every show, Grace would beat her to the dressing room and have food and water ready for her. She would greet her with a kiss and then she'd help get Taylor's things cleaned up while she got ready for the meet and greet. It was a team effort but honestly, Taylor wasn't sure how she'd get by without Grace's help.

With each tour date possible, Grace would meet Taylor's friends and continue to go to her meetings, juggling being on tour with the responsibilities of her career at the same time. It was only a couple weeks later that they were in New Jersey for a show and Grace was just about to head out into the crowd when her phone rang.

"Hello, Michael," Grace answered with a smile, "I desperately hope that you are calling because my niece wants to tell me about her day."

"No," he began shakily, "Are you- you're in New Jersey, right?"

"Yes... are you alright?"

"Can I crash at your apartment tonight? Amber kicked me out," he mumbled with shame.

Grace plugged her other ear, "Sorry, what? Did you say Amber kicked you out?"

"I'll- I'll explain later, I just need a place to come down," he explained, "I can't drive. I'm sorry, can you pick me up?"

"Uhm, shit, yes? Okay, where are you?"

"Chris is going to drive me halfway. Can you meet us at the gas station we stopped at once to pee?"

"Okay," Grace could recall that. It had such a bright neon blue sign, "I'll meet you there. Are you okay?"

"Yeah- yeah, don't worry. I just... I'm not welcome to go home."

Grace didn't know what the hell that meant but she knew she couldn't scare Taylor by not being in the crowd. She ran through the hallway towards the sound booth, stealing the controllers headset, "Taylor, I hope you can hear me. Have Erica text me if you can."

Grace watched her phone light up with a question mark from Taylor's assistant a moment later, Taylor was supposed to be on in two minutes.

"Michael called and I have to go pick him up. I have to go but everything's fine. Don't worry, okay? You have a great show and you can call me afterwards, make sure you have something to eat and hydrate. I love you, darling."

Grace hoped that was enough. She passed him back the headset with a thanks and ran back towards her assigned security guard, who had started to learn Parker's trick of only moving when she moved. If she took a step, he took a step with the same foot. It was fun.

Except for that moment, as the brunette was filled with adrenaline and needed to get towards the exit quickly. She was going to steal the driver they had lined up to leave the stadium later on but by the time Taylor could actually leave, she was pretty sure she would return him.

Michael was sitting on the curb outside the gas station when the SUV pulled up. He had a backpack, he wasn't clean shaved like he usually was and he looked off. That was the only way Grace could describe it, he was off.

Grace opened the door and stepped out. She walked towards him and said, "What the fuck did you do for Amber, the most patient person I know, to kick you out of your own house?"

He looked at her sheepishly, "Can we talk in the car?"

"Tell me what you did before I decide if you can get in the car or not," she had started to wonder about possibilities during the drive and some of them had made her so sad but others had her fuming.

"You remember those painkillers they gave us after the accident?" He inquired while avoiding her eyes, "It turns out that the ones they sent me home with are easy to find when you want more of them."

Grace felt her heart sink. She put her hand over her mouth and took a moment before the replied, "For how long, Michael?"

"Too long," Michael admitted weakly, he sighed and looked up at her, "Since the accident."

"I'm going to fucking kill you. Get in the car."