The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 33

When Maddie stepped into Harry's home, she was fuming. Even more so when she realized that he hadn't returned from his meeting. Taking a seat on the stairs, ensuring she would be the first thing he saw, she thought over what had just happened.

She hated being told what to do.

She hated people doing what they thought was best for her.

And she hated somebody stepping into her professional life to make things happen.

And he had just, in her mind, done all three.

Holding the paper in her hand, she sat and waited; her anger intensifying with every tick of the clock.

It was eleven minutes before the door opened; eleven minutes for Maddie's mind to spiral out. Eleven minutes before Harry stepped back into his home—the scene of his eminent demise.

"Hey," he smiled wide when he saw her. Taking a breath, he tried to ready himself for what was about to unfold. "How did the meeting go?"

"The meeting went..." Maddie laughed bitterly as she rose to her feet. "I think you know how the meeting went."

"What? I don't...I don't know what you mean," he sat his briefcase down in the foyer and moved further into his house; loosening his tie as he went.

"You know exactly what I mean." Harry stopped what he was doing then and really looked at her. She was mad—no, pissed. And he was incredibly confused.

"Maddie I..."

"You want to tell me what the hell this is?!" She waved the piece of paper in the air.

"Oh!" He grinned. "Is that the gift I left for you..."

"Gift?!" Her voice echoed in the foyer. "This is your idea of a GIFT!"

"I..." His forehead wrinkled. "I thought you would like it."

"Like what?!" Maddie couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe that he had stepped over her in such an important way. "You thought I would like you playing royal puppet master with my life? With my career?!"

"What?" Harry almost laughed because it was almost funny. Almost. "I don't know what you're..."

"I mean...even if you weren't going to stay out of it out of respect for me, I would think you would stay out of it because of the nature of your life!" She was so furious she could barely form complete sentences. "I mean honestly, Harry! What would your people think if they knew you were finding jobs for..."

"Finding jobs? My people?" His eyes were wide with confusion as he watched her pace his main floor. "Okay seriously, Maddie, what in the hell are you talking about?" His initial amusement at this craziness was dwindling, making way for frustration.

"The job interview. In London. That magically fell in my lap." She slapped the paper against his chest and walked away from him.

"Wait..." He caught the paper in his hand and looked to her. "You were offered a job in....

"Oh pretend you don't know about it! Right after she offered me Bendal, she tossed that in my face." She threw her hands in the air. "She said it came from the top! She said it was falling in my lap...That's incredibly coincidental, don't you think?"

"Maddie why would you think I would ever do something like..."

"You told me you wanted me in London. You told me you wanted me close..."

"Yes!" His voice rose to match hers; tired of beating around the bush. "Yes! I want you here in London! But because you WANTED to be! Not because you had to be tricked or...God DAMN it Maddie!" He yelled in frustration. "I am not somebody you should have to be talked into! Being with me is hard enough when you want to be! If I have to talk you into it, it will never be worth it! Don't you get it?! Yes. I want you here. I told you that. But I want you to WANT to be here."