You Can Let It Go [ZARRY]

Twelve

Zayn:

I headed down to the kitchen. Ramona was there with her staff of three, as usual. She had a soft, mom like quality that I liked, and she seemed to be the only staff member who wasn’t afraid of the Styles.

I’d heard from Cesar that she’d been with the family for nearly thirty years, hired by Mrs. Styles herself.

“Good morning, Zayn,” she said with a smile. “How are you settling in? Finding your way around?”

“Better, thanks,” I said. “I only got lost ten times yesterday. Aiming to cut it by half today.”

She laughed. “Well, if it happens again, you can always find me right here. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

“What are your plans for the day?”

“I’m heading to the city before my shift. Can I pick you up anything?”

“Aren’t you sweet? No, thank you.”

Harry Styles strode into the kitchen wearing a sharp tweed suit, vest, coppery silk tie, his brown hair still wet from the shower.

“Ramona, I need—” He stopped when he saw me, and his eyes widened. For one brief second, the stone green in them melted into something warmer, then froze up again.

“Oh. Hey.”

“Mr. Harry, have you met Zayn?” Ramona asked, her sharp-eyed gaze going between us.

“Yes,” he said, not looking at me. “Where the hell is Jerome?”

“It’s Labor Day,” Ramona said. “He’s off."

“Shit. Fine. I’ll drive myself.”

“Zayn was saying he was going to the city too,” Ramona said. “Perhaps you can give him a ride?”

Harry froze in the act of picking up an apple from a glass bowl on the counter.

The back of my neck was suddenly on fire. “No, it’s fine. I was going to call an Uber.”

Harry glanced at Ramona who was watching everything, missing nothing.

“I’ll take you,” Harry said. “But I’m leaving now. Are you ready?”

“Sure, but you don’t have to—”

“Let’s go.”

He strode out and I followed, Ramona giving me a small wave and a knowing, mom like smile.

I caught up with Harry as his long-legged stride carried him through the rooms, toward the garage. He walked as if the house were on fire.

He doesn’t want anyone to see us leave together.

“Hey, if it’s too much trouble or you’d rather not—”

“I’m heading there already. Why would it be trouble?”

“You don’t like me very much, for starters.”

He stopped at the back door that led to the outside of the estate. “I don’t like or dislike you. I hardly know you.”

“You know a hell of a lot more than most.” I held up my hands. “Look, it’s fine. I get it. You don’t want to be friends, but we don’t have to be at war either. Fate—and Ramona—keep conspiring to put us together—”

Harry held up a hand and we went silent, listening as footsteps sounded down the hall. They passed and he gave me a hard look.

“We’re not together,” he said and shoved open the door that let outside.