No Control | Holding Me Ransom (Book 2)

59 - Hotel Rooms And New Tattoos

The boys were appearing on Good Morning America the following day, and Harry left me well before the crack of dawn sprawled in the superking size bed in our plush hotel room, jet-lagged and exhausted and tangled up in the pure white sheets. I barely cracked open an eye as he kissed me goodbye and promised to ring me when he was on his way back, and I didn't stir until mid morning when I was woken up by my phone ringing on the bedside table. It was Callie.

"Hi," I answered groggily.

"Did I wake you?" she asked, sounding tearful.

"No, no... well, yeah," I admitted. "But I needed to wake up anyway. Are you OK?"

"Yeah," she said, in a small voice. Then, "I miss him."

"Oh Callie," I said softly, as she started to cry. "Have you spoken to him?"

"No," she sniffed. "He hasn't even bothered to check if I'm alright since I walked out of his life."

"What a snake," I breathed. "I know you don't want to hear this yet, but you really are worth so much more than him. He doesn't deserve you, after treating you like this."

"I know," she sobbed. "And I would never go back to him, not even if he begged me. But I can't help missing the way things used to be."

"I understand completely," I empathised, remembering the way I had missed Harry when we'd been apart, yet also hated myself for wanting someone who had hurt me repeatedly.

We talked for over an hour, and by the end of the conversation Callie seemed brighter and happier, particularly when we talked about our planned holiday.

"Have you put the word out about that yet?" I asked.

"No, I've been too busy moping over James," she sighed. "I'll get onto it this week."

"Make sure you do," I insisted. "It'll give you something to focus on. Get an idea of numbers, and a few destinations, and then we can book it when I'm back home."

"When are you back?" she asked.

"Not for a week," I told her. "We're going to the AMAs on Sunday, and then I'm flying home when the boys head out to Mexico."

"Are you walking the red carpet with them?!" Callie squeaked in surprise.

"No!" I answered hastily. "Definitely not!"

"But when are you going public?" she pressed.

"Not yet," I said vaguely. "When it feels right, I suppose. We'd need Modest's backing before we made any grand gestures."

We said goodbye and I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. I took my time drying my hair, and once I was dressed I noticed a missed call from Harry and a text on my phone from half an hour earlier.

From: Harry: Morning beautiful. On my way back to the hotel now. I love you xxx

I was just typing a reply when I heard a scuffle outside the door. As I looked up I saw the handle turn and Harry entered the room, flipping his hair back with one hand, and dropped his phone onto the table next to mine.

"Hi," I grinned. "How did the show go?"

"Hi baby," he replied, crossing the room to slide his arms around my waist. "It was good, thanks. I missed you, though. Did you watch us?"

"Um, no," I confessed. "I was flat out in bed, sorry. Then Callie rang, and we got chatting about her and James, and then I had a shower and... here you are."

He licked his lips and pressed them together, but said nothing.

"Sorry," I said again. "I didn't intentionally NOT watch it. If I'd woken up, of course I would have."