Page 122 of Gabriel's Album

* * *

We reachLos Angeles and check into a hotel in the afternoon. Heather arrives about an hour after we do, and we’re all sitting in Harrison’s suite when she lets herself into the room.

“Honey, I missed you!” she exclaims, and leaves her suitcase where she’s standing as she rushes over to him.

Harrison stands up as she heads toward him and throws his arms around her before kissing her passionately. Hayden, Sebastian, and I grin, and wait for them to finish.

“You didn’t missme, gorgeous?” Sebastian drawls from where he’s sitting in an armchair after her kiss with Harrison ends.

Heather laughs as she turns to look at him with Harrison’s arms still around her. “Of course I did. I hope the lot of you haven't been getting into too much trouble without me.”

“Us? Never! Would you believe I’ve been a complete angel? Celibate, even. Not a groupie in sight,” Sebastian lies.

“Oh, really?” Heather raises an eyebrow at him. “What about that picture I saw online last week of you with three women in Las Vegas?”

“Heather,” he gasps and grins cheekily at her. “You should see someone if you’re having visual delusions like that.”

“And you should probably see someone if you’re suffering memory loss, darling,” Heather teases him.

“So, we all agree that Sebastian and Heather are both going to see a doctor to cure them of their terrible jokes, right?” Hayden teases them.

Heather laughs and goes over to hug him. Sebastian gets a hug too, and then she comes over to give me a hug as well. “How are you doing, darling?”

“Good,” I smile at her.

“Are you ready to play this new song for us all yet?” she asks.

“Maybe.” I hesitate.

I haven’t shared my new song with the guys yet. They know I’ve written something, but I’m unsure about this one. It’s more the judgment that I know I’ll get from them when they hear the lyrics.

“Gabriel doesn’t think it’s ready,” Harrison tells her.

“Why not?” Heather asks.

“It needs some more work,” I lie.

“If you say so,” Harrison shrugs.

We go to dinner and then to a club that’s a hotspot for celebrities. Sebastian got us on the list tonight, so we head inside, get drinks, and head to the VIP section. We’ve been there for about forty-five minutes when I see a gorgeous woman with long, black hair hanging down her back. She’s wearing a tight purple glittery dress, and she sparks my interest at once.

“Anyone have any idea who the woman with the black hair is?” I ask my friends.

Heather follows my gaze. “You mean Elena Kass? She’s a model, and she walked in New York Fashion Week last year.”

“Interesting,” I say, as I watch her talk with the friends she arrived with.

“Veryinteresting,” Heather agrees. I turn to look at her and see her smirking at me before she turns to look at Sebastian. “Hey, Seb. Have you slept with Elena?”

“No, I haven’t. You’re good to go, Gabriel,” Sebastian laughs.

“Shut up, you two. I’m not going to sleep with her.” I roll my eyes at them.

“Ofcourseyou’re not,” Heather says, then covers her mouth and coughs out, “Liar.”

“Stop it.” I nudge her.

“You know I love you.” She throws an arm around my shoulders. “It’s about time you found someone new.”

---