Evie | H.S |

92. Yours to keep

A/N: hiiii
Part two of a double update. Go back and read the previous chapter if you haven't. Sorry for my absence and thanks for your lovely words. You're all angels 🫶🏼

Every floor the elevator passed saw me feel even more nervous than the one before. The ascent had me getting physically closer to an impending moment that had been eating away at me for weeks. I pulled at the hem of my T-shirt, stretching it out to try and soothe my nerves but Harry caught my hand, taking it in his with a soft smile that made me feel worse.

"Are you all good?"

Lips sucked between my teeth, I nodded. Maybe a little too enthusiastically.

"I'm so glad you're here, Eve...was so important to have you here tonight."

It was. Just like it was important for you to show up to the last show you bailed on too, Evie.

"Of course" I murmured quietly with a tight smile as the elevator dinged to announce our landing. I slightly jumped at the sound that cut through my swirling anxious thoughts.

"And God, I've missed you" he added with an amused chuckle, pinching my chin before he shuffled out ahead of me. He always found my high-strung tendencies so endearing.

Ugh.

I didn't do anything wrong.

I felt strongly that after hearing it from me, Harry would be understanding. I had nothing to feel sorry for. The guilt was only a result of the time that had passed. I hadn't lied about anything, I'd merely delayed the truth.

Part of me regretted not recording my conversation with Tommy because even I was dumbfounded by the way it played out.

I knew Tommy's bad but I also knew his good.

Harry only knew his bad. He had only seen and heard some of the worst of him.

Imagine if I'd had my phone flipped screen down on the table, recording everything? I'd feel much better about this. I could pull it out and say 'hey, here's everything'. Nothing could be left to his imagination. It would be total, unfiltered and definite truth.

But Harry trusted me. He told me that.

I'd tell him everything and I was hopeful it would be fine. I just had to get it over with.

Bite the bullet, Evie.

"Hey, I wanted to tell you something." My feeble voice spoke out into the void of the large hotel room as Harry wheeled in my bag ahead of me. It rolled against the polished hardwood floor as I closed the door behind us.

"Oh yeah?" He parked my bag by the brown suede L-shape sofa and took a few strides towards me, tongue peeking from the corner of his parted lips. He had an air of mischief about him.

He stepped behind me and hands at my waist began to snake around my front, his fingertips dipping beneath the hem of my baby tee. God, I'd missed his body pressed against mine.

"Yeah" I continued, "I wanted to wait till after your show..."

He hadn't taken note of the shakiness in my voice. He was so unaware.

"Mhm" he hummed, his lips expelling hot breath at the shell of my ear. I couldn't help but giggle at the ticklish sensation before quickly clearing my throat.

Don't be distracted Evie.

It was easier said than done. His strong forearms gripped me as his chin dug into the spot where my neck and shoulder connected. One arm pushed up under my tshirt, palming my breast while the other had trailed down to the waist of my jeans, blindly popping a button.