London

20 - "Love you H."

Harry

After we woke up it was much too late to go out for dinner so we simply bought sushi in the supermarket which is my least favorite kind, but it seems to please Alex. As we sit down on the ground by the coffee table, eating the sushi, I feel the need to warn her for tonight. 

"I might have invited some people you might not like," I tell her and I hope the sushi is enough of a bribe to not upset her. 

"Who?" she asks, dipping her bite in the soy sauce and chewing away like I hoped. 

"Pascal, of course. He probably won't say a lot though, still doesn't like you. And Susie."

"How's her sister?" She wonders, totally cool and I wonder if she's on some medication or something. 

"Not well," I say thinking about the last string of texts she has send. I try not to answer to them too much, but I also don't want to be a dick about it so I answer every now and then. She's used to my spare attention anyway. 

"I'll be polite to her if that's what you're worried about."

I shrug my shoulders and try to act casual. "Just don't want it to be a surprise like last time."

"It's your birthday. It will be fine. Who will all be there?"

"Well, some of my colleagues from the shop, some friends, Liam and your family. I guess that's it."

"Liam ánd Pascal in one room? Geez, and you are warning me for Susie," Alex says, bursting out in a fit of laughter. "You sure know how to make your party entertaining."

"Oh," I say, only just now thinking it through. "Will it be that bad?"

"You know that better than I do, but if Pascal already has so much trouble with me, how do you think he'll react to a real life Liam? He did steal his girl and he didn't take it lightly."

"Ah well."

She smiles to me, clearly happy that maybe for once she's not going to be the center of attention. In silence we eat the rest of the sushi and then we proceed to making the house ready. Moving some furniture and Alex hanging some balloons. She was lovely enough to bake a cake and make some finger food and I'm just thanking her through a kiss when the doorbell rings. 

"Harry," she whispers, but I don't want to stop. Only one kiss is enough to set my groin on fire, but she's not having it. 

"Mm," I mumble, pushing her against the kitchen counter, letting her feel what she does to me when our bodies touch. 

"Harry," she repeats when my hand disappears under her dress that I will never forget. She wore it the other time when I couldn't contain myself from fucking her when maybe I should have considering she was officially still with James. "Now is not the time."

I know I act like a spoiled child when I turn around with a big exhale and walk to the hallway, hoping Alex is just as flustered as I am. Of course the first person to arrive and fuck up my chances with Alex is Liam. He's cheerful enough and pulls me in for a hug that I can't help but return. 

"Happy birthday," he says as he pulls back. "This is from me and the misses, she's sorry she can't be here. Might drop by after work."

"Maybe not," I tell him accepting the envelope he's holding. "Pascal is coming as well."

Watching his face go from happy to horror is enjoyable to see although I feel for him. "Oh, maybe not, no."

"Sorry, forgot about that all. But thank you for this."