Page 6 of Cadence
I stare at the floor, jaw and fists clenched, my back to everyone as I try to calm down. My skin feels too tight. My thoughts? Tangled cables tossed in a too-small box.
Something doesn’t line up.
“Mad?”
I hear Beau’s chair scrape back against the floor as he stands. I turn, meeting his stare across the room. He’s leaning forward, hands planted flat on the table.
“What’d you think?”
“She’s decent,” I say dryly.
The air shifts. Static and shock waves pulse around us as Beau’s grin falters and Eli looks at me like I just kicked his puppy.
Beau straightens, tattoo-covered arms crossing his chest, stiff tension lining his body. “Are you serious?”
“Decent?” Eli echoes, disbelief lacing his tone. “Maddox, were we in the same room?”
I shrug, aiming for nonchalance. “There was another guy I liked better.”
“Bullshit. Name one.”
I don’t. Because I can’t.
Paige tilts her head, studying me now instead of the other way around. There’s no irritation, no fight in her expression, just the quiet knowledge that she knows I’m talking out of my ass.
Somehow, that pisses me off more.
“She’s the one, dude,” Eli whispers, imploring me with his eyes.
I don’t care. I don’t care if she fits, or if she plays like she was always a part of the band. I just don’t…
“No.”
“What?” Eli coughs. He whips his head to Beau, throwing his hands up likecan you believe this?
Paige stands and reaches for her bag. “Thanks for your time. If it’s not going to work, no hard feelings.”
“Wait,” Beau cuts in, stepping toward the riser, his voice a touch too rushed. Paige exhales, hand on her hip, sticks still in her grip, body already angled like she’s ready to leave.
Beau’s gaze flicks between her and me, his hands up, palms out like he’s trying to keep her from moving. “Just…give us time to talk, and we’ll let you know, okay?”
“Sure,” she says, shouldering her bag. Without smiling or further comment, and with that same calm she walked in with, she turns, sliding her sticks gently into her bag.
“We’ll call you,” Eli adds just as she reaches the door. She glances back at him, lips tight and nods, closing it behind her.
The second she’s out of range, Beau spins on me, frustration burning in his eyes.
“Are you for real?” he snaps.
Eli stares at me, wide-eyed. “She’s the best we’ve seen, hands down. Hell, she might be better than Austin.”
I say nothing, agitation prickling my skin again as I roll my neck once, needing to relieve the pressure building, but it doesn’t help.
Beau steps closer, his voice taking on an exasperated inflection. “You’ve bitched about every single person we’ve seen today. You wanted someone great.” He thrusts his arm toward the door. “She was that.”
“She wasn’t just great,” Eli says and slaps my arm. “She fucking crushed it, Maddox. Like,ownedit.”
“She’s good,” I concede. “I never said she wasn’t.”
