Forced Reconciliation

1.

Andi Rhoades

// FLASHBACK // NOVEMBER 2017 //

"C'mon Andi we're going to be late darling!"

I slipped on my left heel and looked myself over once more in the mirror before exiting our bedroom to meet Harry at the front door. 

"Do I look alright?"I asked him.

Harry looks up from his phone to meet my eyes but not before his eyes shamelessly rake up my body. Tonight I was wearing a copper colored slip dress that hugged all my curves and exposed my entire back. I paired it with nude heels that tied up my ankle. The color of the dress complimented my blue eyes and dark brunette locks perfectly, and I actually felt really pretty.

By the looks of it, Harry thought so as well.

"Jesus Christ, A," he gaped at me. 

I tried not to let the butterflies consume me, it's been a year and a half with him and he still treats me he's trying to win me over. 

"You like?"

Harry took a couple of slow steps towards me until his face was inches from mine and his arms snaked around my waist, roughly pulling me into him. I couldn't help but let a small giggle escape me.

"I fuckin'," he dips down to leave an open-mouthed kiss on my throat, "love."

When his eyes flick back up to mine, I see the twinkle in them that gives me goosebumps. "Thank you, baby," I say with a quick peck. "You look pretty great, too."

Harry was wearing a simple, fitted black suit with a black button-up underneath. It was buttoned up all the way to the top, different from what I'm used to, and I'd be lying if I said my hands aren't itching to touch his chest. 

When I go to step away from Harry, he quickly pulls me back into his chest, now wrapping his arms around my waist. With my back pressed against his front, he leans down to whisper in my ear, "Do we have to go?"

My knees almost buckle from his sultry tone, and it takes everything in me to withstand him and be the responsible one in this relationship.

"C'mon H, it's Max's birthday dinner. We promised we'd be there, he's your best friend." 

Even I'm not entirely convinced by my words, but we manage to drag ourselves out the door to the garage and hop in Harry's vintage Mercedes. 

"Dinner, say happy birthday, and then I'm dragging you home, yeah?" Harry says as he shifts gears and then places his hand on my thigh. 

I try not to smile too big at his eagerness, "Yes sir," I give him a little salute to which he laughs. 

Max and Lila's house isn't too far from ours, so we arrive in front of the large modern home in less than ten minutes. 

"Wait, why is there no one else here?" I ask. "Are we early?"

Harry just shakes his head, obviously just as confused, but we instead make our way up the front path to their large door. Harry knocks while he simultaneously lets himself in —what we always do— and reaches back to grab my hand to walk in with him.

"There they are! Geez, I thought you guys stood us up!" I hear my best friend as we round the corner to the kitchen.

I laugh and run over to hug Lila, Harry giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before he leaves us to go meet Max out on the patio. 

"Lila, why are we the only ones here? I thought this was a dinner party?"

She scoffs, "Who says a dinner party can't be small with just our best friends?"