Where Do Broken Hearts Go? | Unexpected Series Book One

Chapter 64: Flannel Shirts and Good Manners

Harry's POV

Beth is just looking up at me, not saying a thing.

And all I can do is just stare at her and wait for her to say something.

Anything.

God what if I've gone and stuffed this up by opening my mouth.

Like, royally fucked this up.

Am I just caught up in the excitement of New Year's and all that promise of resolutions and new beginnings?

Or have I had too much wine?

"Harry...I..." she finally starts to speak but her face tells a different story.

I've fucked up.

I look away and down to the ground in embarrassment.

"Harry...love," I feel her hand on my cheek, lifting my head back up, "I love you too, but to be honest with you, in a different way."

Oh.

She...wait, what?

"What I mean to say, is that I love you and care very much for you," she says, "I care very deeply for you and you make me so happy it's beyond words, but I'm not in love with you..."

And instantly her lip is in between her teeth and I reach up and gently pull it out with my thumb.

She sighs before continuing.

"For me, that's a much deeper love Harry, and I'm not saying it's not possible, but I'm not there yet," she says as she now drops her gaze to the ground, "I hope you understand and if you're angry with me..."

What?

"Angry?  With you?" I interrupt, "how can I be angry with you for telling me honestly how you feel?"

Seriously?

This in itself makes me question why she would think I'd be upset with her for being honest.

I mean, it's not the best response I was hoping for.

But it's also not like she's saying 'you've got two chances Harold, slim and none, and slim left town.'

"I'd understand if you were," she quietly replies.

"No baby girl," I whisper.

Right now she looks so tiny and fragile so I don't hesitate to pull her in to me to cuddle.

"I know how much of a huge step this is for you," I kiss her forehead lovingly, "and the fact that there's some type of love there is good enough for me."

And it's true.

"Really?" she looks up at me in surprise.

"Yeah, really," I nod my head and I truly mean it, "besides..." I pull away and rest my arm across her shoulder as we look out to where everyone else is, "I look at it this way.  I'm thinking you're about fifty percent in love with me right?" I ask.

Beth just smiles shyly and looks up at me.

"Well it just means I'm going to have to work extra hard to make it one hundred percent," I say before I cheekily wink at her.

It works and I have her laughing.

"You're hilarious Styles," she says as she turns and stands on her toes so she can reach up and cuddle me around the neck, "and I love you for it," she says before she kisses me.

Hearing her say it though makes my heart skip a beat.

"Can you say it again?" I whisper.

"I love you Harry," she replies, and I just smile.