Golden Luckenbooth

Thirty-Five

"Oh, good. You're done for the day." Jeffrey rises from the couch.

Confused as to why he's talking to me so casually when we've just met, I tilt my head only to find he's addressing my companion.

"Let's get you checked into your hotel for the night." Gesturing with his head, Jeffrey leads the way for Paddy to follow. "See you in a couple of hours, H." The manager nods towards my boyfriend. "We need to leave on time or we'll miss our flight to London."

The manager locks eyes with me as he says the words, and I know he's insinuating that I might be the reason Harry is late, but after all the popstar's highhandedness today, I'm happy to send Harry on his way immediately. No need to wait any time at all.

"Looking forward to our fish and chips." Paddy salutes me as he leaves behind Jeffrey, and they close the door.

Turning to Harry, I finally get to be the person with the folded arms as I wait for his apology.

"Babe..." He starts as he walks towards me.

"Do not 'babe' me." My tone of voice is calm and reasonable with just a touch of irritated.

"Anna, you look hot. How about we grab a shower before dinner?" Waggling his eyebrows, Harry attempts to pretend he's innocent of all of the charges I've laid out in my head. It's also his telltale horny look so I know he's hoping for more than just getting a shower. I suspect his plan is to get dirty together and then move on to cleaning under the showerhead.

Examining him, I process my options, finally settling on the most adult one. "Harry, do you remember how upset you were with me when I wasn't going to tell you about falling at the farm?"

"Of course I remember. It was just yesterday. But, babe, we've put that behind us." Confused, he adds the tentative question, "Haven't we?"

"Yes. That's old news. What's new, though, is that you did exactly the same thing."

"Huh?"

"You kept information from me. Something I deserved to know."

Pushing himself away from the side of the stairs that he's been leaning on, he shoves his hands in his pockets and approaches me. Shortbread sits on the floor between us, blocking Harry's pathway to me, and I chuckle internally at my puppy's knowledge that I'm not in the mood for my boyfriend to come too close. Piper, oblivious to all, jumps up on Harry, her paws on his chest until he acknowledges her and pats her head.

The moment the truth dawns on Harry, I see it in his face. First, he looks surprised. Then sick. And finally, a dull flush of red races up his chest and neck to his face.

"Shit, Anna. I didn't tell you about – I'm sorry. We've just been so busy with –" he gestures around the house, towards the fans out front, the clinic, the kitchen, the bedroom – "everything that it completely slipped my mind."

"We should have talked about the bodyguard," I announce.

"Yes. You're right. Of course you're right."

"And yet I notice that you haven't offered to send Paddy away."

He grimaces. "He's not here to spy on you, I swear. The only reason he's here is because I am worried about you while I'm away. The fans –"

"I know," I whisper hoarsely, approaching him, and Shortbread whines before she stands by my side. Clearing my throat, I continue, "But you can't keep making decisions about me without me any more than I can make decisions without you. It's not fair."

"No it's not."

"And it makes me feel like less of a partner in this relationship."

"I just want to protect you. Keep you safe."