when all is said and done | e.d.

eight

harper

thursday evening, i find myself staring at the clock and wishing it to tick by faster.

the ring of the phone makes me snap out of it, and lunge for the call.

"harper brown speaking," i say.

"yeah, it's me," ethan's voice makes me roll my eyes, and look into his office. of course, he's speaking into the phone. "you have a call from mr. bentley. are you available for it?"

"does it look like i'm busy?"

he turns his head to face me, and i raise an eyebrow back at him. i hear and see him laugh a little as he pushes a button that connects me to bentley's call.

"harper brown speaking," i say in my most professional voice.

"harper," his deep, gravely voice says. "i'm hoping you don't have anything planned for friday night."

i frantically check my schedule for the rest of the week. "i don't, mr. bentley. why?"

"i need you and your assistant to arrange a workers night out at a restaurant or bar near the area for friday night."

i breathe out a long breath. "that's such short notice, sir. i don't know if anyone would be willing to offer their facility—"

he cuts me off with an amount to offer the venue, and my eyes boggle out of my head.

"i- i mean... that could work. i can totally try to get someone to rent their bar."

"good," he says quickly. "make it the best of the best. it needs to be booked by tomorrow morning."

"tomorrow morning?" i almost yell. "is that even possible?"

"you and your assistant can figure it out, i'm sure."

"but," i glance at the clock. "it's 4 pm. we can't figure this out in an hour."

"meet up somewhere, stay late, i don't care. just get it done."

before i can argue, the call hangs up.

i stare at the phone in my hands and gawk at the task at hand. there's no way this is even remotely possible.

isn't there someone else that's supposed to be doing this? why am i in charge of arranging events like this? and on such short notice?

"ethan," i call out weakly.

his head pops out from his office. "what's up?"

"you remember where i live, right?"

he gives me a funny look, but nods.

"good. meet me there at 7."

before he can ask any questions, i open my computer and wave a hand to dismiss anything he could possibly say.

                                      ********

i open the door widely at 7:02, feeling oddly nervous and intimidated by ethan's presence in my own home.

he quickly glances around the foyer, and slips off his shoes. it's weird to not see him in dress clothes, but rather just in jeans and a sweatshirt, paired with a flannel over it.

but i guess i'm not dressed any differently.
my usual after-work attire is leggings and one of my dad's old crewnecks from his college years that i proudly stole.

"come in," i say lamely, even though he's already in.

he chuckles a little bit and steps further into my house. it's always clean, so i didn't have to do anything to extra that would appease a guest.
just had to put away my stacks of books that i should be reading, but i've been putting it off.