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Chapter 134

And we live in peace
But if someone comes at us
This time, I'm ready

– Taylor Swift, Long Story Short

. . . .

"I'm here, I'm here!" Anne hastily bursts through the door five minutes before Harry and I have to leave for his work's faculty Christmas party. "I'm so sorry I'm late. There was an accident so traffic was backed up getting here."

"It's fine, mum. Thanks again for watching Lilly. I owe you one."

"You owe me nothing. Any time that I get to spend with my granddaughter is well worth it, and coming next month, I'll have two granddaughters to spend time with."

"Well, Lilly has been excited for you to spend the evening with her for the past two nights," Harry says as he pushes his arms through the sleeves of his suit jacket.

"It's my pleasure," she squeezes Lilly close to her side and looks both of us up and down. "And you both look fabulous. Violet, you're absolutely stunning. I love the dress and lipstick. You look gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"We should get going, babe."

"Wait, wait! Don't you want a picture together?"

"Mum, this isn't a school dance."

"I don't care. Give me your phone," she holds her hand out in front of him and he hands it over after a nudge from me. She takes a photo of us then tells us to have a good evening.

"I love you. Be good for your grandma," Harry leans down and kisses Lilly's head.

"When is she not?" Anne asks rhetorically as she and Lilly walk into the kitchen together for Anne to make dinner for the two of them.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, let me just grab my coat."

I sling the warm material around my body as we step out into the frigid temperatures. My legs and cheeks feel the sharp wind cut across my skin as it howls and whips around. Harry quickly starts the car and clicks the button that blasts the heat onto my face and feet to warm us up.

"Do you want my jacket?" He offers as we back out of the driveway.

"No, I'm fine for right now, thanks."

"Mum was right," he says. "You do look gorgeous."

"Well, I don't think she did you any justice. You look very handsome. I love you in all black."

"I do look rather dashing, don't I?"

"A little bit."

When we pull into the restaurant parking lot, each space is filled and the only spots available are toward the back of the parking area crammed against the bushes. He fights to get through the thick bundle of shrubbery as we get out of the car and head inside to get away from the cold.

We follow the hostess after Harry tells them what party we're with. She guides us to a secluded room with a large stone fireplace and round tables set up throughout the room. A handful of his coworkers are already here from balding men to women around Harry's age in festive-colored cocktail dresses.

"Are you alright?" He leans down to my ear to ask me.

I had been a little apprehensive to come here with him. The thought of merely being in the same room as Harry's colleagues transfixed me into a frozen statue with a rock hard weight pulling at my stomach, ultimately triggering more nerves to sprout from people tying more knots and figuring out my age, which would lead to conspiracies of Harry and how he came to start dating such a young girl.