Ipull my car through the security gate in disbelief. The stone mansion is on the other side of town from where I live, and it’s huge. I might have underestimated how much money Talon has. I'm half surprised that when I ring the doorbell, a butler doesn't answer. Instead, Talon is there, wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a vintage-looking t-shirt. His black hair sticks up, and his green eyes shine. It's been a few weeks since we’ve seen each other, though we’ve been in constant contact. Exchanging messages and phone calls has been nice, but I’ve missed his face, which scares me.
He greets me with one of his rare smiles before leading me into the mansion. I follow him inside, past the sprawling foyer with a circular staircase up to the second level and into a large sitting room.
"You're renting this place?" I ask him, looking around in awe. It’s decorated neutrally with luxury touches. It’s not what I expected at all.
"My new manager has some contacts. The owner wants to sell, but now isn't the right time for the market. He was more than willing to sign a lease for a year, fully furnished Want to see more?"
"Sure."
He walks me through all the rooms on the first floor, including another less formal living room that is open to a luxury kitchen. Off that is a fancy dining room with a table that probably seats twenty. There’s also an office and a music room with a piano.
"Do you play?" I ask when I see the baby grand.
"I can, but I prefer the guitar and drums. Do you?"
I sit on the bench and play a few notes from "Amazing Grace," and he raises his eyebrows at me. "A little," I admit. "My parents were big on my participation in extracurriculars. Anything athletic was not for me, but I can do artsy."
He holds out one of his tattooed hands for me, and I take it as I stand from the bench and follow him.
"I want to show my favorite part of the house, the basement," he says, leading me back to the kitchen to a door that leads downstairs.
"It’s not your bedroom?" I tease, going for coy but sounding ridiculous to myself.
Talon turns and winks at me, "We'll save my bedroom tour for another time." I can't help but blush. He's always affected me, making me feel like my nerves are ready to burst with just a look or touch from him.
I walk behind him down the stairs and into the wide-open basement space. There’s another lounging area with a sprawling sectional couch and a huge television. There's also a bar and a pool table.
We continue through the room and turn down a short hallway with doors that lead to a small bedroom and a full bathroom. Talon opens the door at the end of the hall. Inside are a couple of guitars, a drum kit, another smaller piano, microphones, and other equipment. Foam panels cover the walls.
"A recording studio?" I ask him, though the answer is obvious.
“It's not as high-end as what will be in the new house, but it’ll do for what I’m working on right now."
I look up into his face and smile. "You're going to do it?"
He nods, "I've been talking to Vic, my new manager, and he thinks it's a great idea. He's excited to hear my sound. I have a handful of songs written, and I'm working on some more. I need to hire some musicians."
I wrap my arms around his waist. "I'm so happy you're giving this a shot. I can't wait to hear it when it’s done. I know it will be fantastic."
Talon kisses my forehead just as we hear someone yell for him upstairs.
"We're in the studio," Talon calls back.
Seconds later, Foster walks into the room with us. He grins when he sees me. "Hey, I was going to call you tonight.”
I feel a little awkward with them here together. I dated both years ago, and now I’ve kissed each of them again. They’ve made it clear they each want a second chance, but do they mean together? Have they been talking about me?
“What are you doing here?” I ask Foster.
“Meeting the new roommate. Welcome,” he says.
Great, this is going to be trouble.
Foster and I leave Talon behind to work in his studio and continue my tour outside. There’s an impressive patio that has an outdoor kitchen, bar, and in-ground pool. We sit in a couple of loungers overlooking the yard. A tall privacy fence blocks any neighbors from looking in, a necessity I imagine for a rockstar residence.
I look around then ask what’s been on my mind, "So, you and Talon are living together, huh?"
Their friendship dynamic amuses me. Talon is a broody, intense musician, and I can't imagine him tolerating Foster's puppy dog energy. Would their paths ever have crossed if it hadn't been for me? Unlikely.
