Gold Rush » Harry Styles

067

"No, Harry. I don't remember." Mum said sternly, "What are you talking about? We didn't go out."

"Um, actually." Harry cleared his throat. "Bella, Joey. Could you please excuse us for a second?"

"Okay," they both said in unison. They placed their napkins on the table and went somewhere.

"See, I actually went with someone else. I just didn't want them to think I was cheating, so I said it was you." Harry explained, and I stayed quiet.

"Who did you go with?" Mum asked, narrowing her eyes.

"My colleague." Harry replied sternly, I could watch him glance at me from the corner of my eye. I kept my eyes glued onto my plate, as I continued to listen to their conversation.

"What's her name?" Mum asked intriguingly.

Harry shifted uncomfortably, "Um, her name is Emma."

"Emma? I've never met her. Why did you go to dinner with her?" Mum asked, putting her fork and knife down on the plate and facing Harry with her hands rested under her chin.

"Well, you don't have to meet everyone I work with." Harry stated, sighing. "I went to dinner with her because we had to discuss something regarding work."

"You couldn't have done it at work? Why did you take her to dinner?" Mum raised an eyebrow, tilting her head and waiting for his response.

"Because I was being nice. Why are you asking so many questions all of a sudden?" Harry had a rather annoyed look on his face, "She's just.. someone I work with."

"Well, is this the first time you had dinner with her or something? Were you even planning on telling me this?" Mum asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Why would I tell you? It's not even important. It was just a formal event, and we had dinner together. That's it." Harry stated.

"So what? Like a date?" Mum pondered, both of her eyebrows going up as she leaned back in her seat.

"What? God, no." Harry told her, running a hand through his hair. "Gosh, Erin. I'm allowed to go out with my colleagues."

"What do you expect me to think? It was just you, and her, together. Having dinner," Mum said. I sat in my seat uncomfortably, this conversation had taken a turn.

"Yes, because we had to discuss something important about the company. I insisted that we go out somewhere quiet." Harry lied.

"So you insisted? It was your idea?" Mum huffed.

"Why are you getting so mad? It's not like anything happened." Harry stated, and I continued to look down onto my plate.

"Who is Emma anyway? I've met everyone you work with but not an Emma." Mum said suspiciously, staring at him.

"That's because she's.." Harry began, and I could tell that he was thinking of a lie. "She's new. I hired her a while ago."

"She just started working for you?" Mum hummed, and Harry nodded. "When?"

"A few weeks ago." Harry answered, pressing his lips in a tight line. I could tell that he was hoping that Mum would not ask anymore questions, because he couldn't come up with anymore lies.

"Oh? I see." Mum hummed a tune to herself. "I'd love to meet her one day."

"Sure," Harry answered, scratching the back of his head again.

"Good." Mum said.

"Good." Harry repeated in a slightly higher-tone. "So, how have things been over there? When are you planning to move back in?"