Chapter 20
AXEL
When Theo and Sadie turn up the next day, I’m in the kitchen getting my hair styled by Lottie.
Don’t ask. I didn’t.
Though with Taylor proposing to out our relationship this morning, I probably should’ve. I’m already way out of my comfort zone when the cocky bastard saunters in – and he does such a violent double take I’m surprised his neck don’t crack.
‘I’m not sure what shocks me more,’ he says slowly. ‘You with bows in your hair… or the fact you’re still here. Actually, scratch that, because it’s definitely the latter. Your hair was made for bows, buddy.’
‘Watch it, Tanner,’ I growl. ‘Or I’ll let you have the full salon treatment.’
‘This is nothing,’ he fires back. ‘Wait until she starts painting your toes. Then you’ll really have something to complain about.’
Behind me, Lottie giggles on the table like a tiny, evil mastermind. I sigh, tug off a sock, and hold up my bare foot. ‘Happy now?’
Theo lights up. ‘Oh my God, this is priceless. I need photographic evidence.’
‘Nope.’ I’m already jamming my sock back on before he can wrestle his phone out of his pocket.
‘Spoilsport.’
‘Who’s a spoil— Oh my God, Lottie!’ Sadie chokes into her hands as she joins us. ‘I’m so sorry, Ax.’
‘It’s fine,’ I mutter, even though I can feel my dignity leaking into the floor.
‘Wait until you see his feet,’ Theo adds, laughing so much, I seriously consider lamping him.
Then I catch Tay’s gaze behind Sadie – soft, warm, mine – and the irritation evaporates. I swear my insides turn to literal goo. Insane, but true.
I’ve loved her for years, but now… I don’t know. It hits different. I feel different.
A throat clears to my left: Theo. And I realise he and Sadie are glancing between us, curious gazes burning. Shit, how long was I out for?
‘And they’re back in the room,’ Theo teases as I shift in my seat, trying to rake a hand through my hair and giving up when it gets stuck – how many bows?
Sadie giggles and scoops Lottie up as Taylor steps in beside me. Her hand settles on my shoulder, quietly encouraging. ‘You ready to tell them?’
No. Not even a little.
But I nod anyway.
‘Tell us what?’ Sadie says, like she hasn’t already clocked this a mile off.
‘Ax and I…’ Tay audibly swallows – or maybe that’s me? ‘We’re together.’
They do the decency of gawping, eyes flicking between us, then—
‘I knew it!’ they both blurt.
‘Why didn’t you say anything sooner?’ Theo asks.
‘This has been going on ages, right?’ Sadie cuts in over him.
I run a finger through the collar of my tee and glance up at Tay. She looks hot – though not the sexy, ‘we made out way too long this morning and she had to cover hickeys’ kind. True story. I’m wearing her marks too, only mine are… lower.
‘Yeah, well,’ Tay says. ‘We didn’t want you getting all carried away about it while we were still figuring it out ourselves.’
‘Carried away, as if!’ Sadie says, dropping Lottie as she lunges for Taylor. Squeezing her so tight, I think my girlfriend might need resuscitating. My girlfriend. Damn, that feels good. ‘I’m just so happy for you both!’
Then Sadie’s flying at me. Arms wrapped around my neck, blonde hair caught in my beard. ‘This is just the best news!’ She pulls back, blue eyes welling up. ‘I knew something was going on, but Theo kept—’
‘I think you’ll find I always knew,’ Theo corrects her. ‘You kept talking me out of it. Question is… does this mean my whisky is safe again?’
Taylor shoots me a look – you, whisky?
And I shrug. ‘Told you the guy thought I was losing it.’
‘Losing it over you, sis,’ Sadie says, looking all loved-up for the two of us. ‘We need to go out and celebrate.’
‘Are you getting mawwied?’
The room stills as Lottie drops the nuclear question.
Taylor chokes on thin air. I go rigid. Theo and Sadie take a Lottie shoulder each and give us an apologetic grimace.
‘Not everyone gets married, sweetheart,’ Tay says, panicked eyes flicking to mine.
‘They do!’ Lottie nods fiercely. ‘When they wuv each other, they get mawwied.’
If the M-word was nuclear, the L-word cuts through the air like a Molotov cocktail nobody wants to catch.
‘Out of the mouths of babes,’ Theo says, and we all chuckle, awkward as fuck. ‘But I am up for celebrating.’
‘Ooh, we can double date!’ Sadie coos.
‘Okay, love, slow down,’ Tay says.
‘You are joking, right? My sister gets her first boyfriend ever and you expect me to be calm?’ She mock-gasps. ‘Do you even know me?’
Boyfriend. Love. Married.
It’s like a tsunami of loaded terms, and Tay’s eyes widen with every single one.
I get to my feet, needing to shut it down before Sadie and Lottie finish the job I couldn’t and send her running.
‘How about we head out for some lunch?’ I say. ‘All five of us?’
Theo nods. ‘Sounds great.’
I flee into the living room to hunt out my phone and jacket, eager to get out ASAP.
‘Though, buddy—?’ he calls after me.
‘Yeah,’ I turn, and—
‘Gotcha.’ He grins, phone up, pic snapped. ‘Now you can go.’
‘You’re such a—’ I stop as Lottie’s eyes go wide. ‘Trouble.’
‘Jus’ wike me!’ she says proudly, taking hold of her daddy’s hand.
‘Yeah,’ I say, flicking the bows out to retore at least a shred of dignity. ‘Just like you, kid.’
‘It could be worse,’ Tay says, coming up to me and pressing her palm to my chest.
‘Oh yeah?’
‘We could’ve let you wear them out.’
Then she kisses me full on the mouth, right there in front of everyone. The lightest sweep of her tongue and it fires straight through me. Taylor and PDA? Fuck, yeah.
‘You wouldn’t have dared,’ I say against her mouth, hooking an arm around her waist and holding her flush against me.
‘You forget, I like pushing your buttons.’
‘La-la-la-la-la, too much information,’ Sadie groans, shoving everyone towards the elevator. ‘Let’s eat before I lose my appetite.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Tay murmurs. ‘I was whetting mine.’
She spanks my butt with a wink and follows her sister to the elevator, leaving me choking on a laugh and my damned cheeks flaming.
‘Jesus,’ Theo mutters as he walks past. ‘Get a room already.’
I just stand there, stunned still.
Can it really be as easy as that?
We’re together. And the world ain’t ending. Nobody’s interrogating us. They’re just… happy. Joking. Accepting.
‘Hey, Axelina!’ Theo turns to wave at me. ‘You coming or what?’
‘Yeah,’ I say, shaking it off. ‘I’m coming.’
If they’re good, I’m good. More than good as Taylor threads her fingers through mine and we step out into the bustling street together.
This is my life now, and my chest swells with it.
But like a balloon stretching too far, I’m fearing the inevitable pop. Because it’s one thing to want it all.
Another to actually believe I can have it without a fight.
‘You okay?’ Tay whispers.
‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘You?’
‘Couldn’t be better.’
And that’s all I need to hear…