How It's Going To Be [h.s.]

Chapter 96

{Kate's Point of View}

After Zayn's launch party, there was hardly any time to celebrate a successful event and pleased client before Hendrix and Carter gave me a new assignment. A new competitive cooking show was coming to a major broadcasting network and needed a PR angle to work from. My focus shifted from popstars to pasta in a matter of a week.

My office chair creaked as I rotated back and forth absentmindedly. The bluish-white glow of my computer screen was giving me a headache and I had only been at work for three hours. I still had countless emails to send before I would even be able to take break for lunch. I stifled a yawn as I clicked through yet another pointless email reminding me of a meeting for the following Thursday.

I was thankful when my office phone began ringing. I sat up a little taller in my chair and reached across the desk for the phone. I pressed the button to take the call, "This is Kate."

"Hello, this is Barbara in reception. I have a man here asking to see you."

"Who is it?" I asked, thinking of potential clients that would be looking for me.

"Well," her voice fell quiet, "he's quite tall and broad. I can see his muscles bulging through his coat. He's got brown hair and these astonishing eyes. And he looks so serious. He's carrying a coffee and a single flower."

"Did he say his name?" I pressed.

"No, but he does have an American accent," she nearly whispered. I cringed thinking that this person was likely just across the reception area from Barbara and could hear her.

"Could it be Canadian?"

"Oh! Yes! Canadian!"

Eli.

"Please send him back, Barbara."

"Is this work related?" Barbara asked. She was an aging woman who had worked in reception for nearly twenty-five years. She was always operating by the rules.

"Barbara, if he is here at work asking for me, something is wrong. He wouldn't be here otherwise," I said as calmly as possible. "Please show him to my office."

I waited anxiously for my door to open. What I said to Barbara was true; Eli would not just show up at my office without proper cause. My mind played over all of the things that could bring him here, which only terrified me.

There was a loud knock on the door before Barbara stuck her head inside. "Kate, your friend is here."

"Thank you, Barbara."

She opened the door and allowed Eli to walk through. Over her reading glasses, she gave me a stern look. "Please keep personal guests to a minimum, Kate."

"Understood."

Barbara allowed the door to close behind her as she left. I held back a laugh until I was certain she had walked away. Eli laughed first as he sat down in one of the chairs opposite my desk. By the casual way he sat down, I knew nothing was seriously wrong. I relaxed a little.

"She's a gem."

"Isn't she?" I giggled.

Eli reached up and set a single white peony on my desk. My laughing stopped. It was so much more than a white flower; it was a symbol. It was a symbol for Harry. I looked up and met Eli's intent stare. He had a soft smirk playing on his lips. He crossed his legs with an ankle over his knee. He sipped from the coffee in his hand.

"What's this?"

"You know," he said with a challenging tone. And I did.

"Harry?"