Page 10 of Blinding Lights
"She's had a long recovery but is the strongest person I know. How has being a rockstar treated you?"
He grimaces, "Some good and some bad. It's a lifestyle for sure."
"It must be exciting. Getting to see all those different places worldwide and living your dream."
"It’s not as glamorous as you think. On tour, we don’t spend much time sightseeing. We bounce from one concert to the next."
"All those groupies throwing themselves at you must be fun, though.”
He takes another puff of his cigarette, "It got old very quickly. I prefer the fans who care about the music, not just hooking up with me."
“I'm happy you were able to achieve everything you wanted to," I tell him honestly. I know he worked hard on top of being incredibly talented.
I swear there’s a flush to his cheeks when he thanks me before we hear his name being called out. His wife, Mia, comes down the stairs.
"There you are. Your stepmother and sister are looking for you. There are some guests she wants you to meet."
He rolls his eyes at her, making her laugh. "Hey, don't kill the messenger."
"You talked me into coming home, so it's all your fault," he tells her.
Now it's her turn to roll her eyes, "I know you. You would have regretted not being here, and you know it."
I go back and forth, watching them banter until Mia notices me.
"Oh, I didn't know you were out here with someone." She holds a hand, "I'm Mia Hoskins, this guy's soon-to-be ex-wife."
I shake her hand, "Blake Knox. A friend of Talon's from back in the day."
Talon smirks at me but doesn't say a word. He turns to head back up the stairs. "I better go and humor the step monster. I want to get through this."
Mia shoos him off and stays outside with me.
"So, you're the ex?" she asks me. Her voice and body language aren't hostile. She seems genuinely curious.
"I'm an ex. Probably one of many. We dated before he left town, but it was nothing serious."
"We met about a year later, and he was a mess. The sex, drugs, and rock and roll cliche."
"He looks like he’s doing well now," I point out.
"He's done a lot of work to get himself where he is now."
"You two seem to have an easy relationship. Are you really getting divorced?" I ask hesitantly.
"We just work better as friends. It’s hard to be in a relationship with someone who is in love with someone else."
"It's not me. We were just a summer fling."
"It must have been a hell of a fling. I would have given my soul to have him look at me like that." She moves to go back up the stairs. "Take care, and please take care of him. He deserves it. I'm glad I got to meet you."
I sigh in relief when she’s gone. I need this day to be over because I can't handle any more of it.
Chapter 5
Then
My calculus scores have been gradually slipping this semester, and I need to get them up quickly with just a few weeks left until graduation. After I complained to Cole, he recommended that Foster tutor me since he's a math whiz.
