“Guys, just one more song, okay?” Maggie called over from the bar, as Madonna’s voice started to fade out. Harry had banished her and Niall from the open space in front of the jukebox after they’d started making out during the Macarena (a Niall pick). “Roby wants to go, he’s bringing the truck around.”
“All right,” Harry said. He thumbed his sweaty hair off his forehead, breathing heavily as they waited for the next song. Louis didn’t recognize it when it came through the speakers. There was a pretty violin melody and a strong female voice, singing about touching the earth. It definitely wasn’t typical dance music.
“Oh boy,” Harry muttered. He shifted uncomfortably, staring down at his boots.
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Niall hollered, his face lighting up. He grinned and lifted his beer. “This one’s for you, Louis! Dixie Chicks in honor of our esteemed notary republic!”
“What song is this?” Louis asked.
Harry laughed sheepishly, still fidgeting. “Uh,” he sighed, and shook his head, a small smile on his face. “It’s called Cowboy Take Me Away.”
“Oh,” Louis whispered, a thrill running down his spine at the implication. He and Harry locked eyes, and Louis was barely breathing as time stretched out between them.
“Yeah,” Harry let out, his chest rising and falling visibly under his sweat-dampened shirt.
He took a tentative step toward Louis, and Louis swallowed hard. His body was screaming out for Harry’s hands. He wanted to move into his touch, reach out and grab Harry himself so he could burrow right into his chest. But he was frozen in place. He wasn’t sure how this was happening, couldn’t really believe that it was.
Six hours ago, I thought he was straight. This is my boss’s son. My boss’s son. Billions and billions.
Harry had inched another step closer and was reaching out to touch him, and Louis wanted it so much it hurt. But he was also drunk, and nothing made sense, and the words came flying out his mouth before he could stop them. “You should sign the property transfer, Harry. Why won’t you?”
Harry went still and his face fell, hand dropping back to his side like a rock.
Louis closed his eyes. Fuck. He’d been blessed with this sort of timing his entire life.
“We should go,” Harry said, after a beat, his tone detached.
Fuck.
“I didn’t mean –” Louis tried, but he didn’t know how to explain, he barely even knew what was really going on. Everything was so jumbled up in his mind, and before he could say anything else, Harry was already walking back to where Maggie and Niall were standing with Roby by the bar, and the Dixie Chicks were singing about being set free. Louis sighed, and went to join them.