Page 145 of Gabriel's Album

We spend the afternoon talking and hanging out together. Every now and then, Elena will make a pointed comment about Ariana, but always in a way that there’s nothing for me to say in response. We go out to dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant, and have our photos taken on both the way in and out before we head to Club Delirium to meet up with my friends. As we enter the VIP section, they see us and smile at us while we exchange greetings.

Heather is sitting on the banquette by the wall and leaning into Harrison, who has his arm around her. “It’s lovely to see you again, Elena.”

“Thanks. It’s good to see you too,” Elena smiles at her.

She sits down next to Heather, and I sit next to Elena. I look around the group and realize that Sebastian isn’t with them.

“So, where’s Seb?” I ask.

Heather laughs. “Where do you think?”

I look around the VIP area, but I can’t see him, so I turn to look out over the dance floor. He’s dancing with a woman who has shoulder-length light brown hair and is wearing a tight gold dress. He has his arms wrapped around her waist and has her pulled up hard against him.

“I see. So, are you enjoying having Harrison back?” I ask her.

Heather smiles at my question, then turns her face up to kiss Harrison before turning back to me and saying, “It’s the best.”

“I couldn’t agree more, angel,” he agrees, and kisses the top of her head.

“You two are so sickening,” Hayden teases them.

“Hey, I haven’t had my boyfriend in my bed for way too long,” Heather protests.

“I know how that feels,” Elena says. “You have my sympathy.”

Heather smiles at Elena and points out, “Well, we both have our boyfriends now. Aren’t we lucky?”

Elena’s expression tightens, and she looks over at me for a second before turning back to Heather.

“Of course we are,” Elena agrees. She continues by asking in a very casual tone, “Does Harrison have any ex-girlfriendshe’sin love with?”

I feel the heat rush to my cheeks as Heather and Harrison take in what she’s said and exchange a look with one another. As far as I’m aware, they don’t even know I went and saw Ariana.

Heather says, “No, not to my knowledge.”

“You might want to ask him. Maybe he’s waiting for you to ask before he’ll tell you?”

She still has that conversational tone, but it’s humiliating to have her airing our dirty laundry in front of my friends like this.

Heather responds in a cool tone, “I highly doubt it, but if we were to have that discussion, I think we would have it in private.”

She turns to look at me and raises her eyebrows. I shrug a shoulder and look out at the dance floor. The conversation moves onto more mundane topics, and Elena drops the bitchy attitude, which is a relief.

As soon as Elena excuses herself to go to the restroom, though, Heather fixes me with a steely look and asks, “What is going on, Gabriel Knight?”

“What do you mean?” I ask in an innocent tone.

“I doubt Elena thinks Harrison is cheating on me, so I find myself wondering where she’s drawing that parallel from.”

I sigh heavily, because I don’t want to have this discussion right now. Heather’s been one of my closest confidants for so long, but given her reaction after the meet and greet, I’m not ready to tell her what’s happened since.

“We just—had a discussion about Ariana. Can you drop it?”

Heather holds her hands up and purses her lips before saying, “Sure. Consider it dropped…the way Ariana dropped us all like hot potatoes after the Grammys.”

“Heather,” Harrison says in a warning tone.

She looks up at him, and some unspoken message is passed between them before she sighs and turns back to me to say, “Sorry. I’ll drop it. Elena is coming back now anyway.”

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