Working it out

Chapter One

Walking in the wind, with my hair whipping around my face, cold drops of sleety rain stinging my cheeks. Suddenly the security light flicked on and a small black cat skittered away, I jumped a foot in the air before laughing at myself. "You are SUCH a sook Zara, grow up" I sternly muttered to myself. I've never been a fan of the dark, or the wind! I hurried up to the door of the gym and fumbled to unlock it, the sooner I could get out of the weather and this dark alley the better! Sighing with relief, I swung the door open and hurried inside. I flicked the light on and instantly felt a little safer, still cold though so I made my way over to the heat pump and flicked it on.

It was only my second night cleaning the gym at night. My friend Bec had slipped on some ice and broken her ankle a week earlier, I agreed to take over her evening job cleaning until she was on the mend. "Not like I have anything else to do" I grumbled. This winter was supposed to be my winter of freedom. I had taken three months leave from my job as a nurse specialist at the local hospital to finish my thesis, spend some time with my children and do a bit of travelling. Of course my kids had jumped at the chance when their father had offered for them to spend our winter, in a European summer. Who could blame them? I would have gone too if I could stand to spend three months with that man. I snorted to myself at the thought, sure we separated on amicable terms, but I still could think of nothing I would like less than being stuck with him for a day, let alone 3 months! Still, the kids will be having an amazing time.

I thought of that summer we together. He was travelling around the country on holiday from Italy. A bit of a whirlwind love affair, filled with lots of parties, drinking and amazing sex... but not much else! Then pretty quickly came a surprise baby. We committed to trying to make it work, and followed up with another pregnancy within 18 months. Over the next few years though, we came to realise we actually had nothing in common, and really once that initial lust wore off, there was nothing left. We separated 4 years ago and he went back to Italy. He's been a good Father to the kids, I'll never criticise him for that, but it's definitely been better for me with him out of my life.

I've seen a few other men since then, they've satisfied the sexual side of my nature, but that's about all. My friends seem determined to set me up with various people but I always joke I won't settle down again unless it's with Harry Styles himself! My life is full enough with work and of course my lovely babies.

Lukas is 7 this year, and wee Keita has just turned 6. They've only been gone 5 days and I already miss them like crazy! I feel some tears prickling at the back of my eyes, so shake my head and sternly tell myself to suck it up and get to work. The sooner I get done, the sooner I can get home to the warmth of my bed. I might even pretend to do some work on that thesis tonight. I hurried in to put a load of dirty gym towels on to wash.

The gym is next to a hotel, technically open 24 hours a day, but management said it's rarely used after 9pm, hence the reason I start at 9:30, minimal risk of annoying anyone with my vacuum cleaner if they are trying to work out. I started the washing machine and then looked around deciding what to do next. First things first, I need some music to entertain me. Being a Directioner from way back, my first thought is to put on my One Direction playlist, but I'm still feeling gutted that I was going to miss Harry Styles first solo tour show tomorrow night. Bec and I had tickets to go, we had queued up to buy them the day they were released months ago. It was supposed to be the highlight of my time off, however with Becs stupid broken leg she now can't go.

I was still so tempted to go on my own, but driving the 6 hours on my own in the middle of winter, snow on the roads, to a strange town, to go to a night concert on my own just didn't seem like a smart move. Plus, Bec was my fandom friend from way back, going without her would just be so wrong. I knew I made the right decision not to go, but doesn't mean I have to be happy about it!

I let my mind wander and think of the 1D lads, when One Direction took their 'hiatus' a few years ago, I think we all knew that was the end of the band. With them all going off their own directions (excuse the pun!) it was pretty obvious going back to how it was before the break was going to be really difficult. Niall was so busy with his charity work, his soccer academy for kids who wouldn't get to play competitive sport without help is still thriving. In fact he recently had been back to Ghana to help set up the branch there.

Liam seems happy being Dad to his kids, Cheryl and him had twin girls followed swiftly by another girl within the year! Couldn't help but feel sorry for poor Cheryl's body carrying three babies within 12 months, not that you can tell looking at her. Of course Liam still did some song writing, rumour has it he might have some solo work out next year!

And Louis, good old Louis, I smile, nothing has changed there. He's still hitting clubs, always a pretty girl by his side. It's amazing how such a party animal can be such a great father to his son, Freddie. You can see pap shots of Louis out all night at a club, then the next day he's at the park kicking around the ball with Freddie. I do hope he finds a nice girl to settle down with though....I'm sure hes not short on offers that's for sure!

Then there is Harry. Harry has always been my favourite. Not just because he's breathtakingly handsome, although that doesn't hurt! Rock star, movie star, and all round good guy! After 1D he went on to star in a couple of really successful movies, his iCarly days really are behind him now! This tour is first foray back in to music, his solo album came out a few months back and has been hugely popular. I really was so looking forward to hearing and seeing him live! "It's so fooking unfair" I complain to myself with a sad smile.

Shaking my head to clear away my bad mood, I chose a compilation video of "Harry's sexiest moments"...figure I deserve a bit of entertainment to make up for missing out on seeing him in person.

Turning it on, I put my headphones on and started folding up the clean towels, laughing to myself at Harry dancing on stage while thrusting his crotch around. Harry really is crazy sexy. Something about those endless legs and sparkly green eyes. And those lips, the things he could do to me with them...I giggled to myself at my dirty thoughts. Maybe watching sexy Harry wasn't such a good idea. Who am I kidding? Harry is always a good idea!

I was almost finished folding the towels, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I screamed and spun around, knocking my phone off the table, pulling the headphone plug out as it fell. As it clattered to the ground, I looked up at the very lips I had been imagining a few minutes earlier. Confused I raised my face to look at sparking green eyes as a familiar voiced boomed out from the floor "oh baby, oh baby, yeah!".