The Maiden in Winter // Harry Styles Series #4

SIX

~H~

"What are you thinking about today?"

That I'm ok. That the news was better than I expected. That I can't wait to see Alex.

"That I really don't need this extra appointment."

"I need to know you're alright. I got your email, and it's promising news, but I wanted to lay eyes on your face and hear your voice before we go another week without seeing each other."

"I'm fine, Leigh, really. I got to see Mum, and I got answers and made a plan, and now I'm ready to enjoy a few months of peace and quiet putting it into action. Look," I pull a full-face grin, "I'm smiling. For real."

"That's a sight for sore eyes. Thank you for-"

Shit, there's the gate buzzer going off somewhere in the house. Where the hell is the keypad? I shouldn't have told George to take the night off.

"I've got to go. Alex is here."

"Ok. Think about actually apologizing to her for being preoccupied the last time you saw her. I'll see you next week."

There's the buzzer again. Shit.

"I'll think about it and see you next week. Bye!"

***

~A~

"Where are we going?"

It had been a week since I saw Harry and I was feeling foolishly giddy as I drove away from the store toward the pier.

"I need to get some scallops and drop them off at someone's house."

"Who's house? Why can't they get them themselves? How many scallops? Where do they live?"

"Ok, ok, slow down," the number of questions he could ask per second was astonishing. "The man who you showed to the post office is staying on Maiden Island, and I told him I'd get some things for him from the pier now and then. He doesn't know the fishermen like we do, and they don't sell to strangers."

"Oh, cool, I wanted to ask him to talk some more. I like his voice. We're not going to stay for dinner?"

"No, this is just a business trip, we're not staying. You won't even be getting out of the car, ok?"

"But he liked me. He said, 'maybe I'll see you around town' and now he will. What's his name?"

He'd given an alias to Ed, but I couldn't remember what it was at the moment, and Bean wasn't necessarily trustworthy when it came to keeping secrets. So I lied, sort of.

"I'm not sure what he prefers to be called, but what can you always say until you learn someone's name?"

"Sir. I should call him Sir, and if there's a lady with him I should call her Ma'am. I remember."

"Perfect."

Ten minutes later we had bought the scallops and were driving out past the golf club and along the causeway.

"Uncle Andy isn't at home. He must be taking people to the hopsital today."

Andy lived in his family's little one-room beach house, at the end of the causeway, nestled at the base of Maiden Island.

"He's taking them to the hospital."

"That's what I said, the hopsital."

The road wound uphill briefly, past the other houses, then down again towards Maiden Point. I had forgotten that the property was gated. Pulling up to the call box, I buzzed, waited a good minute with no reply, then buzzed again.