A Heart of Gold

Chapter 21

I've stood in Times Square at midnight, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other cheering people and feeling tingly from the cold, the alcohol and the excitement, waiting for that bright ball to drop.

Watching.

Counting.

I've felt that electricity zip through me at the stroke of twelve when noisemakers blare, and I have flung my wishes and hopes and dreams into the air like the confetti that bursts from its cannons.

That party has nothing on this one.

But the anticipation is the same.

And just like New Year's Eve, no one will be sleeping because Kiwi drops at midnight tonight.

Harry's kitchen is loaded with trays of party food and his bar is stocked with any and every type of liquor and spirit. Music plays, people are everywhere, huge cushions and pillows litter the floor. Up here, it's the celebration before the ball drop.

But downstairs, a current of quiet tension fills the air. Harry's basement studio has been turned into the command center for watching all social media. His producers have set up probably a dozen monitors to watch YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and everything else on the internet. Members of his team are in charge of watching, recording and reporting the hits and views on each.

This is also a countdown to midnight. And many wishes and hopes and dreams will be tossed into the air.

I have to pinch myself, being on this side of things when up till recently I'd be glued to my phone and being one of the clicks that will be counted tonight.

I'm more than a little jittery, not only for Harry, the band and his manager Jeff, but also because I'll meet more of Harry's team and people from his label. Anne is supposed to be 'watching' with us on FaceTime, too, and Harry wants me to meet her as well.

Jeff hovers around, clapping his hands close to people's ears. "Let's look alive here, people."

Harry follows him, refilling their drinks. He remains at ease while the walls around him buzz with energy.

There is an incredible amount of coordination required to launching a tour, most of which started long before today and the breadth of which I cannot even begin to imagine. But here, with so many key people in the same place, there is banter all around the room regarding the most immediate details of Harry's upcoming travel and interview schedule.

Several conversations are going on at once. There is a lot of cross talk using business slang that I don't understand but Harry's head nods constantly and pings from face to face as he listens intently to suggestions and opinions. He pulls absently at his bottom lip in concentration and it makes me want to crawl over everyone in between us, pull his fingers away and replace them with my lips.

He sits, leaning forward on his knees. His eyes drift to the huge monitors and his chunky watch slides easily on his wrist when he points from one to the next. His body language is relaxed but I can feel the buzz in his brain, the beat of his pulse and the racing of his heart. He is positively glowing.

I stand aside watching it all, and I get that same feeling as when you fit those last few pieces of the jigsaw into place with a satisfying click, revealing the entire, perfect picture. Harry is so many things but above all, he is a performer. He was powerful in the group when on tour with 1D. But the world is completely unprepared for the force that will be Harry as a solo artist. My heart swells with pride.

Jeff snaps again, "Keep those monitors refreshed!"

The album has been playing in the background. Kiwi comes on and as people bustle around me, my eyes search for Harry's. This song is forever tattooed on my heart. And being involved in its video production isn't even the best part.