Pretend (Harry Styles) - Book 3

Chapter 53: It Worked

27 Weeks Along

-Harry's POV-

It worked.

I can't help but smile to myself as my left hand grips the steering wheel and my right rests on Av's thigh.

She's with me. We're headed back to our flat. We're together.

It worked.

It was a one in a million chance, but I couldn't not take it. When I heard Gem raving to Finn about how he had to eat at this particular cafe, I knew the chances of him taking Ava there today were slim. But slim was better then nothing.

And slim turned out to be fucking brilliant.

Gem didn't question me when I suggested we go to the Orchard. After she'd went on about it long enough, it seemed like a reasonable choice. She had no idea I didn't give a fuck about how wonderful their mug of soup and sarrnies were.

All I cared about was that one in a million chance that Finn and Ava would walk into the same cafe at the same time we were there.

I tried not to let myself get to worked up over the prospect, but it couldn't be helped. I'd never eaten so slowly before, never set up quite so straight every time someone walked through the door.

When the two teenage girls came up to our table and blocked my view of it, I'd nearly lost it.

I tried not to be rude. Tried to force a smile on my face as they asked for an autograph. I don't even know what they said, what I nodded my head in agreement to as I scribbled my name on the back of their phone cases.

All I could think of was that front door.

And who could possibly... just maybe.. be walking through it.

The second they were gone I took a big swig of my water, trying to calm myself. When I saw Gemma' whole body tense as she stared across the small cafe, I knew.

My heart nearly beat out of my chest as her eyes flicked to me. I couldn't look, to afraid to be disappointed.

'What is it?' I barely got the words out as I took in Gem's widened eyes and furrowed brow.

'Ava.'

One word.

One name.

I can't even begin to describe how it made me feel.

It worked.

The moment my eyes met hers, those big brown eyes I've missed so bloody much, I knew I'd made a terrible mistake.

Hearing her voice was hard enough. But seeing her... sat in a chair in the very same room as me.. swollen belly pressing against the table.. I knew just seeing her wouldn't be enough. It would never be enough.

When she stood abruptly, knocking over a glass in her hurry to leave I didn't hesitate. I couldn't just let her leave.

My mind was a proper mess when we were finally alone, locked in a shitty bathroom to hide from the world.

She was so fucking beautiful. I'd missed her so fucking much.

Just having her near me I felt whole again. Like this missing piece was put back into place.

One I didn't want to say goodbye to just yet. I had her with me, finally.

I had to take her home.

We were both silent the entire drive. Both to afraid to speak. Afraid if we did somehow this bubble we were in would pop. And we would be seen.

But we weren't.