I Play for Keeps

Chapter Twenty Five

We ended up having to go to a quick photo shoot for my CD cover. I had to keep my Angel with a Shotgun dress on and once Gabe and I reached the studio, the artists there quickly put the feathers on my back with some sort of sticky substance. “You’re twenty minutes late.” The photographer, a short man who was obviously flaming said once I was ready for my shoot.

“It’s my fault. I kept her late while we were trying to assemble the clothes for her tour. This was a last minute tour, you know.” Gabe explained.

“You’re lucky you’re a talented little thing.” The photographer said to me as he took my hand and led me to where he’d take the pictures. He tossed me a pair of shorts and a shirt. “We will turn around. Change into these now. I will help you with the wings.” He instructed. I nodded and the boys all turned around except for the photographer who helped me maneuver putting on the new shirt on with the wings currently glued to my back. Once he was finished, we got started right away. He snapped pictures of me doing many different poses. Some I was facing the camera, others I wasn’t.

He ended up choosing a picture where I had my back to the camera. I was standing on a skyscraper that overlooked the city. My blonde hair fell in messy wavy looking curls. It was also Gabe and my favorite picture as well. The photographer would e-mail the pictures to the studio, and the studio would print them out for my CD cover.

I had to quick run to the studio to finalize what I was putting on the album and record what hadn’t been recorded already. Once the photo shoot was done, I was quickly thrust into Gabe’s car and we sped down the congested streets of New York City at a breakneck speed to the recording studio.

“So you’ve recorded four of your six songs, right?” Gabe asked after several minutes of prolonged silence.

“Yup.” I answered, popping the “p.”

“What are they called, if I may ask?”

“Awake, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

“They sound good.”

“Hopefully.” Once again, an awkward silence filled the car. It was obvious that we both felt uncomfortable together. Since that night when he took me out and we were sitting underneath that tree and when he kissed me…well since then things were different. We both wanted to talk about it, but there were no words that could be formed. I knew deep down that I was attracted to Gabe, I hated to admit it, but I knew I was.

And that kiss that night proved that he had some feelings for me.

Gabe opened his mouth, ready to say something, but we pulled into the parking lot of the studio and I quickly scrambled out of the car. I was too afraid to hear what he had to say. I was too afraid to hear rejection. I know he has a girlfriend. And I know what we did was wrong. I had to just forget my feelings for him. I needed to pretend he didn’t exist. We were business partners. That’s it.

I had to avoid him. I took the stairs instead of the golden elevators. I climbed up seven freaking flights of stairs just to avoid this kid. And of course, when I reached the seventh floor, panting like a dog, Gabe was waiting for me, eyes narrowed and hands folded across his chest. Even when he looked suspicious of me, he was still hot. No Rae don’t think those thoughts! My mind chastised myself. Oh God this is gonna prove to be harder than I thought.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were avoiding me.”

“What are you talking about?” I huffed, still trying to catch my breath. Dear God I was out of shape. “I’m just really into fitness.” Gabe lifted a single eyebrow, obviously seeing through my lie.