If It's What You Want A Harry Styles Fanfiction || h. s.

Chapter 39

Harry scanned the deck for Ashley. He'd lost track of time and neglected her. He asked several people, but none seemed to know where she was. When the cabana bathroom proved to be empty, he looked around the house. As he turned to leave his room, Nadia appeared in the doorway.

"Just the person I was looking for and in just the right room," she said smiling suggestively.

Harry smiled his most charming smile and took her by the elbow to lead her back outside. "I can't tell you how happy I was when you RSVPed. If you'll excuse me, I promised to speak with a couple of other guests before they leave.

He excused himself from a group to text Ashley:

Hey Sweetheart, where did you go? Please text or call me. H. xoxo

He continually checked his phone for the rest of the night and into the early morning hours. The last of his guests, including Nadia, left about 1:30 AM. He packed a bag, spoke with the catering manager asking him to lock up after they finished cleaning, and left in his car.

****

Ashley had decided the best thing she could do was take care of several tasks on which she'd gotten behind in the last couple of weeks. She started a load of laundry, gathered her dry cleaning to bag it up, and straightened up her closet. She cleaned her bathroom, put clothes in the dryer, and started another load.

After cleaning the counters in her kitchen and unloading the dishwasher, she sat down with a glass of wine to catch her breath. She checked her phone to find a text from Harry but chose to ignore it. She turned the phone face down on the coffee table only to burst into tears.

Thirty minutes later, she was sniffling and wiping her nose when someone knocked on the door. Worried that it might be her aunt, she checked the peephole to see Harry's worried face. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Harry," she said in raspy voice.

"Sweetheart," he said reaching for her. She backed out of his reach.

"It's really late, Harry."

"I would have been here sooner, but I had several guests who stayed late."

"Like Nadia?"

"Ashley, what are you thinking?"

"What do you think?" she asked backing up further.

"May I come in?"

"I don't think so."

"Ashley, I am asking you to sit down and talk with me. I think you're making some assumptions."

"Harry, I saw with my own eyes what was going on? Not only was she all over you, but you had your arm wrapped around her waist several times. I watched her lean in and whisper in your ear and you laughing."

"Look, she's an old friend. I am not the least interested in her as anything else."

"She and I have an ugly history, Harry. She let me know that she'd be staying for the night enjoying the beautiful skyline from the hot tub."

"If she said that, she was lying."

"If she said that? I'm practically quoting her!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you knew one another."

"She is not a nice person. She and I were friends until she slept with my boyfriend. They both lied to my face for weeks until I dropped by to see him unexpectedly and walked in on them. Nadia thought it was hilarious. "'All in good fun.' Is the way I think she put it."

"I'm really sorry, Ashley."

"It doesn't matter. If she wants you, she'll have you. I can't do this. I can't compete with her. I won't do it. It's over, Harry. I . . . I just can't go through that again. It took me months to get over the betrayal. It didn't even bother her that Alex was sleeping with both of us. I loathed myself, felt so violated. I swore I'd never be that stupid again. I won't do it! You have to go, Harry."