No Control | Holding Me Ransom (Book 2)

90 - Start It All Over Again

This is the second part of today's double update, so if you haven't already read Chapter 89, please skip back and read that first! (I don't think the notifications are working properly - no one seems to have had the update notifs 🙄)

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"Oh my God," I breathed again, reaching into the bag to touch the soft fabric of the hoodie. "Where did you get this? I threw it all away months ago..."

I could barely see for tears, now.

"No," Harry corrected, "you gave it to Callie to throw away. But she kept it in case you changed your mind."

I took a moment to process this, my heart thumping in my chest and my legs trembling under my dress.

"I can't believe you would do all this for me," I sobbed, as he put his arms around me again and I gripped him tightly round the waist.

"I've been planning it for months," he said softly. "Like I said, I wanted to make everything right again."

"Oh Harry," I said softly, lifting my head and letting him kiss me softly on the lips, not caring if anyone was watching us, as Perfect played perfectly in the background. "Thank you."

"You're not cross I interfered?" he asked tentatively. "Getting it all back without asking you, I mean?"

"Of course not," I assured him. "Why would I be?"

He shrugged. "You told me off several times last year for crowding you and trying to run your life for you. I was worried you might think I was doing it again."

"No," I said firmly, shaking my head. "This is completely different. We're back together now, and this the history of us. Of course I wanted it back, and to recreate the night we met, with the same people and the same music... it's just amazing. It's Perfect."

"Don't be corny, Jess," Calvin chastised from behind me.

"Stop eavesdropping," I retorted without turning round.

"I gotta hand it to you, mate. This was pretty awesome," Calvin said reluctantly, to Harry. "But you do know you've set the bar now. Imagine what you'll have to do to propose to her. She's gonna expect the world."

"Woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves," I chuckled, looking up at Harry who was grinning too. "We've just had the most tumultuous year imaginable. I'd quite like to enjoy some time together without any drama, before we go making any major life decisions like that."

"Amen to that," Harry nodded, and Calvin gave an inclination of his head in concession.

"Fair point," he agreed.

"So... can I offer you a cocktail of some sort?" Harry grinned, closing the laptop and removing the memory card from a slot on the side and shoving it in his pocket. "I don't know if you remember, but I'm quite the connoisseur."

"I do remember, thanks," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "You made some vile concoction last time that probably eroded the sink on its way down the plughole."

Harry shook his head at me, his lips pressed together and his eyes twinkling. "I can see you haven't learnt anything this past year. You still don't give an inch."

"Oh hush," I grinned, reaching my arms up around his neck and kissing him on the lips again. "I'll let you make me a cherry brandy in the kitchen, if only so I can recreate our first kiss and get myself all hot and bothered like last time."

"Will you ask me for directions?" he teased, kissing me back.

"I've got all the direction I need," I leered at him, and he laughed his shouty surprised laugh, and smacked his thigh with his hand.