Golden || H.S. ||

Chapter 20

(Play the video when you see **, or go to this link: https://youtu.be/WK9Y4iwfTNE)

Tuesday, August 10th

     It's my birthday. For the first time in almost a decade, I'm actually excited that it's my birthday. I've had an amazing day at work today learning more about the boutique and my responsibilities. Caris even let me off half an hour early, despite it only being my second day. Now I'm being chauffeured home by the same spotless black sedan Harry has sent to drive me to and from work since yesterday morning. The car isn't as nice as his, but it's still more extravagant than necessary.

     The driver's name is Nathaniel, though I've been calling him Nate to try and lighten up his distant, professional facade. So far, the best I've gotten out of him is brief eye contact through the rear view mirror. He's in his mid-thirties max, so I know there's gotta be a decent personality in there somewhere, especially considering he has a diamond stud in one of his ears and some abstract design tattooed on his left hand. He has tight black curls, almost mocha-like skin, and an athletic build. He's attractive in a very obvious way, but if I said that I thought he compared to Harry, I'd be lying.

Nathaniel pulls into the driveway of the house and stops near the front porch steps, parking the car and staying in his seat completely silent. I pat the console of the car and say, "See ya next time, Nate." Instead of saying anything or even looking at me, he presses the button to unlock my car door. I smile and open the handle saying, "Thank you!" before getting out and pushing the door shut.

We'll be best friends before he knows it.

     Once out of the car, I see that Harry has parked on the side of the house, and my body is washed with a burst of excitement. I smile widely as I walk up the porch steps in my black sandals, high-waisted black maxi skirt, and a distressed Nirvana t-shirt that I took from Harry's closet tied in a knot at my waist just above the waistband of the skirt. I also have some lightweight bracelets on my wrist, a pair of fake diamond studs in my ears that are kind of similar to the one Nathaniel has, and Harry's gold cross around my neck. At the top of the stairs, I rub my lips together to even out my lipstick, tuck my styled waves behind one of my ears, and walk through the front door.

     Inside, Harry has Michael Bublé's "The Best Is Yet To Come" playing, I'm assuming for me, and is in the kitchen facing the counter with his back towards my spot at the front door. The full orchestra is blaring through the speaker, so I don't think he heard me come in. If I'm not mistaken, I'm smelling burning charcoal and some sort of shellfish. I become even more excited at the thought that he could possibly be making crab legs, though I haven't told him that they're my favorite food, so I'm not sure how he would have known to make them. I peek my head around to the back door and see that it's open halfway with soft gray smoke floating through the air and disappearing into the sky on the other side of it.

He seriously bought a grill?

     I turn my attention back to him and see that he's in a pair of black slacks with one of his infamous white tees loosely tucked in. I'm sure a matching black blazer is around here somewhere. He's hunched over with something in his hands, a mixing bowl to his left, and an empty bag of sugar with several other baking ingredients around it. To his right, I see his rings grouped together on the surface of the counter. I walk towards him and try to get a sneak peek of what he's doing, but he catches me in the corner of his eye and jumps.

     "Jesus fucking Christ, Lauren." He clutches his heart over his shirt, his other hand holding onto a piping bag with an orangey beige filling inside. He puts the bag down and quickly shifts his body to face me, purposely trying to block my line of vision. He grabs onto my upper arms to keep me from looking over his shoulder. "You're home early." He acknowledges with surprise, obviously stressed by my presence.