I can see Maddie fumble with her fingertips on her lap as we near closer to the red carpet, and you can hear the screaming from hundreds of people outside as they see different celebrities get out of their cars for the evening.

Reaching over to grab onto her hand, I give it a tight squeeze. I don't need to ask her if she's nervous. It's written all over her face. Instead I say, "Tell me what's on your mind right now."

She tries to glance outside, but the windows are all tinted, so she can't see anything. "What if I fall?" She chokes out, and that's when I realize that tears are threatening to pour onto her cheeks. "Are we going to be interviewed? Do I have to know things about your career? What if they ask and I don't have an answer? They'll think I'm a gold digger. Just like all of those articles said about me."

I knew she was nervous, but I didn't think she was this nervous. It looks like she's about to have a mental breakdown. "Mads, come here." I plead and extend my arm out to her, but she's so freaked out that she's physically shaking.

"Maddie." I say more sternly to get her attention, and she's finally able to shuffle closer towards me, my arm holding her firmly against my body as I tilt her chin up to look at me. "I will completely understand if you want to turn this car around and not go at all. This is a lot for anyone to deal with, and I don't want you to be scared."

"No." She shakes her head. "I want to go. This is your life now, Cam, and if we're going to be together then I need to accept all aspects of your life. I want to do this. I'm just nervous."

She looks so beautiful tonight. I don't think she even realizes just how stunning she looks. That blue looks radiant against her skin, the diamond necklace and earrings gleaming whenever the light hits them.

"I understand why you're nervous." I tell her gently, bringing her hand up to my mouth to kiss it. "But you have no reason to be. When we get out of this car I want you to focus on nothing else but me, okay? If they start shouting things about Isabelle just ignore them. You've got me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you out there."

Almost instantly her shaking stops, her hand squeezing mine tightly again before she smiles. "I love you." she tells me, and my heart completely skips a beat.

"I love you too." I kiss her quickly when our car comes to a stop. "You sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes." She replies firmly. "Ready as I'll ever be."

The driver opens up my car door first, the screaming becoming ten times louder. I go around and open Maddie's door myself, extending my arm out for her to take. It's almost comical how intensely she's gripping onto it as I lead her to the carpet, the shouting coming at us at once.

"Are you marrying her?"

"Hey, look over here!"

"Where's your daughter?"

"Look at me." I remind Maddie as we make our way further down the carpet. "Focus on nothing but me."

We stop for pictures when we reach the middle of the carpet. I smile down at Maddie, her eyes never leaving mine for a second. She's scared, I can tell, but she feels comfortable with me, and with our eyes locked on each other's I can visibly see all of those nerves flood right out of her system.

Multiple reporters ask for interviews as we pass by them, but I respectfully decline and lead her towards the entrance. Being on the red carpet for one night is enough for her. She doesn't need to be flooded with questions about Izzy or marriage right now.

Finally we're surrounded with silence as we enter the event. It's such a shift in dynamic that Maddie stops to take a second to breathe. Just seconds ago we were bombarded with screaming and flashing lights, and now we're in a hallway with classical music and quiet chatter.

"That was insane." She says. "I mean, wow."

"You did so good though." I reply. "And see? You didn't fall."

She continues to hang onto my arm as we find the way to our table. There's a huge seating chart, and Maddie gasps, pointing frantically to the list of people that we're sitting with. "I know that doesn't say Jennifer Aniston!" She shrieks quietly. "Oh my god!"

I swallow back a laugh at how cute she is as I weave our way through countless tables. "There are a lot of celebrities that give back to this charity." I tell her. "And yes, one of them is her."

On the way I introduce her to a couple of my other team mates that are attending the event as well, and just as I'm about to pull out Maddie's chair I feel a tap to my shoulder.

"Cameron." A familiar voice says, and all of the hairs on my body stand on end. I don't want to turn around, because I know that when I do I'm going to have to talk to her.

Maddie has already grown rigid beside me as I turn to face none other than Katie, my psychotic ex-girlfriend that made Maddie and I split up in the first place. She's in a silver sequined gown, her long brown hair slicked back so that it's falling behind her shoulders. It's crazy how I used to think her brown eyes were pretty, but now they just seem evil.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, but immediately feel stupid when I say it. Her father is the head coach of the Penn State Lions, my college football team. Of course there was a chance she'd be here.

"You know I'll never miss a chance to meet celebrities." She gushes and then eyes Maddie up and down. "I would say I'm surprised to see you here with him, but I'm not."

My girl lunges for her, actually lunges for her until I take a step in front of her. "Just go find your seat." I say to Katie. "Haven't you caused enough trouble as it is? Just leave us alone."

"I didn't know it was a crime to be polite and say hello." She shrugs.

"We don't need a hello from you." Maddie sneers and pushes me to the side to get right in her face. "We're just fine without it. It's in your best interest to leave. Trust me."

"What?" Katie laughs and looks around. "Are you threatening me at a kids charity event?" Then she moves her gaze to me, making a tsk tsk sound. "I would have thought you'd at least choose a girl with manners, Cameron."

"Mads." I warn, literally feeling the anger radiating off of her body. "Don't. She's not worth it."

Maddie's fists are clenched at her sides, her body shaking as she takes another step closer towards her. "It's because this is a kids charity event that you're not getting your shit rocked right now." She tells her, and my mouth drops open in shock. "Take your pathetic ass to your table before I change my mind and really show you how out of character I can be."

I think even Katie can tell how serious she is because even though she wants to say something slick, instead she takes a step back from her and slims out her dress. "Have a good evening." She says. "I'll make sure to say goodbye."

We both watch her saunter off before Maddie heaves herself down into the chair, putting her face into her hands.

"Who are you?" I laugh to try and lighten the mood. She looks up at me, and in seconds she relaxes.

"It's not funny." She says, but eventually she laughs too. "Why the hell is she even here? I get that her dad is rich, but still. Of all events she had to come here? I just know it's because she knew you'd attend. She wanted to see you."

Pulling out my chair to sit beside her, I capture her cheek with my hand, a smile still on my face. "It doesn't matter that she's here or not because I'm with you. She can act like a bitch all she wants, but she didn't break us up because we're stronger than that. We found our way back to each other, right?"

"Yes," She finally agrees, letting out a frustrated sigh. "But I'm telling you if she does say goodbye tonight and says something slick then I will rock her shit. I don't care where we're at."

"And you have my full permission." I chuckle. "But in the meantime let's eat dinner with the wrong forks, meet some incredibly deserving kids, and then drink this fancy champagne until we're borderline drunk. Sound like a plan?"

I must have said the right thing because she raises her glass with mine, clinking it softly. "You've got a deal, Holden."

ALSO PLEASE HEAR THIS STORY:

My husband literally came home and made me cry today (in a good way). Our son is obsessed with dinosaurs and honest to god this man got a dinosaur KEY CHAIN to hang off of his keys because it reminds him of Jeremiah (our son). I LITERALLY MANIFESTED MY DREAM MAN????? He doesn't even understand that he deliberately brings cam to life every single day for me. Our own tiny version of squishy 🥺🥺🥺🥺

UPDATE: ** I posted the picture of the key chain to this chapter!!! **

Ok anyways