Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series)

by Scarlet Wolfe

  “Thanks, Cody. He’ll be aggravated at first, but I believe he’ll be OK with it once he knows how great my dad thinks he plays, and I have no doubt Vince will love him.”

  Cody fidgets with his ball cap. “He’s never going to do it on his own, so that’s why I’m telling you.”

  Dylan told me he was going to be with his friends tonight. He didn’t lie since they’re all going, but he still kept something from me. I wish he felt he could tell me since we’ve been playing guitar together. The fact he didn’t shows he’s not any closer to letting my dad hear him, and he’ll never believe he’s good enough until someone like Vincent tells him so.

  I go home at noon to speak with my dad. He agrees to go, and as soon as I tell the girls, they all insist on going, too. I can’t wait to surprise Dylan with the apartment. I finally feel whole. He filled the void in my life and healed my broken heart, so I want to make his dreams come true, and tonight is the first step.

  Hannah

  Brett and I meet the rest of our friends at the Mystic Playground to watch Dylan perform. We don’t arrive until we know he’s on stage. Brett has me nervous. He thinks Dylan is going to be upset with Taylor for planning this, especially when he finds out Vincent came to listen.

  I hope not. Aside from the tension between Matt and Morgan, everyone in our circle is getting along. Morgan is sitting next to me, looking gorgeous as ever, and I can’t help but eavesdrop on her conversation with Matt when the band’s between songs.

  “I don’t know,” she says.

  I see Matt pick up her hand. “I’ll do better, OK?”

  “You said that when we left the cabin, and that was weeks ago. You’ve only called me three times, and it was to come over and have sex. You never take me out. I can’t do it anymore.”

  “Morgan, please. I … I’ve missed you.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes, a lot. Stay with me tonight. I’ll take you to dinner this week. I’ll do better.”

  I missed part of their conversation from the noise, but Morgan appears pleased. I swear he better not hurt her. I’m nice, but I’ll get out the claws if he continues jerking her around. Maybe he finally realized that Morgan isn’t going to bow at his feet any longer.

  Taylor walks up to our table with Vincent. The guys stare with gaping mouths. He’s wearing a hat and sunglasses. I’m sure it’s to help disguise his appearance as much as possible. The guys are star struck, and it’s humorous seeing them look so nervous around another male.

  We’re all in awe as we listen to Dylan play. I’ve been around musicians long enough to know how talented he is. He really captures the audience’s attention when he does a couple of solos. When the show’s over, Vincent speaks.

  “You’re right, Taylor. He has a gift. I need to get him in a studio, so I can hear him without the other shitty sounds.” Several people recognize Vincent as the crowd clears out. Suddenly there’s a lot of commotion as people stop to talk to him and get autographs. “Darlin’, I have to get out of here. Tell Dylan I’ll be in touch with him real soon.”

  “OK, Dad. I’m so excited.” It’s sweet watching how much she gushes over Dylan. Vincent leaves, and after most of the place has cleared out, Dylan starts walking toward us. I see the expression on his face, and it’s not a happy one.

  “I warned you. He’s going to lose it,” Matt says.

  Wow. I’ve never seen Dylan look this angry. Brett was right. This is going to be ugly.

  Dylan

  I finish up my set and pack up my guitar. What I see when I spot my friends fills me with fury. They told the girls, and every one of them are here. “Which one of you told her?” I point to the guys, glancing at each of them.

  “I told her. I thought you’d be glad after you found out Vincent was here,” Cody says.

  Rage rushes through me. How could they not warn me ahead of time that the girls and Vincent were going to be here, so I could’ve been better prepared? “You all need to leave, and you need to take Taylor with you.” I haven’t even looked at her. I can’t. She obviously has no regard for my feelings. Feelings I’ve expressed to her repeatedly.

  “We need to quit trying to go to fucking bars together. It’s a fail every time,” Brett says pissed.

  Taylor’s swiftly in front of me. “Sweetie, I’m really sorry, and it’s all my fault. Don’t get mad at your friends. I made them tell me.”

  I fight tears from filling my eyes. I can’t trust her, and that’s a deal breaker. “We’re finished, Taylor.”

  “What? NO! You don’t mean that. You’re angry, but I know you don’t mean that.” She’s looking at me, her eyes filled with panic. I quickly walk to the exit. She’s right on my tail and sobbing by the time we get outside. I can’t stand to hear her cry.

  “Dylan, please stop and talk to me. I know you don’t mean what you said. I’m sorry.”

  I turn around as anger and disappointment ooze and fester at the surface. I told her I wouldn’t yell at her anymore, so I speak slowly and calmly. “I covered this with you several times, and you still went behind my back. I was kind and respectful to you when I asked you to give me space about pursuing music, even telling you I’d consider it.

  “I forgave you quickly when you had me meet your dad with no warning. I spent so many months trying to earn your trust that I missed the part where I can’t trust you.”

  I get into my truck and hear her screams the entire time I’m peeling out of the parking lot.

  My heart’s being ripped from my chest, witnessing her hysteria, knowing how bad I’m hurting her, but I’m too furious to put her feelings first. I may be a happy, fun guy with a big heart, but honesty is a quality you have to have to be in my life. Taylor and every one of my friends have betrayed me.

  Hannah

  Taylor drops to the ground. It’s almost February, and she’s sitting on the cold pavement with no coat on, her fists clenched next to her as she screams at the top of her lungs. Chelsea and I try to get her up, but she won’t budge. Brett and Austin pick her up and put her in my Land Rover. The guys look in shock as they witness something I’m certain they’ve never seen in their lives.

  Taylor kept herself protected for years by putting a wall up from more hurt and rejection after what she received from her parents and Sam. She finally let it down with Dylan, so the fact he’s walking away is causing all that pent up pain to pour out of her. Chelsea gets in the vehicle with us. “She can stay at my house tonight. She can’t be alone.”

  I look to the back seat. “Breathe, Taylor. You’re going to end up at the hospital if you don’t breathe.”

  “God, Taylor, stop crying. Dylan loves you like crazy. He’ll forgive you, but you have to give him time,” Brett says, sounding pissed.

  “I—I have to go—” Sobs. “—talk to him,” she pleads.

  Brett shifts his body while driving and points in the back seat. “No, don’t let her do that tonight. She’ll only make things worse. I’ve never seen Dylan this angry, and he’s not going to get over it in an hour.”

  This is a nightmare. If Dylan doesn’t forgive her, then Taylor will shut herself off from the world for good.

  Dylan

  Taylor has turned my world upside down, and I’ve tried to deal with the changes, but my limit’s been reached. I don’t know how I’ll ever let her go, but I can’t be with someone who’s going to drop bombs on me every day. She has little patience and is used to always getting her way. As much as I love her, I don’t know if I can deal with how spoiled she is.

  The house is empty when I get there. My friends know better than to come home for a while. Needing to get out of town, I pack a bag and leave a note for them. Taylor’s pleas will be hard to resist, and I need to be around people I can trust, so I get into my truck and start the two hour drive.

  Taylor

  I spend the entire night awake, crying and texting Dylan. The pain I feel inside is like no other I’ve ever felt before. Half of me has been torn away. I feel as if I�
��m bleeding out, left listless, languished … loveless.

  Chelsea’s phone buzzes with a text early in the morning, and she looks at me with an even more worried expression than the one she’s been giving me all night.

  “Taylor, please don’t freak out even more, but Dylan left town.”

  I bawl, and my eyes sting from all the salty tears I’ve shed. I can barely open them from the swelling.

  She rubs my back. “I have to call Hannah. I’m sorry, but I’m exhausted. I’ll have her take you back to her house.”

  “If he can leave me here when we haven’t slept apart, then he isn’t going to forgive me.”

  “He will, Taylor. He needs what’s familiar right now. He’s had a lot of changes in his life in the last month. Austin said Dylan’s parents still live in the house they were in when he was born. He probably needs to be around something that he feels doesn’t change.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I thought I was helping. I rented an apartment and was going to tell Dylan last night. We haven’t slept apart, so I wanted him to be able to stay with me whenever he wanted. Please don’t tell him. I’m afraid I’ll scare him off more.”

  “Everyone knows you had good intentions, but you’re going to have to be up front with him from now on. When you get to Hannah’s, you need to get some sleep.”

  “That won’t be possible without Dylan.”

  Creature Comforts

  Dylan

  I’ve been sitting in front of my parents’ home most of the night. I didn’t want to wake them early on a Sunday. I haven’t slept and have been going insane from having so many hours to think about Taylor and what’s happened since I met her.

  My phone has went off at least every fifteen minutes. She has text me countless pleas for forgiveness, and every last one of my friends, including the girls have text an apology. I know they care and are genuinely sorry, but I can’t go back right now.

  I finally turn my phone off. My heart hurts from the pain she’s in, and I hate that she hasn’t slept. I know how sorry she is, but that’s not the issue. It’s whether I can trust her, and I don’t think I can. I knock on the door at eight o’clock.

  “Dylan, are you OK? What are you doing home?” my mom asks anxiously. She’s in her robe.

  Tears escape, and I’m grateful to see my dad isn’t up to witness it. “Mom, I can’t talk about it right now, but I’ll be fine. I just need to be home for a few days.”

  “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

  “No, Mom. I fell in love. I have to talk to Nate.”

  I can’t believe I shared that with my mom. I go to wake up my younger brother. He just turned eighteen and will be a freshman at Vanderbilt next year. Nate’s really mature for his age, and we’ve always had a close relationship.

  I normally tell him everything, but I haven’t had a chance to tell my family about Taylor since I’ve been with her almost every free minute. I never thought I’d be asking my brother for advice at his age, but all my friends are too close to Taylor. I need to talk to someone who’s looking in from the outside.

  Nate

  “Nate, get up.”

  I open my eyes when I hear Dylan speaking to me. I’m on my stomach when I lift my head and see him. It registers in my brain that he shouldn’t be here, so I quickly sit up. “Why are you here?”

  “Will you go to breakfast with me? We need to talk.”

  “Sure, bro, but I should kick your ass for getting me up this early. I didn’t get to bed until two.”

  “You got more sleep than me, so I need you to drive.”

  ***

  I order a Coke to help me wake up. I’m sitting across from my brother at a small diner in our hometown, and he looks like shit. “What kind of trouble are you in if you’re dragging me out of bed on a Sunday when you’re supposed to be in Nashville.”

  “It’s about a woman.”

  “You knocked up a girl?” I ask anxiously.

  “No, I didn’t knock up a girl.”

  He’s irritated now. “I’m in love, bro. You’re going to shit your pants when I tell you who she is.”

  “How are you going to shock me after everything that went on with Brett and Hannah Ray Mason?”

  “Remember that girl I’ve been telling you about since summer? She’s Hannah’s friend. The one who’s a complete pain in my ass.”

  “I remember.”

  “She’s the one I’m in love with, and her name is Taylor Page. She’s the daughter of Vincent Page.”

  “No fucking way!” A few old ladies in the booth across from us glare at me for cursing. “Are you pranking me? You’re going to great lengths if you are.”

  “It’s the truth. My world is jacked up right now. We got together at the cabin last month, and that’s when I found out about her dad.”

  “This is heavy, Dylan.” I’m in shock right now. I can’t believe my brother from this little town is dating a rock star’s daughter.

  “She’s gorgeous and has a big heart. I’ve never had sex this amazing in my life, and we have a lot of it. We also have a lot in common, but I’ve discovered she’s pretty spoiled.”

  “I can’t believe you fucked Vincent Page’s daughter. Do you have no shame? That took some balls.”

  Dylan hangs his head. “I fought it at first. I felt like I was betraying my idol, but he’s cool as shit.”

  “You met him?” I’m still trippin’ over all this news.

  “Yes, and he’s glad I’m with Taylor. She went behind my back a few times and did some things without asking me. She had her dad and all our friends come watch me play last night without telling me first.

  “We’d already discussed her doing shit like that, but she’s determined to get me into the music business. I’m pissed. You know how self-conscious I am about my playing. I left her sobbing in the parking lot of the bar. It was awful.”

  “You have to forgive her. Look at what you’ll be giving up. She’s obviously just trying to help you out.”

  “But is it because she can’t accept me for who I am? I don’t know if she really thinks I’m talented or if she doesn’t want to be with a middle class working man. I’ll be lucky if I ever make a six figure income with my degree.”

  “Someone like her wouldn’t give you a second glance if she cared about that stuff.”

  “That’s what Brett keeps saying.”

  “I can’t believe you’re both with hot millionaires. I have to see this chick.”

  “I bet there are pictures of Taylor on the Internet. I never thought to look. She keeps a much lower profile.”

  I get my phone out and Google her.

  “I thought Hannah was the hottest girl ever until I saw Taylor. I don’t think anyone at Vandy realizes Vincent Page’s daughter goes there. I didn’t even know he lived in the state, and I thought I knew a lot about the man. He has a home in LA, so I assumed he lived there,” he says.

  I look for Taylor and can hardly believe how attractive she is. “Is this her?”

  Pain washes over Dylan’s face, and I see right then that he really is in love with her. “I’m taking that as a yes. You got it bad, bro, and you’re right, she’s gorgeous.”

  “She has a sister barely younger than you, and you’d like her. She’s cute.”

  “What are you going to tell Mom and Dad?”

  “The truth, but I know Dad isn’t going to get it.”

  “He isn’t going to like it because it’s different. Dad doesn’t deal well with change,” I say.

  I watch my brother stare off. “I guess I’m more like Dad than I thought. Besides being a pain in my ass, she’s perfect in every way. I mean, she’s a rocker chick. We even jam together. I can’t imagine anyone more made for me.”

  “Let’s go home. You need to sleep, bro.”

  “I won’t be able to.”

  “You’re gonna have to put this out of your mind for a while.”

  “That’s not why. We um ... I’ve slept with Taylor since we left
to go to Gatlinburg. Last night was the first time we haven’t been in bed together, and I can’t sleep without her. We’ve tried, and it doesn’t work.”

  “You were basically living with her.”

  We sit in silence for a minute. “I hadn’t thought of it like that, but I guess we were.”

  I take Dylan back home and watch him tell our parents everything that’s happened since meeting Taylor, minus the sex. I’m sure they can figure that one out on their own. Dad acknowledges that Dylan’s been through a lot in a short amount of time and tells him he needs to be sure it’s a lifestyle he wants to be a part of.

  Mom’s more sympathetic and excited for him. She’s picked up on his wild college ways when it comes to women, so I imagine she’s relieved to know he’s capable of love. Mom’s a school teacher, and we definitely get our softer side from her. I’m just glad they didn’t try to talk Dylan out of seeing Taylor. It’s obvious my brother loves her.

  He stares at the television with Dad most of the day, and Mom cooks him his favorite foods, hoping it’ll cheer him up or at least make him sleepy. “Dylan, go to bed,” I say with frustration several times, but he refuses.

  All day his eyes slowly close and snap back open. It’s exhausting to watch, and I’m worried. I’ve never seen him this sad or out of control.

  Taylor

  I stay at Hannah’s all day and try to watch movies, but I cry through all of them. Brett goes to spend the day with the guys. I’m sure he’s sick of me. Hannah finally takes me home around eight o’clock.

  I shower and pace around my room most of the night. When I do fall asleep, I wake up every fifteen to twenty minutes resting somewhere different. I have a sitting area, so I wake up on the couch, in a chair or on the floor, sobbing each time. Tory keeps me company some, but I’m even freaking her out.