by K. M. Morgan
Speaking of her cousin, just as Daisy was thinking about her, Addison McDare finally came into view again. The look on Addison’s face was far from inspiring. She looked stressed out beyond belief. So much for her day off.
“I’m sorry. It’s been crazy tonight,” Addison said.
Blaze Billick may not care how hard he was working her, but Daisy sure did.
“Are you ok?” Daisy wondered.
Addison deflected. “Ask me again in a few hours.”
Daisy grimaced. “I hate seeing you like this. Is there anything I can do?”
Addison exhaled. “I wish there was. Are you having fun at least?”
Daisy didn’t want to tell her the truth. Her cousin needed to hear good news, even if it was a lie.
Daisy slapped on her best fake smile. “Oh yeah. I’m having a ball.”
Addison stared deep in Daisy’s eyes. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“Actually, I think you just have really good observational skills,” Daisy pointed out.
“It runs in the family.”
“It’s not all that runs in the McDare family.”
“So true. Anyway, I promise I’ll make this up to you--”
Blaze Billick then approached and interrupted. “Addison, there you are. I heard a really nasty rumor that my ex-wife is here.”
Blaze then started itching himself, as if the mere mention of his ex-wife had given him a sudden rash. While Blaze hijacked the conversation, Daisy’s eyes opened wide. She had to keep from having her jaw drop when she saw him—although for all the wrong reasons.
Daisy had not seen any recent pictures of Blaze. The only image she had of him until now was when he was in his prime of rock stardom. Back then, Blaze had long, flowing, jet black hair, a hunky face, and a perfectly chiseled body that he enjoyed showing off by performing shirtless.
A much different Blaze was in front of Daisy now. Every one aged, but most people didn’t do it so poorly. The rock and roll life had taken its toll on his body. Blaze’s hair was still long, but there were now lots of gray streaks mixed in with his black hair. Gone were his six pack abs. They were now covered up with a rotund beer belly. And although there was still an inkling of the once handsome face Blaze used to have, the years of smoking and drinking too much had really left their mark.
It was a lot for Daisy to process.
Addison meanwhile was looking to distract Blaze from talking about his ex-wife.
“Blaze, I want you to meet my cousin Daisy,” Addison said.
“Oh, right—the super fan,” Blaze replied.
Daisy was thoroughly confused. She shot her cousin a look.
Addison forced a smile and gave Daisy a look. It was clear Addison had told Blaze a big whopper of a lie.
Daisy wasn’t about to burst Blaze’s bubble. First, it would make her cousin look bad. In addition, Blaze seemed to really like the attention. The celebrities Daisy saw photographed in the supermarket tabloids each week appeared to shy away from attention. They went out of their way to avoid being deluged by fans. Those were celebs whose star was still burning red hot however.
Blaze’s star had crashed down to earth years ago. He had a different approach. There was a look of yearning in his eyes, a desperate craving for attention. He clearly wanted to recapture his former glory. And although Frankie Follinger, Big Al Stockton, and whoever else at the gala were practically lining up to get his attention, they all wanted something from him—and endorsement, photo op, or otherwise. A fan interaction gave Blaze the pure high he was looking for. After all, he had a really big ego to feed.
“That’s me. Daisy McDare, super fan.”
“This must be the highlight of your life,” Blaze replied.
Wow. Blaze was even fuller of himself than Addison had described him as. Daisy was taken aback by how big his ego really was.
Because of that shock, Daisy forgot to keep up the ruse as she replied. Instead, she furrowed her brow with confusion.
“How do you figure?” Daisy asked.
“Here you are, getting to meet your favorite musician in person. You must be in heaven,” Blaze explained.
Daisy shot Addison another quick glance. Addison gave her another look. It was obvious Addison just wanted Daisy to go with it. Blaze meanwhile was so caught up in his ego that he was completely oblivious to what was really going on.
Daisy played along, with a twist of her own. “Oh yeah. It’s a real honor. But there’s one thing that could make it better.”
Blaze gave her a seductive smile. “I bet I know what that is.”
Was Blaze flirting with her? Eww. Daisy didn’t even want to entertain that thought.
“I was actually wondering if I could get your autograph,” Daisy said.
Blaze couldn’t believe Daisy wasn’t putty in his hands.
As Daisy pulled a pen and a folded piece of paper from her purse, there was no denying that Blaze’s flirtation had hit a road block.
Blaze would not give up so easily. Despite Addison warning Daisy that Blaze didn’t give autographs, he signed the paper, and tried to charm Daisy again.
“You know, the song ‘Twenty-Seven Is Heaven’ was written about a beautiful woman just like you,” Blaze replied.
Ugh. What did Blaze think Daisy was, some floozy backstage groupie? Even if Daisy wasn’t in love with Gavin, she’d never go for some burnout, past his prime rock star like Blaze.
As Blaze handed her back the paper, things got worse. Instead of just giving her his autograph, he’d written “I see heaven in your eyes, Blaze Billick.” So much for getting a simple autograph.
Daisy had to nip this flirtation in the bud, ASAP.
“‘Twenty-Seven Is Heaven’ is my boyfriend’s favorite song,” Daisy said.
Blaze became completely deflated. “Boyfriend?”
Daisy nodded. “He’s the best.”
Blaze lost all interest in Daisy right then. He’d been completely shut down. That never used to happen at the height of his stardom. He suddenly had a lot of frustration, and directed it squarely at Addison.
“What are you looking at? Get back to work,” Blaze barked.
Addison’s face went white. “Yes Sir.”
Blaze was in full rant mode all of a sudden. “I want to know where my good for nothing ex-wife is at all times. The last thing I want is to run into her.”
Ironically, that was the exact moment Blaze’s ex-wife Vikki Valentine approached him from behind.
“Actually, you’re the one who is good for nothing,” Vikki said.
Blaze’s jaw dropped. His face went white. His body was as tense as could be. He didn’t want to turn around and face his ex. He’d been married to her long enough to realize it wasn’t in her personality to back down—ever. If anything, Vikki had become even bolder since their divorce.
Running into his ex like this was a nightmare come true for Blaze. This was supposed to be his night, his moment in the spotlight, his chance to recapture the glory of yesteryear. Instead, Vikki threatened to ruin that. Blaze believed there was nothing worse in life than an ex with an axe to grind. At the same time, Vikki wasn’t the only one with a Type A personality. Blaze had and always would behave like he was the center of the universe. That night was no different.
Blaze narrowed his eyes and glared at Vikki. “What are you doing here?”
“Coming to get what’s mine,” Vikki said.
Suddenly, it was as if Daisy and Addison didn’t exist. Whether they wanted to or not, they were left chewing scenery in the background. That was fine with Daisy. She could see that all hell was about to break loose, and she wanted no part of it.
Blaze and Vikki’s expressions said it all. They were shooting daggers at each other with their eyes. They both looked so angry they could breathe fire. Daisy realized she had front row seats to the battle of the century.
Vikki was a formidable woman, and not just because of her firebrand personality. She was tall—five foot nine or ten. With heels ho
wever, she was easily six feet tall. She also had a very athletic build. She looked like she had played either basketball or volleyball growing up. Some tall people looked gawky or awkward, not truly comfortable with their height. Vikki meanwhile couldn’t have been more comfortable in her skin.
Vikki was in her early fifties and wore heavy makeup, clearly trying to cover up the wrinkles that were starting to form on her face. She had long blonde hair that looked like it had been recently colored to flush out any gray hairs that dared to pop out of her scalp. Vikki must have had a really pretty face when she was younger, but the decades of smoking, drinking, and hard partying had left her looking weathered.
Blaze meanwhile didn’t care about any of that. He just wanted his ex out of his hair. His face was filled with outrage that Vikki had crashed his party.
“How did you get tickets to this?” Blaze barked.
“I wouldn’t waste your time worrying about that. There are plenty of other things for you to worry about,” Vikki warned.
Blaze was dismissive of her. “I don’t have to listen to anything you have to say. We’re not married anymore.”
“And whose fault is that? I wasn’t the one sleeping with our son’s nanny.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“Oh, so you’ve stopped sleeping with Olivia then?” She laughed. “Your second marriage has really gone south.”
Blaze groaned. “That’s not what I meant. Not that it’s any of your business, but Olivia and I are doing just fine.”
Vikki glared at him. “I don’t care how you’re doing.”
What little patience Blaze had left was disappearing in a hurry. “What do you want?”
Vikki knew just how to push his buttons though, and was more than happy to do so. “So, you’re getting a Lifetime Achievement Award. That must make you feel really old.”
Blaze tried to play Vikki’s comment off, but it had clearly deflated his ego.
He started stammering. “Go away.”
Vikki smirked. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Blaze groaned again. “What do you want from me?”
“That’s simple. I want more money.”
Blaze scoffed. “You got plenty enough of that in the divorce. More than you deserved--”
“It sounds like someone is trying to rewrite history. Have you forgotten who was cheating on who, or need I remind you?”
Blaze became defiant. “I’m not giving you another dime.”
“We’ll see about that. Remember that song you wrote about me—‘Blonde Desire’ that they’re using in those car commercials now? My lawyer thinks I’m entitled to a cut of the royalties.”
Blaze shook his head in disgust. “You’re unbelievable. How dare you try to screw me over?”
“Screw you over? After what you did to me, you deserve whatever is coming to you.”
“I’m going to fight you to the death on this. Mark my words, you’re not getting another dime from me.”
The tension had reached a fever pitch. As Daisy and Addison watched from a safe distance, they couldn’t believe how quickly things had escalated. Neither thought things could get any worse. Then, they did.
Blaze’s current wife Olivia Billick then approached with a smile on her face and a drink in her hand. She was clearly buzzed on champagne and completely oblivious to the hornet’s nest she was walking in on.
“It’s a great evening, isn’t it?” Olivia blurted out, slurring her words slightly.
The smile disappeared from her face in a hurry as she Vikki Valentine glaring at her.
Daisy meanwhile couldn’t help but notice how similar Vikki and Olivia looked. Olivia had long blonde hair, a tall frame, a pretty face, and an athletic build as well. The only real difference seemed to be their ages. While Blaze ex-wife Vikki was in her fifties, his current wife Olivia was in her late thirties. Daisy could see why Vikki was so upset. It was a wife’s worst nightmare, being traded in for a younger model—and the family’s former nanny no less. Sheesh.
If Vikki pulled no punches around her ex-husband, the gloves completely came off around Olivia.
Vikki stared daggers into Olivia. “If it isn’t the floozy herself. You shameless home wrecker.”
Blaze wasn’t going to stand for that kind of verbal aggression. “Don’t talk to my wife like that.
Vikki then turned her sharp tongue on Blaze again. “You sleaze ball. All the hurt, the pain, the suffering you caused me, I just want you to know it’s all going to come back to you one day.” She shook her head in disgust. “I still can’t believe you left me for someone with the I.Q. of a kumquat.”
With one too many drinks in her system, Olivia was in no position to verbally joust Vikki. Instead, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “Hey, I don’t even like kumquats.”
Blaze glared at Vikki.
“You have a lot of nerve,” he said.
Vikki fired one last shot across the bow at her ex-husband. “Watch your back.”
Vikki and Blaze then stared each other down before Vikki walked off.
Blaze stared daggers into his ex-wife’s back, then gritted his teeth. He looked angry enough to punch a hole in the wall.
Daisy had seen men angry like that before, and the aftermath usually wasn’t pretty. Apparently her cousin Addison was thinking the same thing. Daisy saw Addison slowly backing away, clearly afraid that Blaze would take out his frustration on her.
Blaze then let out a huge groan. “That woman could be the death of me.”
Just then, Blaze’s wife Olivia started rambling. “What a serious witch. Talk about a buzzkill. I’m going to need more champagne.”
Olivia started to take a step, but nearly tripped over herself. She found her balance just in time. She then held her empty champagne flute towards Addison.
“Go fetch me some,” Olivia said.
Blaze cut his wife off. “I think you’ve had plenty.”
Olivia gave Blaze a cockeyed look. “That’s what you always say. You never want me to have any fun.”
“It seems like you’ve been having plenty of fun tonight. Maybe a little too much,” Blaze insisted.
“Consider it making up for lost time. You’re not the only one who can live it up.”
Blaze could see how bloodshot Olivia’s eyes were. “I think you should sit down.”
Blaze turned to Addison for help. “Get her a chair--now.”
Addison scrambled and grabbed the first chair she saw. She went to help Olivia into the chair, but Olivia pushed her away. “Don’t touch me.”
“Sorry. I was just trying to help,” Addison said.
Olivia gave Addison a death stare.
Daisy had no idea what that was about, but it seemed highly inappropriate. Even for someone as inebriated as Olivia, that was a complete overreaction.
Daisy spoke up for her cousin. “She really was just trying to help.”
Olivia turned to Daisy and looked her up and down. Apparently she didn’t like what she saw, because her mood soured even more.
“Who do you think you are?” Olivia barked.
“I’m Daisy McDare.”
Olivia scoffed as she looked at Daisy and Addison side by side. “Another McDare? Well, I McDare you to scram.”
Everyone else just stood around awkwardly as Olivia laughed at her own joke.
Blaze was clearly embarrassed by his wife’s behavior. “I’m sorry. She’s not usually like this. She’s just had a little too much to drink.”
Olivia only became more enraged. “Why are you taking her side?”
“Honey, she’s a fan. You didn’t have to bark at her like that,” Blaze reasoned.
Instead of diffusing the situation, things only got more heated. “A fan, huh? Do you want to sleep with her too?”
Blaze’s eyes opened wide. He jumped on the defensive. “What are you talking about?”
Olivia stared her husband down. “You’re not as sneaky as you think. I know you’ve
been fooling around on me.”
Olivia then shot a glare Addison’s way.
Blaze meanwhile was mortified that all his dirty laundry was being aired in public like this.
“Excuse us a minute,” Blaze said.
He then grabbed Olivia and pulled her aside. While Blaze whisked his wife off, Daisy tried to catch her breath. Suddenly, the idea of hiding her head by the buffet didn’t seem so bad after all.
Chapter Seven
After a whirlwind chain of events worthy of a reality show, both Daisy and Addison were in need of a serious breather. At the same time, they saw Blaze and Olivia arguing in the distance. Yikes. What a night, and the evening was still young. Who knew drama would find its way on the menu in such a big way?
Surprisingly, Addison wasn’t completely thrown for a loop. That made Daisy wonder if this type of scene was commonplace in the Billick house. She was almost afraid to ask if that was the case.
Daisy meanwhile was completely rattled. She felt like an emotional tornado had swept through town unexpectedly and turned everything upside down. Most of all, Daisy was confused beyond belief. There were so many questions she wanted answers to. She decided to start with the simplest one.
“What just happened?” Daisy asked.
Addison chuckled. “You just got Blazed.”
Daisy furrowed her brow.
“It’s a little nickname I came up with to describe the utter madness of working for Blaze Billick,” Addison said.
“Are you saying things like this happen often?”
Addison nodded. “Often enough that I came up with a nickname for it.”
“I feel so, so sorry for you.”
Daisy then reached into her purse and held out a plastic-wrapped cupcake for Addison.
This time, Addison looked confused. “What’s that for?”
“It’s my emergency stress cupcake. Trust me, you’ve earned it.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Then again, only a fool turns down a cupcake.”
