Platonic [H.S] (Book 1)

49 | Traditions and Reminiscing

For the amount of time Harry and I had disappeared, it was a miracle that the trio working behind the bar hadn't noticed we left. We were back inside the warmth of the pub, acting as though we were there all along as we approached the bar to be served. Nathan was the one to serve us our drinks, and it was thrilling as well as nerve racking trying to act casual.

Harry had decided to stop drinking well before I did, after he firmly put his foot down to be the driver to our destination the next day. It took a little bit of back and forth debate before I finally gave in, which meant I had to tell him where we were going which was the last thing I wanted to do. But the stellar smile on his face when I revealed our next stop made up for it.

I honestly don't recall some of the night, and despite promising myself I would never allow myself to reach that point while drinking alcohol again, I was in a place where I felt safe with people I wholeheartedly trust. There haven't been many instances in which Harry has had to care for me while I have been drunk. It has mostly been me caring for and watching out for him. From what I can piece together later on in the night, he was a little worried about me but mostly amused by my behavior.

There was a lot of dancing. I'm fact, I may have still been dancing well after the band stopped playing and while they were packing up. I remember trying to help Nathan, Ivy and Brad close up when everyone had gone home...but I think that I may have dropped a glass or two in my efforts to store them away. I recall bidding Ivy and Brad an enthusiastic goodnight, and jumping on Harry's back upon his insistence for our walk back to the flat with Nathan.

Harry had to tell me this the next morning, trying not to laugh while I groaned. But as we walked passed his Range Rover parked in front of the flat, I had apparently suggested to Harry that, "We really should go back in there." Thankfully, for both of our sakes, he expertly shut me up and diverted the conversation before Nathan could piece anything together. "Yes, love, we're going back in there tomorrow for the next part of our trip."

I felt like Harry the day after Anne and Robin's wedding as I sat into the passenger seat waiting for Harry to take the drivers' seat after hugging Brad, Ivy and Nathan goodbye. As if to enforce the memory even further, Harry had Nate retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge inside before he handed it to me through the window, just as Anne had done with Harry that afternoon. "Very funny, Haz," I had grumbled with a grin as we took off, making him laugh.