Always A Pleasure || H.S. [COMPLETE]

Sixty-Five

With Mr. Bates out on his three month paternity leave, it left a glaring hole in the security team at the apartment. Mr. Daniels was moved up to step in as Katherine's security detail during his absence and the overnight shift was just simply left unattended.

Katherine knew it made Harry more than a little uncomfortable not having a full security team, so he had been conducting interviews for at least two new security personnel — albeit months overdue at that point. Even with Mr. Bates scheduled to come back by the end of the month, they both knew the team had been stretched thin the moment Harry assigned Mr. Bates to Katherine.

Katherine insisted that she didn't necessarily need Mr. Bates with her at all times, but Harry shot that idea down as soon as it came out of her mouth. She didn't know why it was such a deal-breaker with him. She only ever used Mr. Bates when running errands or going to appointments.

But then she thought back on the few times that she was recognized as Harry Styles' girlfriend by the paps while she was out on said errands and was reminded that maybe having a bodyguard tagging along wasn't such a bad thing.

During the first couple weeks of April, Harry began conducting security interviews to several candidates each evening. Katherine did her best to be at home as much as possible so that Mr. Harris could accompany Harry to work during the day and Mr. Daniels could be at their home while Harry did the interviews after work.

She had been going stir-crazy for nearly two weeks, stuck inside the house. And the constant parade of strange men that filtered through the apartment for interviews every evening didn't help her feel any more comfortable.

That week, Katherine had planned to visit Mr. Bates, his wife, Mackenzie, and their infant son, Leo, at their apartment in Tribeca, but with Mr. Daniels' being reallocated, there wasn't anyone to go along with her. So, Derek and Mackenzie made the decision that they would visit the Styles penthouse instead.

"I've pictured this apartment many times in my mind as Derek goes off to work, but I'm afraid I grossly underestimated the size of it," Mackenzie told Katherine after the couple and their son were invited in the front door, her eyes wide as she looked around the massive space.

"I— yeah. I almost got lost a few times when I first started working here," Katherine snickered as they walked deeper into the apartment.

The four of them made their way into the living room where Katherine had a charcuterie board with meats, cheeses and fruit prepared for their visit waiting on the coffee table. And like a good host, she got each of them a beverage before they settled in.

"Okay. I have been dreaming about holding this little boy for ages," Katherine gushed as Derek carefully took his infant son out of his car seat.

"He's all yours," he told her with a smile as he set Leo in her arms.

"Oh my goodness," Katherine cooed, looking down at the infant. He was a little over two months old and one of the most adorable little babies she had ever seen.