Until I Find You Again // Book One

Chapter 14

Niall laughed out loud,

"So now you're Diane Sawyer?"

"Look...unless you're gonna be helpful, put a cork in it, Little Irish Man." Jessica spat back at him. Niall raised his eyebrows.

"Little? Who you callin' little? I'm a right giant compared to ya....could fit ya in me pocket!"

"Niall..." Harry warned. Niall pointed at Jessica,

"Ya heard what she called me!"

Jessica ignored him and looked back at me, "I can spin it in his favor. I can tell your story."

I stared back at her. I had to admit it sounded like a plausible idea. I looked up at Harry. He shrugged,

"I'll do whatever you want me to do."

I looked back at her,

"You don't need to spin it in his favor. He didn't do anything wrong. He was protecting me."

She nodded,

"I'll say that. People understand lies when the reasons behind them are to protect loved ones."

I sighed,

"The fans....I don't see them letting this go."

"I mean...." Jessica looked hopeful, "You have to try right?"

I didn't understand this aspect of her. Why did she care so much? What was her angle? I couldn't deny that Niall's distrust of her was permeating to me.

"Why are you doing this Jessica?" I asked.

She looked between me and Harry and then looked over at Lucy. Lucy had been sitting at the kitchen table with headphones in her ears, watching something on Niall's iPad. She looked small and innocent.

Jessica looked back at me,

"For her. I mean I don't know her but....you all love her so much...." She shrugged, "It kinda makes me love her too."

I always considered myself a good judge of character. And while Jessica should have sent off every alarm bell in my head, she did the opposite. I trusted her though I really shouldn't have and I knew Niall and Harry didn't. She seemed to be telling the truth.

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As predicted, the video detonated like a bomb. The reporters outside Harry's gate were now three deep. Any movement in the house set them off like cockroaches with flashes going off. I watched as Jessica's team set up for the interview in Harry's living room.

I felt like I was watching a bad soap opera. How was this at all normal? The father of my child was planning on getting on TV to do an interview all about the daughter he just found out he had 4 months ago.

And it was my fault.

Niall had taken it upon himself to cocoon Lucy into a world where nothing had changed. He was currently downstairs with her watching reruns of Dora the Explorer while they painted. I was relieved to know she was still blissfully ignorant about everything going on around her. If I had my way, that's how it would stay.

I walked into our bedroom and closed the door before walking into the bathroom. Harry was standing in front of the mirror, buttoning up his shirt. He glanced over at me,

"How's this shirt? Good choice for admitting I was lying through my teeth?" When I shot him a look he smirked, "I was kidding, Em."

Neither of us had slept a wink last night. I think it had also been the first night since we'd moved in that we hadn't been completely wrapped up in each other throughout the night. He slept on his side of the bed and I slept on mine.