41. Dorian - November
FORTY-ONE
Dorian - November
THIS LOVE (TAYLOR’S VERSION) - TAYLOR SWIFT
As I sat in the driver’s seat, the familiar scent of Noah’s shampoo invaded my senses, reminding me of everything from the last week. We agreed to do this, to see where this would go between the two of us.
Except I already knew.
I was a fucking idiot to pretend I didn’t know it before. Every time she laughed, every time she looked at me like I was worth something—I felt it. And now, I was sure I’d never let her go.
I don’t even know why I was such a dumbass denying it for so long. She was so clearly it for me.
I looked in the rearview mirror, taking in her dark curly hair, loose and falling over her shoulders. She looked so fucking pretty, her makeup all done up in glitters and sparkles for the concert. She wore some ridiculous fringy outfit, but I loved it.
I loved her .
I wasn’t sure about coming to this concert. I’d hesitated, asking Noah if coming was a good idea with John’s recent escalation, but Noah insisted it would be fine.
Dorian, it’ll be fine. There are security guards everywhere, and it’s a concert. John isn’t ballsy enough to even find women in public, resorting to the internet to find his victims. I am done letting him control my life.
Her confidence settled some of my nerves, but the gnawing feeling in my gut lingered. I wanted to enjoy the night, but I also couldn’t shake the fear entirely. But right now, I needed to push those thoughts aside and focus on Noah and Gracie.
The happiness that bubbled within me was strong enough to overshadow the worry, at least for now.
Gracie bounced eagerly in the backseat. “Are we there yet?”
“Gracie, the drive is a few hours, not a few minutes,” I chuckled, catching her eager gaze in the rearview mirror. “You’ll survive, I promise.”
“But it’s Ellie Miles!” she squealed, wide-eyed. “What if she sings all my favorite songs before we get there?”
Noah twisted in her seat, shooting her a playful grin. “We’ll be there with plenty of time, G. Don’t worry.”
Sawyer, sitting in the passenger seat, leaned back, always ready to throw in his two cents. “I would never let you be late. I’d come running through the parking lot with you in a football hold if I had to get you there in time,” he said with his signature goofy grin.
“Yeah, right. You’d probably trip over your own feet before you even made it to the door.”
“You realize I’m a professional athlete, right?” he shot back, his grin widening. “I could have her there in record time.”
“Sure,” Noah added, her tone light and teasing, “because sprinting a hundred yards is totally the same as dodging Ellie Miles fans in a parking lot.”
Sawyer crossed his arms, pretending to be offended. “You don’t think I could handle a couple of screaming fans? I could bring my football gear and tackle anyone in our way!” His mock seriousness made Gracie giggle from the backseat.
“I wanna see you tackle someone!” Gracie shouted, her laughter filling the car.
Sawyer grinned at her. “Then you’ll have to come to one of my games.”
I glanced at Noah again in the rearview mirror, which I definitely didn’t position perfectly so I could see her. I watched her for a moment and then focused back on the road.
“You guys ready for this?” I asked.
“I was ready a month ago!” Gracie piped up, brimming with excitement. “It’s going to be a huge party!”
Sawyer turned around, a mischievous gleam in his eye. “You know what would really make this a party? Turning this car into a concert on wheels.”
I groaned. “Do we have to? I’m about to listen to Ellie Miles for three hours—I don’t need to start now.”
“Come on, Dorian,” Noah pleaded with a grin.
“Yeah, bro. Don’t be a party pooper,” Sawyer echoed, nudging me in the ribs.
“Fine,” I sighed, giving in.
Sawyer grabbed my phone, changed my playlist, and cranked up the volume.
The unmistakable beat of Ellie Miles’s latest hit filled the car. As the chorus kicked in, the infectious energy of the music washed over us. I caught a glimpse of Noah, her head bobbing to the rhythm, a smile dancing on her lips.
The music surged through me, and before I knew it, I was singing at the top of my lungs, caught up in the moment. Sawyer’s grin was infectious as he threw himself into the performance, drumming the air to the beat.
Glancing back at Noah, I saw her laughing as she held her phone up to record. She was so carefree, her laughter a melody in itself. The sight made my heart swell.
Gracie chimed in from the backseat, her giggles interspersed with the lyrics as she tried to keep up with our off-key notes. The carefree vibe pulled us all in, and laughter erupted from the entire car as we tried to outdo each other with ridiculous dance moves in our seats. The song ended and the next one was a slower beat. I turned the volume down.
“You’re going to ruin my grumpy small-town reputation if you try to post that video anywhere.”
Sawyer shot me a teasing look. “Your reputation was toast the second you started dating Noah. Everyone knows it now.”
Noah laughed. Their friendly relationship had already reached the point of being able to tease each other back and forth. I opened my mouth to fire back, but before I could, Gracie leaned forward in her seat, her face lighting up.
“Wait a second… Daddy is dating Noah?”
We all paused. I glanced at Sawyer, who gave me an I’m sorry look. While everyone else knew that Noah and I were now together, we’d been debating on how and when to tell Gracie. With all the questions she had about her mom lately, I knew I needed to approach the subject carefully.
Gracie beamed, her eyes wide with excitement. “Are you two going to hold hands at the concert?”
I glanced at Noah, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. Her playful smirk told me she was enjoying this.
“Uh… maybe,” I replied, trying to keep my words casual while my heart raced.
“Yes!” Gracie squealed, bouncing in her seat. “You have to! You can’t be a couple and not hold hands!”
Laughter filled the car again. With Gracie and Sawyer’s excitement in the air and Noah’s presence, I hit the gas, ready for the concert—and whatever came next.