Cheating By The Rules | Harry Styles AU (ongoing)

chapter 17

I hadn't paid attention to whatever Jace was doing the last few days. The last time that I had been concerned about him, or us, was when we had our talk about my whereabouts. After that, I began to question why I even told him about my plans in the first place.

Despite him not knowing where I was going to be, I was interested in knowing where he would be. That way, I knew where I was not supposed to go to. Luckily, he had talked to one of his colleagues on the phone. I figured it was Thomas, the guy who had been here once.

They went on and on about San Diego and the different companies they were going to visit. They were going to be away until Saturday morning, giving me all the time that I needed to have; allowing me to rediscover parts of myself.

When I finished my work on Thursday, I returned home to pack a small suitcase. I wasn't going to be away for days, but I did want to have options.

Whilst packing my suitcase, excitement moved through me. I knew that I was a few hours away from seeing Harry, from escaping the reality I had been stuck in for a few weeks. Finally, I was able to put my life behind me for a few hours.

Opening my email, I saw Harry had sent me something new. Whenever there was an unread message, I caught myself smiling.

A cab will be waiting on you down the street. The drive is going to take an hour, keep that in mind. Don't forget to wear something formal.

Again, I can't wait to see you. x

I couldn't believe that, as a twenty-nine year old woman, I was experiencing these feelings I had had when I was a teenager.

Once I finished packing, it was time to move on to finding the right outfit. Seeing I had enough clothes in my wardrobe, I managed to find a nice dress and gorgeous heals. Quickly I moved on to my make-up because I didn't have much longer before I needed to leave my home.

Looking out of the window, I spotted a cab down the street. It was time to head out and be with Harry.

Carrying the small suitcase with me, I walked towards the cab. The driver put my suitcase in the trunk and opened the door for me. As I sat down, I could feel the nerves surging through me.

The driver and I chatted for a bit and it was a nice way to keep me distracted. Due to the fact him and I had been talking, I hadn't noticed which direction we were going. When I looked out the window, I didn't recognize anything. Thankfully, I didn't. It would be horrible if we bumped into people we knew.

Those thoughts vanished when we parked in front of an enormous hotel, and I figured we had arrived. The lavish exterior of the hotel showed me Harry had chosen a luxurious hotel.

The doorman greeted me politely, and I continued my way into the lobby. The moment I was inside, my eyes scanned the surroundings; taking in the elegant décor and the soft glow of the chandeliers.

Standing in the center of the lobby, I spotted Harry near the reception area causing my heart to skip a bit. The nerves I had felt since the beginning of this day intensified knowing he was so close.

Trying to compose myself, I casually walked over to him. The sound of my heels touching the marble floor, made Harry turn around. And even if his eyes were on me, I knew his presence filled the room even more. There was something about him that made everyone turn around.

"Ivy," Harry said, and I loved to hear him say my name. "You look beautiful," he complimented me, breaking the silence that had settled between us.

"Thank you," I responded as I blushed at his words.

His hand wrapped around mine, which was holding my suitcase. "Your suitcase will be brought to your room," Harry informed me, and I relinquished my hold as he confidently took the lead in bringing it to the concierge. "I think it's time for us to grab some dinner, don't you think?" Harry suggested, and his easygoing charm put me at ease.