Page 44 of Doc Rock
Mai chuckled at the bewildered look on her friend’s face.“Me too. Itfeelslike a different lifetime compared to the one I live now.”
Clara linked arms with her.“Shall we find Gloria andgetyou a top-up? I assume that’s Taylor’s good champagne?”
Mai blushed.“I’m sorry. Gloria insisted.”
“Don’t be. You’re my friend, and Taylor only buys it so Gloria can steal it.”Clara laughed as she tugged on Mai’s arm.
Not resisting, Mai let herself be led into the party, her new friends surrounding her and making her smile and laugh at their incessant chatter and teasing.
For the first time in sixteen years, shefeltlike a member of a group rather than sitting quietly on the outside, trying not to be seen.
Chapter 18
Ford
Ford sat in his car, staring out the front windscreen, telling himself to start it andgetthe hell out ofthere. But his body wouldn’t move to press the button to start the vehicle.
He told himselfit wasbecause he was too shaken to drive. But a small part of himknewthat he was afraid that if he drove away from Sie, she would disappear again.
He couldn't believe that the little blonde, the one he enjoyed holding in his arms, was his Sie.
His wife.
Heknewhecouldhave divorced her years ago. He’d even spoken to a lawyer, who told him what he needed to do to sever the marriage to Sie.
A few times, he debated doing it, but each time, he made excuses to himself.
A tour was coming up, andhe didn’t have time.
He needed to write new songs, andhe didn’t have time.
He wanted to relax, andhe didn’t have time.
Basically, it all boiled down to the fact that hedidn’twantto.
He hadn’t met another woman after Sie that he wanted to marry, so what was the point of divorcing?
Would he haveknownhe'd found her if he hadn’theardher sing? He once would have sworn he would recognise Sie anywhere, but today, if he was honest with himself, without her singing, he would have walked right past her.
He ran his hand through his hair and dropped his head to the steering wheel.
Ford's thoughts churning as his mind tried togetthe image of Sie as an adult fixed into it, instead of the young rock chick she used to be.
A tap on the window made him jump, and his eyes rose to meet those of an older woman with silver hair.
Ford frowned and rolled down the window.“Hello?”
“I’m Gloria,”the woman said.
Ford’s frown deepened, then recognition flitted through his brain. This must be Taylor’s mum.
“Ford.”He said, his voice barely a grunt. Heknewhe was being rude and shouldgetout to speak to her, but he was too tired.
Gloria squeezed his hand, then leaned down so their gazes locked.“How are you doing?”
Ford laughed bitterly, clearly his and Sie’s‘moment’hadn’t gone unnoticed.“Not fantastically.”
She reached out and took hold of his hand.“I can imagine. I had a chat with Mai.”
