Gold Rush

Chapter 15

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow over my kitchen. I was in my favorite silky robe, the delicate fabric brushing against my skin as I moved about, making coffee. The quiet hum of the machine filled the air, a peaceful contrast to the night before. Louis had spent the night, and though he was still in the bedroom, the apartment had a calm, settled energy.

I was stirring milk into my cup when there was a sudden knock at the door. My heart jumped a little—who could it be this early? I tied my robe tighter around my waist and walked to the door, opening it without checking the peephole.

There stood Harry.

"Harry," I breathed, completely caught off guard. He looked just as surprised to see me standing there in nothing but a silk robe.

"Morning," he said, his voice gruff, eyes scanning my outfit for a split second before snapping back up to my face. "I'm just here to get my jacket."

"Oh, right, your jacket," I mumbled, blinking a few times to shake the shock. I hadn't expected to see him so soon—especially not like this. "Let me grab it for you."

I turned to head toward the living room where his jacket was draped over the chair when I heard a voice behind me.

"Hey, Gigi," Louis called from the hallway, emerging from my bedroom, fully dressed. "I'm heading out."

I froze for a moment, feeling the shift in the room. I glanced back at Harry, who had stiffened, his face tightening as he took in the scene. His eyes flicked between Louis and me, his expression hardening.

Louis, ever the gentleman, flashed a friendly smile at Harry. "Morning, mate," he said casually, as if nothing was amiss. "Just heading out."

Harry cleared his throat, his hands sliding into his pockets. "I was just here to get my jacket. Should've called first."

"Oh no," I interjected quickly, "Louis was just leaving." My voice was too high, too quick. I cringed internally.

Louis walked over, planting a light kiss on my forehead. "I'll call you later, Gigi," he said softly, before turning to Harry again. "See you around."

Harry nodded, his jaw clenched so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. "Yeah, see you."

Louis gave me one last smile, then slipped out the door. As soon as it clicked shut behind him, the tension in the room thickened.

"Looks like you had a fun night," Harry said, his voice low, almost biting. His usual charm seemed to have vanished, replaced by something colder.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to diffuse the mood with humor. "Are you jealous?" I teased, nudging him playfully.

Harry scoffed, though there was a sharpness to his laugh. "You wish," he muttered, his eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite read.

I smirked, leaning against the counter. "I can see the steam coming out of your ears," I teased again, keeping it light. But his expression didn't soften.

"I'm a taken man, Gigi. Stop with the accusations," he said, his voice still playful, but there was an edge now like he was daring me to push further.

"Yeah, taken by a girl that pushes you around," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. His face went stony, the playful banter evaporating into thin air.

I blinked, immediately regretting the jab. "Harry," I began, "you know I was joking, right?"

His eyes darkened, and when he spoke, his voice was low, tense. "Were you?" He stepped closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. "You have no idea what you're talking about. You don't know the first thing about us."

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of my words crashing down on me. "I'm sorry," I whispered, guilt washing over me. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Forget it," he snapped, turning on his heel and heading toward the door.

"Harry, wait—" I started, but he was already storming out, slamming the door behind him before I could say anything else.

I stood frozen in place, my heart racing, confusion and guilt swirling in my chest. What had just happened? We'd gone from teasing to... this. I replayed the moment in my head, kicking myself for letting my words get away from me.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions, but I couldn't shake the ache that had settled in my chest. I needed to talk to someone. Without thinking twice, I grabbed my phone and called Aspen.

"Gigi!" Aspen's voice rang out through the phone, bright and energetic. "Oh my god, last night was wild. Harry was so obviously jealous of Louis, wasn't he? Like, you could just see it! He wants you so bad, babe, I'm telling you—"

"Aspen," I interrupted, my voice shaky. "I need to talk to you."

There was a beat of silence, and when she spoke again, her tone was softer, more serious. "What's wrong?"

I sank onto the couch, holding my head in my hand. "Harry came by to get his jacket, and... we fought."

"A fight? What happened?" Aspen asked, concern lacing her words.

"I... I made a stupid joke about Colette. About how she pushes him around," I confessed, feeling the weight of it all sink in. "And he just... he snapped. He said I didn't know anything about their relationship, and then he stormed out before I could even apologize properly."

Aspen sighed on the other end. "Gigi..."

"I didn't mean it, Aspen. I don't know why I said it. It just came out, and now I feel horrible," I rambled, my emotions starting to bubble up.

"Hey, it's okay," Aspen said gently. "He'll probably cool off and message you by the end of the day. You know how guys are. He just needs some time to process whatever he's feeling."

"Do you think so?" I asked, desperate for some reassurance.

"Absolutely. I mean, come on, Gigi, the way he was acting last night—he's clearly got feelings for you. He probably just doesn't know how to handle them right now, especially with Colette still in the picture. But trust me, he'll come around."

I nodded, though Aspen couldn't see me. I hoped she was right. I just hated the way we left things. And now, as I sat there in the quiet of my apartment, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd crossed a line that couldn't be uncrossed.