"Sorry we're closed!"
I called out immediately once I heard the bell above the door ring and couldn't stop my glance at Tessa considering she was supposed to lock the door when she changed the closed sign.
"Is that your way of telling me to fuck off?"
I looked up at the sound of Harry's voice and smiled automatically, my mood brightening considerably considering I'd basically had the day from hell.
"Hi." I said stupidly making Harry grin and my heart thud.
"Hi yourself. Tessa." Harry greeted the blonde pleasantly and I watched as she sent him a small wave and smile as she continued to listen to whoever was talking her ear off on the other end of the phone.
I chewed my lip as I glanced at Harry to find him watching me and I was wondering if he was waiting for me to say something, what, I didn't know but it wasn't like this was the first time he'd appeared at work this week.
"Sarah's in the office if you wanna say hi, or happy birthday." I announced instead; instead of letting my mind spin as I tried to figure out what it meant, if it even meant anything that Harry had been picking me up from work every evening now.
"Oh shit her birthday is today?"
Tessa snorted as I rolled my eyes and Harry sent her a half hearted glare.
"Yeah, I told you on Saturday when we were shopping." I raised an eyebrow at him watching as he groaned. "I put your name on our card."
I watched Harry's lips stretch into a grin before he pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek and headed into the office.
I finished counting the change in silence, closing the till just as Tessa hung up and I saw her watching me from the corner of my eye as I scribbled my name on the bottom of the printout.
"Is that a thing then?"
Tessa finally broke the silence and I had to admit I was surprised she'd lasted this long, I had assumed she'd have said something the first night Harry appeared. But then again she was hungover on Sunday.
"Is what a thing?" I asked as my eyes drifted to the office door, Harry hadn't reappeared and I didn't know if it was okay to go in or not.
"Don't be a bitch May. You and Harry." Tessa scoffed and I gasped making her laugh.
"I... don't know." I admitted slowly.
Tessa raised her eyebrow as I chewed my lip and shrugged.
"Have you guys fucked yet?"
This girl really had no filter. She'd get on well with Fran.
"Oh my god May you dirty slut! I knew it, I called it first. Kate'll say it was her but it wasn't it was me, I knew you two were gagging for each other." Tessa bragged and I felt my eyes bulge out of my head.
"Stop it. We were friends, we are friends. It's just complicated now I don't know whats going on. Just don't make it obvious to him— or anyone else!" I rushed out as the office door opened and I averted my eyes to Tessa.
"You ready to go?" Harry asked as he lent against the till and I nodded holding up the cash bag so he knew I had that to deposit.
"That's my queue to go thank god, this has been the day from hell. I'll see you tomorrow May, we'll finish our chat too!" Tessa grinned and hopped off the counter just as I passed her heading for the office.
"Yeah yeah whatever. Have a good evening." I called back to her and smiled at Sarah who was still sitting at the desk.
"Oh I'll just take that." I handed Sarah the bag instead of unlocking the safe and smiled.
"We're heading out now. Are you staying?" I asked as I grabbed my jacket and bag watching as Sarah nodded.
"Just doing some paperwork, hopefully I won't be here too long. Thank you again for my present it was really lovely." Sarah said sincerely.
"Not a problem at all, I hope you had a good day. See you tomorrow." I smiled.
"See ya May, bye Harry!"
I smiled as Harry called out a quick goodbye before linking his fingers through mine as we left the café and I sucked in a breath of cold air, almost regretting it immediately as I felt my lungs freeze.
"Your place or mine?" Harry asked as we headed down the path towards his car and I raised an eyebrow silently at the small silver sports car. "Lou's borrowing the Rover."
"Oh." I mumbled as I slid into the seat and sighed, "I don't mind. Your choice."
"I wanna watch the Office." Harry admitted rubbing his jaw and I laughed. Harry was a serial binge watcher.
"My house it is then." I smiled as we settled into a comfortable silence and I rested my head against the headrest, glad that my shitty day was coming to an end.
I jerked upright as a loud slamming noise startled me and I blinked several times to find the car not moving and Harry standing alongside me leaning into the open door frame. I must have fallen asleep, I didn't even realise I was that tired.
"Sorry." I mumbled as I pulled myself out of the car and I caught Harry rolling his eyes but he neglected to say anything.
"Have you ever thought about getting your own Netflix?" I asked as we trailed up the path and towards my front door, my hands rifling automatically through my bag for my keys.
"No why would I?" Harry retorted with a snort and I shook my head lightly as I pushed the door open, Mum was home.
"So you don't have to mooch off me."
I clicked my tongue as I pulled my jacket off and hung it up on the hook with Harry following suit with his shearling.
"Also you'd be able to watch stuff all the time and not just the fleeting spare time we're together."
I glanced up at Harry who nodded slowly and I wondered if he was actually considering the proposal now.
"But you're my favourite person to spend time with."
My entire body erupted with electricity at his words as I stared at Harry staring back at me in silence and I bit my lip as I looked away from him, just as Mum appeared from the dining room doorway.
"Thought I heard voices, hi darling. Hi Harry love." Mum smiled and I gave her a small smile in return hopefully my red face wasn't noticeable.
Harry love?
Talk about favouritism, Tommy never once got anything other than Tom or Tommy.
"Hi Ms Tate, how are you?" Harry asked politely and I shook my head as I started up the first couple of stairs aware of both sets of eyes on me.
"Janice, Harry I've told you before. Same old really. I've ordered Chinese so you can fend for yourselves for dinner." Mum informed us and I nodded and flicked my head upwards for Harry to follow.
"Why did she give me that look?" Harry whispered once he was following me up the stairs and I laughed as I turned my bedroom light on and started to pull my boots off.
"Because she thinks we're horny children."
I didn't even see the so called 'look' and I doubted she genuinely thought that but my response made Harry laugh nevertheless.
"Haven't you worn that yet?" Harry asked changing the subject swiftly and I frowned as I lent up on my elbows, the weight of my body still sinking in my mattress as I tried to figured out what he was talking about.
"I can change the colour if you don't like it or swap it if you don't like the style."
Harry spoke before my brain had even figured out what he was talking about and I followed his gaze to the Gucci bag sitting atop of my dresser.
I licked my lips as I swallowed, he really thought I didn't like it?
"No I love it. I think it's absolutely beautiful." I tried to reassure him.
"So why haven't you worn it?"
"Um I'm terrified of getting dirty or something ruining it. It's so beautiful and it cost so much money." I explained, which was was the truth.
It was like Harry's jacket all over again, I couldn't wear something so expensive, I was far too clumsy.
"Doesn't matter Sunshine, money's not important. You like it you wear it." Harry shrugged as he grabbed the bag and brought it over to my bed with him making me click my tongue.
"Sounds like something someone with a lot of money would say."
I didn't mean it to be mean or judgmental but it was true and although it was true I felt bad immediately as Harry frowned as he pulled the jumper out and ripped the tags out with his teeth making me cringe.
"Doesn't matter if I have money or not Sunshine, wouldn't have bought this for you if I didn't want you to wear it or think you're worth it." Harry said and I bit my lip, he was too good for me.
"Now arms up." He instructed and I stared at him wide eyed as I did as I was told and he pulled the jumper on over my head, he was treating me like a child. An actual child.
"You treat me like a baby." I muttered as I rearranged the jumper and got comfortable.
Part of me scolded myself for putting it off for so long, the jumper was so soft and immediately warming as it pooled around me and although it was a few sizes too big, I loved it.
"Might as well be." Harry shrugged. "Baby girl."
Another day, another name.
I chewed my lip as I smiled shyly at Harry who returned with a much larger grin before he flopped down onto my pillow and pulled Netflix up on my laptop.
"I feel bad. I can't buy you things like this Harry. I would love to but I'm not able." I admitted, shame and embarrassment flooding my body as I said my fears out loud.
"M'don't want you to." Harry shrugged again but his words didn't ease my guilt as I hid my hands in the sleeves. "I don't buy you things for anything in return. I just wanna, besides this was a Christmas present. M'not a sugar daddy."
"But you are Daddy?" I bit back immediately, shocking myself at my own quick response, I was impressed and judging by the amused smirk on Harry's face so was he.
"Don't get cheeky with me." Harry chided but pulled me into his side at the same time as he started the new episode of the Office, the two of us falling into silence but I wasn't complaining considering I just enjoyed Harry's company.
"Sunshine?"
I hummed in response three episodes later, blinking several times as I tried to blink away the sleep growing in my bones. I was warm and cosy and Harry's hand drawing patterns on my skin under my jumper for the last twenty minutes wasn't really helping.
"It's Paul's birthday soon and he's having like a little party on Saturday at his house cause his birthdays Monday." Harry informed me and I nodded, unsure where he was going with this.
"Come with me?"
"What?" I sat up as I spoke, peering down at Harry who just blinked lazily at me before pulling me back down onto his chest.
"Don't look so worried. It'll just be him and his family and us." Harry explained and I swallowed thickly.
I had two days to prepare for this.
I had two days to overthink the fact Harry wanted me to meet the man he considered a father figure. I needed to control my brain, I had no idea why I needed to question everything now considering I used to just take what I got and be happy with it.
"His family?" I asked instead, reaching forward to press skip intro on my screen before pausing it so we wouldn't miss anything although I knew Harry was happy to talk over everything.
"Yeh' his wife and two kids. It's casual Sunshine nothing to worry about. They'll love you and you'll love them."
"Okay." I said quietly a few minutes later just as Harry restarted the show before he lent over to press his lips to mine.
I couldn't help myself from kissing him back as he gripped my hipbone tightly as he deepened the kiss and once again I found my senses invaded with all thing Harry and his trusty minty flavour, although tonight was paired with lemon.
"Andy and Dwight are rocking the sales team—AH!"
A loud shout and screech from my laptop made me jump and accidentally pull away from Harry in time to see Meredith on the bonnet of Michael's car and I laughed loudly.
"Holy shit we have to watch that again, this is one of the best."
I looked at Harry, noticing that he wasn't even looking at the screen and I gave him a small smile, getting an almost megawatt dimpled one in return as I restarted the episode.
Harry's hand returned to my hip under my jumper as we fell back into silence and I was left thinking about how much I really liked Harry's smile. And the confronting thought that I'd do anything to see it.