Unlikely Heartbeats

Unspoken feelings

**Unlikely Heartbeats**

**Chapter 7: Unspoken Feelings**

The sun had barely risen when the band found themselves back at the hotel, the excitement of the interview still buzzing in their veins. Tom parked the Cadillac, and they all piled out, joking and laughing as they made their way inside.

Sophia felt a strange mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. She had been nervous about the interview, but it had gone better than she expected. Still, the rumors about her and Tom lingered in her mind, making her question her own feelings.

As they entered the hotel lobby, Bill suggested they grab breakfast. "How about we get some room service and chill in one of our rooms?" he proposed, and everyone agreed.

Once back in their suite, they settled in, ordering a feast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit. While waiting for the food to arrive, they lounged around, talking about the interview and their plans for the day.

Sophia found herself sitting next to Tom on the couch. He was unusually quiet, his mind seemingly elsewhere. She nudged him playfully. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Tom looked at her, his eyes searching her face. "Just thinking about the tour and how everything's going to change once we hit the road. It's always a whirlwind."

Sophia nodded, understanding his sentiment. "Yeah, it must be intense. But you guys always manage to handle it."

He smiled, appreciating her confidence in them. "Thanks, Sophia. You always know what to say."

Before the conversation could deepen, the room service arrived, and they all dug into the food with gusto. The chatter resumed, light and carefree, but Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Tom.

Later, after breakfast, they decided to take a walk around the city. Portugal was beautiful, and they wanted to soak in as much of it as they could before the tour frenzy began. They wandered through narrow streets lined with colorful buildings, stopping occasionally to admire the view or take photos.

Sophia lagged behind slightly, lost in thought. She kept replaying the interview in her head, particularly the part where Tom had spoken about their relationship. His words had been careful, measured. But there had been something in his eyes, something she couldn't quite decipher.

"Hey, you okay?" Tom's voice broke through her reverie. He had fallen back to walk beside her, concern etched on his face.

Sophia smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, just thinking about everything."

Tom nodded, slipping his hand into hers in a comforting gesture. "You know, we don't have to figure it all out right now. Let's just enjoy today."

His touch sent a shiver down her spine, but she squeezed his hand in return. "You're right. Let's just enjoy today."

They continued walking, hand in hand, until they reached a small café. They decided to take a break and grabbed a table outside. The sun was warm, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.

As they sat sipping their drinks, Bill suddenly stood up. "I just remembered! We promised to call our producer today. I need to find a quiet place for that."

Georg and Gustav nodded, realizing they had some calls to make as well. "We'll take care of some business stuff too," Gustav said.

Within minutes, it was just Tom and Sophia left at the table. The silence between them was comfortable, but Sophia could feel the unspoken words hanging in the air.

"Tom," she began hesitantly, "about those rumors..."

Tom looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Yeah?"

"I just... I don't want things to get weird between us because of what people are saying," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tom reached across the table, taking her hand again. "Sophia, nothing could ever make things weird between us. We've known each other too long for that."

She nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "I just don't want you to feel pressured or anything."

Tom squeezed her hand. "I don't feel pressured. If anything, I feel... grateful. Grateful that you're here with us, with me."

Sophia's heart skipped a beat. She looked into his eyes, searching for the truth in his words. "Tom, do you ever wonder if... if maybe there's more to us than just friendship?"

Tom's gaze softened, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, I've wondered. But I've also been scared of losing you if we tried for more and it didn't work out."

Sophia felt a lump form in her throat. "I've wondered too," she admitted. "But I'm scared too. I don't want to mess up what we have."

Tom leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper. "Maybe we don't have to figure it all out right now. Maybe we can just take things one day at a time."

Sophia nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "One day at a time sounds good."

They sat there in silence, holding hands, the unspoken promise hanging between them. For now, they were content to let things unfold naturally, trusting in their bond and the journey ahead.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, they headed back to the hotel. The future was uncertain, but for the first time, Sophia felt a sense of peace. Whatever happened, she knew she had Tom by her side, and that was all that mattered.