Page 37 of Something to Believe In
She nodded. "Okay. That would make me feel better."
"Good. Let's do that."
She tucked her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Let's go show the world we're together."
She smiled, but it was weak.
After dropping off the box at Mitch's and giving him the code to also monitor his cameras, Axel drove them to the Sandbar. As they entered the building, Jace Marriott was chatting with customers at the bar. He hurried over to them. "Hey there. It's great to see you here. Table for two?"
Axel nodded. "Yes, and the most visible spot you have here."
Jace's brows furrowed, and Mads chuckled. She held up their hands, still laced together. "We're together now and it's new, but we're excited to be seen together. You must remember how that felt the first time you and Margo were public."
Jace laughed. As if on cue, Margo stepped over to them. "I heard my name."
Jace took her hand in his. "Axel and Maddyn are together."
"I can see that." She looked at her husband with her brows furrowed.
"Margo. Together, as in a couple."
Margo's eyes rounded. "Oh my God. I'm so sorry." She hugged Maddyn quickly, then him. "Congratulations."
Mads smiled brightly. "It's new. But the band knows now, so we can be seen in public together."
Margo nodded. "Then let's get you the spotlight table. Inside or outside?"
Axel looked down at Mads. She chuckled. "Outside, please."
They followed Margo to the outdoor seating area and she sat them at the middle table. "Is this public enough?" she teased.
Axel nodded his head. "It is. Thank you."
A waitress came and took their drink orders and left menus. He knew what he was going to have. Jace's fajitas were amazing. Mads closed her menu and smiled at him. "Let me guess. You're having the fajitas."
"You better believe it. And you're having the rib eye."
"That's right."
He chuckled. "You know, this morning I watched you put our coffees together and you didn't need to ask me how I liked it. You already knew. But I knew you liked two sugars in yours. We've been together on the road and in the studio for so long, we know everything about each other."
"You're right. This part of us..." She motioned between them. "This part of us is the only new thing about us. And it feels good. It feels like..." She swallowed and shook her head slowly. "I don't know. I feel so much lighter because the heaviness of not being with you is gone."
He reached forward and took her hands in his. He stared into her beautiful green eyes. His heart thumped because he knew what they needed to do. He knew it. Like it was determined years ago, and they'd been slow at getting there. Other relationships. Other people. Circumstances, it all got in the way. They'd been passive in trying to follow the rules of the band and not honoring themselves. That made his heart feel heavy. It made him feel like an asshole for not speaking up to Mads sooner. They could have been happy for years together if he had.
He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, and his nose tingled as his eyes grew watery. He sniffed lightly. "I'm so sorry for not speaking up sooner, Mads. We should have followed our hearts a long time ago."
Her smile was soft and genuine and incredibly beautiful. Her eyes watered, and she sniffed. "I guess we're fools. I didn't believe in us enough to say anything to you. I was so afraid to be the one to tear us all apart. So, I guess I owe you an apology, too."
He shook his head. "You don't owe me anything."
"How dare you?" a voice called out from behind Mads.
His eyes searched for the person who so loudly yelled out. Mads turned around to see what was happening. The voice sounded harsher, scarier, deeper when the woman said once more. "How. Fucking. Dare. You."
She stood from a table she'd been sitting at near the edge of the dining area, nearest the sandy beach. His eyes rounded as Lacey began stalking toward them. Slow and steady, and the anger in her eyes was beyond frightening. It was positively murderous.
