Page 141 of Hayden's Stalker

Tati cuts herself off, and I’m not sure why. I watch in curiosity, but her body remains stiff, though she looks less alert.

Jesse smiles at Tati. “I’ve brought visitors for Hayden. I figured since I was awake, I might as well grab one of those sandwiches I’ve heard all about.”

“Oh, sure.” She glances down at a sandwich in his hand, similar to the one Daniel brought her during the soundcheck today. “I had the roast beef. It was good.”

“Chicken for me. Hopefully, it’s just as good.”

Jesse steps aside to take a seat in his usual position on a chair at the door, and as Tati steps aside to hold the door open, she says, “Hi. Come in.”

I’m surprised when Harrison walks into the room, holding Heather’s hand, followed by April.

“Hayden!” Heather rushes over to wrap her arms around me in a tight hug. “It’s good to see you, darling. How are you doing?”

I wasn’t expecting to see her or April at this stop on the tour, and I smile as I hug my friend back.

“I’m good,” I tell her, then turn to look at April, who’s standing near Tati. “It’s great to see you, April.”

She gives me a bright smile and says, “It’s so good to see you.”

She walks over to me and leans down to hug me tightly as well, while Heather takes a seat beside me on the sofa. It’s good to see both of them, and April takes a seat on my other side as I watch Tati walk over to get a chair from a desk at the side of the room for Harrison to sit in.

“Thanks, Tati,” he says with a polite smile at her.

She nods at him before she walks over to take her position back by the door. She stands there for about ten seconds when Heather looks around and sees her.

“Pull up a chair and join us, Tati. I brought April to see you as well as Hayden, and there are enough bodyguards by the door to fend off a small army.” She gives Tati an encouraging smile.

She immediately looks over at me, and I remember that April is her favorite singer. While I don’t think twice about talking to her because she’s just my friend, I hate that Tati might be feeling awkward, and I can’t comfort her in any way.

She glances at me, looking like a deer caught in headlights, so I smile at her and say, “I’ll get you a chair, Tati.”

All three of my friends look back and forth between us, and I realize that it’s probably weird that I would offer to get her a chair when she technically works for me and just got Harrison one. I cringe internally but attempt to keep my cool. I need to play by Tati’s rules and do my best not to fuck this up.

“No, it’s fine. I can get it,” she says quickly.

She strides to the side of the room and pulls a chair from by the wall over to sit near Harrison, facing the sofa.

“So, are you surprising us again? I thought we were meeting up with you in a couple of days?” I ask Heather, hoping to distract her from any hints she’s taken from my faux pas.

“The guy interviewing April got sick and asked to do it via video call. I had a gap in my schedule as well, so we figured we’d travel on Harrison’s bus and fly home from there.” She gives me a shrewd look. “Imagine my surprise when I found your bodyguard in one of the bunks.”

I glance at Tati, then at Harrison, and back to Heather. I don’t know how much she knows or how much he’s told her. I haven’t given away to him that I’m with Tati, but he knows more than anyone else because of the conversations we had prior to me getting together with her.

“Did Harrison not tell you Jesse was sleeping on his bus?” I ask casually.

“Nope. He was most displeased when my loud ass wandered through the bunk area swearing like a trooper because I kicked my toe on a cupboard door.”

Everyone laughs, and I shake my head as I say, “Poor Jesse. He’s on the night shift, so I bet he loved that.”

“He didn’t seem to be a big fan,” Heather cringes. “So, I can’t quite understand why he’s not on your bus? Something about the bunks?”

She asks this questionwaytoo casually, and I’ve seen Heather get information out of people too many times in the past to fall for this shit, so I keep cool as I tell her, “Yeah, I wanted to give Tatiana a room because I felt it might be a hostile work environment if she was forced to change, etc. in a non-private area. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot the bunk removal on the plans the tour bus company sent.”

“That’s really nice of you,” April says with a smile at me.

“Thanks. I don’t regret giving Tati a room, but I do feel bad that I screwed up the bus like that. Tati was so cranky at me. Weren’t you, Tati?”

I look over at her, and it’s like the world rights itself. I forget about Harrison, Heather, and April. Tati’s here, and she looks just as beautiful as she always does. I have the strong urge to have her in my arms, even though I know that I can’t.

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