evergreen ↠ harry styles ✓

+3

Brilliant.

The golden lights in the restaurant felt nostalgic and it put River at ease. Tall columns supported the entry way to her left, plants in the corner fanning wide and thick. Soft patter of rain sounded from above her, hitting the glass roof in a rapid rhythm that not even the gentle music could block out.

The diamonds on her fingers reflected the glint of the chandelier above them, drove attention to the family signet ring on her left pointer. "What are we having, then?"

"The usual," Alden replied to which she only hummed in response. That didn't mean she couldn't take a look, right?

"What's the usual?" Harry asked. River glanced up from her menu at the sound of the question. Since she sat down, she made sure to never avert her gaze across the table. A few words from his mouth were enough to change that.

While Alden began to list off the things that were on the five-course meal, River subtly looked over the man before her. Perhaps shock settled in the pit of her stomach as an initial reaction. For she expected something else, the navy suit and white shirt Harry wore surprised her. The clean-shaven face allowed for his features to seem more boyish than he appeared at the Hamilton Clubhouse. Some sort of hair product tamed those soft curls she remembered from earlier today, a middle parting added.

Why did River expect him to stand out? A preconceived notion, her inner thoughts explained. And maybe that was correct. Maybe she did make a judgement call, one that didn't favour Harry at all.

Uncertain on how this made her feel, River cleared her throat and reached forward to have a sip of wine. In the meantime, as conversations evolved, waiters came around with appetisers and the drinks. As usual, River fell into the pace with ease. Her voice seemed to stand out as she began to explain her plans for this coming weekend, all of which revolved around the fundraiser gala.

"Mila should be back home by tomorrow midday," she responded when Kaia asked about the woman's whereabouts. Marrying into the family, nevermind to the eldest sibling, meant becoming a living, breathing source of update centre. Know of everyone and everything to never be caught off guard. "Although, now that she is engaged, I'm certain she will be much too deep in daydreaming about her party."

"Alfie proposed?" Dorian asked with a slight shock in his tone. "It was about time, I'd say, but I'm surprised he'd done it."

"Why did no one have any faith in the man?" Jade groaned, cutting up the roasted duck on her plate.

River laughed, and said, "He is not the sharpest tool in the box, I suppose," while Jade chewed on her food and shook her head like she disapproved. "He is the youngest of his family, which is no excuse, but my God, he creates a bad reputation for last-borns."

A round of chuckles followed her statement, and it made her chest puff. Any reaction of the sort made her smile. She liked being a positive source in people's lives, and she took great pride in achieving just that, any and every form she could muster.

To have Harry frown at her from across the table was off-putting, and not needed. She didn't want to spend time thinking about it, but she noted the weight of his stare as it settled into her skin, the judgement in his posture, the unsaid words that must've been on the tip of his tongue. 

"Which fundraiser is it this weekend?" Kaia asked. "I know you have a few coming up this month."

River nodded amidst her sip of wine. As she placed the glass on the table, she caught Harry's curious gaze. While it lasted no longer than a second, it came at her as hard as a punch to the stomach. Annoyingly, she couldn't place a finger on any of it.