"You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you"
Song: Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
**
Maybe Saturday's aren't that bad after all.
At least this one hasn't been.
Thanks to him.
Harry is a quick learner, I'll give him that, and an incredibly hard worker. Where has he been all my life?
He's gone above and beyond with anything I've asked of him tonight, never once complaining or getting frustrated and always checking with me to ask if I'm alright or need him to do anything else, he's almost too good to be true.
He said he'd done some bar work back in England after highschool among other odd jobs, so it wasn't a massive learning curve for him, but he was a bit of a fish out of water at first.
I've spent all night watching him, he's such a captivating person to look at, I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of him. He was so charismatic and friendly with the customers, making jokes and flirting his way into a large pile of tips, from both men and women.
The little tart.
He kept sneaking me looks all night, pulling silly faces whenever he would notice I was staring at him, or poking me whenever we would pass each other.
He's helpful, but also very distracting.
I have to say though, the highlight of the night, and whilst I shouldn't find it funny, I sure as hell do - was Harry running around behind the bar like a headless chicken trying to serve drinks during rush hour.
The poor thing looked like his hair was going to fall out from stress.
Poor sweet boy.
One detail he wasn't aware of, during that rush period where he was running around like a blind bat was -
First rule of working behind a bar: Don't run, it's slippery from all the drinks that get spilled and you will fuck yourself up.
So that's how Harry managed to slip ass up in the air, all flailing limbs and wild hair, from running to get a vodka and orange juice.
It was like someone threw a lanky baby horse in mid air.
Now I could have warned him about running behind the bar...but, I did warn him he'd pay for scaring me, so maybe I didn't mention it.
....Whoopsies?
It's 3am and we've been cleaning up for the past hour, after dragging the last staggering customer out and I can thank Harry for that as well.
It's nice to have some help for once, really nice.
Harry and I have been mindlessly chatting, asking each other a million questions between teasing each other and playfully trying to shove or trip the other.
It feels like I've known him my whole life, like we've been best friends since kindergarten and been inseparable ever since.
It's an odd feeling to have with someone you've barely known for 48 hours, but there's this instantaneous comfort and familiarity I have with him.
It reminds me of the feeling you get when you go to that place that feels like home after you've been away for a long time, that tingles through you as soon as you walk in the door.
I'm so happy Emma found someone like Harry, he's a beautiful person.
He'll be good for her.
Plus, I think this is the start of a special friendship between us, I can't shake the hunch I have about Harry, I feel like we were meant to come into each others lives for some reason.
Better up your best friend game Finn, you've got some competition now.
"What's your favourite movie?" Harry asks, looking over at me from where he's stacking the bar stools against the wall.
I stare back it him incredulously, pausing the mopping from behind the bar "That's an impossible question, you can't have just one"
He nods in agreement "okay, okay, top five then"
I fold my hands around the top of the mop, resting my chin on the end of the handle thoughtfully "Top five" I echo
I pause thinking for a moment before I answer "Wayne's World, Dirty Dancing, Ghost, Almost Famous and Practical Magic" I state confidently, then I shrug "In no particular order though, it's like children, you should never pick favourites, they're all special in their own way"
Harry blinks at me "You're kidding"
I can take a lot of things, but disrespecting my love for my favourite movies isn't one of them.
I frown at him "I'll have you know those movies are classics"
Harry shakes his head, still staring at me bug eyed "I know they are, I love those movies, I watched them with my mum all the time growing up -- well except practical magic. I've never seen that."
There's a fondness in my chest over the fact those same movies are meaningful to him.
I'll have to remember to show him practical magic.
However, I decide to have a bit of fun, let's see how easy he is to wind up.
I roll my lips inside my mouth, fighting a smile "Are you saying my taste in movies means I'm old enough to be your mother?"
Harry's eyes widen, freezing with the bar stool he's holding "What-no, no I just meant that's why I like those old movies, none of my friends my age usually did"
I try hold my composure, scowling while I start mopping again "Old movies? First you call me deaf, and now I'm an old hag. Real nice Harry, real nice"
Harry gapes at me, floundering to fix the way he thinks he's misspoken "No no no, I don't think you're old, I'm sorry that's not what I meant, I actually think you're really-"
Oh you're too easy my sweet boy.
He stops rambling abruptly when he notices me snickering, as I continue mopping, keeping my eyes on the ground.
"You think you're real funny don't you?" he asks menacingly, putting down the stool and walking towards the bar.
"Hilarious actually" I reply nonchalantly, emptying the mop bucket into the sink.
I turn my back to him, organising the bottles of spirits in the shelf and checking which ones are empty and need to be replaced.
"You know what I find funny?" he asks coyly.
"What's that?" I set down the bottle I was holding and turn to face him.
"This"
Next thing I know, a burst off cold water shoots me straight in the face and I squeal, coughing and sputtering.
I wipe my eyes, staring in horror at him with my chest heaving.
Harry is standing in front of the bar, with a cheeky smirk, extremely please with himself, holding the hose tap from the sink that he must have leaned over and grabbed while my back was turned. "Now that, was hilarious"
That little shit!
Oh he's dead, he is so dead when I get my hands on him.
I push the damp hair stuck to my face away huffing, launching forward to clamber over the bar.
I'm gonna ring that pretty little neck of his!
Harry let's out a dramatic yelp, turning on his heel and running.
I land on my feet less gracefully than envisioned, stumbling forward, I hold my hands up to steady myself and searching my eyes around for Harry, finding him standing behind the pool table.
I straighten and stalk towards him slowly, like a predator stalking it's prey "Come here Harry" I taunt in a sing song voice.
It would probably be more threatening if the predator didn't look like a drowned poodle.
"You know what, I'd love to, but I'm kind of busy right now" he replies sarcastically, moving around the table to avoid me, keeping it as a barricade in between us.
"Harry, I just want to give you a hug" I say innocently, leaning my hands against the pool table across from him.
He cocks a disbelieving brow at me "A hug?"
"Mhmmmm" I hum "I just want to hug your neck with both of my hands"
I start to circle the table, looking up under my brows at him with a smirk.
Harry starts moving around the table to avoid me, a mischievous grin pulling on his lips "Are you saying you want to choke me love?"
"Only a little bit, and by a little I mean a lot" I shoot back
He lifts and drops his brows at me suggestively with a wink
"Kinky"
I'll show you kinky mate
"That's it!" I yell, rushing around the table still shouting "You better run pretty boy!"
Harry slaps his and over his mouth and takes off towards the bar, giggling like a school girl.
I stop in my tracks when he dashes behind the bar, shooting me a cocky grin.
Wait for it....
"Shit!" Harry cries out, and all I see is his long legs fly up in the air behind the bar followed by a loud smack.
The best things in life really are free, because that was priceless.
Twice in one night, I'm blessed.
I bite down on my lip, grinning, walking slowly to the bar hearing Harry's muffled groans from behind it.
I feel really bad that I didn't warn him about running behind the bar now......not.
I walk behind the bar casually, catching a laugh in my mouth that ends up coming out as a raspberry between my lips when I see him sprawled on his back, his hands covering his face, looking exactly how I did yesterday in the diner.
My my my, how the tables have turned.
I stand over him, resting my hands on my hips "You okay love?" I ask, mimicking his voice, completely exaggerating and butchering his accent.
"I do not sound like that" he grumbles, muffled behind his hands.
"Having fun down there?" I smile, enjoying this way more than I should be.
Harry pulls his hands from his face, pouting dramatically holding his hand out to me "You could at least help me up"
I roll my eyes "Or I could let you suffer a little longer"
Harry sticks his bottom lip out, his brows tilting in sadness giving me the most exaggerate puppy eyed expression I've ever seen.
God dammit he looks like a sad baby seal.
Damn him, damn his face, damn that look he's giving me and damn me for thinking its so fucking cute.
I'm going soft in my old age, I can feel it.
I give in, grabbing his hand "Fine. But quit looking at me like that, you're making me feel like I just kicked a puppy"
Harry gives me a wicked grin as soon as he has a grip on my hand,
Uh oh.
He yanks me downwards so that I lose my balance, and I tumble down on top of him with a shout.
I feel like I've been hurled against a brick wall when my chest slams against his, the force making my head to fly forward, harshly smacking our foreheads together.
"Ow! Fuck!" I hiss at the same time that Harry yells "Christ!"
Well if I didn't have brain damage from yesterday, I sure as shit do now.
We both palm our foreheads, whining in pain, until I feel Harry's chest start to shake. I open one eye to look at him, my face above his.
He's grinning ear to ear, his laughter only getting louder "That did not go how I planned at all"
I grin back "You don't say? Hopefully my head knocked some sense into you"
The laughter reverberating through his chest, echoing around me is contagious and soon I'm cackling on top of him as well.
We lay in a heap on the floor in a fit of giggles until I'm wheezing and wiping the tears from my eyes.
I manage to finally calm myself down to the odd chuckle, trying to catch my breath, leaning up on my arms either side of his shoulders.
Harry is staring up at me with a humorous smile, his pale eyes lit up when they connect with mine.
He looks very chuffed with himself.
"What's that look for?" I ask suspiciously
"You think I'm pretty" he replies with his smile growing, cementing the dimple in his cheek.
"I beg your pardon?" I ask lifting my brows at him.
"You called me pretty boy, you think I'm pretty" he states again, grinning like a chuffed Cheshire cat.
I swallow the urge to laugh at how child like and adorably proud he looks with with himself and give him a deadpanned look "Are you finished?"
"You think I'm preeeeeetttyyy, You think I'm lovelllyyy" he teases in a sing song voice, wiggling his shoulders.
I drop my head down and rest my forehead against his chest "I've hired a moron, I've literally hired a moron, bloody brilliant" I say to myself incredulously
Harry let's out a loud laugh "A pretty moron" he corrects
"You're a pretty fucking annoying moron"
He snorts and wraps his arms around my back, pulling me against him tightly, squeezing playfully so the air is knocked out of me "Awe c'mon boss you know you love me"
It's only then I notice the position we've been in this whole time, with me laid on top of him, my legs in between his and disregarding how comprising it looks, I'm more so slapped by the fact that we are so physically close.
He's in my bubble and.... I don't mind.
I'm not anxious, or uncomfortable, in fact I've been quite content this whole time.
Confusion and slight panic jolts through me, what the hell is going on?
Is it the cologne he wears? Are there sedatives in it?
I need to get away from this whole situation right now.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that kiddo" I wheeze out, wriggling so he loosens his arms from around me.
I lift myself up immediately, climbing off of him and standing abruptly.
Harry twitches his brow at me, as if wondering why I suddenly got up like he was made of fire and I'd just been scolded.
I clear my throat holding my hand out to him "We should get home, it's really late"
Harry runs his fingers through the front of his hair, giving me a short nod, still looking at me like he's trying to figure something out.
He goes to take it my hand, and I pull it away slightly, cocking my brow at him "Are you going to behave yourself this time?"
His lips quirk "I'll try"
I shoot him a disbelieving look when I grasp his hand, pulling as he lifts himself up to stand.
Once he's on his feet, he holds his hands out in front of him, raising his brows at me as if saying "See, I told you"
I blow out a puff of air "Right well, all I need to do is lock up, so you can head off if you want"
Harry shoves his hands in his pockets, furrowing his brows "Okay" he drawls out.
I turn to the light switch board on the wall, flicking off each of the lights in the bar until the only thing that's left is the glow from the pink neon lights lining the underside of the bar, and shelves behind it.
"How are you getting home? Did you need a lift or anything?" he asks from behind me suddenly, almost as if he's stalling on leaving.
I turn to face him, pointing up to the ceiling "I live upstairs, I think I can manage getting there on my own"
"Oh...oh okay then, well, I'll get going then. I'll see you tomorrow?" he asks, rocking back and forth on his heels.
"No, not tomorrow" I reply, leaning on my elbow against the counter top.
Harry's face drops immediately, a worried look over taking it "Did I do something?"
It's then I realise how that sounded and quickly correct myself "We're closed tomorrow Harry, we close on Sunday's, relax. I'll see you on Monday" I add smiling reassuringly.
His mouth forms an 'Oh' as his shoulders slump in relief "Right, closed Sunday's. Well I'll see you Monday then"
I smile warmly at him "Go home and get some sleep, you did great tonight, you're an incredible help. You've got a job here for as long as you want it."
Harry gives me a proud goofy grin at my compliment "I need one last thing before I go then"
I furrow my brows at him "What is it?"
He leans forward turning his cheek towards me, tapping it with his finger asking for a kiss "A thank you for being such a good little helper"
He shuts his eyes and leans his cheek in further expectantly.
This kid really is something else.
I bite down on my lip, grinning at his immature behaviour.
Oh I'll give you a thank you alright.
I pick up a tea towel off of the bench and toss it at his face, snorting when he jumps startled from it hitting him, and glares at me.
I smirk, pointing to the doorway behind him. "Goodnight Harry"
****