The Final Countdown

Chapter 14

Maddie

The following night before I'm supposed to start my new job, I'm a nervous freaking wreck.

Why am I so nervous about this? It's typical to have nerves before starting something new. I'm aware of this, but my hands are shaky, and my palms were sweaty all throughout feeding Izzy dinner.

Maybe it's because I didn't have Cameron beside me this weekend to calm my irrational fears. He's always been my voice of reason—a solid rock in the midst of my whirlwind of a mind. He'd know the right things to say. That's partly why I kept glancing at the door every five seconds while trying to feed Izzy dinner. I knew he wouldn't get home until later since he took a red-eye flight back.

I don't think my nerves stem only from starting this job. It's likely due to all the new changes occurring in my life that I have no control over. We don't have a house to call our own yet, and tomorrow is Nina's first day. Without having a room for her to stay in, she might quit.

Also, although I've tried pushing this fear to the deepest corners of my mind, I can't help but wonder if all of this is for nothing. Katie has my future in the palm of her hands with that video of me. With one click, she could destroy everything I've worked so hard for. This job that I'm so excited to start? I might not even have it come tomorrow, a week, or a month from now. Every single day I feel like I'm holding my breath. The minute I wake, I check my phone and all social media outlets, hoping it won't be the day I'll kiss my career goodbye.

"Maddie?"

Oh, god.

I hadn't even realized I'd been sitting on the couch, completely zoned out. My anxiety is so loud I didn't hear him come in. The baby monitor is beside me, projecting the image of my peacefully sleeping daughter. Sinking back further into the cushions, I rub tiredly at my eyes. "I'm sorry," I admit.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

In a pair of grey sweatpants and a fitted white T-shirt, he's the definition of a masterpiece. His curls are falling slightly on his forehead, in need of a haircut, but he makes messy hair sexy somehow. I'm pretty sure this man could make anything look sexy.

He sets his duffel bag on the ground and joins me on the couch, tugging me onto his lap. The smell of mint floods my nose... His scent. The familiarity of it makes it easier for me to breathe. "Talk to me," he presses. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

I shake my head. "I've just been thinking about the Katie situation."

His body grows tense beneath me. "We're going to figure it out."

"How? Even the private investigator you hired hasn't found anything on her yet. How are we going to find that video and delete it, Cam? Face it. She could very well hold this over our heads for eternity."

What does she even want? Is the fame and the popularity truly that important to her? There must be other men out there who seek the same things as her. They may not be as famous, but they'd still help her. Then again, she has leverage on Cameron. Why rope someone lower in status into this when she could have the hottest athlete in the world at her beck and call?

Cam grips my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. The sharpness and determination in them take my breath away. His eyes are a forest I want to get lost in and never return from. "I promise you I will find a way out of this. Until then, I want you to have your first day tomorrow and think of no one else but yourself. You've worked so hard for this, Mads. You deserve to enjoy every second of it."

"I know that," I start, "but it's easier said than done."

"You can't let her win. We can't let her win. Making this work long-distance was a sacrifice we both made, and it was all for this. For you to get opportunities like these and live out your dreams. I'm not going to keep looking over my shoulder day in and day out in fear of her and what her next request will be. I refuse to give her the satisfaction, you know?"