The Life I Want to Live ~Sequel to On The Run~

Chapter 35

"Hey grandma?" I asked as I turned my head around the corner to see my grandma sitting out on the large deck with a cup of coffee.

"Hello dear." She said as she turned around and smiled. "You're up early, the sun is barely starting to come up." She said as she looked at her watch and out into the sky.

"I think I'm going to go on a run through the gardens. I'll be back no later than an hour."

"Ok have fun." She said as she pulled her newspaper out and began doing the crossword. I walked down the long steps wearing just a sports bra and some athletic shorts.

"Have a nice run." One of the men said as he opened the door for me obviously hearing my conversation.

As soon as I stepped outside I put my headphones in and began a light jog through the winding paths. The flowers were gorgeous and even prettier up close like my grandma and mom said.

After about 20 minutes of a light jog I stopped under the large deck to cool off in the shade a bit. I turned my music off and could hear my grandmother humming.

"Excuse me, Shelley?" I could hear Harry ask as my grandma set her paper down. "Did you see Madeline this morning? Is she feeling alright?"

"Oh yes I believe so, she went for a morning run."

"Ok thank you, if you need more coffee please call someone up." He said as he opened the deck doors and walked back inside. Not wanting to be seen intruding on their conversation I quickly placed my headphones back in and jogged back onto the paths.

I had been running for about five minutes when I came to a boardwalk. Curious to see what it led to I ran all the way down it and was amazed at what the end looked like.

"Oh my gosh." I gasped as I quickly turned my music off and looked at the beautiful landscape before me. A beach with the bluest water I had ever seen was before my eyes and the sun was coming out of the water as it rose. I quickly snapped a picture with my phone before walking over and sitting down on a nice bench.

"I see you found this place before I could show you." I heard someone say as I looked up to see Harry standing there with two water bottles in his hands.

"This is amazing! I have to show my mother, she loves beaches." I said trying to catch my breath. Harry sat down next to me before handing me a water bottle which I opened and chugged fairly quickly.

"How's your mother been? She seems to be doing very well now." He asked making me nod my head.

"She's improving every week. Some weeks she'll lay in bed for five hours at a time and some weeks she's miss socialite." I said as I looked back out at the beach.

"How was your run?" He asked trying to start a normal conversation.

"Good-uh." I said as I dropped my water bottle placed my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, "Ugh." I groaned as I looked back up at him. "This is weird Harry." I said as I shook my head taking the conversation to an ultimate plummet in mood.

"What's weird?"

"You, me, whatever the hell this small talk is. I am sitting here on a private beach with my kidnapper while my mom and grandma are up at his house. This is not normal." I said my true feelings coming out.

"I agree it may not be normal." Harry said as he chuckled and stood up, "But you should know that our relationship and everything we've ever done together is not normal, and will never be normal." He said as he turned around and ran up the boardwalk at a light jog with his water bottle in hand.

•

Knock knock knock. "Come in-" Harry started but was cut off when I opened the door to his office anyway. After our chat at the beach I sent my mom and grandma down there, changed clothes, ate breakfast, and somehow ended up here.

"I don't know what game you're trying to play with me but whatever you said out there this morning has been driving me crazy." I said as Harry chuckled and folded away some paper work.

"Well it's true we'll never be normal." He said as he scratched something off his list making me glare at him ask sat down in the chair across from him.

"Are you pulling a Jay Gatsby on me? Is that what you're trying to do?" I asked as his face twisted in confusion. "His long lost lover finally has a husband but he can't stand to see them together so he invites her to his beautiful new home when before he was poor as dirt. He puts on an amazing party and wins her over with his newly found confidence and elegance."

"I know the story." He said making me groan and lean my head back.

"You're exactly like him! You even changed your name! I might as well just call you Edward now."

"You think I'd be able to make a living here going by name of Harry Styles which is the same name of the previous criminal? And no, you're the only one I'm letting call me Harry." He said making me scowl.

"You know Gatsby dies right? I swear if you're pulling anything like him-"

"Awh old sport you have nothing to worry about." He said making me shake my head at him.

"That was the worst impression of Gatsby I've ever heard in my entire life." I said as I leaned up to his desk and grabbed his notepad that he had been scratching things off of.

"Grandfather, Gatsby-you actually had this on here? Mother and father divorce, take her to dinner, boys and I splitting up-what?" I asked confusedly.

"Haven't talked to them for almost two years now." He said as he leaned back in his chair making my eyes go wide.

"So you don't even know where they are?"

"Nope."

"You guys just split?"

"Yeah after I said I was going to turn my life around and run my own business we all decided we were too fed up with each other to continue."

"So you actually run that business?" I said as I eyed him wearily.

"Yep." He said as he took the notepad back out of my hand and placed it on his desk.

"You confuse me."

A/N:
Once again I am getting ahead of myself and have decided I want to write another book after I am done with this one. I really liked receiving your opinions when you voted for Book Covers so you're going to be able to choose what book I write next also! :D

Right after this chapter is posted there will be a new book on my page titled "What Book Should I Write Next?" Please go to it to vote and read the instructions page before doing so :)
(I would really appreciate it, it will you take you 2 minutes max)