Hold My Girl

Chapter 26

"We have been invited to a party" Harry declares as he walks into the kitchen just as I'm plating up dinner.

"We have? Or you have and you're extending it to me?" I cock an eyebrow at him as I give him an extra few spoonfuls of carbonara. It's a simple dish of mine but one Harry seems to love.

"We. You and me. Both of us, together" I feel the heat from his body as he sidles up behind me and steals a price of garlic bread from the plate in front of me. My heart flutters at his sudden proximity.

"This tastes so good" He moans as he takes another large bite of his garlic bread.

"That's great but instead of stealing it all take the bloody plate to the table" I chastised sounding awfully like my mother as I grab the dinner plates and dutifully he takes the other plate and follows me to the table.

I eye Avery's monitor that's perched behind me on the kitchen island as I place Harry's plate at the head of the table and mine to his right.

"Now the big question is, will she stay asleep and let us eat a full, hot meal in peace" Harry smirked as he poured us both a glass of water.

"Doubtful" I rolled my eyes as I helped myself to a large spoon full of Parmesan and offered the bowl to Harry. I felt a shiver run through my arm as his fingers grazed mine. I almost dropped the bowl but Harry's cat-like reflexes caught it just in time. He quirked a questioning brow at me and I just smiled feigning clumsiness.

"So a party hu?"

"Yeah, a birthday party for a friend, you fancy it?" Harry asks casually.

"Am I invited or...?" I ask, twirling my fork around my plate more than is necessary. I look up the see Harry, tilting his head and watching me with curious eye.

"I mean, I'm inviting you... is that not enough?"

"Yes, I just mean, was I invited or are you..." dragging me a long because you feel obliged to is how I was going to finish that but saying those words allowed is just too embarrassing.

"Am I what?" Harry asks not allowing me to wriggle out of this one. I shovel a large forkful of spaghetti into my mouth to give me a few seconds grace before I need to form a sentence, one that won't embarrass me but will also stop him asking any more questions.

"I don't know, inviting me out of pity?"

"You think I'm inviting you because I feel sorry for you? What exactly is there to feel sorry about?" Harry's brows are furrowed so deep I want to stretch over and rub out the crease with the pad of my thumb. I don't. I sit on my hands to suppress the urge. I shrug unsure what to say. Part of me does think he's inviting me out of pity. Because other than Allison my social life and friendship circle is pretty non-existent. If it doesn't involve Avery these days then it's pretty much guaranteed that I don't have the energy to care. Which is pretty selfish I guess but I just don't get enough sleep to care about anyone's trivial drama. It's difficult keeping in touch with friend groups when your priorities have drastically changed to keeping a tiny human alive.

I tug at the hem of my oversized grey knit jumper trying to form a sentence in my head that isn't self deprivation.

"No" I finally managed to drag my eyes up to his moss green gaze. "I just wonder if you want me there or you're inviting me because you feel you have to"

If it was possible Harry draws his eyebrows even further together but eventually he sighs and evens out his expression. "We were both invited and I'm telling you because, I would like it if you'd come with me" I expect him to drop my gaze but he doesn't. Instead he watches my reaction. Probably trying to gauge wether I believe him or not.