Page 8 of Something to Believe In
Another reporter, whom she didn't know. "But it seems you've broken that rule once with Tony and Livia."
Sean leaned forward, a sassy grin on his face as Gloria's bright smile beamed at him from the throng of reporters. "Sometimes a rule can be bent. But the chances of it working out more than once put us at risk of falling apart. We don't want that."
Gloria stepped forward, staring straight at her. "Maddyn, tell me what you love best about working with your bandmates."
Maddyn smiled at Gloria. She was smart and savvy and had been a friend to the entire band. Of course, she and Sean were getting married in a couple of months. "I love how creative everyone is. When Sean first brought his song, “Born to Be My Baby”, to us, the chemistry within the band was incredible. We read the words, and instantly, we all joined to create the song. Axel beat out a rhythm, Sean added the guitar, and as soon as Jami started singing, I had goosebumps all over my body. It was incredible."
Axel leaned forward slightly and met her eyes with his. "Then you and Livia started singing, and the room exploded with that creative energy and sound, and we all knew it then, it was a hit."
Gloria's eyes darted between her and Axel, and Maddyn's heartbeat sped up. Gloria was smart. Maddyn needed to make sure she didn't let her emotions show.
Gloria asked another question, this time to Livia. "How do you find working with your husband?"
Livia smiled and turned her head to Tony, who stood at the end of the line of band members. "I love it. Though we don't see each other all that much during the day. He's off booking gigs, directing the marketing focus, or managing other issues. I'm in the studio with my bandmates here," she motioned to them with her thumb, "practicing or writing."
The woman, who clearly had an attraction to Axel from earlier, stepped forward. She didn't have a press badge, and Maddyn wondered how she had made her way up here. But she seemed harmless enough, if not desperate. She'd managed not to let her breasts fall completely out of her short tank top, which was an impressive feat based on the fact that she didn't wear a bra.
She positioned herself in front of Axel, though she remained three or four steps back, as security dictated. Mads was afraid to look at Axel. Was he watching this woman? What was her name again?
Lacey, that was it. She certainly wanted to be stared at.
Another reporter asked, "This question is for anyone who'd like to answer. What are your plans for the next year?"
Jami grinned, that half grin that made women go wild, and Mads heard some of the female reporters practically moan. She turned to Livia, who sat to her right, and the two friends chuckled. She, for one, was happy for Jami's appeal to the female crowd; it's what continued to get them gigs.
Jami looked down the row at his bandmates and nodded. "We have a tour coming up in a few weeks that will keep us on the road for a short time. Hopefully, that will lead to more gigs. We also have many smaller gigs booked. And of course, we're writing all the time now. But Blossom Springs will always be home, and we'll be around here as often as we can."
Tony stepped forward. "I have the tour information right here. I have copies for anyone who wants one. We look forward to sheets like this being filled up."
The reporters and influencers took the flyers from Tony. Lacey took one as well, and Mads had the dreaded thought that she'd be seeing a lot of Lacey. That thought made her a bit sad. What if Axel started dating her? She had a pretty face and a great body. She looked exactly like the dictionary definition of a groupie. Bleached hair, teased and sprayed; heavy makeup, and massively revealing clothing. Her tummy twisted slightly at the thought of Axel being with her. With anyone, really. But she'd have to leave the band to get involved with him. Then, he'd be out touring, because ironically, they were just about to burst onto the music scene with a bang, and she wouldn't be part of it. Not directly. She'd be on the fringe. And she'd been with Hart & The Hurricanes for years. They'd sung in every bar, hotel, and small stadium for years. Was it selfish to want the big payoff they'd all been dreaming of? It wasn't wrong; it was exactly what she'd dreamed of all these years.
Lacey waved her flyer in front of her. She felt Axel, who sat to her left, sit back on his stool. She turned to see him looking behind her and down the row to Tony. Her brows furrowed, then realization set in. Tony moved toward Lacey and spoke to her quietly. Within a minute, Tony walked her off the stage. Maddyn couldn't stop watching to see if she'd leave. Jace Marriott, who owned the Sandbar, met them at the bottom of the stage, and Jace continued to walk Lacey from the grounds.
That settled her stomach a bit. She swallowed the emotion that tried to rise to the surface. She needed to figure out how to deal with things if Axel got involved with someone.
Chapter Seven
Axel finished packing his drum set into the trailer. He turned to help the others with the speakers and sound equipment. They'd done this hundreds of times over the years. At least now they had a trailer. They each used to have to haul their instruments and sound equipment in their own vehicles to each gig.
Jami called out as they loaded the last piece of equipment and closed the trailer. "How about a drink or two to celebrate at the Barn?"
None of them was ready to go home. They were still buzzing from their high. Heads nodded all around. Jami continued, "Sean, bring Gloria too."
"Will do. Here she comes now." Gloria smiled as she neared Sean. They were so happy together, it made Axel's heart squeeze. Had his life gone differently, he'd have that too. Now at forty-eight years old, he was too old to have kids, though that would have been a kick. Sean had found out about his daughter, Mina, just last year when she was thirty-one. Oh, he'd been so mad. Hurt too. She'd been kept from him her entire life. But they were making up for it now.
Sean kissed Gloria. They whispered something to each other, and Axel walked to his car, feeling lonelier than he ever had before.
Arriving at the Barn, he saw his bandmates parking, each of them getting out of their cars, still laughing and on an emotional high from tonight's performance.
He held the door for Maddyn, her incredible green eyes locked on his as she neared. When she passed through the door, he could smell the fragrance she wore. Goosebumps rose on his arms. He stepped into the barn behind her and followed her to the bar at the back. She sat on a stool, and he sat next to her. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. He got off the stool and walked behind the bar and began pulling drinks from the coolers for his bandmates. At least the bar put some distance between them.
Jami and Tony were quietly chatting as they entered the barn. Livia sat next to Mads, which made him both sad and happy. The chance of his sitting there was now gone.
Tony took a beer from him and grinned. "Thanks, Axel."
Axel nodded and then took a long pull from his beer bottle. Jami held his beer up high. "Great night, everyone. Great night."
They held their drinks high, then lowered them as they drank. Tony then tapped his bottle with a bottle opener. "Okay, Jami and I have been chatting about this. I think you'll all be happy to hear we're hiring a couple of guys to help us move our equipment."
