Matrimony Homies

15: Apology (Harry)

"1D Day. Liam. Dressing room. I heard you, Harry. I HEARD you. You know exactly what you said."

Her words stun me, and I gulp my wine as the memory rushes into my consciousness.

"Harry – you've got to get me in with your sister's friend Loren. She is smoking hot," Liam practically begs. "The things she could do with that mouth..."

"Liam, come off it. Jesus, you just had that one fan earlier today in this very dressing room. Plus there was the one who 'slept'," I use air quotes, "in your bunk last night with you. Loren's better than that. She deserves a real relationship."

"I'm up for a relationship, H. If that's what she wants, I can provide one. Just recommend me to her, mate. Otherwise, I don't think she'd even look twice at me."

"I thought we agreed family members are off limits."

"She's not family. Just one of Gemma's friends."

I bristle at the implication. "She might as well be family, Liam. I grew up with her. And she's not just 'one' of Gemma's friends – she's Gemma's best friend. They are inseparable."

Liam grows quiet. Confident he's given up, I move towards the dressing room door, preparing to return to the studio for our next segment.

"You fancy her yourself, don't you? Come on, H. You can admit it to me. Not that I blame you. She's fit as fuck."

My fists curl at my side. It doesn't matter that I fancy Loren because she's not interested in me, but Liam really isn't getting the message that he shouldn't be attempting to fuck my friend. At the door, I turn to him and try one more time to be reasonable. "Liam – she's not the kind of girl you think she is. Just lay off. Be a mate," I verbally shove, hoping he'll hear my words this time.

"You're not interested, but you don't want me to have her? That's fucked up, Harold." He always calls me 'Harold' when he wants to belittle me. "I'm going to ask her out anyway. The things I could do to her." His enraptured face makes it clear exactly what things he's talking about, and it's a guarantee that it won't include baking cookies or watching her beloved Winnie the Pooh movies.

From the depths of my soul, I conjure the most foul things possible to convince him that she's not the girl for him. Things he would hate. Things that would make him change his mind. My voice rises, and I blurt out a giant pack of lies. "I'm telling you, Liam, Loren Relish is not worth your time. Fuck her once, and she'll become so clingy that you won't be able to get her off your dick. Or out of your life. She's always around underfoot like a puppy dog. You do not want to date Loren. I promise you would regret it."

Liam raises his hands in surrender. "Fine, H. Whatever you say. I'll stay away from her."

Breathing a sigh of relief, knowing I'd just saved Loren from a fate worse than death, I storm away to the studio, gulping in air as I try to get myself under control.

She'd heard me? How?

Fuck.

Gulping more of the wine, I rise and make my way to the kitchen, grabbing the first bottle, a second bottle, and the corkscrew. We're in for one hell of a night, and although it would be smart to do this with a clear mind, I personally am going to need some liquid courage.

Peering onto the deck, I see her shiver so I grab a throw from the couch and return to the outdoor seating area as the sun sets. Shit. There's no light out here. Placing the unopened bottle and corkscrew on the table, I hold out the original bottle towards her. When she extends her hand with the glass in it, I fill it to the brim before handing her the wool throw.