Masterpiece [h.s]

nineteen

After a very long silence, he speaks carefully, his green eyes meeting her dark ones. "So, you want to try to make things work again?"

Aurora's lips part slightly and close briefly before they open again and she nods. "Yes."

Harry sighs and drums his fingers along the countertop, "And if it doesn't work out like you think that it will, you'll move on?"

"Yes."

The entire idea sounds ridiculous to him because she already knows that he doesn't have any romantic feelings for her anymore. Even if they do try, his heart won't ever be in it. But Carter wants him to fix this and if that's how Aurora thinks that she'll get over him, then he'll do it.

Harry nods and pulls out his phone, "Carter told me to fix this. Are you willing to talk to her and let her know that I am?"

He doesn't want to try again. Trying again means that he has to give up on Carter for a moment and he's been making so much progress with her recently. It's also really ridiculous considering that he has no romantic feelings for Aurora and it's destined to fail from the very start.

Aurora looks at him curiously, "Isn't she busy with the show?"

Harry shakes his head, curls bouncing lightly with action. "Not right now. They film in advance and she gave me a list of times of when she'll be free."

She nods and watches him intensely as he calls. He's so happy when she answers and he speaks to her like she's created the very stars themselves. It's immensely hard to believe that Carter has no ill will towards her.

After a few moments, Harry hands her the phone and she leaves the kitchen to talk with Carter out of his hearing range.

"Carter?"

"Yes, it's me. Listen, I know that you don't like me and you think that I don't like you as well, but that's not true. We're all human and I honestly don't have anything against you. But, I do know where you're coming from and Harry doesn't understand that, so I tried to make him understand. I know what it's like to love someone and not to have those feelings returned. I really do, and I think that maybe he's confused because of how things have been between the two of you.

"I don't know, that made more sense in my head. Anyway, I did tell him to talk to you and I did tell him no for more reasons than what he thinks. I really like him, I do, but maybe he's right for you and I don't want to get in the middle of things that are unresolved. So, do what you have to do. I can't be mad at you for having a heart too."

Aurora feels terrible for all of the horrible things that she's thought about Carter and she's crying and wiping her eyes. "You really don't mind?"

Carter takes a moment to decide what she wants to say. "No, I do mind, but not for the reasons that you think."

"He really likes you, you know."

Carter nods, a small smile rising to her lips, "I know."

"I'm really sorry for thinking about you in such a bad way for all this time."

"Don't worry about it."

Carter doesn't need to say anything else and she hangs up, leaving Aurora to decide what she really wants to do.

Harry really likes this woman and she actually likes him too, but she's pushing her feelings aside, in-part, for Aurora's sake even though she really doesn't deserve it.

Harry knocks softly on the door, "Everything okay?"

Aurora nods and wipes her eyes as she stands from the mattress to meet him at the door. "I shouldn't have let you go like that, but, either way, I'm not the one that deserves you."

She shakes her head and more tears start to fall down her cheeks, "Be with Carter. She likes you more than you think she does."

It surprises her when familiar arms wrap around her and pull her to his chest, his soft lips placing a soft kiss atop her head.

Harry speaks gently against her hair, "You'll find someone, Aurora. Just give it time."

She doesn't think so, but she doesn't argue and he leaves her with a thank you and a kiss on the cheek.

He leaves his phone alone for most of the day and paints to his heart's content for a few hours. Eventually he decides that it's time to talk to Carter, but she's not in the mood to talk to him and she won't answer, even though he knows that she isn't busy.

Harry tries a few more times to no avail before he decides to send her a text.

Please answer me, Carter. I really need to talk to you.

Carter reads his message and locks her screen. He's been trying to talk to her for hours and she doesn't want to answer because she has a pretty good feeling that he's going to tell her that he's giving Aurora another chance.

Her phone vibrates again and she ignores it until the vibrations start to become constant.

"Harry, you need to stop."

"You need to give me a chance to speak, first."

Carter's shocked by his instant and blunt response, but she's also incredibly impressed. "Okay, then talk."

"I don't know what you said to her, but whatever it was changed her mind. She doesn't want me anymore; she wants you to have me."

She laughs lightly, "You make it sound like you're some sort of possession."

"My heart certainly is."

"Harry."

He grins, "Carter."

Carter likes the way that he's said her name, something about it has her feeling really good about herself. And she really enjoys the slow way that he talks, letting his lips wrap around every syllable and letting how low voice roll out smoothly. She could listen to him talk all day.

She laughs lightly and chews on her lower lip, "Stop that."

Harry's voice is playful, "Why?"

Carter struggles to come up with an answer and she can practically hear him smiling through the phone. "You're ridiculous."

Harry laughs, "And you're ridiculously hard to get."

"And yet, here you are, still trying to get me."

"You're worth getting."

Carter blushes, "Did she really say that? That she wants me to have you?"

"Not in those exact words, but yes, she did. That is, if you actually want me."

"And what if I don't?"

"Then I'll just have to try a little harder."

Carter's smiling from ear to ear, "You're not going to leave me alone until I say yes, are you?"

"Precisely."

"Tell you what, if you manage to sell half of the massive collection of works that feature me, while I'm over here working my ass off to get my masterpiece out there, you'll get that yes."

Harry perks up immediately, "Really? That's it? There's no fine print?"

Carter laughs and looks outside of her window to the glowing city below. "No fine print, I promise."

"I really want to kiss you right now."

"You've got your pillow."

Harry grins, "Right, I've got my pillow."

"Can I call you back after I take a shower?"

"You can call me whenever you want, Carter."

Carter blushes, "Okay. Goodbye for now, Harry."

"Think of me in the shower! Goodbye for now, Carter."