CEO

16

Harry POV

"I uh," Eve says. Her voice soft. "I didn't want to interrupt your guy's conversation but uh, here are your files for the rest of the night." She places them on my desk.

Her light blue eyes briefly meet mine for a quick moment. They look sad and defeated which makes my heart burn intensely. She leaves my office and I tug my hand through my hair.

"You're not going to go after her?" Liam asks me. His voice raised and annoyed.

"I-"

"You're so stupid Harry." My friend says angrily. "Let yourself be happy and finally move on. You deserve too. And you just made Eve fucking sad for no reason besides you saying shit you didn't mean. Go after her." His brown eyes widen at me.

My mouth opens but I close it. I don't have anything valid to say besides that I didn't mean what I said. I just walk out of my office.

Eve POV

That felt humiliating.

More humiliating then my freshman year of college.

My arms cross over my body as I walk through the calm streets of Manhattan. The weather is cold but not that bad. The wind is what makes it unbearable to walk through.

I thought he actually liked me.

Maybe not the way I started to like him, but as a friend.

I'm always not good at picking guys.

Someone's hand tugs my elbow back making me freeze. I ignore the tugging and keep walking, knowing it's Harry.

"Eve, please just let me talk." I hear him say.

"No." I dismiss.

"Eve just-"

I turn around and look at him. "Just what?" I snap. "I never knew us being friends made you fucking criticise everything about me in your mind."

"I-"

"Just leave me alone Harry." I say. My voice is annoyed.

"I like you okay?" He blurts out making my eyes roll. "I mean it, I like you."

"Do you like making fun of me and calling me poor?" I ask Harry. His eyes soften.

"I didn't mean those things, Eve. I didn't." Harry says. His voice gentle but defensive. "Liam pointing out that it's obvious that I like you ticked me off and I just said all that stuff so he would think I did."

"The logic behind that is garbage." I say bluntly making his eyes look into mine. I look away from his eye contact. "If you never wanted to be my friend then you could've said it. I never asked you to get me Doug, and I don't need your fucking pity."

"At first I didn't want to be your friend but that changed once we started hanging out." He tells me. "I'm not good with expressing my feelings. I don't know what to say or do, but I know I like you more than a friend." I bite my lip.

My mind thinks back to my past relationship. Just thinking about him and what I let myself believe was love makes a pit form in my stomach.

"You said all that shit and didn't look sad Harry. I doubt you like me like that."

"I do." He tells me.

"Even though I'm some poor hag to you?" I ask. My voice mocking.

"I didn't mean what I said Eve. Please believe me." His voice is sad but sounds like a beg. "I haven't been with anyone in six years, and I don't know what I'm doing."

"Six years?" I ask. Harry nods. "Why?"

His mouth opens then closes. "I can't talk about it yet." I narrow my eyes at him. "Eve, please? I just need to work up to allowing myself to be with you and not feel guilty."

"Why would you feel guilty?" I ask. He remains silent. "Does that tie into why you've been single for six years?" Harry nods sadly.

I don't want to be in another relationship where the guy puts me down about my looks, weight, how loud I am or my humour. I can't be in that position again.

I feel his hand hold mine making my palms sweat slightly. "I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't fix shit." I take my hand out of his and cross my arms. My eyes are scowling at him.

"What can I do to make you forgive me? I'll do it."

"I don't need anything more from you." I say. His eyes turn gloomy again. "Why do you even want to be with me? There is a reason why you've been single for six years." I speak.

"There is something about you that I like. I like your smile, your humour, how you're always happy, how big your heart is, how you manage to volunteer at all these places and still work and get everything done. I like everything about you the way I shouldn't as a friend."

"Do you like my annoyingness and how I dress like a girl and not a women?" I remark to Harry.

"I think you're beautiful." A small smile goes on his semi pale lips. His green eyes look back into my eyes. "Please forgive me." Harry repeats.

"I don't forgive people easily." I say honestly. "Even a stupid compliment doesn't do anything."

"It wasn't a stupid compliment. I was saying the truth." Harry says seriously making me bite down on my jaw.

"If you actually care about me or even like me, you have to prove it to earn my trust back."

"Okay." He says. "How did I do that?"

"That's for you to come up with." I say. My pull the sleeves of my jacket down to cover my hands that are cold. "I have to go now, Doug needs to be fed."

"Eve?" Harry says before I leave and walk away.

"What?" I ask.

"Do you like me back?" His voice is timid and low.

"I'll answer that once you prove yourself to me." I reply. His eyes meet mine for a brief moment before I walk away. My eyes stare down at my feet.

A://N

Last chapter of the night

I'm trying to make this book original , but there are a lot of CEO books out on wattpad that I have and haven't read so bare with me. I'm not trying to copy ideas :/ if you know me, I wouldn't purposely.

Just a heads up

The next few chapters are gonna be a Harry {past} chapter. I'm just gonna write all at once what happened between him and Jane. That might take 3/4 chapters

If you want to skip those chapters , it's up to you. Just know it's a big part of the book :/ I know some of you guys don't like reading those chapters

~lauren