After 4

Chapter 42

"Okay I think its time that I go to work now." Tessa says.

"Oh c'mon you can't stay for five more minutes?" I say and unwillingly let go of her arm.

"Yeah definitely not." She says while putting her bra and shirt back on. 

"You don't wanna go for one more round?" I say grinning, clearing aware that I'm pushing the boundaries. 

"No because that last one we just did probably put me ten minutes behind schedule." She says and finishes slipping her jacket on. 

"Oh c'mon you can't say it wasn't good though right?" 

Even though Tessa's turned away from me, I can tell she's grinning. 

"Oh Tessa, don't try to hide that smile." I say and place two hands around her waist, trying to spin her around. 

She laughs and kisses my hand and releases herself from my grip once again, leaving a small part of me sad. 

"When will you be back?" I say.

"Probably around 7. After the meeting, I have another meeting. Then a group meeting, then some work to finish up. I also have to drop something off at this store. So yeah 7." 

"So you still want to go to the restaurant right?" I say.

"Only if you make the reservation." She says and kisses me one the forehead. 

"I'll text you the website of the place so that you can look it up and check out the menu, yeah?" 

Tessa immediately stops in her tracks. 

"No don't!"

"What? What's the big deal?" I say, confused and slightly alarmed at her sudden change in attitude. 

"I mean, don't because that phone was given to me as a work phone. My boss doesn't want any personal text messages on it." 

"Okay but weren't you texting on it before?" I say confused.

"Yeah but my boss just told everyone that it strictly needs to be used for work related stuff. Just email it to me okay?" She says and slips on her shoes.

"Okay......." I say, even more weirded out with those whole phone thing. 

"But Tess I need some way to communicate with you right? And emailing isn't really going to work."

"Harry please don't make a big deal out of this. I'm getting another phone soon, so you can just text me off that." 

Tessa starts walking towards the door and I don't know whether or not I should keep asking her about this. 

I decide against it cause I guess it's not that big of a deal. 

"Okay well I'm going to get going. This meeting is really important so at least I'll arrive ten minutes early. That will give me enough time to grab a cup of coffee and go over my notes at least twice before the meeting starts." 

Tessa checks the watch on her wrist once and steps outside the door. 

"Hey Tess?"

"Yeah?" She says and readjusts her jacket and hair.

"I... errhh.... well.... I..... I hope your meeting thing about work goes well." After the sentence leaves my mouth, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I hope Tessa's meeting goes terribly so that she will stay with me here in New York. It's selfish but I don't care. I don't want her to go anywhere else. 

She smiles, clearly oblivious of the fact that I'm lying. 

"Thanks Harry. Love you so much. You know your support on this means a lot even though I know it's hard for you." She says and gives me a hug. 

"Never said I support it." I said and grumble.

"Never said you didn't." She says and grins again.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes.

"Give me a kiss." 

Tessa leans in and I kiss her hard. Her lips taste good and I don't want to be the first one to break the kiss but she does it for me. 

"Bye Tessa see you soon." And with that, she swiftly leaves and takes the stairs down. I close the door and go back to the bedroom and plop myself back on the bed. 

The day goes by and I consume myself in some writing that I need to send to my editor. Around 4 I make the reservation for dinner at 7:30 and spend the next two hours writing some more editorials.

I email Tessa the reservation time and the website so she can look at the menu.

A little bit before 7 I take a shower and look in the mirror. I decide to shave a little because some stubble is showing up on my chin. I throw on some cologne and go in the closet.

I'm not in the particular mood at all to dress up and look like a fucking clown wearing one of those stupid ties but it will make Tessa happy. And I like seeing her happy. 

I put on a black shirt and one of those khaki trouser looking things that my mom got me back in London.

I'm sitting on the bed when I hear the rustle of keys in the door. 

 I check the time. It's 7:30. Which is the reservation, which means Tessa was late. Which never ever fucking happens, so I know something is wrong. 

I promptly get up from the bed and open the door. I see Tessa and her hand is still attached to the handle trying to get it to open.

"Hi." I say and embrace her fully in my arms. 

"Harry." She says and nustles herself in my chest.

"I missed you so much baby." I say and stroke her hair. She lifts her head up and her eyes are even more red than last time.

My expression widens

"Tessa your eyes... they are even worse than before. What the hell?"

"No Harry relax. It's just cold outside. My eyes teared up from the cold." She says and moves past me and peels of her jacket. 

"Okay you sure your fine?" I say and quickly follow after her and sit next to her.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'll go to the doctor's tomorrow promise." She says and wraps her arms around me.

"Tessa you know it's 7:30, we're late for the reservation."

She lifts her head up.

"I know Harry I'm sorry. Like I said I just got really caught up at work. I couldn't help it."

All of this is fucking strange as fuck. Tessa's phone thing, her potentially moving, her unexplainable random sickness, her red eyes, and her showing up late to something.

*End of chapter 42!! Smh, y'all already know the drill!! PLEASE LIKE/COMMENT/STAR. Also to address some of the comments, After 4 will be 100 chapters. Sorry I took so long to upload I'm in India like I said on vacation hahah. I know the chapter is short, I wasn't even going to upload at all but LOWKEY YOU GUYS KEEP HARASSING ME TO UPLOAD SO I GOTTA DELIVER TO MY AFTER BABIES. So I wanted to atleast put something out there for y'all to read. Next chapter will be longer. Promise. Love y'all. Also PS. who has been keeping up with the James Charles drama???