That Sunday, That Summer
Summary: Kelly's roommate Bianca talks her into participating in a celebrity charity scavenger hunt that Harry Styles surprisingly attends.
Warnings: None! This is pure fluff!
Word Count: 6.1k+
A/N: Inspired by the Nat King Cole song. Harry x OC, written in first person. Originally posted in 2020 (I was not writing reader fics then).
If I had to choose just one day...
I hadn't planned on going. Sundays were usually reserved for me time. And this particular week had been grueling; I needed the day to chill and unwind. Besides, the new novel I'd decided to pick up on my way home on Tuesday was calling my name.
But Bianca had insisted I join her.
"It's for a good cause," she whined that Saturday evening after dinner as I loaded the dishwasher. "You'd be helping people, and isn't that what you're all about?"
I chewed on the inner side of my cheek. My roommate knew my weaknesses and soft spots.
"I hear a few celebrities are even joining in," Bianca added, wiggling her eyebrows.
I chuckled. "Celebrities are interested in spending their Sunday going on a scavenger hunt?"
"If it's for charity, yeah. Besides, we have an odd number of people who've signed up. If the teams aren't even, it won't be fair!"
Turning to look at her, I put my hand on my hip. "And what if I show up and so does someone else, and it's still uneven?"
Bianca rolled her eyes and groaned. "Pleeease Kel! You'd be doing me a huge favor if you go!"
"Why's that exactly?" I questioned.
"Because...I sort of already signed you up."
So that Sunday morning in early June, I reluctantly got out of bed way before the time I normally would, and by nine a.m., I was standing in an empty parking lot next to Bianca as we waited for instructions. The sun was still behind a cluster of clouds, allowing for a mild morning, but I knew within a couple hours I would be sweating through my t-shirt.
"So...when do we get this show on the road?" I asked Bianca impatiently.
"I think we're still waiting...on some people..." she muttered, looking around at the group that had gathered before gesturing toward the tall woman wearing a headset and holding a tablet. "Then Marla will divide us into teams."
"Great," I sighed.
"C'mon girl, it's gonna be fun," Bianca smiled, looping her arm through mine.
Holding back a yawn, I watched as Marla turned suddenly, and a string of people exited the building behind her.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, recognizing the familiar faces.
"I told you!" Bianca giggled, squeezing my arm.
"Yeah but...I didn't think..."
It wasn't completely unheard of to come across a celebrity now and then. Not in Los Angeles. I'd seen a few since moving there. But they'd usually been out of reach, just a glimpse for a millisecond before I had time to digest who it was, and they were out of sight.
I caught the blush in Marla's cheeks as she turned toward the crowd again, and the line of famous faces took their places on either side of her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming!" she announced into her microphone. "For this very special event, for a worthy cause, we've had the overwhelming pleasure of recruiting these six very kind, and very generous people to join us. Please give a warm welcome to..."
My mind was in a fog. I heard Marla announce the names, each celebrity nodding and waving, but it sounded far away, like at the end of a tunnel in some celestial world in a dream. This couldn't be real.
But yet, here they were. Right in front of me. Swallowing hard, I finally made my own connections in my brain as to whom they were: a mix of actors, musicians and other personalities. But it was the man who stood on the far right that I was most in awe over. Dimples displayed on his cheeks as he smiled, dark stubble adorning his handsome face, curls all a mess around his head resembling a disheveled halo, he looked like an angel.
"Can you believe Harry fucking Styles is here?" I suddenly heard Bianca squeal in my ear, like the pop of a balloon.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I exhaled through my teeth.
"I actually didn't know for sure. There were rumors, but I didn't wanna get my hopes up."
The two of us listened to Marla as she explained how the game was played, and what the ultimate goal was. Though it was a competition, we had to remember it was for charity, and to have fun.
"We will now divide into six teams," she said before addressing the celebrities again. "If the team captains wouldn't mind calling out the names on your lists."
The first actor took the mic, calling out his team. Neither Bianca nor I were called. I felt her arm slip from mine as she took my hand instead, threading our fingers. Three more celebrities created their teams, leaving just two, with Bianca and I yet to have made a team.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," I muttered, trying to take in a deep breath.
"I feel ya girl," whispered Bianca. "But hey, even if we don't get Harry, it's okay, right?"
"Of course," I chuckled, though it was a feeble attempt.
When the woman standing next to Harry read off her list of names, and Bianca and I were not on it, I felt like I could pass out.
"Please tell me you had something to do with this, B!"
"I swear, I didn't!" she promised with wide eyes. "I helped with the scheduling and all, but I didn't have anything to do with the teams or the celebrities. I'm not that lucky."
"I guess that means the rest of you lot are mine," I heard Harry say with a giggle.
Bianca and I eyed each other, letting out giggles of our own. Calling out the final names, I heard Harry say ours, his sweet accent making mine sound better than I'd ever heard it spoken before.
In a momentary daze, I'd forgotten what to do next until I felt Bianca jabbing me in the side to get me to move. Following the other members of our team, we gathered near Harry as he began to greet everyone individually. Mentally shaking off some nerves, I psyched myself into believing he was just another person, like anyone else.
"Hi, I'm Kelly," I said when it was my turn, holding out my hand.
"Hello Kelly, I'm Harry."
I shouldn't have looked at his face then, because his eyes were blinding. Like magnets, they seemed to pull me in until I felt as though I was melting down a precipice of oozing syrup and honey. Nope, definitely not like anyone else. Help.
Whether I'd muttered the word aloud or not, I'll never know, but Bianca came to my rescue as she introduced herself as my friend as well as a member of the charity organization. Releasing my hand, Harry smiled and shook hers, declaring he was happy to meet us all and have us on his team. After Marla made her final announcements, Harry turned to his group, cutting the tension by making a joke and causing us all to laugh.
"Let's have fun, alright?" he suggested, lifting the papers in his hand and handing them out. "Looks like there's some pretty easy things on this list, others not so much. But we'll do our best."
"I already have something on this list," announced another woman on our team, reaching into her purse. Producing a Dum Dum, she beamed. "Lollipop!"
"Good job, Trisha," grinned Harry. "Hold onto that, and we can check that off our list."
Trisha's face went red as she dropped the candy back into her bag and drew an X on her paper. I smiled to myself, knowing that not only was she proud of her finding, but that Harry had remembered her name so quickly.
"Now, shall we venture out?" Harry asked, turning for the sidewalk.
With unanimous nods, the five of us followed Harry, stopping at the corner.
"Are we supposed to stay as a group?" asked one of the men, whose name I'd learned was Donte.
"I don't think we have to," replied Bianca.
"No, that's up to you," Harry turned to face us. "We just don't wanna double up on anything. That would be a waste of time. So if you wanna split, we'd have to divide up the list."
"I think we should stay together," I piped up. "At least...for now."
"Me too," added Trisha.
"Alright," Harry grinned, our eyes locking again. "Let's see how it goes together for the first hour or so. Then if we need to split up, we will."
Nodding, I bit my lip. I could tell Donte was not happy with my decision, but we'd only just started. I didn't want to risk being separated from Harry already. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me.
As we walked, we all chatted a bit, though it wasn't that easy with six people. The sixth man who made up our group I finally learned was Trisha's fiance, Brian. He was pretty quiet, and I assumed he'd only tagged along for Trisha's sake.
"So it looks like the only rules are that we can't purchase anything," I heard Harry say from the front of the line. "If we find anything we can't take with us, we can take a picture of it."
"Oh good, 'cause look!" I exclaimed, pointing to a chalkboard sign that stood outside of a restaurant. "Ice cream!"
Harry and the rest of the team looked at the sign, noticing the big multi-colored chalk drawing of an ice cream cone. Then turning his head back to me, his green eyes sparking, he smiled, making me melt once again.
"Good one," Harry nodded. "Very clever."
"Thanks!" I beamed, standing up straight with pride.
"Mind taking a picture of that, Kelly?" he asked me.
"Oh, sure," I fumbled with my crossbody bag, digging inside for my phone as the sound of my name from his pillowy lips made me weak in the knees. Finally, retrieving my cell, I snapped a couple of pics from different angles for good measure. As I zipped up my bag again, lifting my head, I saw Harry marking off his list, the rest of the team walking ahead. Looking up at me, his lips stretched into another winning smile.
"Hey guys," I suddenly heard Bianca call. "There's a boutique here. We could probably get one of the shopping bags."
"Oh yeah," I muttered, grabbing my list. We needed three different shopping bags.
"Come with me," she ordered, a slight smirk on her face.
Bianca quickly took me by the hand and led me inside the store, leaving Harry and the others outside.
"Go girl!" she cheered in a loud whisper.
"What?"
"He's into you!"
I rolled my eyes incredulously. "Oh, give me a break."
"I'm serious! After you found the chalkboard, he couldn't stop looking at you. He was still checking you out when I turned around just now."
"He was not checking me out," I scoffed.
"Whatever girl, be in denial." Traipsing off to the register, Bianca asked the cashier for a shopping bag. I pretended to be interested in a display of scarves until she reached the door and gestured for me.
When we stepped outside, however, the crowd seemed to have multiplied. Glancing around in confusion, I quickly learned why. Harry had been spotted. Watching the handful of people getting their photos taken with him, the rest of us waited by the curb.
"Is this gonna happen all day?" inquired Donte.
"He's famous, dude, what do you expect?" said Brian, surprising us all. "It was only a matter of time."
"Yeah, but our time is limited. And if we have to keep stopping..."
Harry strode up to us then, his tall frame casting a shadow on the sidewalk. "Sorry about that. I was trying to hurry it along. Sometimes they get a bit chatty."
"No worries," I smiled.
"I have an idea," Bianca offered. "I say we go ahead and try to mark off all the things on the list that we know we have to do as a group. Like all the group photos and stuff. We can probably get the other two shopping bags as well. Then we can split into pairs."
"Pairs?" I whispered, earning me a wink from her.
"Sounds good to me," Trisha shrugged.
"Me too," Donte echoed.
"I say we head across the street," Bianca pointed. "We can probably get the rest of the shopping bags, and maybe someone can take our picture with someone in uniform."
Waiting for the light to change, I saw the sun come out from behind the clouds for the first time that morning. I sighed, half wishing it would have stayed cool and overcast, but as we crossed the street, I caught Harry putting on his sunglasses, and I changed my mind.
We found the other shopping bags quickly, and as luck would have it, I spotted a woman in Army fatigues coming out of a coffee shop. She was taken aback when we asked her for a photo until we explained what we were doing. With a hesitant smile (and a hug from Harry), she agreed, so we all lined up on either side of her and asked a passerby to take our group picture (who also got one with Harry).
Within the rest of the hour, we were able to find a fast food menu, a napkin from a restaurant, a sale flyer, a photo of someone getting into an Uber, and a picture of a capital V.
"Um...how are we supposed to take a picture of everyone in one bathroom stall?" Trisha asked timidly.
Harry's laugh rang out like a songbird, and had I not been watching where I was going, I might've run into a parking meter. Removing his sunglasses, Harry's green eyes sparkled like diamonds in the sunshine, and the corners crinkled as he chuckled with glee.
"I actually have an idea for that," he began, pointing further down the block. "There's a restaurant down that way that makes amazing tacos. I happen to know the owner, and I also happen to know the men's toilet is very clean and has two stalls. I suggest we break for lunch - my treat, of course - and take our selfie while we're there."
I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my face, not just from his generosity and cleverness, but the adorable way he pronounced "tacos".
"Aw man, I know that place," said Donte. "And you're right, they got some bad ass tacos."
"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Bianca. "I'm starved!"
Making a beeline for the crosswalk, Bianca and Donte led the group, followed by Trisha and Brian, leaving Harry and me to bring up the rear.
"Having fun so far, Kelly?" Harry inquired as we walked side by side. His close proximity sent electricity to my skin, and I found myself rubbing my right arm, though I was far from cold.
"Very much," I nodded, once again trying to psych myself out. So what if he'd smiled at me? He smiles at everybody. And he's...got a great smile...for heaven's sake! "This is very nice of you."
"Oh, it's my pleasure. I was beginning to think Donte didn't like me very much."
With a giggle, I looked up at him, noticing he'd placed his shades on his head, serving as a headband for his curls.
"I was thinking he wasn't too fond of any of us, to be honest," I commented. "But he seems to have mellowed in the last hour."
"Oh, so you didn't know him already?"
I shook my head. "No. Only Bianca. She's my roommate."
"I see," remarked Harry. "I was under the impression she was with him."
"Who, Donte?" I laughed. "No, they'd never met either."
Tilting his head, Harry seemed to study the pair far ahead of us, then looked back at me. "They seem to be getting along pretty well now."
Watching my friend, I noticed the way she was chatting with Donte, laughing at something he'd said before touching his bicep. If I knew Bianca - and I was sure I did - that was a signature flirting move.
"Yes, they certainly do," I agreed.
Just then, I heard the faint sounds of sneakers pounding on the concrete before I turned to see two young girls running toward us, their chests heaving.
"Oh my God, it's him, it's really him!" one of them screamed.
"Harry, look out!" I warned, afraid they were going to come right at him and knock him over.
"It's alright, love," I heard him say softly before he turned around, his hands out like he was ready to catch someone if need be. "Slow down, please."
"Oh my God, I'm sorry!" the first poor girl choked, already in tears.
"It's really you!" breathed the other one.
"It's me," Harry chuckled low, his kindness turned up a notch. "Hello. How are you?"
"Great, we love you so much!"
"So much! Your album is the best!"
"Thank you, I love you too. Please catch your breath," said Harry. "I don't want anyone to pass out."
"Sorry!" the first girl squeaked, still trying to get her bearings.
"Don't apologize. What's your name?"
"Alicia."
"Chloe," added girl number two.
"Alicia and Chloe, it's lovely to meet you both," Harry said sincerely. "Now, I have something important I'm working on, and I have to get going. Did you want a picture?"
"Please!"
"Yes, please. If you don't mind." Chloe clutched her sparkly phone case in her hand as I stepped up to her.
"I'll take it for you," I offered, holding out my hand. "So you can both be in it."
"Oh, thank you so much!"
With a nod, I took her phone as the three lined up for the photo, Harry putting his arms around each of the girls. Snapping several shots in a row so Chloe had a few to choose from, I then zoomed in a bit and took a few more.
"Here you go," I smiled, giving Chloe her phone back.
"That's so nice of you, thank you!" she said again.
"Of course, no problem," I declared just as I looked down and spotted the girl's shoes. "Harry, look!"
"Ah, you've done it, again!" cheered Harry, nudging my arm.
Alicia and Chloe both looked at us perplexed as I asked, "Mind if I take a picture of your shoes? I'm playing a game, and I need something with a zebra print."
"Um...sure?" Chloe replied hesitantly.
After snapping the photo, we thanked the girls who then thanked Harry again before waving goodbye. Resuming our trek up the sidewalk, Harry spoke.
"That was very nice of you, by the way."
"Oh, it was nothing. Those girls are just like me. I'm a fan too."
"Of mine?" Harry raised a brow.
"Oh heck no, Bradley Cooper!" I chaffed, side-eyeing him to see his reaction before letting out a snicker.
Despite the shake of his head, Harry's dimples were on full display as he laughed at my jab.
"You're funny," he remarked.
I threw my head back, calling out to the sky. "Oh thank God, someone thinks I'm funny! I'm the only person who laughs at my jokes."
With another chuckle, Harry placed his hand on the small of my back. "C'mon, Funny Girl, let's go. The rest of the team is probably already at the restaurant."
While I didn't consider myself a comedian, or even particularly funny, the fact that I'd gotten Harry Styles to laugh was the highlight of my day - perhaps of my life. And though his hand slipped from my waist as quickly as he'd touched it, the tiny gesture was tender and left a feeling of warmth on my skin, even through my t-shirt.
When we reached the restaurant, Harry held the door for me, and just as suspected, the group was already gathered at a table, munching on chips and salsa.
"Where were you slow pokes?" Bianca asked with an unspoken accusation.
Rolling my eyes, I explained about the fans just as Harry arrived at the table with a plump latino man in an apron.
"This is Frederico," he announced in a semi-believable Spanish accent, patting the man on the back. "He makes the best tacos in all of California. And he says we're welcome to as many as we like."
Frederico laughed and nodded in agreement, handing out menus to the table.
"A friend of Harry's is a friend of mine," he declared, making us all cheer.
Our team of six devoured more than two dozen tacos while we shared good conversation. Everyone was glad to hear any story Harry had to share, but he was good at shifting the topic to someone else, wanting to learn more about each of us. Just within that half hour or so, I decided I liked him. Not that I hadn't liked him before. I was a fan after all, despite my joke earlier. But now I was getting to know him a little bit personally, and the vibes he gave off were very pleasant and right up my alley.
"So after this, we break off into pairs, right?" asked Donte.
I took notice of the look he gave Bianca. I almost smirked until Harry's voice answered his query.
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. That is...if Kelly doesn't mind being my partner."
My eyes wide, I bit my lip as I felt Bianca kick me under the table. Facing Harry, I thought I might melt down my chair like the queso we'd been eating. Though his expression looked nonchalant, not even a twitch of a smile on his lips as he rested his chin in his hand, his eyes seemed to dance with joviality underneath the fluorescent lights.
"Um...sure," I said casually, reaching for my soda. "I don't mind."
I caught a glimpse of his left dimple, pushed back by the tiniest of smirks just before he lifted his glass to his lips. I wondered to myself how long I could possibly continue to stare at him if no one else was at the table. But alas, we were not alone, and I could already feel the blood rushing to my neck as Brian reminded us we still needed to take that group selfie.
Rising from the table, I dropped my paper napkin onto my plate as I watched everyone else walk single file to the restrooms. Suddenly recalling my phobia of confined spaces, I worried I might not be able to include myself in the group photo. Wringing my hands, I grasped at the extra stack of napkins, already feeling myself sweating.
"You coming, Kelly?" I heard a voice ask.
I knew it was Harry's, but I didn't look up at him just yet. Instead, I merely nodded as I dropped the wad of napkins onto the table, slowly making my way around it. Inhaling slowly, I blinked and exhaled in the same fashion.
"Hey. You alright, love?"
"Huh?" This time I lifted my head, Harry's calm face coming into view as I tried to focus. His arm was reaching out for me as I hoped to God the tacos I'd just eaten weren't planning an unfortunate encore.
"Yeah, I'm...fine," I gulped. "I'm just...oh God, how embarrassing..."
"What's wrong, Kelly, are you sick?"
Shaking my head, I wiped at my brow. "No. Just...claustrophobic."
"Shit. We probably shouldn't do this then."
"No, I'll be fine," I argued. "I can do it. For the team."
Harry chuckled as he rubbed my arm. "It's just a game, love. It's one photo. We don't have to take it."
"Come on, guys!" Donte called from the men's room, holding the door open. "The stall is huge! We can definitely all fit in here."
Though Donte's affirmation was reassuring, it was Harry's hand that caressed my forearm from my elbow to my wrist that had the most calming effect. Taking another deep breath as I watched his ringed fingers travel up and down my skin, I nodded.
"Yes, we do have to do this," I told Harry. "I can't let down my team."
Beaming at me like a child at Christmas, Harry pulled me close, squeezing my body against his in a one-armed hug as he placed a sweet kiss on the top of my head.
"Such a trooper, you are," he murmured. "I've got you if anything happens. Stand in front of me, okay?"
Releasing myself from his hold, I gazed up at him and nodded with a smile. Then following Donte into the bathroom, I giggled when I saw the rest of the group already inside the stall. Taking a gander at its size, I felt dumb or ever being nervous. Still, I did as Harry had said, and stood in front of him, facing the stall door. Then because he was the tallest, only by an inch maybe, Brian was the one who lifted his phone and snapped the selfie, all of us looking up and giving our cheesiest grins.
Nobody needed to know, not even Bianca, though she was my friend, and it was probably undetectable in the photo anyway, but Harry had looped his arm around my waist right before Brian snapped the picture. He'd held it there as he'd lifted his other hand to make a peace sign, and continued to keep it there long after he'd dropped that other hand to push my hair from my neck to whisper in my ear, his breath tickling my flesh and sending my heart into orbit.
"You okay?" he asked, his lips practically kissing the back of my ear.
"Yeah," I whispered back.
Oh, yeah. I was more than okay.
"You mentioned you work at a law firm?" Harry inquired after we'd split into pairs and divided up the remainder of the list.
We were walking in a more residential area, and I was hopeful we might be able to find a few domestic items as well as plants or flowers.
"Yeah," I replied, "I'm a paralegal at a medical malpractice firm."
"And you enjoy it?"
I shrugged. "Can't complain. I never really set out to do it or anything, like it wasn't my life's goal. But I started as a receptionist and eventually took some courses and...it's a good job."
"How long have you been there?"
"Seven years." Stopping in my tracks, I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear as I gazed straight ahead. "Jeez, has it been that long?"
Harry chuckled, as I shrugged.
"Anyway," I continued, my feet taking me ahead as well, "like I said, it's a good job. I like the idea of helping people, so it's much better than say, working for a criminal lawyer or something. I'm not sure I could do it knowing the defendant is guilty of a crime."
"But if they weren't, you'd still be helping them," Harry commented.
"I suppose so," I tilted my head. "Some of these families though...they lost loved ones; they're grieving. We're able to give them just a little bit of peace...and that makes me happy."
"You're a good soul, Kelly."
Looking up at him, I smiled. "Thanks. So are you. That's why we're here, right? Or at least you are. I'll admit, Bianca dragged me here. But she knows my weakness."
"Scavenger hunts?" Harry snorted.
"No, silly," I cackled, unable to stop myself from lightly slapping his arm. He didn't seem to mind as his infectious smile remained on his gorgeous face. "Helping people."
"Ohhh, right," he giggled, lifting his finger to scratch his nose. That was when I noticed the adorable way the tip of his nose wiggled when he tried to talk through his laugh. I found myself itching with the desire to kiss it.
"And here I thought maybe you were here because of me," he remarked.
"You? I didn't even know you were coming," I confessed. "That was just...a pleasant surprise."
I caught a miniscule of a blush on his cheeks before he looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, I mean...I'm no Bradley Cooper, but..."
Throwing my head back, I laughed heartily. "Oh my God, you're a dork!"
"Heyyyy."
Before I could rebuttal, something caught my eye to the left, so I wandered to a nearby gate where it looked as though the home owners had a garden. When I stepped closer, I saw them, my breath catching.
"Look, Harry!"
I felt his body standing behind mine as his hands wound around the iron bars of the gate. We stared in silence for a few moments, watching the bed of daffodils sway in the breeze.
"Wow, you're good," I finally heard him say.
"Thanks. They're my favorite..." I turned to face him, suddenly realizing how close he was, "...flower."
I could barely see the irises of his green eyes as he looked down at me, his focus on my mouth. I knew it was, because mine was on his. His body was pressed to the front of mine, my back against the gate. If I'd even dared to move, I wouldn't have been able to. His fists remained on either side of me, holding onto the gate as he seemed to lean closer, or perhaps it was wishful thinking. I wondered if he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to, and yet a voice seemed to sing inside my head, telling me to go on and kiss him. Suddenly, his eyelids blinked and his gaze traveled up my face to look me in the eye.
"Um..." he swallowed, "let's...take a picture...of the flowers, I mean."
Releasing his grip on the bars, he stepped back from me. I'd never felt such a cold chill as I cleared my throat and reached for my phone in my bag.
Harry and I continued on our quest after I took the photo, and though we still made small talk, it felt awkward. Or maybe it was just me.
After taking a photo of a lovely lavender wreath on someone's door, I decided to say something that had been on my mind since before the daffodils.
"Harry," I said, in front of the neighbor's hedgerow.
"Yes?" Turning to look at me, he noticed I had stopped. Then walking closer, his mouth turned down with a look of concern on his face. "Something wrong?"
"I just want you to know," I declared sincerely, "that I think you're way better than Bradley Cooper."
His beautiful eyes squinted a mere second before the gorgeous smile grew on his lips. His laugh was delicate, a mix of a chuckle and a giggle, more like a titter...a teehee? A sniggle? Is that even a word? Whatever it was, I adored it, and I was glad I'd caused it.
I dared to step closer to him just as he held a hand out and grabbed mine, pulling me to him.
"You're great, you know that?" he said to me, not really waiting for a response, though I gave one anyway.
"I am?"
With a nod, he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand before tucking my hair behind my ear.
"I'm really glad you came, Kelly," he conceded.
"Me too." And there went the melting all over again, the oozing of his words like maple syrup running down to my toes.
Harry held my hand for the rest of the afternoon, at least until we got back on a main road, where no doubt he could be spotted again. We'd managed to check off several more things from our list, leaving only a couple before calling it a day.
Meeting the rest of the team again at the restaurant, we headed back to the parking lot with our complete list. Donte and Bianca had had a lucky streak, finding all of their items. Brian and Trisha had only missed one.
Trudging as a team to our final destination, I felt fatigued, much like I did after leaving a concert at the end of the evening. I felt a bit melancholy for the ending, but still exhilarated from the experience. And my declaration to Harry hadn't been a lie. I was definitely glad I'd come. Just sad that it was over.
Even more sad that I might not ever see him again.
Turning our lists into Marla, she smiled and thanked us all for coming. Unfortunately, another team had won, managing to check off every single item and leaving an hour earlier. Though a bit of a disappointment, we knew what really mattered.
"Kelly," I heard in a raspy voice behind me as Bianca and I said goodbye to Trish and Brian, wishing them luck on their wedding.
Harry's eyes seemed to glow in the twilight as I turned to face him. Wordlessly, he took my hand, pulling me to the side and around a dimming streetlamp. I had a feeling he wanted to say our goodbyes in private.
"Harry, I had the best time with you today," I blurted first.
"I was gonna say that," he pouted.
"Sorry. I just..."
"Just what?" he asked, holding both of my hands.
"I just didn't wanna hear a but afterwards," I admitted.
"Who says there's a but?"
I stared at him, still waiting for the word, but it never came. I searched his eyes, as much as I could manage in the darkness. But all I saw was sincerity, like he was thinking the same thing I was. Lifting his right hand, he grazed my cheek just like he had before.
Go on, kiss him...go on and kiss him...
The seconds seemed to simultaneously freeze and speed up as I watched him lean closer, his other hand slipping under my jaw. His skin was warm against mine, the cool of his rings adding a tiny chill, enough to make me hum as I closed my eyes, just before our lips met.
Even though just moments ago various things had been going through my mind such as how my t-shirt and shorts were clinging to me and I needed a shower, or how I wondered how much money the charity had raised, or how I wondered if Bianca really was into Donte...none of that was remotely relevant as Harry's pillowy lips caressed mine, fitting with them like perfect puzzle pieces. Nothing else mattered as his hand slipped behind my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair while his mouth opened slightly to invite my tongue. And no other single notion in the world could have even compared to the way his chest rose and fell beneath my hand while my other one found the curls at the base of his neck as he groaned hungrily against my kiss.
"Mmm," I sounded when our mouths threatened to separate, still teasing the other.
"Kelly..." Harry breathed against my lips.
"Yes?"
Standing straight, he looked into my eyes. "Would you like to go out sometime?"
I blinked rapidly, knowing I'd heard him right, but still incredulous. "Like...a date?"
"Yeah," he nodded, his voice an octave lower. "I really like you and...I'd like to see you again. Spend more time with you, get to know you. Would you like that?"
"More than anything in the world."
The smile I knew to be his but that had come to be just for me that day tickled his lips.
"How's...Friday? Or wait, Saturday..." Harry reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. "I'm so sorry, love, this is so formal. But I have to check my schedule."
"No worries," I giggled.
"Ah, seems I have Friday and Saturday free. Which is better for you?"
"Friday," I answered hastily. "It's sooner."
His handsome face beamed at me as he clipped my chin with his finger and placed another quick kiss on my lips. "It is indeed."
We exchanged numbers, agreeing to text later to work out the details. I giggled when I noticed he put a taco emoji next to my name in his contacts.
"I look forward to it," he grinned before giving me one last kiss, this one soft, slow and sweet. "Goodnight, Kelly. I had a wonderful day."
"Me too. Goodnight, Harry."
I watched him walk toward the building where Marla still stood, stopping once to turn and wave. I blew him a kiss, perhaps a bit cheesy, but I didn't care. I figured he was into cheese. He gave me his dimpled smile before blowing one back, then disappeared inside the office building.
"Well, look at you, Miss I-Didn't-Wanna-Come!"
I scoffed playfully at my roommate as she walked towards me.
"It's amazing what one little Sunday can do, huh?" Bianca added.
Looping my arm through hers, I walked with her to her car.
"Thanks for signing me up, B," I said with a bounce in my step, despite my fatigue. "It wasn't so bad after all."
Darling, it would be when you smiled at me...that way...that Sunday, that summer...
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