And Then (Part 1)

Chapter 10

We arrive back at the hotel and notice that there are paparazzi in the front, so we go around back to the private entrance. I must remember to thank the manager for letting us use this other entrance; it has been a lifesaver. When we get back up by the lobby, I tell Harrison to go on up to the room and that I'll be there soon. I point toward my sister and her husband and friends, and he nods in understanding. I walk over to my sister "Hey Nora!" She turns toward me when she hears my voice. "Where have you been? Having fun?" She winks at me and pulls me into a hug. "Yes! And the night's not even over yet. We're going dancing at Robert Greer's club next" I tell her.

"Wait! What? You met Robert Greer too?" she asks.

"And Emily Welch and Daniel Rivers! They all said that they are fans of my books! Can you believe that? I couldn't believe it myself." I gush. "Oh my god! And here we are touring London and you're hob-knobbing with all of them! You are the luckiest person I know" she tells me.

"Thanks! It's all really hard to believe! It's all like a dream. I feel like I should be pinching myself nonstop. Ok Nora, I need to go up and get a jacket... and Harrison, so we can get going to head out to the club." I smile at Nora.

"Have fun! And tell me everything later!" She gives me another hug and pushes me toward the elevators so I can get going.

I get on the elevator smiling, but when the doors open on the 13th floor and I'm about to start to step off the elevator, I see Harrison and some brunette locked in a kiss. My heart literally stops, again. I heard it stop, and now it's beating so fast, I think it might explode. I wish it would, then I would not have to see this anymore. I just can't believe it, but it's right there for me to see so I have to believe it.

No! Not again! This can't be happening again! Screams a voice in my head. Twice in one day? I'm blocking the elevator doors from closing with my body and I must have made a noise because they suddenly both stop kissing and look over at me. The brunette tries to pull him back into another kiss, and Harrison looks at me and then at her. He pushes her away from him and takes a step back and stumbles into the wall. I take a step back too, back into the elevator, letting the doors close on this horrible scene in front of me.

I want to collapse but I have got to leave this hotel. Now! The elevator doors finally open and I run for the front door. Thankfully, no one notices me. I hop in the first cab and ask the driver to take me to Robert's club since I can't think of anywhere else to go. We get there in what feels like forever. I pay the cabby and get out. It feels even colder than before; I never did get a jacket at the hotel. The bouncer, Joe, sees me and opens the rope so I can go in. "Thanks" I mouth. He looks concerned about me but just nods me in, minding his business thankfully. I don't know him anyway, really.

I go up the stairs to the VIP section and find Danny by the bar there and I slide into the stool next to his. "Hey Annie! Whoa! Are you ok? What happened? Your text said you were ok earlier?" I don't answer and just lean into him with tears streaming down my face. He immediately wraps his arms around me and hugs me. "What did he do now?" he asks me. Of course, Danny knows that this has to do with Harrison. Who else would it be about?

"I caught him kissing another woman, some random brunette." I whisper. "Oh Annie, I'm so sorry! What did he have to say for himself?" he asks.

"I didn't wait to hear any excuses. The elevator doors opened on our floor, and I saw them. They were by his room just standing in the hallway kissing. The elevator doors must have hit me or something and caught their attention, stopping them and they looked at me and separated from each other. I just backed up into the elevator and let the doors close. God forbid I get in between whatever they had going on, right? I got downstairs and just ran for the first cab and asked them to bring me here. I didn't know where else to go and I couldn't go to my sister after I just told her what an amazing day we had and how we were coming here, and then I saw that, and I couldn't tell her..." I'm rambling and I can't catch my breath. Danny hugs me to him tighter. "It's ok. I'm glad you're here. Come on, calm down. Let me get you a drink. What do you like to drink?" he asks.