Worth It (Damie)

Part 20

A/N: I really hope you love this Belfast chapter. I wanted to make it special for all of you! There'll be more from his hometown after this, but here's the introductory part of their trip! Thanks for your love and support, I'm excited to write about them more and watch their future continue to unfold in real life ;) xo

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Don was able to pull through with a private jet for us to fly to Belfast, and I'd be lying if I said Dakota and I didn't use it to our advantage. Mile-high club...again. She's divine.

The only thing I'm still leery about in all this is Amelia. She agreed to let my parents come get the girls, but I'm not entirely convinced she doesn't suspect I have a motive. However, I can't and won't worry about her until she becomes an issue, and this time I won't let her ruin our trip.

"Are you excited to see your family?" Dakota asks. She's sitting beside me in the rental car, our fingers intertwined on the console.

"I am. And I'm grateful to have you here." I pull her hand up to kiss the back of it.

"This place is beautiful," she says, peering out the window as the city of Belfast quickly fades into the coastal town I grew up in.

"You're beautiful in it." I look over and wink, catching her blush.

"Who all will be at the house?" she asks, but her gaze is fixed on the familiar scenery that flies by.

"I think just Jess and her family. Liesa couldn't get off work."

"Oh, she's lovely. That's too bad."

Liesa has adored Dakota since the day they met. They're kindred spirits—both hilarious and carefree. Jess has always been the more serious and determined type. She kept Liesa and me in line despite being wedged between us in age.

"She was pretty bummed," I tell her. "She loves you."

Dakota squeezes my hand in response, still lost in the simple beauty of my hometown. "That's adorable," she says, pointing to a building.

"They have amazing food there."

"It's a restaurant?" She looks over and I nod. "It's so rustic and ancient looking."

I snort. "It's the original building, but they put a pub inside it. Maybe we can go."

She caresses my knuckles with her thumb. "Can we go anywhere here where they won't know you?"

I shrug. "They're not snitches. I can work some magic. If you want to, that is."

She nods. "I want to experience where you grew up, not just see it."

"That's exactly what I want, baby. This town is the greatest place on earth because it made me. I want to show it off."

She smirks. "It made you the incredible man I love. It has to be pretty exceptional."

Dakota takes my breath away in her simple but powerful statements. If a man can be swept off his feet then consider me swept.

I park in front of my dad's house. "We're here."

She admires the stunning array of flowers in the garden. My dad and Samina take great pride in their property. It has always been one of the most beautiful homes in the Belfast area.

"Ready?" I ask.

She giggles and reaches for the car door. I meet her at the front, grabbing her hand as we walk to the house. I ring the bell and kiss the top of Dakota's head while we wait. She smells like coconut, and it levels me.