Talulah's P.O.V.
*2 months later*
I think Harry is going to break up with me.
The past three months have been some of the most amazing of my life, which sounds cheesy but it's true. I ended up staying at Flood & Strobel, and I was really enjoying working there. Harry gave me more responsibilities which kept me busy. Honestly I was grateful for it because every time I had nothing to do, we were just tempted to just spend all day messing around on his couch.
More often than not I am going to his place after work and spending the night. He even made space for me in his stupidly big walk in closet so I could leave a few things there during the week. He also likes to sneak in new outfits in between my old clothes, and pretends like he doesn't know how they got there. Thank god I don't have any pets because they probably would've died by now.
He treated me like a freaking princess. He would take me out to dinner at fancy restaurants. He would come over to my place on the weekends to bake with me and dance around my kitchen. He told me I could use his place to bake any time I wanted, but I liked that I knew where everything was and how everything worked in my own home.
Lately though, he has been acting stranger than usual. He's been coming back to the apartment late, leaving early in the morning before I am even up. He even cancelled our date night the other day. He said he'd make it up to me on Friday, but we already had plans that day, and I was starting to doubt if he even remembered.
My logical brain is telling me that there is no way he would cheat on me. But when it comes to Harry it is hard to use my logical brain. My mind would wander with the possibilities of who it could be, or what she looked like. My anxiety would tell me that it was the skinny model type that he used to hook up with. I would have a few nights of feeling less than, or not enough, but then he would come home and he would make me feel like I was the only woman in the world. I was spending less and less time at my own apartment. It just felt so small and empty. Like the stillness of it all was crushing me. But then Harry's place when I was there alone felt so cold and lonely. That's when I realized Harry himself was the closest thing to home I would ever get.
When I woke up Friday morning, I expected to wake up wrapped up in Harry's arms, but the bed was practically cold. I am not gonna lie, it was a little disheartening. I convinced myself that I was being selfish. He's a busy man, I understand he has to get to work before everyone, but you would think considering we are going to the exact same place, he would wake me up and we could go together.
I also had my hopes slightly up considering it was my first birthday that I got to spend with them. I really just wanted to stay home and spend all day in bed with him, but we both had jobs that had to get done because life doesn't magically stop for birthdays.
I got dressed for work and headed down to the parking lot to get in my car. But then I heard music blasting from a car nearby.
Not just any music.
Madonna.
"Express Yourself" was cranked at full volume, and not that it is ever too early for Madonna, but even I was getting a bit of a headache. I decided to follow it to see who had the impeccable music taste, and I find none other than Ben with all the windows to the car rolled down with a party blower in his mouth and a birthday hat on.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATERIAL GIRL!" he yelled out the window. "Hop in! I'm taking you to work!"
I jump in the passenger side. "Benny Ninja what is all this?" There was confetti in the car and a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" sign attached to the back windshield. Before I even had my seatbelt on he put a party hat on my head and stuck a party blower in my mouth.
"We're celebrating your birthday! What else? I requested to drive you this morning because I wanted to make sure you were in the best mood. So! We have all the Madonna hits ready, the windows are rolled down, are you ready to Express Yourself Lulu?"
A giant smile grew on my face.
"Start the song over. Let's hit it."
"COME ON GIRLS!" I shouted.
"DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE?" Ben responded back to me.
"CAUSE I GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT! AND IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS!" We screamed in unison.
Ben played all my favorite songs on repeat. However he had the audacity to try and play Madonna's version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." When I saw it come up on the radio I screamed so loud he swerved the car.
"Lulu what the hell?" Ben yelled at me as he tried to get a grip on the wheel.
"I'm sorry but seriously Ben? This is offensive. If we're going to listen to Evita we are listening to Patti. This is just insulting." I pulled his phone out of the center console and played the correct version of Evita with Patti Lupone as Eva Paron. (Don't get me wrong, I love Madonna, but I also love musical theater and I will never understand what that casting decision was).
This led us down a musical theater spiral which was really just me belting like I was center stage, and Ben pretending like I could actually sing. Don't tell anyone, but Ben knows all the words to Wicked, and may I say, he is a fabulous Galinda. His rendition of Popular was truly Tony worthy.
We pulled up to Flood & Strobel and my heart sank a little. I didn't want to get out of the car, I just wanted to drive around and hang out with Ben all day. For the first time, I was somewhat upset at Harry. I knew I was being dramatic and unfair, but I couldn't help the feeling in my gut that hurt just a little.
Maybe he forgot. I mean it wouldn't be the end of the world. We've only been together about 2 ½ months. It's fine. It's fine. I'm fine. We're fine.
"Good morning Miss Talulah!" One of my favorite people of all times greeted me.
"Morning Jim!" I said as I walked up to the coffee cart.
"Happy Birthday Miss Talulah," he comes around and gives me a big hug. He always reminded me of my grandfather, and he was so kind to me.
"Thank you so much."
He starts to get my and Harry's coffee ready. "Is boss man taking you out tonight?"
It's not like Harry and I made a big announcement, but after a few weeks and the times that Jim saw us walking into work together, hand in hand, he asked me. And how could I lie to Jim?
He smiled at me and yelled out a big, "I KNEW IT," which had a lot of heads turning which freaked me out. After telling him to keep quiet because I didn't need it to be a whole thing, he looked away and started making our coffees, but I heard him say to himself, "guess he really was worth the hassle of a few cupcakes."
"I think so. I know he told me he made reservations somewhere but I don't know where yet."
I watched him grab my favorite lemon poppy seed muffin in a bag that I didn't order.
Jim handed me two coffees and a small white paper bag. "Coffee and muffin on me for today. It's the least I can do for my favorite customer's birthday."
I couldn't help the smile that grew on my face. I was happy that Jim remembered my birthday. I don't like to make a big deal out of it, it's just nice to hear from the people you care about.
"Thank you Jim, this was very sweet of you."
I started walking away, but then he called out to me so I turned around. "I forgot to give you this," he held out a yellow envelope. I held it to my heart and thanked him and hugged him again.
As I walked into the building I opened the card as I walked. It was a birthday card with cupcakes on the front. On the left hand side was Jim's handwriting. The card read, "Happy Birthday Miss Talulah! You're going to do amazing things!" There was also a five dollar bill inside that made me giggle, especially because I knew it would be going right back to him tomorrow morning when I bought coffee.
I walked into Harry's office and started talking before I even picked my head up from my phone. "Morning Harry. I saw on your calendar that you cancelled your 1pm meeting. Is everything okay?" I placed the coffees down on the side table by instinct, and when I looked up he wasn't at his desk.
"Har-"
Before I even finished his name I felt his hands on my waist pulling me back and slamming me up against the door. I didn't even process what was going on before his lips were on mine, moving at an aggressive pace. When my brain finally processed what was going on I kissed him back with everything I had, but I still couldn't keep up with him. His hands were running up and down my body, squeezing my breasts, and grabbing at my hips. When I opened my mouth for him he immediately rolled his tongue into my mouth like he had to taste every inch of me. As his fingers flexed on my ass, he rolled his hips against me and sucked on my tongue. I moved my hands up to his neck and held his face close to mine. If anyone else had grabbed me I would have flipped out, but if my body has memorized anything in these last few months it's Harry's touch. He was a very physical person, and every time I was near he liked to have his hands on me. I think it was part protectiveness, part possessiveness, and the part that just didn't know how to keep his hands off me.
Not that I am complaining. When we are around people or in business meetings he's always holding my hand under the table, or his ankle is wrapped around mine, or his arm is around my chair. It's not that I don't want to do these things back, of course I do. There are few feelings that compare to his skin underneath my fingertips. But he is my boss, and he can do these things because no one is going to call him on it. I can't do these things because I am the woman and I am below him in the ranks. I will look desperate and be told that I am acting inappropriately. I hope he doesn't misconstrue this as me pulling away. He's never brought it up to me.
And when we are alone, his productivity basically goes out the window. For the sake of this company, this honeymoon phase better end soon, but he has a way of making me feel like he will always look at me like this. He put a smaller desk in his office so I could do work in there and not out on the floor. I was basically a full time staff member, who just also happened to get him coffee and keep him organized. And yes, he made sure my paycheck reflected it. But he would rarely let me sit at my desk. He would pout and just stare at me from across the room. I could always sense when his eyes were on me. I could be typing a report and without turning my head I would just say "What's wrong?"
Nine out of ten times he would whine like a child and say that I was "too far away," even though we were in the same room ten feet away from one another, in perfect view of each other. I would get up, take my laptop and sit on the couch that was pretty much next to his desk. He thought he was slick by moving the couch an inch closer every time I left the room, but it was too cute of a gesture to call him on it.
Weirdly though, when I was closer he would at least get work done. Except for every 5-10 minutes when he would look over at me and stare until I looked at him. When our eyes met he always bit down on his smile as his cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. If I hadn't pretty much memorized his face, I don't think I would have noticed it. Then he shakes his head like he is in a daydream and goes back to work. He doesn't even have to say anything to get my heart beating out of my chest. The man has me completely wrapped around his finger. He's like an overgrown ivy that has wrapped around my heart and grown throughout my body all the way down to my fingertips.
He started kissing down my jaw and nipping at my skin. He quickly returned to my lips to leave one last hard chaste kiss against my lips before pulling away. I opened my eyes to see his green ones which were light because of the early morning, but almost completely blown out with lust. We were panting against each other's mouths as his eyes drifted between my eyes and my now kiss swollen lips.
"Well happy birthday baby," he kissed me again more slowly this time, but he pulled away quicker than I wanted.
"Ah, so you did remember," I winked at him, picked up my coffee from the table, and then walked over to my desk to put my things down.
He trailed behind me like a lost puppy. "Of course, I did. Why would you say that?"
His face was cross as he put his hands in his pockets. "I don't know, it's not like it would've been a big deal if you forgot. You're busy I get it."
I go to sit down at my desk but before I can Harry grabs my hand and spins me to him. "Lula, talk to me. What's going on?"
I shake my head. He's been nothing but kind. I shouldn't be upset with him. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong I'm fine." I give him a closed lip smile which I am sure is far from convincing.
He pinches my hip like he always does when he playfully scolds me. "Don't lie to me. Just tell me."
My eyes move across the room and like a child he steps around to put himself in my eyeline. I take a drink of my coffee before looking back at him. "It's silly I just missed you this morning, and I wanted to wake up with you. There? Happy? You can make fun and call me a sap now."
He wraps me up in a big hug and squeezes me tight. I relax at the way he holds me and how his cologne infiltrates my nostrils. Sometimes when people hug me it just makes me over aware of my size, and can even send me spiraling if I think about it for too long. Harry's hugs never made me feel that way though. I just felt, held and cared for.
He kissed my cheek, "I missed you too." He finally let go of me and I went to my desk chair because I knew it wasn't going to be long before he had me out and about, or over on the couch. "I'm sorry I didn't wake up with you this morning I got called into a last minute meeting."
My eyebrows pinched together. "What meeting? I didn't see anything on the calendar. Did you need me to come to something?"
"Don't worry about it, it was just some higher up nonsense. We're looking into expanding so we have been looking into new property so there have been some sporadic meetings. Nothing to worry about though."
I narrow my eyes at him. He's been having a lot of these meetings. I know he doesn't have any reason to lie to me, but I feel like these are meetings that I should be sitting in on. I decided to play with him a little and see if I can get any more information out of him. "Oooo expanding? Are there any hot guys at these new branches that might need an assistant?"
He pinched my butt and I jumped and squealed. "Don't get cheeky Ms. Knight."
I smiled at his playful nature. "Are we still on for tonight?"
He walked back to his desk. "Yes, we have reservations at 7 at The Twelfth Fox. Ben and I will be picking you up at 6:30."
I sat down in my chair and started doing actual work. I had a bunch of meetings to schedule for upcoming weeks. I was looking through the other directors and managers schedules and I didn't see any meetings about expansion. My stomach sank a little at the thought that he was lying to me. I wanted to push more but I didn't want to ruin tonight. Maybe I'll ask him about it tomorrow.
I ran in and out a few times, but I mostly stayed at my desk. I was waiting for Harry to ask me to move to the couch but he never did. I kept looking over to him but his eyes were glued to the computer. He left throughout the day and went to meetings and conferences but he just passed by my desk like I wasn't even there. He didn't kiss me, or shout a "bye Puddin'," as he was exiting.
Something was up, and part of me didn't want to know. If he was cheating on me, or if he was lying to me was a reason that would hurt me, I think I would shatter. It doesn't make any sense. One second he is all over me, pinning me to walls, and the next he won't come near me. He's been coming back from work later than usual, leaving early in the morning. I hate this feeling. I wish I could boil it down to insecurities, but something is definitely up.
By the time the work day ended Harry was still out in a meeting so I just decided to go back to my place to get ready for tonight.
Looking through my closet I was struggling to pick out an outfit for tonight. I knew the restaurant he was taking me to was on the fancier side, so I wanted to make sure I looked nice. And then I came upon a dress that I hadn't seen in a while. It was a black dress with long sleeves and turtleneck, but it was tight and showed off all my curves. A sly smirk came over my face when I realized it was perfect. It was sexy, but conservative. Harry would be going insane wanting to touch me, but I was practically covered. I put on simple hoop earrings and my favorite black heels and headed out the door.
When I got down to the parking lot, Harry was standing outside of the car. His face lit up when he saw me, but then his eyes enlarged when he saw me. It was like his brain was trying to process what I was wearing. Who would've thought that this dress would be the fork in this man's horny garbage disposal. Honestly I liked the power it had. He was wearing a sharp black suit with a soft pink button up shirt underneath it. I loved that shade of pink, it always made me smile.
"Happy Birthday, Puddin'," his arms immediately found my hips as he leaned down to kiss me.
I placed my hands softly on his face, feeling the coolness of his freshly shaven face. I was a little disappointed because I loved the feeling of his stubble between my legs, but as long as his head ended up between my legs at the end of the night it didn't matter. Although even with his lips on mine, I don't know if he deserved it.
He pulled away a lot sooner than I thought, but with a squeeze to my hips he told me we were going to be late.
I slid in the back with him but once again he wasn't being overly touchy. I am sure I was freaking out and overanalyzing it, but considering the man's hands are usually always in constant contact with my body, I found it weird that his hand never found mine in the center. He was acting fidgety. His hand kept adjusting his suit, reaching into his inside pocket not so subtly and then folding his hands on his lap.
"How's your mom Lulu?" Ben spoke from the front. It wasn't a topic that I wanted to talk about, especially since I hadn't discussed it too much with Harry, but I was grateful for the break in the silence.
"She's doing better. I spoke to her this morning and she said she's been doing a lot more walking around and going out and about."
I could sense Harry uncomfortably shifting next to me. I kept my eyes on Ben's as him and I made small talk. Harry stayed silent the whole ride.
Walking into the restaurant I was blown away by how fancy the atmosphere was. Harry had always taken me to nice places, but never this nice. The ceilings were decorated with long, gorgeous chandeliers. It was slightly dim, but it just gave the place a magical, romantic feel. The whole room was glowing a soft golden amber. It was one of the places that made me feel that I wasn't supposed to be there. I would never walk in on my own, and I was starting to feel insecure, but the second I felt Harry's hand on my lower back, I knew I was right where I belonged.
He pulled out my chair for me and sat down across from me. We were at a private table near the back corner of the room, and I tried not to think about how much it cost him to reserve this table alone.
"How was the rest of your day?" I asked him as his eyes scanned over the drink menu.
"It was fine," he said. Before I got the chance to respond our waiter came over to take our drink order. Harry ordered some expensive Italian wine that I don't think I could pronounce the name of, and told the waiter to just bring the whole bottle. "How about you?"
I looked at him, trying to gauge his demeanor. "It was okay. There was a lot going on today in the marketing department that I helped out with. I missed you though, the office was pretty quiet."
I saw the corner of his lips quirk up a bit. "I missed you too," his hand finally reached across the table to hold mine. I always loved the way his thumb ran over my knuckles. There were times he looked at me, or touched me in a certain way, that made me feel like he thought I was going to disappear, or that I wasn't real. I hope he knows that is exactly how I feel about him.
He gave my hand a small squeeze. "I'm sorry I was gone all day. With this upcoming expansion there has been random meetings all the time."
"Yeah I meant to ask you about that. I haven't seen the other board members have meetings scheduled."
He swallowed down the wine in his mouth. "Well they haven't been on my schedule either. Some of them are kinda spur of the moment. Mostly, we just want to keep the whole thing quiet in case it doesn't go through."
"Harry," I said apprehensively. His eyes were scanning the large menu that almost looked normal sized in his big hands. He looked up when I called his name. I felt a pit in my stomach and I really didn't want to do this tonight but something was wrong with him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, why would you think that?" I wanted to roll my eyes but I didn't want to set him off.
"You forget I can read you like a book too. Your fingers have been tapping at the table like you're at a computer, and you've been spending too much time with me because you won't stop biting at your cheek."
"No such thing as too much time with you."
"Harry. What's wrong?"
His fingers continued to tap against the table as his brain tried to figure out what to say.
"Lula, why haven't you told me about your mom?" My anxiety shoots up and I let go of his hand and bring it into my lap so I can play with the rings on my fingers. "I didn't mean to keep this a secret from you, but you did tell me she was sick that one night you were drunk," My eyes shoot wide open and look at him.
"Okay seriously one night you are sitting down and telling me everything I said because it's not fair that I am missing a whole night." I take a deep breath in. "It's just not something I like to talk about. Ben only knows because back when things were really bad he would let me just cry in the car no questions asked and I would rant if I wanted to. Um, I don't know what you know but I basically send a huge chunk of my paychecks home to my family to help with treatments and hospital bills. There was a time where I thought I was going to have to quit and move home. Then I mysteriously got a pay raise, which I am now connecting was most likely you," He rolled his lips into his mouth and looked away. "But yeah, things seem to be getting better for her. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it's just not something you really tell your boss, and then the last two months we've been together things have been good so yeah."
He interlocked his fingers with mine and tugged my hand towards him so he could leave a kiss to where our fingers met. "I'm not going to go behind your back and do anything because we are a team. But you know, just say the word and I will help pay for everything."
I squeezed his hand in mine and wiped the stray tear that fell. I wasn't fully crying, it was just easy to tear up when I thought about my mom. "I know. And I am so thankful for that but everything is almost paid off, and I don't even think they know how much I was sending them. Thank you for your offer, you're truly the best boyfriend in the world, but we'll be okay."
He pushed his lips together and nodded. We went back to talking about other things. We tried to stay off the topic of work, but sometimes it was inevitable considering we both worked at the same place. He liked to say that I was "his eyes and ears for bullshit," on the floor. I didn't aim to get anyone in trouble, it just turns out we are both terrible gossips. Well I am.
He was still acting slightly off but I let it slide. The food was amazing and he promised to bring me back again. He held my hand on the way out as we got in the car.
This time instead of us sitting on each side of the car, he immediately pulled me into the middle, and my head was quick to relax against his shoulder. I watched as we passed by all the buildings, windows becoming streaks of lights, and the world moving around us. But then Ben missed the turn to Harry's street.
"Ben where are you going?" I asked. He didn't answer me, only kept his eyes forward. My head lifted to look at Harry. He was visibly nervous and it didn't help ease anything in me. Fuck was he really about to break up with me?
Ben kept driving and we started getting farther from the city. "Harry, what's going on?"
"Can I take you somewhere?"
Harry's P.O.V.
"Can I take you somewhere?"
She nodded her head and laid it back down on my shoulder. She was too trusting with me sometimes. I have never felt as guilty as I have these past few weeks. I had been coming home late and sneaking out of bed in the morning. I felt sick to my stomach. I was so nervous. I just hope she wouldn't be too mad at me.
I should have known that she would pick up on the fact that something was wrong. Before Talulah I was always so serious, and nothing affected me. But this girl? If she looked at me I would crumble like a sand castle in a wind storm. She made my heart beat so hard there were times I considered making doctor's appointments just to make sure this was normal. I don't know how I fell so fast so hard, but I did. And I was not embarrassed about the absolute fool I had turned into for the woman whose head was on my shoulder. As we got closer and closer to the destination, I held onto her tighter. I know it wasn't the end of the world if she didn't like it or didn't want it, but I just hope I knew her as well as I thought I did.
I almost blurted it out at dinner when she asked me what was wrong. I kinda just jumped to asking about her mother because it was the first thing that came to mind. I had also been curious, and I was starting to feel guilty that I knew this information without her remembering that I knew. I clearly didn't think it through because she easily could've gotten mad at me for keeping this to myself, but as always she surprises me with her maturity and level headedness. I couldn't help fidgeting with my suit jacket because I didn't want to lose what was inside it. Sure I could have done this without it, but I wanted to make it as special as possible. I wanted this to be a night she would always remember.
Ben drove us out of the city, and the streets around us became more suburban like. The place wasn't more than twenty minutes from my apartment. Which, let's be honest was just as much her apartment as it was mine. I hadn't officially asked her to move in yet, but I knew she was slowly adding things into my closet. Two months was probably too early to ask, but sometimes I considered Talulah and I to be together much longer.
Ben pulled the car over on the main road through this town. There was a hair salon, a veterinarian office, a post office and a bunch of other cute buildings. I unbuckled as Ben opened my door, and I slid out with Talulah following right behind me. We stepped on the sidewalk and walked down to the corner. I was silent. I had rehearsed my speech multiple times, but no one ever thinks about the moments right before.
When we reached the place, I stopped and stared at her as she was looking around trying to figure out what I was doing. I got lost temporarily just looking at her, my heart constricting at the thought of how lucky I was to have this woman in front of me.
"You know you didn't have to drive me all the way out of the city just to break up with me."
Wait what did she say?
"What?"
She continued to look all around us, taking in the fresh air that wasn't polluted like the city. She went and sat on the bench that was on the corner. I went and immediately sat next to her.
"I'm just saying you're acting like I would throw a fit and break everything in your apartment. Just get it over with, although this is a terrible plan because I will be the one to take Ben back, and really it seems kind of cruel to do on my birthday," she rambled on.
Wow I really fucked up if she thought that this was where this was going. Oh well. At least she'll be pleasantly surprised.
I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her temple. "Puddin' if I ever try to break up with you please check me into a mental institution."
Her head turned to me. "Wait you're not breaking up with me?"
"No? Are you serious? Absolutely not. Do I need to check you into a mental institution?"
"Oh," she looked completely lost. "Then why are we here."
Well here goes nothing.
"I brought you here because I got you a little something and I thought the best thing to do would be to bring you here to show it to you." She nodded her head to let me continue. "Well the other week while you were out of the office I decided to do some cleaning. I was going through my old drafting desk so we could make room for your desk and I found this." I reached into my inside coat pocket and pulled out the piece of paper that I was fidgeting with all night.
She grabbed the paper from my hands and her eyes scanned over it like she couldn't believe it was there. "I have been looking for this for weeks. I thought I lost it."
I nodded my head and left a quick kiss to her cheek. "The first time I saw this drawing it had a lot less detail to it. It was just a small building with the pink awning and the outline of some trees. But when I saw this the other day in my desk, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I remember seeing this drawing the very first night I met you. The first night I learned your name. The first night I realized how talented you are. The first night I saw you eating pudding and listening to Madonna. I didn't know it at the time, but in that instant, I was entranced by you."
"I remember that night. I thought I was gonna get fired because you caught me. I was freaking out all week thinking that one day you would just get mad and decide to let me go."
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "What is it about you that you always think you're gonna get fired?"
She shrugged her shoulders as her fingers continued to dance over the drawing. "I don't know. I guess I have just always prided myself on being hardworking, and I fear getting fired because I don't want that to be taken away from me."
My hands held hers around the paper. "I get that, but I think there is so much more to you than that. You are passionate and so smart. Don't let other people define how you see yourself." I could tell she didn't know how to respond so I kept going. Now came the hard part.
"I'm pretty sure you figured it out by now, but I've been lying to you. I haven't been going to work meetings and the company isn't necessarily expanding."
She looked at me cautiously. "Harry Styles, you have 10 seconds to start explaining yourself before I lose it."
I turned back toward the empty building behind us. I took the paper from her and put it up in front of the building. "I have been meeting with real estate agents to look at buildings in towns all near the city."
Her face was apprehensive like she didn't want to put it together.
"I wanna buy you your bakery." Her jaw dropped. "You are the best assistant I could ever ask for and I think that there is a chance that the entire company may crumble without you. But," I moved some of the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Life is too short for you not to follow your dreams. And like I told you that first night in my apartment, I want to make your dreams a reality."
There were tears in the corners of her eyes. Her jaw was still open, and she was trying to talk but she couldn't form a word, let alone a sentence, so I decided to keep going.
"I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you woke up this morning but I had to meet the real estate agent to get the keys." I pulled them out of my pocket. "What do you say Puddin'? Do you want to go inside?" She finally closed her mouth and nodded her head.
I took her hand in mine and stood up from the bench. I walked around to the empty building that was sitting behind us the whole time. I put the keys in the door and opened it for her. She stared around in wonderment. The place was pretty much empty but it was the perfect size.
"What do you think babe?"
She pinched my hip like I always did to her. "YOU BOUGHT ME A FUCKING BUILDING?" Her voice echoed around the place.
I couldn't stop laughing. "Not yet. Do you still have that pink paper I gave you?" She took the bag that was on her shoulder and pulled out the termination notice. I don't know why she carried it around, I just know that it was always on her. "You sign that paper and hand it to me, I'll sign the lease."
She pulled a pen out of her bag and walked over to a countertop. She filled it out and signed her name at the bottom. With tears loosely falling down her face she handed me the paper. "Mr. Styles, I regret to inform you that I am putting in my two week notice."
I gasped out and took the paper from her. I kissed her cheeks where the tears were running down and then left a slow kiss to her lips. "So you like it?"
She let out a humorless laugh. "Are you kidding me? I can't believe it. I love it so much! I love you."
Time stopped.
My lungs paused mid breath.
I swore my knees buckled and a piano had fallen onto my head.
"What?" The word barely left my lips.
Her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head. Her face was flushing white and I could see the panic in her eyes. "Oh my god, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's probably too soon, and I just really overwhelmed with all this I think it just slipped o-"
I rushed towards her and cut her off by pushing my lips against hers. My hands interlock on the back of her head and hold her face against mine as I continue to kiss her as passionately as I could. She immediately kissed me back as she threw her arms around my shoulders. My tongue found hers and our lips messily moved together as I attempted to get closer to her.
I pulled away for a brief moment and pushed my forehead against hers. There was still a bit of panic in her eyes that I probably should have eased sooner. "Please don't ever apologize for loving me," my head shook against hers.
I kissed her again. I could feel her take in a deep breath through her nose as we attempted to steal each other's oxygen. I pulled back again to see her pretty much dazed. "I love you too," I rush out.
"You do?" Her eyes bounced between mine.
I couldn't help but pinch her hip, and her little squeal only made my smile grow wider. Kissing her between every word I say, "Talulah I am absolutely... madly... inconsolably... insanely... stupidly... wildly... crazily... in love with you."
This time she was the one to push her lips onto mine, kissing me as hard as she ever has. My hands were running up and down her back. I would never get enough of her.
I pulled away one last time, admiring her kiss swollen lips. "Wait, I wanna do one more thing."
"Harry I don't think I can take much more." Her hands flailed out to the side, still trying to take everything in.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and put on a song that I heard the other day that reminded me of her. Something in me just clicked when I heard it. Talulah is my home.
"What is this?" She asked.
I picked up her hand and held her to me, swaying us back and forth. "This?" She nodded her head. "This is my promise to you Puddin'." Her head tilted up at me confused. "None of this is going to be easy. It's going to be hard on you, and maybe on us. But if anyone can do it I know you can. And trust me when I say I can't wait to see you in action, doing what you were always meant to do. I'll miss you in the office though. I honestly think I am going to go crazy not having you at work." I felt a small laugh against my chest.
"But, if you have a bad day, or things get too hard, you tell me. It doesn't matter what it is. Anything from a burnt batch of cupcakes or a shitty customer, just let me know. And the same on my end, it doesn't matter if the problem is big or small, we're a team. And no matter what, no matter what time it is, or what is going on in our lives, I will be right here, dancing alongside you. And you and I will dance until it all goes away, and everything is how it should be. You and me, dancing together."
She didn't say anything for a few moments, but I could feel a few stray tears against my shirt. I didn't question it or call her out on it because I know it would only make her cry more. I held her body as close as I could get it to me. My fingers feathered through her hair as I cradled her to me. I could stay in her arms forever if it meant she was in mine.
Eventually I heard her sniffle and her head moved up. She placed a gentle kiss to my lips before her hand ran through my hair and held onto the back of my neck. I connected our foreheads and looked into her eyes. The amount of love and admiration in them almost knocked me off my feet. But what I was surprised to find is that it was always there. This is always how she looked at me, even before I realized it. And I took comfort in knowing I was looking at her the exact same way.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We danced around the floor for the rest of the song. She looked around at the empty building planning her future, while I looked down at her, planning ours.