Page 48 of Gabriel's Album

“I just like to be punctual,” he grins back at us.

Sebastian catches up to our group as we’re entering a hotel suite on the fourteenth floor that’s set up with a sofa and armchairs around a low coffee table. There are lights aimed at the area, and a banner with our logo on it behind the scene.

“Sorry, guys, I had to get Tessa a hotel room.”

“Why didn’t you just give her the key to your room?” Harrison raises an eyebrow at him.

“Is that a serious question? No. I do not want her in my room while I’m not there, but I’m also not about to tell her to wait for me in the hotel bar for five hours,” Sebastian shrugs.

“Such a gentleman,” Harrison laughs.

We take our places on the large sofa—Hayden on the end, then Sebastian, followed by me, then Harrison. In general, this is how we sit for interviews. Sebastian and I will usually do most of the talking, while Harrison and Hayden speak up a lot less.

The interviewers from some magazine pile in, and an extra stool is brought for the second interviewer. They have a camera crew, and we answer their questions. As soon as they leave, another interviewer is brought into the room as they exit. That’s how it goes for hours, crew after crew piling into the room, asking us questions, and piling back out again.

We recycle our answers, rewording them slightly each time unless the interviewer actually asks a unique question, which is rare. Everyone’s very nice, but by lunchtime, I’m wrecked.

“Thanks for your time today, Cruise Control,” the black-haired interviewer in front of us says at the end of our final interview.

She’s wearing a short purple skirt and a low-cut white blouse. She’s very pretty and has been smiling at me a lot during our interview.

I’ve always found the attention that female interviewers give me disconcerting. It’s not like I was never hit on before I started dating Ariana, but it definitely makes me a lot more uncomfortable now that I have her, especially since I can’t take the easy route of simply saying I have a girlfriend to shut them down.

Sebastian’s looking at his phone as we make our way out of the conference room.

“Looks like Heather went to the Empire State Building today. It’s weird of her to be doing touristy shit.” Sebastian frowns in confusion as he says it.

He turns his phone screen to show us a selfie from Instagram of Heather smiling in front of the view from the observation area at the top of the building.

“She went out with Ariana today,” I tell him.

His expression clears and he nods. “Ah, okay, that makes a lot more sense.”

“I’m beat,” I tell the other guys as we reach the hotel lobby. “I think I’ll have room service for lunch. Can you let me know as soon as Heather’s back, Harrison?”

“Sure,” he nods at me.

I pull my phone out and look at Heather’s Instagram as I travel up to my room on the sixteenth floor. There’s no picture of Ariana on there. I send Heather a text, not wanting to ask Ariana this question.

How come Ariana doesn’t feature on your Insta post, H?

She sends back a picture of her and Ariana that must’ve been taken by a third party.

I wasn’t allowed to post this, G. I wanted to, it’s an awesome picture.

I sigh and open the picture up to look at it better. Ariana is smiling as she poses for the camera. She looks so beautiful and radiant as she stands next to Heather at the top of the Empire State Building.

Damn. Thought that might be it. Thanks for letting me know.

I get to my room and order a sandwich from room service for lunch. While I wait for it to be delivered, I pull out my guitar and some sheet paper.

I want the song I write for Ariana to help her see herself through my eyes. She’s always so insecure; her self-esteem is basically in the toilet. I want this song to show her how amazing she is.

I play a melody that’s been in my head all day, and note it down on the sheet paper, then flip it over and write a few lyrics down on the back. I’m tired, and this won’t be my best work, so I’m not going to do much, but I just wanted to get these few things down.

My lunch arrives, and I put the song away. I watch some TV afterward and send a text to Harrison, reminding him to let me know when Heather is back. As soon as he does, I pick up the phone next to me and dial Ariana’s room.

“Hello?” she says when she answers.

---