HARRY STYLES
"Are you mad at me? Just be honest."
I considered Camden's question before speaking, which was something I had learned to do from all our previous fights. What I used to do was be too honest too fast without taking into account how it would make her feel.
"I'm not mad at you, but I'm not thrilled over the idea of you going out to spend the afternoon with Aiden."
Camden nodded like she too was trying to keep the argument tame. "I understand, but it's not like we're going to just spend the day together for nothing. It's a job lead."
I opened my mouth to refute that, seeing as I didn't understand how she could be thinking about taking a job when she was less than a month away from having a baby, but I wasn't about to tell my pregnant girlfriend that she wasn't allowed to have a job.
"Does the guy know that you're just about nine months pregnant?"
She deadpanned, seeing right through my careful phrasing. "I'm not planning on working as soon as the baby is born, but I'm also not planning on putting my entire life on hold because of that. You should know more than anyone about how important it is to make connections, and this guy is a connection for me."
"Do you even know anything about him?"
"I know that he has a gallery, and I know that he needs help sourcing different pieces for the showings that he puts on every couple of months, and I know that the assistant he has now can't do it all by herself."
"And how does Aiden even know him?"
"He sold him the space last Spring and went to go see how he was doing, and that's when he told him what his plans were. Aiden mentioned me and told him that I had an art degree, and yes, he told him that I'm also about to pop."
Humming in subtle frustration, I rubbed my eyes before dropping my hands back to the couch cushions. "Well, I'm not going to say no if that's what you're waiting for."
"Okay, but you're upset," she surmised, "and you don't need to be."
"I don't trust Aiden," I shrugged, freely letting the truth spill out as if it were news to her. "I don't like him, and I don't trust him."
"Harry," she laughed. "I can barely walk, what the hell do you think he's going to do? Fuck me in the backseat of his sports car?"
"That's not funny," I muttered, not finding the humor in her sarcasm.
Her smirk fell as she scratched her fingers through her hair. "I've never told you that I don't want you to work on an album, and I was never upset about all the female artists you've worked with since we met."
She was right, but the situation wasn't the problem. I was elated for her to find this opportunity when I knew she was stressed about how she was ever going to find a satisfying career for herself. It was the Aiden of it all that I fucking hated.
"You're just going to meet the guy and then you're coming right back?" I asked.
"That's all," she nodded. "I still want to get pizza with you for dinner tonight and watch The Proposal when I get home. And besides, I thought you could have Zayn and Niall over and have a break from waiting on me."
"I like waiting on you," I said, and I meant it. Without having her to wait on, I had nothing to do.
"H," she laughed with her hand on my thigh. "I love you so much, but you'll be fine without me for just a few hours. I promise."
With impeccable timing, the doorbell rang. I just looked at Camden as she looked at me, then leaned over to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth. She huffed as she stood up on her own, and although I wasn't happy, I still felt inclined to stand and help her put her jacket on by the front door.
