evergreen ↠ harry styles ✓

+42

Eventually, Harry put on his linen suit, brown, with a black shirt. Combed his hair back, and set his sunglasses on top of his head. It was slightly out of his comfort zone to wear colour but he was on holiday, and the exception made sense. Perhaps even more importantly, he was about to wine and dine with the Hamilton family which obviously meant cleaning up nicer than usual.

River looked as beautiful as ever in her soft yellow tweed skirt, and matching blazer. The colour complimented her sun kissed skin, and the curls she styled her hair in were perfect. Without care, he admired his girl like he couldn't get his fill of her, and he grabbed her waist in hopes that his kiss would put into words how he felt.

"Darling, my makeup!" she claimed with her hands on his cheeks, and the stars in her eyes from the slowly darkening night sky. No wonder the sun took its time going to rest.

"Looks gorgeous, baby," he promised with a kiss to her forehead. The gesture made River relax against him, her hands now on his chest until they completely slid down to his waist. Worry furrowed his brows when she didn't move to pull back, so he gripped her shoulders, and asked, "Are you alright?"

It took a second, and a couple of deep breaths, before she gifted him one of her beautiful smiles. "Yes, I am," she replied. "I'm preparing my game face, is all."

Harry could understand the need for it because he had to practice his own in the bathroom mirror. To think River needed it prior to any event with her family made him sad because it seemed like River didn't truly have a good relationship with them. For the longest time, he assumed they were the perfect family but the more he got to know her, the more he found out about their dynamic.

Specifically for River's birthday, the family planned an out of residence dinner. Close to the water with the sun setting magically beneath the sea level. Their table was wooden, and beautifully decorated with a white strip of linen across the length of the furniture. A few bouquets of white roses were lined up in the middle, candles dotted between the flowers to provide light later, in addition to the lights strung overhead. Matching sets of plates were situated before everyone, with plenty of cutlery on either side.

The sound of the waves, and River's warm hand on Harry's thigh, were the two perfect ways of distraction. For reasons unbeknownst to Harry, his nerves were making him crazy, and he felt under tremendous pressure.

Tonight's meal wasn't any different to previous evenings—except maybe for the fact that they left the villa, and were in company of many other, similarly wealthy guests.

Harry blamed his jitters on this. He was introduced to some of them, people who the Hamilton family had worked with on many occasions. Friends who may as well have been addressed as almost family members due to their connection to River, and her parents, and siblings. The last thing Harry expected was to meet such high-profile people, though he should've prepared better when he agreed to attend his girlfriend's birthday vacation.

They were already sat at their table when he heard a stranger's voice grow louder as they neared. Shortly, Harry got introduced to Ian Radcliffe. If coincidences were real, this was spectacular.

"Dex, Nat—great to see you," Ian gripped Dexter's shoulder as they greeted each other. Harry heard River inhale a sharp breath of fresh air from his right side, but he couldn't move. It was like his body went through some kind of shock, and he didn't understand what was happening. "Kids, it is always a pleasure," he continued as he focused his attention on the Hamilton kids, and their spouses—then Harry. "I don't believe we've met yet," he said, and looked Harry up and down, expectedly.

Even the blood turned to ice in his veins when everyone turned to Harry.

"Ian, this is Harry. A family friend," Dexter took the introduction into his own hand, and the perfectly positioned way in which he referred to Harry didn't go unnoticed by him.