Without Her

chapter 14 - impromptu plans

Hardin's POV:

Surprisingly I wake up before Tessa today. She is still sleeping heavily, her chest falling up and down and her eyes calmly closed. She is so fucking beautiful, I cannot ever get over her beauty.

I kiss her cheek and wrap my arm around her waist, letting myself fall asleep with her.

But now that I'm already up, I am unable to sleep. I get out of bed and brush my teeth before starting my day.

I have a feeling today is a good day. What day is it? Friday I guess. Good Friday then. Tessa and I get Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and I think we'll be returning Wednesday but who knows? We might as well extend the trip.

I don't usually talk to myself, even in my head, but I sure as hell don't do it purposely.

Tessa joins me in the kitchen about 20 minutes later, and I'm greeted with a smile. She has her robe tight around her body, and the socks I slipped on her feet last night are still on.

"Good morning" she pours herself some coffee from the pot, something is going on in her mind, I can just tell.

"Morning" I wish as she brings her cheek to mine and quickly kisses it, and takes a seat on a stool.

"I- I have lunch with Landon today" she says, her voice still has sleep laced in it.

"I see. I was going to take you out today but we'll go dinner instead then" I say while she opens her MacBook, probably to check her mails.

I have a few plans for this woman and I will work on them today to implement them tomorrow. I cannot wait to tell her everything I've planned. Her having lunch with Landon works out best for me because she will be distracted and won't be all nosey in my business.

Tessa's POV:

I am waiting for Landon at the restaurant we decided. We said 1 pm and it's 1:01 and I'm here. He'll be here before 1:05, I just know it. If it were Hardin, he would be here by 1:20.

"Tess!" I spot my bestfriend coming towards me with open arms and I practically jump up from my seat.

"Landon!" like a scene in a movie when 2 bestfriends reunite, we hug each other tight, even though we met earlier this week but at a formal event.

"How are you?" he clears his throat and sits down opposite of me, a grin plastered on his face.

"We met just 2 nights ago Landon but I'm great, thank you" I joke and he laughs for the sake of me, waving his hand for the waiter.

We place our orders. I don't feel like eating so I just order a salad for me, with a cold brew latte while Landon orders some fish fingers with soup. It's a weird combination but so is he.

"Where's Nora?" I ask. I haven't met Nora in so long and she's as close to me as Landon is. I miss her so much, but both of our work timings drift us apart. But when we do meet, it's a blast for sure.

"Hotel, working" he sighs. Nora manages a pretty big hotel in Manhattan. They used to live in Brooklyn too but they had to shift because of travelling and they did get a pretty perfect house there. I love that they're settled and happy and I wish nothing but best for both of my bestfriends. But having them live 30 minutes away was a bit of a disappointment, we still manage to keep our friendship intact.

When Nora and Landon found out about my disease, they took it worse than I thought. We had them over for dinner and decided to break it to them soon after my treatment started. I've never seen Landon cry that much, even more than his wedding day. He didn't exactly cry in front of me, but when him and Hardin were out in the balcony for drinks, he broke and I heard them. I couldn't help but cry to watching my bestfriend this vulnerable for me.