“Oh, good.” Too late she realized she’d said the thought out loud and rushed to explain. “I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s been so loud and chaotic . . .”
“Isabel, you don’t need to apologize,” Michael told her.
“Okay,” she said. “How are we getting back to the hotel?”
“We’ve got that covered,” Noah said. “Let’s go.”
Nick and Noah started down the hallway with Michael and Isabel behind them. They hadn’t gotten far when she stopped. “My garment bag. We forgot it. It’s in Xavier’s suite . . . the closet . . .”
They backtracked and waited until one of the guards carried out the bag and handed it to Noah.
“Want to try this again?” Nick asked.
“Okay, but I’m telling you, we’re never going to find a way out of here. It’s a maze,” Isabel said.
Nick and Noah knew what they were doing, and it didn’t take long to reach the back entrance.
“Here we go.” Nick had to shout because the noise coming from outside was ear-piercing.
“They’re waiting for Xavier,” she insisted.
“They’re calling your name, too,” Noah said.
As soon as they stepped outside, the screaming intensified. The barricade couldn’t hold the fans back, and they ran to Isabel. She waved to them, but she didn’t dare stop. There were so many. Had she been alone, it would have been scary. She didn’t think they meant her any harm, but their enthusiasm could mow her down. With one arm around her and the other extended to ward off the crowd, Michael wouldn’t let anyone get near her. She felt like a football tucked in his arm as they hurried to the car parked in a “No Parking” zone at the side of the building. A policeman had his pad out and appeared to be writing a ticket. When he spotted Noah, he nodded and hurried to open the doors. The four of them were in the car and on their way in seconds. Isabel could finally let go of some of the tension she’d been holding in all night. She was so thankful it was over.
“That was a hell of a thing you did tonight, Isabel,” Nick said. He turned in his seat to look at her and noticed how she leaned into Michael.
“Now you’re a superstar,” Noah said.
“Oh God, I hope not.”
She had sounded so appalled Noah and Nick both laughed.
“It will get easier,” Nick said. “Just look at Xavier. He’s at the top of the music world, and he couldn’t be any more laid-back.”
“He’s had a lot of practice with crowds. I looked at his bio. He’s been doing this since he was a teenager in Ireland.”
“The guy’s got a superpower,” Nick said.
“How’s that?” Noah asked.
“He raises his hand, and the audience quiets down. Think I could learn how to do that with Samantha and Tommy?”
Nick got a call from the concierge at the Hamilton, ending the discussion. He was only on the phone for a minute. “There are reporters with cameras in front of the hotel. They don’t know where Xavier is staying, so they’re covering the five-star hotels, hoping to get a shot of him.”
“We’re going up in the service elevator,” Nick said.
Isabel was impressed with how organized Nick and Noah were, and their steady self-assurance was a relief. The pressure was finally loosening its grip when it suddenly dawned on her that they should have reached the hotel by now. She looked out the window and didn’t recognize any streets.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Michael answered. “We’re taking the scenic route back. Are they still following us?” he asked Noah.
“I think I’ve lost them,” Noah answered. “Just want to be sure.”
Twenty minutes later, after a meandering route through Boston streets, Isabel was back in her suite.
“You can relax now,” Noah told her. “No one gets on the elevators without showing a room card.”
Both he and Noah took off their ties and stuffed them into the pockets of their suit jackets before heading to the bar refrigerator for a beer. Nick tossed one to Michael, who had already taken off his jacket and hung it in the closet. He grabbed his gym bag and dropped it in a chair by the bedroom door. Then he uncapped his beer and took a long drink. Ready to take a breather, Noah and Nick
sprawled out in the chairs, and Michael leaned against the bar. It wasn’t until then that Isabel drew their attention.
After circling the room several times, she went to the sofa, sat, and then jumped right back up.
“I’m so happy it’s over. I think it went well. Didn’t it go well? Maybe it went well. Does it matter now? It’s over, thank goodness. Did Kate have a good time? I hope so. My sister works hard.” She was talking so fast her words were tripping over one another.
Michael looked at Nick and said, “Treadmill.”
“Treadmill? What does that mean?” Nick asked.
Isabel didn’t give Michael time to explain but continued rambling. “Did you see how happy Laurant was when she shook Xavier’s hand? I can’t believe I’m not tired. I should be exhausted, but I’m not. I’ve got an abundance of energy.”
“An abundance?” Michael said.
“That means ‘a lot,’ Michael,” Nick explained.
He shot his brother an annoyed glance. “I know what it means.”
Isabel paced in front of the chair with the gym bag and stopped. “Why do you have your bag?” she asked.
He answered with a question. “Are you going to stay here tonight?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then I’m staying with you. I’ll sleep out here on the sofa.”
“Why are you staying?” she asked.
“Because I know what’s going to happen. In the middle of the night you’re going to want to go to the fitness center and get on the treadmill, aren’t you?”
She decided to admit the truth. “I might.”
“Ah, treadmill,” Nick said, finally understanding.
“Has she done this before? Get up in the middle of the night . . . ,” Noah began.
“She tried. I didn’t let her.”
Isabel started speed-talking again. She bounced from one thought to another.
“Nick, when are you going to get my flash drive back from that technician? I promised Xavier I would put my songs together soon, and I should probably gather them all. Thank God I don’t have to sing in front of a huge crowd like that again. Promise me, none of you will ask me to sing at the party tomorrow night. Okay?” She didn’t give them time to agree. “I’m just so happy I didn’t mess up. I didn’t, did I?”
Since she was looking at Michael, he answered. “No, you didn’t mess up.”
Her smile was radiant. She looked like he had just given her the highest praise ever.
“Would you like something to drink, Isabel?” Nick asked when he could get a word in.
She went to Michael and took his beer. “No, thank you,” she said. She took a drink and then handed the bottle back.
“What you’re experiencing is a surge of adrenaline, Isabel,” Noah told her.
Nick nodded agreement. “In a little while you’re going to crash, then you’ll be able to sleep.”
Turning to Michael he said, “I think it’s a good idea for you to stick around.”
“We should get going,” Nick said.
“Yeah, you should,” Michael told them. Just as Noah was about to stand, Michael said, “No, wait.