A Summer to Remember(62)
I tuned their conversation out because it was none of my business and moved to the opposite corner of the large balcony. Talia scared me as she touched my shoulder softly and I whipped around to face her.
“Hey, sweetie, what are you doing out here?” she questioned before she spotted the cigarette in my right hand. “Ah, you’ve returned to our dreaded university habit again? What was the final catalyst that tipped you over the edge? The whole incident that happened between Paul and Ashley in Stamford?”
“You can say that.” I dragged from my cigarette and inhaled before I blew the smoke into the humid Miami air. “So, your ears must be burning up…someone’s been talking about you.”
Talia snorted before she crossed her arms against her breasts. “Let me guess…that bitch who is Kris’ fiancée? She can’t stand me and she’s jealous as hell but she’s been around the whole rock star life for a while now. She’s frightened of me, can you believe it?”
“Yes, I can believe it because you are one dangerous bitch and if Seth isn’t careful, he could easily lose you. You’re no one to be taken advantage of so promise me you won’t let him get away with shit.”
“When hell freezes over maybe.” Her face dropped and suddenly looked concerned. “Listen, I may not know what I am talking about but…I got a tip from a gossip columnist here in Miami. She wouldn’t tell me much only to say that there is going to be something in the paper tomorrow that might interest you.”
My heart began to race in my chest as I stubbed my half-smoked cigarette out in a nearby ashtray. “Oh dear God—this doesn’t have anything to do with Ashley, does it?”
“I asked about that and the gossip columnist said that the name wasn’t mentioned in her story but that is all she would tell me. Perhaps…you better ask Paul about the skeletons in his closet. You have wondered about what he did before the two of you got together? He was quite the player and he obviously has a few secrets he hasn’t told you.”
All the sudden I wasn’t in the partying mood.
“Thanks, sweetie. Listen, I’m tired and I think we should leave. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
Talia nodded her head. “Get some rest. You’re gonna need it for tomorrow.”
I walked back inside and went directly to the ladies restroom where I washed my hands and sprayed my favorite scent on my neck to cover up the smell of cigarette smoke.
Paul sat next to the lead singer of Scarlet Fever, Kasper “Kaz” Gillian, and discussed the rocker’s current stock portfolio. I didn’t even know he was a client but the rock star listened to him with a look of fierce determination.
Something about him was very familiar to me and I instantly recognized him as one of us—a rich society kid turned bad boy. He wasn’t just some poor white trash guy made good. He’d grown up in the same social circles as Paul and I. My parents knew the Gillian family and I could recognize the resemblance anywhere even if he had covered his body with tattoos and wore his hair on the longish side.
I waited until they were finished before I touched my boyfriend’s shoulder. “Babe, I’m tired. Can we go back to the hotel?”
“Sure.” He stood and slid an arm around my waist.
We walked through the opulent Setai hotel before we reached outside and waited patiently for valet. Some part of me wanted to broach the subject with him about what Talia had told me but no matter how much I wanted to bring it up, the words wouldn’t leave my mouth.
The drive back to the hotel was excruciating and I waited until we were both undressed and wrapped in one another’s arms before I finally approached the subject.
“Listen, Talia told me that both of us should watch the Miami Times tomorrow, specifically the Entertainment section. Do you know why she would have given me that kind of warning?” I questioned in a soft voice as we faced one another.
His gorgeous crystal blue eyes changed as the green striations surrounding his pupils became more pronounced but he didn’t give anything away, at least not to me. “No idea. I suppose we will just have to wait to see what turns up tomorrow. Come here. You worry too much.”
I allowed him to pull me into his warm embrace and closed my eyes. What ever showed up in the papers the following day couldn’t be any worse than what we’d been through with Ashley. If I could survive that then I should be just fine reading the papers the following morning.
At least that is what I convinced myself so sleep would finally claim me.