**Flashback, 2014, San Antonio, TX**
Nichole walked down the street, passing the fan girls, more than a little amused by chaos around her. One Direction was in town tonight and the place was overrun with teen and tween girls. Of course she knew who One Direction was. She hadn’t been living under a rock. Going to the concert? Not no, but hell no. A night listening to a bunch of girls screaming their faces off was not her idea of fun. Let's end the night with a migraine, why not? No thanks. That's not to say she didn't enjoy their music. Far from it, she actually did like it a lot, but listening to them on the radio or on Spotify was much easier on her patience and she could enjoy it more. And let’s be honest, they weren't very hard on the eyes, were they?Hot boys in skinny jeans? And they could sing? What’s not to like?

She reached her destination, the mecca of fangirls, Soccer Moms, and overworked project managers, Starbucks. She pushed the door open, still laughing at the scene outside. Smiling at the barista she asked,

"The Directioners keeping you busy today?"

"They started camping out two days ago. Fan girls drink a lot of coffee," he laughed, "Are you going to the show?"

"Nah."

While waiting for her coffee, there was a sudden surge of screaming girls and some loud commotion coming from the door. She turned around to see a blue and lavender haired girl trying to get through the door but she was getting mobbed by the fans and photographers. She was trying to keep her head down and plow through, but was having no luck. She was basically trapped.

"Gemma!! Tell Harry I love him!!"
"Gemma, are you grabbing drinks for the boys?"

Quickly, Nichole ran over to the door, pulling it open, grabbing the frightened girl’s arm and bringing her inside. She shoved the photographer out the door shouting, "Jesus Christ! All she wants is a cup of coffee, so unless ya'll are buying it for her, fuck off!" She pushed the door closed and turned to the girl and smiled, "You alright, darlin’?"

She was visibly shaken, but seemed to calm down quickly. Almost as if she was used to getting mobbed. "Yeah, fine. They told me not to come over here on my own. That's what I get for not listening. Harry is going to be livid. Thank you, by the way. I'm Gemma."

"Nice to meet you, Gemma. I'm Nicky"

**Spring, 2015**
Nichole woke up to her phone buzzing on the night stand.She ignored it and pulled the blankets over her head. Her head was pounding from to many drinks the night before. She rolled out of the bed when the phone went off again. She forgot to drink water, forgot to put her trusty bottle of Advil on the counter, and in her weakened state she couldn’t seem to find the damn light switch. Someone kill me, please. By the time she got to the phone, it had stopped buzzing but, looking through one eye, she could see it was Gemma. She just about to call her back when the text alert pinged.

Gem: Get out of bed, you drunk. We're going through customs now.
Nicky: WTF? When did you get here? We? Who is we?
Gem: 20 mins ago...and you will find out when we get there...get up!
Nicky: I hate you
Gem: sure you do ;)

Nichole immediately put the coffee on and jumped into the shower. She figured Gemma must be here on some assignment but usually she called before she showed up. A year and a half of friendship and Gemma never failed to surprise her. Luckily, she had the day off so after a quick shower she pulled on her cleanest pair of jeans and a T shirt, and braided her long red hair.

She glanced around her tiny studio apartment realizing it was an absolute mess. Nichole was a project manager for a non-profit that worked with different charities focused on women and children around the country and the world. They'd just finished a major fund raising campaign and she’d been busy as hell. And the state of her apartment showed it. She started to at least pick up the dirty laundry when there was a knock on the door. Before she could move, she heard Gemma,

"Open up, Nicky!! Or I'll kick the door in!" She threw what she had in her hands in the basket and ran to the door, unbolted it and flung it open.

"God almighty, Gem...." And then she froze. Standing next to Gemma was her brother. Harry freakin' Styles was at the door, in his signature ripped skinny jeans and a red button down shirt that was barely buttoned. And that hair...Nichole forgot how to speak and just stared at him. Gemma stood there grinning, pleased that she’d put one over on Nichole, again.

"Are you going to invite us in?" Nichole nodded and stood back as they walked through the door. She shut it quickly and just stood there with her mouth hanging open, to shocked to speak.

"Hi, I'm Harry. Nice to finally meet you." He extended his hand to her and she timidly too took it, her eyes never leaving him. Hearing him speak on talk shows and performances on TV was nothing like hearing him standing two feet away, holding her hand, and speaking directly to her. His voice sounded like she imagined melted chocolate would sound. Smooth and sweet.

"N-nice to finally meet you, too." Harry couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he watched her struggle with what to say or do next. She was too cute. Nichole seemed to be frozen in place. Her mind racing and her hand on fire from his touch. She wanted to let go, but for whatever reason she couldn’t. Gemma snorted quietly watching the two of them interact.

Glaring at Gemma, Nichole quickly released his hand and nervously tugged at the end of her braid. Gemma knew she was in for a proper telling off later, but her reaction was to perfect. Whatever she got later would be so worth it.

"Sorry, when Gemma told me she was going to surprise you, I told her I wanted to come along. I hope you don't mind. Never got to properly thank you for helping her."

Gemma couldn't stand it and burst out laughing. She loved surprising Nichole. She didn't know what to do with herself. She was just stood there, her eyes wide as saucers. Nichole was so obviously hungover that Gemma moved to the little kitchen and grabbed the last clean mugs and started pouring coffee for the three of them.

"This place is a tip, Nicky. What the hell has been going on?" Gemma handed a cup to her brother who was grinning from ear to ear, dimples on full display. He loved surprises, too. And he'd been dying to meet Nichole for months. She seemed to snap out of it when Gemma spoke, taking her cup.

"This week has been insane at work. We just finished a major campaign. I was out celebrating last night with everyone. Good lord, I feel like hell." She turned and started rummaging through her cupboards.

"You look it."

"Thanks, of course you look amazing as usual. I really hate you right now."

"You couldn’t hate anyone, even if you tried." Gemma teased.

"Oh, there is a god," Nichole found the elusive bottle of pain pills. She dumped four tablets in her hand, popped them in her mouth, and downed them with her coffee. Harry sat down on the Nichole’s unmade bed and she visibly grimaced. All she could think about is how her momma would die of embarrassment if she saw the state of her daughter’s apartment right now. And that she had company over and it looked like this.

"Gemma, can you tell the poor girl why we invaded her home unannounced, or should I?"

~*~*~*~

Nichole sat on the counter, staring at Gemma and Harry. What they had offered her was hard to wrap her mind around. Harry was offering her an opportunity that someone in her position only dreamed of. To be his personal consultant for the charities he wanted to help. To be the go between for him and these organizations; to research and come up with the best ways to contribute to them. It was an amazing opprotunity. Her heart screamed “Yes, do it!” but her mind immediately went to her family and her obligations to her current job.

"What about my job? I can't just up and leave. My parents and the ranch..."

"Why not? I know it seems strange, but you will be doing the same thing working for Harry that you are doing now. Just in London instead of San Antonio. I know your parents, Nicky...they would want you to do this. You are not needed at the ranch nearly as much as you think you are. Your father has your brother and plenty of people on the payroll to help him. Harry needs someone he can trust, and you and I both know you can do the job. I gave him your CV so he knows, too. Please, do this for me." Harry smiled at his sister and then looked Nichole in the eyes and said,

"Gemma loves you. Why we haven't had a chance to meet before now is unbelievable to me. And she trusts you. That is a big thing, trust. She's right, I need to know that who I have doing this can be trusted. Just consider what I need from you, before you make a decision. I have no clue what I am doing, and my time is stretched so thin I can’t possibly do this on my own. I need your help."

Nichole’s eyes darted to Gemma, then back at Harry. She was still blown away by their proposal. It would mean leaving Texas, her family, her home. Thinking of the work they could do and the lives they could change. She desperately wanted to be a part of that. Harry's green eyes hadn’t left hers. He pinched his lower lip, waiting for an answer. There was so much he promised himself he would do if he ever got in the position to do it. He was there now, he just needed some guidance. Guidance he knew he could get from Nichole.

"Ok, I'll do it. I just need a couple months to tie up things here. Give notice at my job and pack up my place. And I have to see my family. Talk to Momma and Daddy...oh god, Dylan is gonna flip a bitch."

"Dylan?" Harry asked, looking at Gemma.

"Her brother. He's a bit protective. Good man though, just a bit...brotherly...not that I know anything about over protective brothers," Gemma teased.

"You've met her brother?"

"I have spent some time with her family on the ranch, yeah. Harry, you don't have to know everything I do."

Listening to their banter, Nichole thought of her brother. They were as close as she and Dylan were and he'd always looked out for her. Even if she didn't need or want him to. They were both hot headed and they argued, a lot, probably more than most brothers and sisters. But they loved each other and were always in each other’s corner. She was certain he was not going to be okay with this though. Her parents were the easy part; Dylan was going to be completely different. He hated that she didn’t still live on the ranch and had moved off to San Antonio when she finished college. Leaving the country was going to not go down well at all. Nichole was snapped out of her thoughts by her tummy rumbling. Harry let out a loud cackling laugh as Nichole’s face went red.

"Okay, celebratory breakfast I think. Nothing cures a hangover like a huge breakfast."

"And Mimosas." Gemma giggled.

Notes

Ohhh She's back! Chapter one of the rewrite is up. Hope you like it. Please comment and vote so I know what you think.

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