Dylan and Taylor (Soul Mates 101 Series) (24 page)

I lead Nate to the front door, and when I turn around, I see his eyes are still huge from meeting Dad. I grab him and hug him hard. He hugs me back, and it makes me feel like Dylan’s a little bit closer.

“Thank you for coming to see me.”

“I’ll be sure to give him your message and try to talk some sense into him, but he needs to sleep first.”

Tory comes barreling around the corner and walks right up to Nate. “Not so fast. Nate, do you go to Vandy?”

“I start in the fall.”

Tory’s eyes light up bright. “I’ll be a freshman, too, so maybe we can hang out.”

“That’d be cool.” He winks at her before he goes out the door.

It barely shuts before Tory starts. “He’s so handsome. When you and Dylan work things out, you need to get him back up here to see me.”

Mom peaks around the foyer. “I just let a UPS truck through the gate. He has a package for you, Taylor.”

I open the door. “I have a delivery for Taylor Page.” The guy is holding a large box. I sign for it, and tears spring from my eyes.

“What is it?” Tory asks.

“This is the guitar Dylan’s been saving for. I ordered it for him before our fight. Could you please ask Dad to sign it, and tell him I’ll have to talk to him later?”

“Sure, Taylor, but you have to get some sleep. You’re going to end up in the hospital.”

“Nate said he gave Dylan sleeping pills. I think I should find something to help me sleep.”

Dylan

The ring of my phone wakes me. I don’t recognize the number. “This is Dylan.”

“Hi, my name is Cat, and I’m the assistant to Vincent Page. He wanted me to call you and invite you to meet with him at a recording studio. He told me to tell you that he wants to hear what you sound like without the shitty band you were playing with. Sorry, his words, not mine. He said to work out a good time with you.”

“Umm ... wow, this is unexpected. I need a little time to think about it. Can I give you a call back?”

“OK, but I wouldn’t wait long if I were you. This is not something Vincent normally does.”

“I’ll be sure to let you know.” I hang up the phone and look around. How the hell did I get home? There’s a knock at my door before Nate walks in.

“Hey, feel better?”

“Yeah, did you drive me up here?”

“Damn, you don’t remember?”

“I remember being in the truck, but that’s it.”

“We got here about six last night. I slept in Brett’s old room. I thought I heard you talking.”

“I just got another surprise, and Taylor’s probably behind this one, too.”

“What is it?”

“Vincent Page’s assistant just called saying he wants to hear me play at a recording studio.”

“That’s awesome.”

“I told her I have to think about it.”

“Are you an idiot?”

“I can’t very well work with him if I’m not with Taylor.” Nate becomes quiet and nervous. I can always tell when he’s nervous or guilty. He chews on the corner of his bottom lip.

“What’s going on?”

“Come out here. I need to talk to you about something.”

I sit on the couch and hear the tap of his foot. “What did you do?” I ask anxiously.

“I went to meet Taylor last night.”

“So you’re doing shit behind my back, too?”

“You wouldn’t remember if I had asked you first. Listen to me. I needed to meet her. I needed to decide for myself if you should forgive her, and I wanted to tell her that you were back in town and safe. I figured if you were in this bad of shape, then she would be worse.”

“Is she OK?” Damn, I miss her, and I’m dying to know.

“No, she’s not. She looked like shit and was really tore up. She appeared to have slept less than you.”

“Shit, I hate this.” I bury my face in my hands.

“You need to forgive her. I know it’s your decision, and you have to do what you feel is best, but I think you need to give her a chance to show you she can do better. She told me to tell you that she misses you and wants to apologize in person. I think she’s great, and she loves you a lot.”

I feel the pulverizing pain in my chest, but I can’t give in to her. “This is what she does, Nate. She sucks you in with her pitiful looks and charm.”

“Oh, like someone else I know who uses charm to get what they want? She wasn’t trying to manipulate me. She was a broken mess, dude. I met her sister, Tory. She’s hot and was already flirting with me.

“Then I met Vincent which was so cool. I didn’t think I was going to be able to speak. He asked what I was doing there, so I’m wondering if he doesn’t know what happened.”

“Taylor won’t want him to know. She’ll worry that he’ll take it out on me.”

“I’m telling you one last time. You need to forgive your friends, get Taylor back, and meet Vincent at that recording studio. Did you ever think that maybe you’re mad at her because she did what you haven’t had the courage to do? She was just trying to help. You need to consider that.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, but thanks for taking care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you’re going to get your chance to get me out of some messes once I move up here in August.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Right now, you need to take me to get a rental car. I have to get back home.”

Broken Dreams

Taylor

Tuesday comes, and I’m feeling sluggish from the sleeping pills I took last night. I found them in my parents’ medicine cabinet. They did cause me to sleep off and on, so I feel a little more rested. I signed the lease on the apartment the day Dylan left me, so I’m going to go ahead and move in.

Certain that I’m not going to be able to concentrate at school, I skip my classes again and pack up essentials I’ll need at the apartment. I go on a shopping spree to take my mind off Dylan. I buy furniture and things for my kitchen. I pick out a huge bed that the furniture store has in stock and pay them double to deliver it this afternoon.

I ponder why I’m bothering since I probably won’t sleep in it, but I’m clinging to the hope that Dylan will end up in it with me. Picking out the bed pushes me over the edge, so I sit in the shopping center parking lot and cry until I can’t resist texting him.

Me:
I miss you, Dylan. It was nice to meet Nate. He reminds me of you. I wish you would believe that I’m sorry.

Dylan:
I know you’re sorry. The problem is, I don’t know if I can trust that you won’t do it again. Just like today, I’m sure you’re behind your dad’s assistant calling me, so it shows me that nothing has changed.

Me:
I swear, Dylan! I don’t know anything about that! My dad told me the night you performed that he was going to get in touch with you, and he hasn’t mentioned it to me since. I swear I had nothing to do with that. Please let me show you I can change. I had no way to know you would get that upset, but now I know, so I won’t make the same mistake.

Dylan:
I don’t know if I can deal with all of this, Taylor.

Me:
I love you, Dylan, and I’m sorry. I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it. I guess I never should’ve let you in. I was obviously wrong to believe you wouldn’t treat me different because of who my father is. I’m beginning to wonder if you love me at all since you can walk away this easily.

Dylan

Taylor accuses me of not loving her in her text. It infuriates me. I can’t even respond. How could she think I don’t love her? I’m outta my mind missing her, but I need time to think.

There’s a knock on my door. “Man, will you please talk to me?” Cody asks.

I open my door. “What?”

“I’m sorry I went behind your back and told Taylor about you performing. She asked us at the cabin to tell her the next time you were playing. I thought it would be a great thing for Vincent to hear you, but I’ve known you long enough to know we should’ve told you ahead of time.”

“Actually, you had no right to tell her period.”

Cody drops his head. “You can’t hold this against Taylor. You’ve only been dating a month, and you’re expecting her to know how you’d react. Austin and I are to blame, not her.”

“I had made it very clear to her to back off about my music. We had a talk about it on the way home from the cabin.” He’s really making me angry. I knew they’d all take up for her.

“Besides how Brett was at the hospital with Hannah, I’ve never seen anyone so upset in all my life. It was as if you died when you drove away from her that night. Brett thought they were going to have to take her to the hospital at one point.

“You’re the most honest person I know, Dylan, but you could use a lesson on forgiveness.” Cody walks away, and I’m left feeling like shit.

Taylor

I sit at the shopping center for an hour, staring at my phone. I keep thinking any minute Dylan will text me back that he does love me, but it never happens. I finally go back to my apartment. My friends send me text messages throughout the day to see if I’m OK, and I lie.

The evening drags on as I move from room to room. I’m on the floor, staring at the ceiling and reminiscing of all my time with Dylan. I end up in the fetal position, feeling more alone than I did before I ever let him into my heart. Why did I ever take down my wall? Everyone I love lets me down.

My apartment is in a gated community, but I’m still afraid to be here by myself, so it only adds to my insomnia. It has two huge bedrooms and baths, and the only piece of furniture in it is the king size bed that came this afternoon. I refuse to get in it by myself. Maybe the first time will be with Dylan. At three in the morning, I take more sleeping pills and pray that Dylan calls me.

***

My alarm goes off at seven o’clock, and I’m exhausted. I can’t miss another day of classes, so I lug my butt to campus and suffer through them. Now, I feel more overwhelmed from all the assignments I missed.

After school, I go grocery shopping before I head home. My mom and Tory both call me today and want me to come over, but I’m too depressed. I took two big bottles of vodka when I moved out, so I take a couple of shots and lounge on the floor. I look at all the pictures of Dylan and me on my phone.

There are several of us at the cabin when we spent the day in bed. I love them. I’d held the phone up, snapping away as we laughed. You can see our head on the pillows and it warms my heart. My phone buzzes while I have it in my hand, so I jump. It’s a text from Hannah.

Hannah:
Are you OK? I’m worried about you. You haven’t been calling anyone.

Me:
I’m existing. I questioned Dylan’s love for me yesterday, and he didn’t reply. I take that as an answer.

Hannah:
Oh, Taylor, I’m sorry. I don’t know what his problem is. I know he loves you.

I decide to text him one more time.

Me:
I’m sorry. I miss being wrapped inside your warm, protective arms. I’ve never missed anyone so much in all my life. It’s so painful. I love you. Please talk to me.

Dylan
: Please don’t do this, Taylor. You’re killing me inside.

Me
: Fine. You win. I won’t bother you again.

Dylan

My stomach feels as if it’s being cut into little pieces. I’m scared to tell her what she wants to hear, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. I miss her so damn much.

I know I’m freaking out over the stuff Brett told me not to dwell on, but I can’t help it. I’m apprehensive of being with someone like Taylor, and I don’t know if I can deal with the Pages’ fame and money. Instead of replying, I stare at the walls until two in the morning.

***

Thursday comes too soon. The two or three hours of sleep a night I’m getting are catching up with me. I go to class and work, surviving on caffeine, and when I get home, I go straight into the shower. I’m walking past the family room with a towel wrapped around my waist when I do a double take.

“Vincent, what are you doing here?”

“I need to chat with you, but I really don't want a shot of your pecker so put some clothes on first.”

I chuckle. “Just give me a minute.”

Cody’s voice carries back to my room. He’s entertaining Vincent. “I know you hear it all the time from people, but Dylan and I are huge fans. You’ve been his idol since he was a little boy. He’s halfway to saving up eight grand to get a Les Paul signed by you.”

Why the hell is he telling him my business? I swear he can’t keep his mouth shut anymore. I zip up my jeans, yank a sweatshirt over my head and grab a ball cap before I go back out to talk to Vincent.

“Thanks, man. It never gets old hearing I have a fan.”

“Cody, can I talk to Vincent alone?”

“Sure, it was great talkin’ to ya,” Cody says before he heads to his room.

“Dylan, I haven’t ever done anything like this before, but I’ve also never known Taylor to be in the shape she’s in. I came to talk to you about a couple of things. First, why did you need time to think about meeting me at the recording studio?”

“I don't know how much you know, but Taylor and I had a big fight, so I didn’t know if that would cause problems if I met with you.”

“Music is business and has nothing to do with you and Taylor dating. I heard you play, and you have a rare talent. I want to meet with you to hear your sound when you’re not with that shitty band and to see what you’re interested in doing as far as a career.” He runs a hand through his long hair, smoothing it away from his face. He’s such a cool dude.

“I’ll do just about anything for Taylor, but if you weren’t that good, I wouldn’t have hesitated to tell her. She knows I don’t mess around when it comes to music. I have a reputation to uphold, so I’m going to put the offer out there one more time. You don’t have to answer today, but I need to know soon if you’re interested. I’d hate to see you waste your talent.”

“Thanks, Vincent. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to hear you think I play good.”

“Now, as far as Taylor goes, Tory told me what happened. Taylor should’ve told you I was coming, but she obviously didn’t know how pissed off you’d get, or she wouldn’t have done it. I’ve heard from Tory how bad a shape she’s in, so I know she loves you. If you love her, then you need to forgive her.