Page 127 of Gabriel's Album

With that, we walk offstage and into the craziness of the backstage area. Heather meets us, and Harrison puts his arm around her waist as they walk to our dressing rooms.

When I reach mine, I pull out my phone and see a text from Elena.

How was the concert? Call me if you want to talk.

I smile and hit the callback button.

“Hey, gorgeous. Good show?” she greets me.

“Yeah, it went well. I’m glad it’s over, though.”

Understatement of the century, really.

“Well, it’ll be good for you to get a break. You’ve earned it, plus a visit from your girlfriend,” she laughs.

“Definitely.” A grin comes to my face. “It’ll be good to see you. Two weeks between visits is too long. Stupid photo shoots.”

Elena laughs. “I’m pretty sure it’s stupid tour concerts that are the problem.”

“If you say so.” I laugh as well. “Speaking of stupid tour concerts, I have to go do the meet and greet. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Have a great night, handsome,” she says before hanging up the call.

I smile and slip my phone into my pocket to head to the meet and greet. I meet up with Hayden on the way, and we walk there together.

“Tomorrow, I am going tosleep,” he says.

“You and me both, I’m exhausted. I can’t believe we’re going home to our own beds tonight.” I grin widely at him.

“A luxury I shall never take for granted again, I assure you,” he laughs.

We reach the meet and greet room and join Harrison and Sebastian. Heather is standing over by the wall, and I wave to her when I catch her eye, and she smiles at me. We have time to talk for a minute before the group for the meet and greet starts piling into the room.

“Where’s the hottie that I sang to?” Sebastian wonders aloud.

The woman with the short hair is one of the last people into the room, and Sebastian has a satisfied grin on his face when he sees her. We each start talking to the fans that approach us, and after a while, I find myself talking to two women.

“The concert was absolutely brilliant,” the first one tells me as an opener.

“Thanks. What are your names?” I smile at them.

“I’m Rachael, and this is Dawn,” she replies.

“Nice to meet you, Rachael.” I shake her hand. “And you, Dawn.”

I shake Dawn’s hand as well, and we pose for a selfie.

Dawn looks at the picture and says, “Oh god, we need to take another one. You look terrible in this, Gabriel!”

She looks horrified at what she’s just said, and I burst out laughing. “Show me the picture.”

The two women laugh as well, and Dawn shows me the phone. I’ve been captured mid-blink, and it’s probably one of the worst pictures of me that I’ve seen in a while.

“Well, you’re not wrong,” I grin at her. “Come on, let’s take another couple, just to be sure.”

I put my arms around their shoulders, and this time, I hold the camera, so I can hold it out further, and I snap about five pictures.

“Hopefully one of these is better,” I tell her as I hand her phone back to her.

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