Page 28 of Harrison's Wedding

“I’ll take that as an after, then. Anyway, I’ll see you later, I guess.”

“Sounds good.”

There’s a weird pause, and I think that Gabriel might say something else before the call disconnects. I drop my phone heavily on my desk. I don’t know how much worse this can get before it all comes to some kind of a head. Is this how bands break up? Could we really break up over something as simple as who someone wants to be in a relationship with?

I stare blindly at my email while I consider the issue before giving up and turning my computer off. I spend the afternoon reading a book to distract myself before I leave for dinner.

I reach Giovanni’s about ten minutes before our booking, and when the hostess sees me, she smiles. “Hi, Harrison. Good to see you again.”

“Hey, Sofia. How are you this evening?”

Giovanni rushes over from the kitchen. “Harrison! Where’s your bella tonight?”

“In New York, casting models for her fashion show,” I tell him with pride.

“Amazing. Well, let me show you to your table.”

He leads me to a table near the back of the restaurant. It’s secluded and partially hidden away from most of the restaurant. I’m always grateful that Giovanni does this for us. As it is, there are plenty of eyes on me as we walk through the restaurant, and lots of whispers around us.

It’s not long before Gabriel and Ariana join me. I stand to give each of them a hug when they arrive.

“How have you been, Ariana?” I ask once Giovanni has taken our orders.

“Not bad. I closed a sale on a house today, which was good.”

“Way to go,” I say encouragingly. “You do seem to be a good real estate agent.”

“Thanks. I am, I guess. I’ve worked hard at it, and I’m really proud of myself.” She smiles at me.

“I’m proud of you too,” Gabriel says, and leans over to give her a kiss. Then he turns to look at me. “How did it go at Reid Music yesterday?”

I grin at him. “It was better than I could’ve imagined.”

I tell them all about my guitar and the factory, promising Gabriel that I’ll take him with me when I go to pick up the prototype. We’re talking about a brand deal that’s being negotiated on our behalf with Brantiman’s Cola when Heather calls me.

“Hey, honey,” she greets me.

I smile at the sound of her voice, and ask her, “Hi angel, how did it go today?”

I see Gabriel and Ariana exchange a look when it becomes apparent that it’s Heather on the phone. Ariana continues to eat her meal, but Gabriel is obviously listening in.

“Really well, actually. We’ve got seventy models that we’re asking for callbacks.”

I’m surprised by the number of models coming back tomorrow. “Seventy? That seems like a lot!”

“I thought so, too. Ally said they probably wouldn’t all come, though.”

When Heather had been looking for someone to work with her for the fashion show, she’d come across Ally Morrison. There were a couple of more famous fashion show directors who’d offered their services, but Heather had really clicked with Ally, and I told her to go with her gut. From everything Heather’s said, she seems like a straight shooter, and I appreciate that in a person.

“How many do you need?” I ask her.

“Forty. There were twenty-five that we loved, so I’m just hoping they all come back, at least.”

I can hear the concern in her voice, and I assure her, “I’m sure they will.”

“What are you up to this evening?”

My entire body tenses up as she asks this question. I should’ve left the table to have this conversation. Especially since Gabriel is still listening, and I don’t know how Heather will respond when I tell her where I am. Will she see this as some kind of betrayal? As though I waited until she was out of the city, and as soon as she was, I went out with the two of them.

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