Hold My Girl

Chapter 29

Avery LOVES live music. I mean, I'm pretty sure it's just the bright lights and all the commotion and I'm not really sure she realises it's her Daddy that she's watching but she bounces along in my arms for a good few songs then exhausts herself and falls asleep. So for the first week of this tour I've yet to see a full show because I've left with Avery the minute she started to get cranky and taken her back to our hotel and put her to bed.

But I've actually really enjoyed it. It's given me a couple of hours to then do my own thing. In fairness it's always been within the confines of our hotel room but it gives me a chance to Skype with my parents or Allison. Or it's allowed me to pick up some extra jobs from work that I've been able to do in the few hours before Harry comes back.

So tonight I'm lost in a sketch of a new logo for a whiskey distillery when the door to the suite bursts open and in bounds Harry.

I love getting to experience him after a gig. Despite being on the stage giving it his all for the best part of 2 hours, he comes back with endless amounts of energy and it takes him a while to come back off that natural high. I kind of envy how easily he can find that euphoria, people pay a lot of money and ruin their lives searching for the high he finds so easily. It also explains why he's never dabbled in drugs, he knows the real deal is so much better.

"Ooooooheeeeee" He sings as he floats in. I close my sketch pad as he saunters over to the table. He's changed out of the extraordinary flouncy suit he had on on stage and into an old, white band tee and basketball shorts. His hair is still wet and matted and I can smell the salty sweat that still clings to his body. He props himself against the large glass table that I've been working on. My forearms are still leaning against the table and I can feel the fabric of his shorts rub against my arm he's so close.

"Good night?" I look up at him and can't help but smile in return at his infectious grin.

"Maybe the best show yet!" He grins simultaneously folding his arms across his chest and his long legs at the ankle.

"You say that every night" I smile, leaning back in my dinning chair. It gives me an excuse to move my arm away from his thigh before I couldn't control the tingling any longer and ran my hand along his leg just to feel the tight muscle ripple underneath my touch. I fold my arms across my chest to mirror his body.

"I know, but I mean it tonight" his eyes are alight with humour.

"Oh? And you don't mean it every other night, are you lying to me then?" My lips twitch as I try to keep an unamused look on my face.

"They just keep getting better and better" He smiles as he uncrosses and crosses his legs again, unable to contain the pent up energy.

"Did Ave's have a good time tonight?"

"Great" I beam. "She managed to make it all the way to Girl Crush tonight, so her stamina is improving. Only another 1 song and I might actually see the first half of your show"

"You don't have to leave, you know? Im sure she'd sleep fine in her pram, or Jeff could bring her back to the hotel instead" He shrugs casually but he's fully aware of what he's asking.

"I mean, I'm warming to Jeff, but I don't think I'm quite there yet and she's not going to sleep in her pram with a pair of ear defenders on" I smile as I lower my eyes to the table in front of me. I don't want to dampen his mood but I don't want to give him false hope. "I'll get to see a full show eventually. Even if I have to wait till Glasgow" I look back up to see Harry looking contemplative.

"Only 2 and a half weeks to go" The grin returns to his expression.

"Yeah, I'll be able to perform the first half of your show by memory by that point" I roll my eyes. I can pretend I don't love every minute of the show that I've seen so far, but in all honestly I've been loving it as much as Avery and I have the added bonus of knowing it's her daddy up there.