This Is Love

4. A Familiar Face

POV: Alicia

~2weeks since the gala dinner~

I am getting ready for another book signing at a local bookstore that opened last week in the city. It was an honour to be the first author to have their inaugural book signing event.
The past 2weeks I have been traveling to various cities for book signings. Tired does not begin to describe my state. I am so looking forward to taking a break. Maybe a holiday with Harrison is a good idea. Yes, after all he did buy that holiday package on auction at the gala.

Harrison is sitting on the bed watching me get dressed. Something has been off with him these past 2weeks but with me traveling so much we haven't had time to really talk.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He nods.

I walk over to him and sit in his lap with hands on his face. "You know you can talk to me right?" I kissed him softly then he pulls away after a few seconds.

"We should finish getting ready." He moves to stands up and I move off him as he walks towards the closet.

"Harrison?" I call after him and he stops but doesn't turn around. "Honey please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." He says and turns around to look at me knowing full well I can tell when he's lying.

"Something is clearly wrong. You've been in a bad mood these past 2 weeks I'm just trying to understand..."

"Why Alicia?! So you can fix it?! You can't fix everything!" He shouts at me.

I am speechless. My husband has never spoken to me like this.

"I'm not trying to fix it. I'm trying to talk to you and be there for you."

"Can't I just be in a bad mood and not talk about it? Can I figure it out for myself without you prying?"

"Prying? Prying? Me showing concern and support for my husband is prying?"

He grabs his jacket and walks towards me but doesn't say anything, instead he walks out of our bedroom leaving me stunned.
'What was that?' I think to myself.

What is wrong with him? Is it because I've been traveling so much and we have not really spent time together? Is he acting out or is there something else going on here?

I finish getting ready and go downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast and find our housekeeper Sophie. I ask her if Harrison is still here but she tells me that he has already left and didn't have breakfast.
I eat my oatmeal in silence before Tom appears telling me the car is ready. I take it Harrison drove himself to the office.
"Thank you Tom."

We drive in silence before I ask him, "Tom how did he seem this morning?"

Tom eyes me through the rear view mirror before he says, "he seemed normal mam." with a shy look.

I chuckle, I guess they're used to him being chilled out and respectful so he didn't want to say he was extra grumpy today.

We had a short interview with the bookstore owner before taking photos with fans. I always enjoyed talking to people and hearing about how a book I have written has changed their life or their perspective on anything. It made me feel like I was definitely in the right line of work. It is very easy in life to feel alone and isolated by circumstances, but once you discover that there is someone who can relate to you and possibly show you how to overcome, hope comes alive.

I then started signing books and talking with fans the rest of the afternoon when a familiar face popped up. Pregnant woman from the gala.

"Hi Alicia." She says casually.