Follow Your Heart

Nichole kept glancing at her phone as she walked around the shop with Hannah, who was on a mission to find a dress to wear for her date night with Dylan.

"What about this...?" Hannah turned around to show Nichole a dress she had picked from the rack and saw Nichole checking her phone, again.

"Are you expecting an important call or something?"

"No, not really. Why?"

Nichole didn't want to let on that she was waiting for a call from Harry. She'd grown accustomed to him calling after his shows. She did the math in her head quickly; he'd been done ages ago. She tried not to be disappointed, hoping that maybe he was sleeping. But she still missed talking to him.

"Well, I'm just saying, you are checking your phone a lot to not be expecting a call. What's going on?" Hannah stood in between the dress racks, with her arms crossed. "We didn't drive all the way to here to watch you being all mopey and sad. Don't make me call your brother. He'll be pissed off I disturbed his sports day, but I'll do it."

"You drove all this way to shop, but lord have mercy, don't call him...Geez."

"Then tell me what's going on."

Nichole sighed, trying to figure out how to tell her sister in law that she had talked to Harry every day since he left and she was worried that he hadn't called. And that she missed him. How could she explain it when she couldn't explain it to herself?

"I swear to god if you tell Dylan any of this, I will deny it to the grave, Hannah..."

"You cannot tell me to not tell my husband things, Nicky, especially when it involves you."

"Fine, then there's nothing to talk about. Forget about it." She dropped her phone in her bag and turned back to the racks pulling out a couple of dresses and started towards the changing rooms.

~*~*~*~

"Harry? Earth to Harry." Harry looked up from his drink, drawn out of his thoughts by Kendall. She'd popped up unexpectedly for the show and now he was out with her in the vip section of some club he didn't know or care about, in a city that he couldn't remember the name of, having photos taken of the two of them every time they moved. All he wanted to do was go back to his hotel and call Nichole.

"You are a hundred miles away, Harry. Are you alright?" She did look concerned, they were friends after all. But, he was sure she had ulterior motives for showing up. Pictures of them together would fuel the "Hendall" speculations of them getting back together. And the publicity would be great for her. He couldn't give less of a fuck though. That door closed months ago.

" 'M just tired, Ken...wanna go back to the hotel and go to bed." He saw the look in her eyes the minute he said that. She moved over a bit and rested her hand on his knee,

"Oh, well, do you want some company?" Before her hand could slide up his thigh any further, he stood up, finishing his drink.

"Ken...let's not do this, okay? I'm calling my car to take me back to the hotel, if you want a ride back with me, fine. But no, I don't want any company."

~*~*~*~

Nichole was in her bathroom, straightening her hair when Dylan called out.

"Hey Nick...looks like your new boss had a good time last night." She stepped out of the door, the straightener still in her hand,

"What?"

Dylan was sprawled across her bed, scrolling through his phone, while Hannah was washing her dirty dishes.

"Hannah," Nichole sighed, "for fucks sake...I can clean my own apartment."

Dylan sat up quickly and handed his phone to Nichole. She looked at the pictures of Harry and Kendall Jenner, taken in some club on the other side of the planet. They looked very cozy. Nichole felt her stomach drop to and her throat start to constrict. Well, that explains why he didn't call. After reading how the two of them arrived and left together, and the speculations that "Hendall" was a thing again, she just tossed the phone back to Dylan.

"Looks like he did have a good time. Awesome. I hope he did." Hannah started to laugh,

"Babe, since when do you read celebrity gossip sites?"

"Since my sister is going to be hanging around this guy, I wanted to see what I could find. Guess I don't have to worry about him putting the moves on you, Nick. Not with that gal in the picture."

"You know what, Dylan...fuck you." And Nichole slammed the bathroom door.

Hannah walked over to Dylan and smacked him on the head, knocking his ball cap off.
"What?" He asked rubbing his head, "What the fuck did I do?"

"You are such a jerk sometimes."

Nichole stood staring at herself in the mirror. She felt tears prickling behind her eyes as Dylan's words sunk in. Of course Harry wouldn't want her. Not when he had girls like Kendall Jenner around. It wasn't as if she wanted him to want her, but if she did, she didn't have a chance. He was her best friend's brother and her boss, and that's all it would ever be between them.

~*~*~*~

Harry and the guys had just arrived at the venue in a fleet of black SUVs. They piled out to the sound of screams from fans that had been waiting at the venue since early that morning. Harry pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes and waved as security moved him and Niall towards the door. Just as they got in Harry realized his phone had been ringing. Gemma was calling, so answered it quickly,

"Hey Gem," he answered as he stopped, dropping his bag to the ground and leaning against the wall.

"What have you done?" He could see almost see her accusing eyes. She was mad and he had no clue as to why.

"What do you mean? What the hell, I've done nothing."

"Then you tell me why Nicky just called me saying that maybe she should stay in Texas, try to find a work around so she doesn't have to leave. She actually said she's thinking about chucking the whole thing and staying with the foundation she's working with now."

"What? Why?"

"I have no idea, but she says there should be some professional distance? Seriously, what the hell has happened? "

"I have no idea, she hasn't answered my calls in a couple days and has left me on read when I texted her. I haven't done anything, Gem. I swear."

"Well you better fix this. You need her."

~*~*~*~

Nichole sat up in her bed, remote in hand, pizza and Twizzlers next to her, and ice cream in the freezer. She'd had a long week and she was going to watch RomComs on Netflix and just forget about the world outside her apartment door for a while. Just as she selected a movie there was a knock at her door. She looked over, thinking if she stayed quiet, maybe they would go away. But they were persistent and knocked again. She threw the blanket off her legs, got up and stomped towards the door.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" She mumbled throwing the door open.

"Very serious, Nichole." Harry was standing at her door again. This time though, he looked tired and unhappy. Nichole stood back, inviting him in and shutting the door quickly.

"Harry? What in God's name are you doing here?"

"Well you won't answer my calls or texts and Gem is ready to murder me, so I had to do something to get you to talk to me."

"Hells bells," she sighed, looking down, trying to not look in his eyes.

Harry was determined to find out why she was avoiding him. If he'd done something, which he was certain he hadn't, he would apologize. But if it was something else, it needed to be resolved and he had twenty-four hours to sort it out with her before he had to be back on a plane. He dropped his bag on the floor & crossed his arms in front of himself.

"Talk to me, Nichole. What's happened that you have changed your mind?"

He watched her walk across the room and pick up the box of pizza off her bed, grab the remote and turn her television off. She held the box out to him,

"Hungry? I was about to eat and watch mindless movies." He sighed and took the box from her, setting it on the small kitchen island.

"No, I'm not hungry. I'm confused, Nichole. Please tell me what is going on. You seemed so eager to do this, and now you aren't? I don't get it."

Nichole had no idea how to explain her reasons to him when she didn't understand them herself. The emotions that she felt when she saw those pictures of him and Kendall together, that was a red light that she was heading down a pathway to disaster and she needed to get off, now.

"It's just...I don't know..." she stuttered. "Harry...I just can't..."

"Have I done something? If I have, I am truly sorry...I just wish you would tell me. I thought we were getting close." Nichole's head snapped up and she finally looked him in the eyes, those green eyes that were keeping her awake at night. She felt her heart sinking to her stomach again. Before she could stop herself she blurted out,

"That's just it... You are my boss...my employer. We shouldn't be..."

"Shouldn't be what? Friends?" Harry ran his hand through his hair, his frustration at her bubbling to the surface. "Nichole, I don't understand. We are friends. At least I hope we are."

She turned away from him, unable to look at him. When she did, she felt her resolve slipping.
Harry ran his hands through his hair, sighing, he reached out and touched her shoulder. He flinched at the way she immediately tensed up. This was not going the way he hoped it would.

"Nichole, I'm running out of ideas. Help me out here," his voice softened, praying that she would turn around and look at him.

Nichole sighed. She knew she was going to sound like a crazy woman, but he wasn't going to let this go. She turned around slowly, looking into those eyes again.

"I just don't know what I'm doing, Harry. It's unprofessional for me to be feeling like this. You need me to be to do a job for you and I'm going nuts because you didn't call me... Jesus, I saw you with Kendall Jenner and I just don't know how the hell I'm going to..."

Harry cut her off, asking, "All this is because you saw pictures of me with Kendall?"

"I felt so stupid, Harry. I was watching my phone for hours and no call...and I was upset, and I shouldn't have been. I have no right to feel..." her voice trailed off, realizing she said more than she intended to.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. She was feeling jealous. He didn't want to smile when she was feeling so distraught, but it explained why she stopped answering his calls and texts, and that she was feeling the same as he was, and it was freaking her out as much as it was freaking him out. When he opened his eyes she was standing there, looking down at the floor, almost like she wanted to crawl under it.

"Nichole, look at me, please?" She slowly looked up, trying hard not to just cry. He smiled sadly at her, and took her hands in his. "One, you are one of my sister's dearest friends. She likes you...loves you...so you have passed one of the biggest tests I have for people in my life. Yes, you work for me, but I'd like to think of it as us working together. I can't do this without your help. I need you." Nichole started to say something, but Harry held up his hand, "Let me finish, please. Two, my friendship with Kendall has absolutely zero to do with any of this, but if it helps, she is a friend, nothing more. Don't always believe what you read. My life seems like an open book, but I promise you it isn't. If you have any questions about anything you read or see, just ask me. And three, I am sorry I didn't call you, just know, I wanted to."

Nichole looked up, her mouth opening to say something, then closing again. She couldn't take her eyes off him, the way he looked at her. She couldn't formulate her thoughts when he looked at her like that.

Harry didn't like the way she just seemed so timid, nothing like the self-assured woman teaching him to ride a couple of months ago. He reached out and pulled her into a hug.
Nichole just stood there, keeping her arms to her side for a moment before she wrapped her arms around his waist. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and just inhaled him. He smelled so good and it was making her brain foggy. Then she felt his lips on her forehead and her heartbeat sped up in her chest, she was certain he could hear it. He stepped back, still holding her shoulders lightly, lowered his face to hers, so he could look in her eyes again.

"I can't control what is written about me most of the time. So please, just ask me if you want to know something."

"Harry, you don't have to explain anything to me...it's not my business. You are my boss..."

"I am your friend, Nichole...and I do have to explain things to you if they cause you any distress...."

"But your personal life isn't..."

Before she could finish, Harry cut her off.

"You are part of my personal life, Nichole."

"But..." she started, but he just put his finger in front of her mouth.

"Not another word about it." She opened her mouth to try to say something again and he shushed her. "Okay, love. Now, what are we watching?" He nodded his head towards her television. She sighed and turned the television back towards the sofa, grabbed the pizza and her Twizzlers, then handed Harry the remote.

~*~*~*~

Nichole's eyes blinked open as she woke up. She had no idea what time it was, but she suddenly acutely aware of Harry's arm around her shoulders and the feeling of his soft t-shirt on her cheek. She looked up at him sleeping, his head leaned back on the back of her sofa, mouth open slightly and softly snoring. She carefully pulled herself away from him and watched as he wrapped the arm he had around her around himself. They ended up finishing off the pizza, watching two movies, and apparently falling asleep before the third one was finished. Nichole hadn't planned on falling asleep cuddling with Harry, but if she was honest with herself, it was a nice feeling.

She leaned back on the sofa, just watching him sleep. His long curls fell across his face and she reached out to brush them away, her fingers running gently through his hair.

Harry's eyes opened slowly, his eyes focusing on Nichole so close to him, her fingers in his hair. She pulled her hand back quickly, her face turning red from being caught.

"I'm sorry...I was...didn't...sorry."

Harry grinned sleepily at her and reached over and took her hand in his.

"S'ok, Nichole...shhh." He brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them softly. Their joined hands dropped down between them as their fingers intertwined. They didn't say anything, just looked at each other and smiled. Nichole felt the charm of hummingbirds return. Harry felt that same feeling, but neither of them wanted to say anything and just enjoy the moment they were sharing in their little bubble. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Beautiful..."

Nichole sucked in a breath and quickly jumped up.

"Do you want breakfast? What time do you need to leave?" Harry smiled as he watched her move around her tiny kitchen, opening and closing cupboards.

"Breakfast would be lovely, Nichole...I have a couple hours before I have to leave. A car is coming for me." He stood up, stretching and grimacing from the aches sleeping sitting up on a sofa caused. "Mind if I use your shower?"

"No...of course."

When the bathroom door clicked shut she exhaled a breath she was holding.

"Hells Bells...what am I doing?" she muttered to no one in particular as she started to cook breakfast.

~*~*~*~

After sharing a pile of banana pancakes and a pot of coffee, Harry had to go. He had a long flight ahead of him to make it back in time for the next show. He'd had at least ten phone calls and loads of texts from his management, his mother, the guys, and Gemma, who apparently was the only one he told where he was going.

"See you in two months, yeah?" He asked as he picked up his bag. Nichole just smiled and nodded.

"Yeah...I'll meet you in Canada. Call me when you get back?"

"Of course."

Harry pulled her into another hug, holding her tight. He didn't know where they were going or what this was between them, but he didn't want to forget what she smelled like. Nichole felt the same way and hugged him back just as closely. He pressed a kiss to her temple, and then quickly walked out the door. He wanted to say so much, they both did, but the time wasn't right.

~*~*~*~

"Harry? I need your advice."

They were on another Facetime call, in the middle of the night. This time Harry was in the back of the tour bus and Nichole was running around her apartment, getting ready for a weekend away with girlfriends from college.

"Okay, what's up?" Harry smiled as he watched her reach into her closet and pull out two dresses.

"I usually ask Gemma about this...but, well she's not here and I'd have to hang up with you to call her and I don't want to do that, so which dress to you like the best?" She held up a one black, the other green. Not formal, but pretty.

"I can't decide which one to pack. What do you think?" He grinned at her,

"Well...uh...might be easier to decide if I see what they look like on you."

"You want me to try on dresses for you?"

"Well if you want my honest opinion...then yes, I do." He smirked and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Fine"

Nichole stepped out of view and started to change into the black dress. It was a tighter Body Con dress with long sleeves and a very low back, typical clubbing dress.

When Nichole stepped into view and slowly turned, Harry's eyes went wide and suddenly he was thankful he had on track pants and not his jeans.

"Well...wow, Nichole. That's...damn."

Nichole could feel her face turning pink. "Shut up."

Harry just laughed and said, "Right then, let's see the green one."

When Nichole stepped back into view he was speechless. The black was sexy but the green was just lovely. It was short, but not tight, cut out shoulders, laces across the chest that tied behind her neck and a ruffle around the collar. And the her hair...the dark red against the green...breath taking.

"Harry?"

"That one, Nichole. Definitely that one..."

Nichole nodded and slipped out of view to change again and Harry had to exhale a breath. She was so damn beautiful it fucking killed him. She came back into view, picking up phone so her face filled the screen as she fell across her bed.

"You look tired, Harry. You should try to sleep."

"I'm fine. You have a drive ahead of you tomorrow; maybe you should sleep, too?"

"I will as soon as I'm finished packing."

"So, I have something to ask you, Nichole."

"Oh? What's that?"

"That green dress...will you wear if I take you out when we get back to London?"

Nichole felt her charm of hummingbirds return. His face filled her screen, his smile was almost shy. She couldn't help but think of what it would be like to kiss that right dimple.

"Harry...are you asking me out? On a date?"

It was his turn to get embarrassed and turn pink. He just shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I am. Would you? Go on a date with me?"

The hummingbirds were about to burst out of her stomach by this point but she was able to nod, "Yes...I'd love to go on a date with you, Harry."

Notes

Another update! I'm on fire! LOL

This one was kinda long, but I hope you like it...let me know what you are thinking...

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