Friday, I walk into the office with a hard disc in hand feeling better than I did the last couple of days. The first thing I do is go and make Harry a cup of coffee, and with both hands full I use my elbow to open Harry's door to make my presence known.
He stares at me in confusion. "I thought I gave you today off," he says taking the cup from my hand.
"You did," I say with a smile watching him as he takes a sip of the coffee. "But I'm feeling fine, besides I wanted to give you these. It's been way too long," I say handing him the hard disc.
He narrows his eyes at me. "What's that?"
"Oh. It's the pictures I took at your parents anniversary. I wasn't sure how you wanted them. I mean I could have uploaded them to a website, but that always takes forever. I figured this was easier. You can easily upload them to your computer. Just as long as you give me back my hard disc," I smile. "It's easier than downloading them."
"You came in here to give me this?" He asks staring at the hard disc before he looks back up at me.
"And the coffee," I clarify. "Besides as I told you, I'm feeling fine."
"Fine isn't good. But with that said, I have very much missed your coffee," he says with a smile, "and you," he adds and my heart skips a beat at his confession. "Between us, Gertrude's coffee is horrid," he whispers as if she was able to hear us, and I laugh out loud.
"Glad someone's appreciating my coffee skills," I say. "I should probably get to it," I say heading for the door.
"I wish you'd go home. I want you to take care of yourself."
"I'm fine, Harry," I repeat.
"I'd be less worried if you said you were good."
I bite my lip and stare at him with a smile playing over my lips. "Are you pampering me?"
He quickly shakes his head, but doesn't say anything although the smile that runs over his lips tells me everything I need to know. I head to my desk, the smile still planted on my face.
Around an hour later Harry comes over handing me back my hard disc. "I got it all. Thanks, I'll be sure to add the money to your next pay check."
"Thank you. Let me know if there's anything you aren't happy with," I say placing the hard disc inside my purse.
"You alright? You need anything?"
"I said I'm fine, Harry," I say for at least the third time today. This game seems to have grown a bit old, but the smile on Harry's face when he asks warms my heart.
"You sure?"
"You have work to do I'm sure. I'm fine over here," I say and just as he is about to ask me again I cut him off. "I swear if you're going to ask me one more time if I'm okay, I'm going to lose it."
He narrows his eyes at me and crosses his arms. I can tell a smirk is playing on his lips. Doesn't this man have work to do? "Is that so. And what exactly would happen if I asked you again?"
"Don't test me. I swear that coffee I brought you an hour ago was a bad idea," I say and notice the phone is ringing. "Hello this is Leah Davis from SIG, what can I help you with?" I ask over the phone as I stare at Harry motioning for him to get back to work. He's surely getting on my nerves, but although he does as I say, an hour later he's back, and at lunch time he's encouraging me to eat with him inside his office.
"Am I in here so you can check up on me?" I ask taking a bite of my sandwich.
"Maybe," he says, but the smile he flashes me gives him away. As much as I want to scold him for getting on my nerves, his gesture is rather cute. Not many would be checking up on me like that. As a matter of fact, no one would be checking up on me like that. And although I'm not used to this kind of attention, part of me likes knowing that he cares. He's such a sweetheart. Kaia is lucky to have him, although I'm beginning to think she doesn't deserve him. She doesn't seem like the most pleasant person, although I can't be sure. I mean I've barely even said two words to her. I feel sorry for Harry though, he shouldn't be with someone he doesn't love. Yet it's not my job to tell him what to do.
"Leah?"
My head snaps up and I look at him.
"You alright?" He asks, and I'm about to lose it when he speaks again. "You don't look too good. You're kind of pale," he states, and I realise I've zoned out.
"Fine," I mumble trying to shake it off. I take another bite of my sandwich.
"What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," I say shaking my head. Hoping to gain some colour back in my face. I don't want Harry to worry. Besides I am feeling fine, I'm just not fine about how Harry is living his life.
"You know if you want to, you're allowed to leave. I would rather you take the rest of the day off than you staying here if you aren't feeling your best."
"Harry?"
He nods.
"Stop it. I don't feel sick. It was just something that crossed my mind."
"Want to talk about it?" He asks, and I shake my head again. I can't tell him that I think he should leave Kaia. That is so not any of my business.
"Alright. I'm here though," he says, and I give him a confused look. "-if you ever need to talk."
"Thanks," I say and finish off my sandwich. "And thanks for this."
"Have you not been eating anything since I brought you the soup?" He says, and I give him a confused stare. "— you finished that in practically one go."
"I did not," I chuckle wiping off any lipstick that may have made its way outside my lips. "But to your information I've mainly been snacking on the sweets you brought me. It's nice to have some proper food for once."
He shakes his head at me with a smile but doesn't say a word. I know what he's thinking. But hey, being an adult means that you can do whatever you feel like.
At the end of the day as I'm ready to leave, Harry makes his presence known and hovers over me. "You leaving now?"
I nod.
"Let me take you home," he offers. and I look at my watch. Its 5 o'clock. I've no idea when Harry normally leaves on a Friday, but I can't help but think it's too early for him.
"Don't you still have work to do?" I ask turning off the computer.
"You don't think I have a life, do you?"
"I do, I just also know that you're quite busy. I don't want to keep you occupied. And if you're not working shouldn't you get home to your fiancée?" I ask grabbing my purse.
"We don't live together," he states, and I give him a confused look. I bite the inside of my cheek not sure on how to response to his words. This somehow has grown a lot more uncomfortable than I intended it to. Knowing Harry, I'm pretty sure there's no way I can fight him on the subject on taking me home. And although his gesture is nice, I just can't help but think that this is wrong. I don't understand why he is being so persistent with me. He is being my boss, not that I'm saying that you can't be friends with your boss, yet, somehow it still seems wrong.
We head towards the lift in silence, and I stare at the floor.
"You alright?" Harry asks and when I nod, he doesn't speak again until we're inside his car. "You're acting different," he states indifferent as he turns on the engine.
"What?" I blurt out. What does he mean?
"Ever since I told you about how I know Kaia you've been acting differently. It's like you have a ton of questions to ask, but are too afraid to ask any of them," he says reversing the car.
"I just don't understand how you can be with someone you don't love," I admit as I watch him leave the carpark.
"It's not that simple."
"Yes, it is simple!" I exclaim looking over at him taking us both by surprise. I wasn't aware this was bothering me so much, and coming from me who doesn't even believe in love myself. Men only want one thing, and when you don't give that to them they find it elsewhere. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell," I say lowering my voice. "I don't understand how you can be okay with it. I mean do you even like Kaia?" I ask and shake my head. "Sorry, that's none of my business," I say apologising once more.
"You don't get it do you?"
"Clearly, I don't."
"It's all I've ever known. That's how life is supposed to be for me. Marriage is about business connections, it's not knew to me. I've known this all my life. I've been told that you grow into love — that building a real relationship takes time."
"Building a relationship might not happen overnight, but you can't force love Harry. It's not right, marriage isn't supposed to be about connections."
"Trust me, when I was 18 I had an uproar. I didn't want to do it. Besides Kaia was only 13 at the time, it seemed strange knowing I would marry a girl that young. But my mum made it pretty clear to me that if I don't go through with this, I'm out."
"What do you mean, you're out?"
"I'm out of the family."
"They can't do that," I say not believing I'm hearing him correctly. It's not like you can just kick someone out of your family. Besides who would do that?
"Yeah they can, that means I'm out of the company too. I'll lose Sam."
I look over at him sceptically. Him and Sam are both old enough to do how they please.
As if reading my mind he speaks up. "If I do what you're suggesting and walk out of the engagement, Sam and I won't be seeing each other. If we do, they'll cut her off too. It's kind of like Jehovah's Witnesses, once you've been a disgrace to your family they cut you off. You are not to have any contact with them, and if you want back in, it has to be under their premisses. You agree to follow their rules."
"That's sick. It sounds like a messed up sect or something. You shouldn't have to live your life like that."
"I don't really have a choice do I? They are my family after all."
"So you and Kaia doesn't' even live together?"
He shakes his head. "No. She's living with her parents until marriage. We won't be getting married until she's finished her education which won't be until next summer."
Somehow that confession makes me feel slightly better, yet I can't help but wonder what kind of relationship they are even having if Harry is constantly working, or being with me. He has been with me an awful lot lately hasn't he? And if they don't even live together I don't really see their love for each growing any time soon. Have they even been intimate with one another? I wonder to myself, then quickly shake the thought off. I don't want to think of Harry in that way.
"You know you didn't have to take me home," I say trying to change the subject as I see us getting closer to Maroubra.
"I'm aware."
"You know you are pampering me," I say, and he looks over with a smile.
"Does it bother you?"
"I want to say yes, but I guess in all honesty it doesn't. Although, I'm telling you I'm very much capable of taking care of myself."
"So you're saying. That doesn't mean I can't worry. I told you to take the rest of the week off and you don't listen. Are you always this stubborn?"
"Maybe," I giggle and realise we've arrived. "Thanks for the ride," I say and unbuckle my seat belt. "You know if you're not too busy, you're welcome to come in and join me for tea. Although, we'll most likely have to order something. I don't think I have anything eatable aside from sweets and oats."
Harry chuckles as he puts the car in park.
"It's on me of course. Although, you'll have to help me figure out what to get."
"Right because you don't ever order take-out."
"Exactly."
"I'm in," he says and smiles at me. Why is it that being around Harry is so effortlessly, yet although I want him closer I'm afraid to really let him in?
Harry locks his car and we head up to my condo.
As Harry searches Menulog for food, my phone rings and I pick it up hesitantly not in the mood to talk to my mum at this moment. "Hey mum, how you going?"
"Fine, dear. Just wondering when you'll come and visit. You haven't been home in an awful long time."
"It's been less than a month, mum. And I've been busy with my new job remember."
"Oh, Yes. How's that going?"
"Great," I say watching Harry as he runs a hand through his hair, and I bite my bottom lip.
"That's good," She gushes. I bet she's pleased I'm doing something different from the café and not just taking pictures. She doesn't understand how you can live off photography.
"Yeah," I say not in the mood to talk right now.
"How's pizza. Or Thai?" Harry asks, and I give him a thumbs up.
"You choose," I say.
"What? Who you talking to?" Mum asks.
"Sorry, just talking to my boss," I say regretting it as the last word leaves my mouth.
"You still at work?"
"Not exactly. Sorry mum, gotta go. Tell dad I send my love. Coming home soon," and before she can object I have hung up. I sigh, and Harry looks at me.
"Not in the mood to talk to your mum, ay?"
"No. She was asking too many questions."
"So you don't see me as anything but your boss?"
"Sorry, shouldn't have said that. It was the first thing that crossed my mind. I'm sure she could tell it wasn't a female voice, and if I told her I had a guy over, she would start asking all kinds of questions getting too excited thinking we were dating."
Harry chuckles. "At least she's excited about your dating life."
"That doesn't exist," I say wondering if I've spilled too much. "I swear it's like at times she's afraid that she's never going to become a grandma. I'm 24. I still have time."
"Yeah," he agrees. Either not putting too much thought into my first confession or simply letting it slide. At least now He knows for sure that I'm not in a relationship, not sure I ever told him that. But I'm pretty sure he already knew.
"So next time, I'll introduce you as my friend, how does that sound?"
"I like that," he says with a smile.
"Now, what are you ordering?" I ask coming over to him at the table.
"I though Thai food would be nice. Although I've no idea if the place's any good." He looks at me.
"Don't look at me. I wouldn't know. Just order enough for both of us. I'll go find my card," I say and when I return I see Harry have shut down the computer.
"What are you doing shouldn't we order?"
"You snooze you lose," he chuckles.
"It's not a competition, you know. I just thought I'd do something for you for once."
"You're keeping me company. How's that for something?" He asks, and a shiver runs down my spine at his confession. I didn't know I needed to keep him company, and I start to wonder if he, in a city with more than 4 million people is just as lonely as me?