Page 75 of The Sun and Her Star

It opens by telling the reader all about his viral YouTube channel and his line of workout socks that are about to hit stores.

I press play.

Graham and a woman are sitting across from each other in those chairs movie directors sit in.

He’s dressed casually in jeans and a light blue sweater. The beautiful woman across from him, who the chyron identifies as Amber Roberts, is wearing a skin tight red dress that makes her beautiful nutmeg complexion glow. Her stunning face is blessed with the most beautiful lips I’ve ever seen on another human being. Her red lips are parted in a breathtaking smile as she listens to something Graham is saying while the intro music to the interview is playing.

I’m tempted to press the fifteen-second skip button, so I can hear the interview. But I don’t want to miss a second of looking at Graham. So, I suffer through watching her bat her eyelashes while he talks, his hands moving expressively, and his gaze on the face of the beautiful woman he’s talking to.

Jealousy surges back to life, and after almost three years of lying dormant, the green monster is very well marinated. I’m about to close it when they start talking.

I pull my finger off the screen and turn up the volume on my earbuds.

“So, Graham, what’s it going to take for you to give up your notorious bad boy ways and settle down? Asking for a friend.” She looks at the camera, winks and mouths, “Not” with a coy smile.

I want to barf.

Graham laughs like he actually found that lame-ass joke funny.

“Well, tell yourfriendI said it would take a miracle,” he deadpans, and she titters.

I am yet to understand what the hell is so funny.

“You are breaking hearts all over the world right now. Say it ain’t so. Do you still have that notorious PussyPhone?”

I gasp. What in the world?

He laughs and shakes his head as if it’s funny.

“Oh, yeah. Of course. At this point in my life, I’m having a good time.” He shrugs nonchalantly.

She looks down at a note card on her lap. I can’t believe she actuallypreparedthese idiotic questions.

“Well, last week you were overheard telling someone that you only see a woman twice if you like her. Is that true?”

“Why the hell do you even care?” I mutter through gritted teeth.

Graham laughs. “Yeah, it’s true. If you see me on athirddate, then you know that’s a girl I’m gonna marry.”

“Well, we’ll have to pay extra close attention to your dates, then.”

She looks at the camera again. “Celebrity Life citizen journalists, we expect you all to be extra alert when you catch Graham out with his dates.”

They both start laughing, and I close the browser. I can’t watch another second. I can’t believe thatthisis what Graham is doing with his life. My brilliant star who wanted to be a teacher.

Who loved to talk about astronomy, life and wanted to see the world is giving interviews about his sex life?

The ache in my chest is back. As much as I hated watching that, it’s just the reminder I needed.

This is what loving Graham feels like. I’m not going to let myself back on that ride. It’s taken me so long to get over him.

I don’t know that I actually am. But, the Graham I love is gone. The man I just watched on that interview isn’t him. Andhim,I could never love.

“We’re here, oh my God,” Reena says, and I pull my headphones out of my ears and throw my phone in my bag.

“I can’t believe I spent my first ride through New York City with my nose in my phone. James is so needy. This separation will be good for him, I think.” She leans forward and pokes her head up to ask the driver, “Did we pass the Statue of Liberty? I really hope I didn’t miss it.”

He chuckles as he gets out of the cab. “Don’t worry miss, we didn’t drive that way.”

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