Page 98 of Harrison's Wedding

My new bodyguard, Michael Pearce, and Heather’s bodyguard, Callum, stand and walk over to us as I go to the desk to pay for our session. The men follow us as we walk together to the elevators that head down to the underground garage. It’s awkward and tense, and I hate it.

Brendan’s office is in a building full of many disciplines of private practice; it was part of why we chose him when Gabriel recommended him. So far, the media haven’t figured out that we’re doing counseling, even though it’s been noted that we don’t go out in public together anymore.

“Are you going back to the apartment?” I ask her as the elevator doors open.

“Yes. You?”

I can’t do it. I can’t go to the apartment and be so close to my angel physically, but so far away from her emotionally. I can’t spend the evening aching to be with her and unable to fulfill that desire.

“I might go to Hayden’s or something.” I shrug.

“Cool. Have fun.”

She doesn’t say anything else, just walks away from me. I watch her leave, and I have the urge to call her back to me. To beg her to forgive me. To tell her once again that I’m sorry. I can’t do it because it won’t change what I did.

I follow Michael to my SUV, and he opens the door for me around the same time Heather’s car door opens. The space between us is too great. We should be getting into the same car. We belong together.

No, you don’t. You fucked Maddy.

I can’t help but remind myself that I ruined everything.

“Where to, Mr. Fletcher?” Michael asks me.

“I’m not sure,” I sigh.

I’ve been spending a lot of time at Hayden’s lately. I’m feeling like shit after this appointment, and I don’t know if I want to see Hayden. He’ll be great about trying to keep me positive, but I don’t want that right now.

So, I tell him, “Take me to Sebastian’s.”

We arrive at Sebastian’s apartment, and when he answers the door, he has a towel around his waist and is dripping with sweat while breathing heavily.

“Harrison? What’s up?”

I cringe as I realize he’s got someone here. “Sorry, are you busy?”

“Kind of, but you can come in and make yourself at home.” He shrugs and steps aside while holding the door open for Michael and me to walk through.

Sebastian strides away in the direction of his bedroom and Michael moves over to where Sebastian’s bodyguard, Daryl Kelly, is sitting on a chair.

“Hi, Daryl,” I say and can’t stop myself from smiling. “I see I’ve come at a good time.”

“I make no comment, Mr. Fletcher,” he grins at me.

I head to Sebastian’s bar and pull out his bottle of Glenfiddich to pour myself a glass. The whisky tastes amazing, better than usual because Sebastian buys the forty-year-old stuff. I take it to his sitting area and pull out my phone.

There’s an email from Reid Music at the top of my inbox. The subject says it’s urgent, but I don’t open it. Brantiman’s Cola was the first in a long list of brand deals we’ve lost because of what I did. All canceled due to morality clauses that we never considered would be an issue when we signed the contracts.

This is the third time Reid Music has emailed me, but I haven’t read their emails. I know that I need to read them, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t read the words telling me that they’re canceling our deal. I can’t give my dream guitar back, which I know I will have to do now. So, I leave their message unread again.

Instead, I answer a few emails to do with the release ofGames We Play, the name we’ve given the album we recorded. Then, I make the mistake of searching for Heather’s name in my browser. All of the top articles are about us, with only a couple interspersed about Serenity’s upcoming launch in department stores. I feel like a piece of shit because our drama is overshadowing the thing she’s worked so hard for.

I click on one of the articles, and it’s got a picture of her and me together from my birthday party. She looks stunning in the rainbow dress, and we’re so happy together, but I can see the tension in her body. I think this was taken while we were heading toward Gabriel and Ariana.

I read the article, and it starts with a recap of my history with Heather. I keep scrolling, and my heart stops when the picture of Maddy and me is there. I retch involuntarily and cover my mouth as I taste bile in my throat. I scroll down quickly, so the picture is off the screen, and take a large swig of whisky.

A recap of me cheating on Heather is under the picture, followed by a picture of Sebastian. Under that, they speculate about whether Heather cheated on me before I cheated on her. It’s heavily implied that she may have slept with Gabriel or Hayden as well, and I want to throw my phone at the wall.

The article skews heavily in my favor, even though I’m the one that cheated on her and everyone knows it. It’s full of little digs at Heather, and paints Maddy as someone who seduced me.

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