On Friday, Harry had a daytime date with Victoria and Brittany. And his last one-on-one in the evening would be a mystery date since everyone had already had a chance to go on a date with him this week.

Lucy, Ariana and I decided to spend our morning practicing our surfing skills. Lucy seemed quite pleased that Kai was at the surf shack, and he seemed pretty delighted himself. The two of them took off together before we could even say, "Aloha!" 

Ariana and I worked together with Makaio since we wanted to stick together. My muscles were still complaining slightly, but once I got into it, I think I did fairly well. Both Ariana and I had a lot of success, staying upright for most of the time on several runs.

The rest of the day, we just lounged around the pool, allowing the cabana boys to tend to our needs. Going back to reality after this was over was really going to suck.

I decided I wanted to talk to Ariana about Harry, and about our friendship, but I had no idea how to begin. So I just blurted out the obvious. "It's hard for me to see you with Harry. I mean, it was fun when it was just the two of us, snorkeling with him at the beginning of the week. But when I see just the two of you together, it hurts. I saw him kissing you that day. I hate that it's so confusing, and I hate that he's going to come between us because I really like you and I want us to stay friends, and....oh, sorry. I'm getting kind of carried away. Umm, any thoughts?" I said, laughing nervously.

She laughed sweetly and said, "If it helps at all, I feel the same as everything you just told me."

"Well, good...I think." We both laughed, not quite knowing how to muddle through this. "My point is, if Harry chooses you, I will be jealous. There's no way around that. But it won't be the I hate you kind of jealous. Just jealous that you're getting such an amazing. I know we both love him, but deep down, I want him to be happy. I mean, sure I'd be excited if he chose me, but if he loved you more, I would hate to be the reason that he was never completely happy. Ugh, am I making any sense?" 

"Yes, yes you are," she said. "That's a very mature way to think about. I feel the same way, at the heart of it all. I want him to love me. But I want him to be happy."

"Do you think we can still be friends if he chooses one of us?" I asked. "Oh, I know! We can be sister wives!"

Ariana looked me, not understanding. 

"Like we both marry him. You know, polygamy. And I'm totally not serious," I laughed. 

She laughed then, saying, "No! No offense, but that would be gross." 

"I love Harry," I told her. "But I love you, too. I don't have many close friends, and I feel like we've got a good connection. I don't want to lose that after this is over."

She leaned over to my lounger and hugged me. "I don't want us to lose this, either. Let's agree to be friends and be happy for the other if it's one of us."

"Okay," I said, nodding. "I can't promise I'll be able to fly to Italy for coffee on a regular basis," I laughed. "But we'll keep in touch." Or if she married Harry, maybe they would live in the same state as me, so I tried to convince myself that would be an upside to all of this, even if my heart got broken. 

* * *

When I returned to my suite, there was a date card on my bed and I let a little squeal escape from my throat. I opened it and read, "Oh, I would carry you over fire and water for your love. See you soon, Love, Harry xo"

The knock on the door startled me. I rushed to see who was there; the last person I expected to see was Harry.

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly, pulling him inside. "It's not time for our date yet, is it?"

"No," he grinned mischievously. "But I wanted to sneak you away before the real date starts. Hurry up and get your swimsuit on."

I complied without questions and quietly followed Harry through a back stairwell and out through a hidden entrance to the hotel. He jogged away from the hotel, pulling me by the hand until we were a good way down the beach. Then he picked me up, one arm around my back and the other under my knees, and he walked straight into the water.

"Harry," I giggled. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to swim with you. Just you. No cameras, no producers. That's all." He set me down when we were about waist deep.

"Oh, if that's all, then cool. Let's swim." I took off in a strong freestyle, heading away from the shore and I could feel Harry keeping up with me.

When I stopped, he slipped his fingers around my arm and laughed, "Running away from me?"

"Maybe playing hard to get," I shot back. I stole a kiss and started swimming back towards shore.

This time, he tugged at my ankle and pulled me back to him. He caught me by the waist and laced both arms around me, looking down at me, breathing hard. With no more words, he kissed me, tenderly at first, and then more forcefully. On a whim, I jumped up and he caught me under the bum as I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our embrace became heated, making me wish we could just swim away from this place and be together for good.

Harry eventually sunk his face into my neck, tenderly leaving small kisses. Any more than that would give us away.

"We should get back," he said and my heart fell. But then I remembered I had the whole evening with him. However, it would be on camera, so I felt our last bit of freedom fleeing. We got to the beach and dried off, but I sat down and pulled him with me. "Sit with me for just a minute," I pleaded.

He plopped next to me and I wrapped my arms around his waist; in turn his arm looped over my shoulder, squeezing me to himself. I just wanted to hold him, skin to skin, touching each other. No words were necessary. Gradually, I laid back in the sand and took him with me. He rolled over and nuzzled into my neck. God, it felt so good to just be with him like that.

"I don't want to get hurt, Harry," I murmured.

"I know," he whispered back. "And I don't want to hurt you. I will try my best not to. I just have one more thing to figure out. I promise. Just be patient with me."

"Okay," I whispered, kissing his wet locks.

It was just Harry and me on his private jet as we headed out for our date. Well, of course, Terrence was there, recording our every move. I decided not to be self-conscious and to be as affectionate as I wanted to with Harry. Before we even took off, I settled into his side and draped my arm across his torso. He kissed the top of my head and we just stayed snuggled like that until we landed on the Big Island of Hawaii.

"What are we doing?" I asked excitedly. "They said no swimsuit this time."

"Yeah, we're just going to go skinny-dipping," Harry said casually.

What a stinker! "No, we're not," I laughed.

"Only in my dreams," he smiled.

I rolled my eyes as he took my hand and led me off the plane. This time, a helicopter was waiting for us. I looked at him excitedly, but he remained tight-lipped. Why did everything have to be a damn surprise!?

"Ever been in a helicopter before?" He asked as we got buckled in.

"Nope. First timer."

"Well, I guess I'll have to hold you in case you get scared," he said, kissing my cheek and putting his arm around me.

The helicopter took off and as we gained altitude, I could see luscious green all around us. I couldn't wait to find out what treasures the Big Island had in store. The pilot veered north and we flew low over dense tropical forests. He pointed out significant places of interest, but nothing grabbed me quite like descending into the Waimanu Valley, where we were engulfed in just about every shade of green I'd ever seen. There were three towering waterfalls, the highest of which fell 2600 feet to the jungle floor. We were also able to experience Akaka Falls and Hiilawe Falls, up close and personal. It felt almost invasive to be in such close proximity to places where human beings rarely trod. I had no words, only gasps of awe. Harry and I sat close as we peered out one side of the helicopter or the other.

The pilot began to fly south and I thought our tour was over. Harry and I just snuggled close, exchanging kisses and sweet nothings. I was surprised when the pilot announced that we were only halfway through the tour. Soon the earth turned black, and fiery spurts came into view.

"Volcanoes," I said reverently. "I've always wanted to see a volcano."

"This Hawaii Volcanoes National Park," the pilot informed us. "Right now, we're flying over Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. And yes, she's a little feisty today." We circled a few times, watching her spurt and hiccup glowing red sparks and lava into the air. It was mesmerizing, especially with the contrast against the darkening night sky. Then we flew towards the coast where burning rivers of lava leaked slowly into the sea, causing more splatters and spurts as well as a lot of steam. I could practically hear the hissing sound as the intense heat collided with the ocean. 

"This is the most fascinating thing I've ever seen," I whispered, loud enough for Harry to hear over the roar of the copter.

He kissed my ear and agreed, "It's pretty spectacular."

We circled around the park a few times, looking at different lava flows and enjoying the time snuggled close together. When the pilot finally told us we were heading back, we had been out for a good two hours.

Back in the car, I leaned against Harry again. "I've done so many insanely cool things with you. You're spoiling me for real life."

"Well, I'd love to take credit for all these ideas, but I had a lot of help. And who says I'm spoiling you? Maybe real life with me would be like this," he said smugly.

"Um, yeah, who was it who told me, on more than one occasion, that he would like to be considered a normal guy?"

"Who says regular guys can't take their girls to Hawaii?" He bantered.

"Yes, well, there's still the question about whether I'll be the one with you in the end, and since I don't want to discuss that just now, where are we going next?"

"Oh, you're so nosy," Harry teased. "Fine, we're going to have dinner."

"Thanks for the helpful answer," I mocked.

When the helicopter landed, I was quite certain we weren't in the same place where we started. The pilot answered my silent question. "This is Kona, on the west side of the island, all the way across from where you started."

"So, how will we get back to our plane?" I wondered.

"It's right there," he said, pointing to our private jet waiting in the distance. I could truly get used to the lifestyles of the rich and famous, having everything I wanted at my disposal, whenever I wanted it.

Harry and I had a very romantic dinner on the beach where we were able to enjoy the sunset and the calming sound of the surf washing over the sand. We started with drinks and Harry said, "I think we should talk about some serious things."

"Like...?"

"Like, do you want children?" He asked with a smile which informed me that he definitely wanted kids.

"I think so," I answered. "I was an only child, and you know that my mom left when I was ten. So I'm not sure I'd exactly know how to be a mom, but I'm guessing most people don't really know until they become one, and then you just figure it out the best you can." 

"I know for sure that I want kids," Harry said. "Two or three, maybe. I don't know, I just really love children. But I also understand that, with my career, there has to be a lot of compromise because raising children is hard work, and I want my to be around for them, you know?" 

A grateful smile crossed my face as I thought of my father.

"What's on your mind?"

"Just thinking how incredible my dad is. He fit both roles so well," I said, my voice thick with admiration.

"He rose to the challenge and did the best with what he had. It sounds like he did a tremendous job. Wait, no, I know he did a tremendous job because you're an amazing woman."

I blushed, actually blushed, when Harry said that. "Thank you."

"Isn't that all we can ever do?" Harry asked, taking a large drink of his wine. "Do the best with what we've been given?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I shrugged, thinking that made a lot of sense. "I guess none of us ever really knows what kinds of challenges life will hand us. What about you? You already have this smashing success in your life? Do you ever think you'll fight to find meaning in your life?"

"I'm not quite sure what you're asking," he said.

"You have probably already exceeded your wildest dreams, in terms of your music career, right?" He nodded emphatically. "So what's left to strive for? I think a lot of us think we only have purpose if we're working to attain something. But what if you're already there? Do you just coast through the rest of your life?"

He pinched his bottom lip between his fingers while he pondered the question. "I don't think so," he finally answered. "I hope not, at least. I mean, yes, I've already achieved something many musicians only dream about. But going back to raising a family, I imagine there's something rewarding about raising kids into good, compassionate, caring adults that's satisfying. But is that the only goal? Do you then think, when my daughter becomes a doctor, my dreams will be fulfilled. Or when my son gets married and has three kids. A lot of it is how you quantify it, I think."

"So how do you quantify success?" I asked. "I mean, I would love to run my own ad agency. Would that be enough? Or would I then want something more? I hate to think that I only want tangible things out of life. I know I don't, but it's hard to figure out what I really do want, you know? I mean, I want to be happy, but what does that mean?"

"What makes me happy is knowing that what I'm doing makes a difference in people's lives," Harry said. "I hope I'm always able to do that in some capacity."

"What kind of difference do I make in people's lives, creating ads for electronics or clothing? I love my job, but I can't say it's making an impact on others."

"Who you are makes an impact on others," Harry replied. "The way you treat your boss or a potential customer, or especially the way you treat those working for you. Those things can make a huge difference to people. Do they come to work a little happier because you always give them a bright smile? It doesn't always have to be directly related to the work you do, but how you treat people. I mean, look at us, One Direction. Does everyone enjoy our music? Of course not. Many people do. Some people think we're good role models. Some people might be inspired by our examples of perseverance and success. People are inspired by different things, and they find happiness in different things." 

"Yeah, I get what you're saying. So how do you think you'd handle it if you couldn't make music anymore? What if this, the biggest thing in your life, just went away. Couldn't sing, couldn't produce, or whatever? It's what you love, but could you live without it?"

"That's a deep question," Harry chuckled. "But honestly, I've thought about it. I'm sure it would hit me hard. But I'd like to think I'd bounce back and find purpose in other things. I've always been an optimist, and that helps a lot. But yeah, I'm sure I'd grieve the loss of something I love, especially something so big."

"Okay, another question, not so deep this time," I said. "What are you like when you're angry? Do you just hold it in and sulk? Do you explode and scream at people? Personally, I like to bust my butt in a workout and go running or something, before I confront anyone. Then I'm not spewing venom, but actually trying to work through the issue with a clear head." 

"I throw things," Harry said, chuckling at himself. "When I'm really upset, I'll throw things across the room. I've never hit anyone," he said, holding his hands up to prove his innocence. "But I think that's my way of doing something physical. Then I usually get some distance - walk away or go for a drive until I cool off. How do you resolve conflict?" He turned and asked me the next logical question.

"Well, like I said, I always have to cool off first, too. I think that's probably wise in most situations. But I like to be up front about things. I don't play emotional games or try to win pity. I don't give people the silent treatment. I'd rather talk things through like adults instead of sulking or not talking to someone for days."

Harry nodded, absorbing what I was saying. We finished our dinner rather quietly. Harry's final question was, "Can you see yourself being with me?" The immediate answer in my mind was Hell yes! But he continued, "I mean, I've been asking you to see me as Harry, the ordinary guy. But can you see yourself with me, with what I do for a living? You haven't experienced the grueling hours of touring, or being mobbed by fans or papparazzi, or going for weeks without seeing each other. Those things can be really tough, and there's no way to prepare you for them."

"Hmmm," I said, pondering the question. I slid my hand over his and said, "I know for sure that I can see myself being with you, Harry the very extraordinary man, because you're funny, sweet, thoughtful, silly and compassionate. You really are very extraordinary in all those things, and you have such a good heart, Harry," I insisted. "There aren't many men who have all those qualities, so I can't say you're ordinary at all." He looked down, blushing at bit at my compliments. "As far as dealing with the craziness that comes with your career, I don't know. I'm sure I'll be blindsided once in a while. I'm sure I'll hate the distance if I can't travel with you. But hopefully we would both learn how to make it work because I'd put up with every bit of it just to be with you."

He swallowed hard, looking as if my words had hit him deeply. "Thank you," he said in a hoarse whisper. He leaned in to kiss my temple first. He stayed close and moved to my lips, bestowing a much more sensual kiss.

"It's true," I said quietly. "And maybe I'll have to learn jujutsu so I can fight off aggressive papps."

Harry laughed loudly at that, which in turn made me smile. I loved hearing his laugh, his voice, his everything.

I loved him.

_____

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