Page 77 of Gabriel's Album

“Sure,” Sebastian shrugs. “Can I get some food and take a shower first?”

“Nope, definitely not,” Harrison jokes.

Sebastian rolls his eyes but he’s laughing as he calls downstairs to order food. When he’s showered and fed, we hang out in his room until I call downstairs to check if the instruments are set up. When the hotel staff confirms they are, we make our way to the lobby and follow the instructions I was given to the room they’ve prepared for us.

I walk over to the keyboard and turn it on as I sit down on the stool in front of it. I begin to play the first few chords of “If I Were You,” and immediately, I feel a sense of peace and rightness come over me.

Hayden joins in on the drums, while Sebastian and Harrison discordantly play the guitars until they’re happy with them and join in as well. As we finish playing the instrumental version of the song, I allow the music to carry my concerns away.

Without a word, we start again, but this time I sing the first verse, and the guys join me in the chorus. When the song finishes, we transition into ‘Playing Me’. After we’ve played about five songs, my throat is dry, and I need some water.

“I need a drink,” I tell my friends. “I’m going to the lobby. You guys want anything?”

“I’ll come with you,” Sebastian says.

Harrison and Hayden tell us they’d like water as well but are happy to wait there for it. So, Sebastian and I head to the lobby alone.

“I could go to the bar, but I think I’ll ask them if they can bring a few bottles in for us,” I tell him.

“Solid plan,” he agrees.

We get to the lobby and line up behind a group of women who are checking in. There are quite a few guests milling around, and a lot of them stare at us.

“Check out the ass on that blonde,” Sebastian murmurs to me as he nods his head at the group in front of us.

I follow his gaze and see a woman wearing tight jeans, who, admittedly, does have a very nice ass. “Have you forgotten that I have a girlfriend?”

“I’m not suggesting thatyoufuck her,” he laughs.

I roll my eyes at him and shake my head, causing him to laugh harder, and one of the women in front of us turns around and sees him. She quickly says something to her friends, and it isn’t long before they’re all stealing glances at us.

As they walk away from the counter, Sebastian gives them a charming smile and says, “Hey, ladies.”

They all giggle, and the woman who first noticed him says, “Hi.”

“Can you handle this?” Sebastian asks and gestures to the staff member waiting to serve me.

“Sure,” I tell him, then roll my eyes again as I turn to the hotel staff member. Sebastian walks over to a sitting area with the group of women, and I smile at the man in front of me. “Hi. We’re in the Palm Room this afternoon. I was wondering if we could have a dozen bottles of room-temperature water brought in for us, and maybe some food in another hour as well?”

“Do you want the water immediately, sir?” he asks.

“Yes, please.” I fan myself and laugh. “I’m dying.”

The staff member chuckles with me. “Not a problem, we’ll have someone bring water in at once, Mr. Knight.”

“Thank you so much.” I smile at him and then turn to face the big room behind me.

I ignore the many people looking at me and head over to Sebastian. He’s standing with the blonde woman and has his arm around her waist. When he sees me walking toward their group, he dips his head low and says something into her ear. Good fucking god, he works fast.

“All sorted, we should head back,” I announce to them.

I’m half-expecting Sebastian to at least want to bring the blonde woman with him, but he nods at me. “Sure. It was great meeting you, ladies.” Sebastian winks at the blonde. “I have to go play music, but I’ll see you later.”

She giggles again as he kisses her on the cheek, then walks over to me before we head back to the conference room.

“You’ll see her later?” I ask him.

Sebastian grins at me. “Yup. She gave me her room number. I’ll go see her whenever we finish up.”

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