CEO

75

Eve POV

It's two days before thanksgiving and Harry has been working late the past few nights. He says it's to make sure he doesn't fall behind, but I don't know.

It's Tuesday afternoon and I'm at home. I took a sick day off because I don't feel well. I can use this time to rest and relax. I feel like I'm getting a cold, which I don't want to get, especially now.

Harry told me he'll be home around two to check on me. I told him he didn't have to but he insisted on coming by.

I lay down in bed and close my eyes.

Harry POV

I sit at the diner with Eve's father who invited me out for lunch. He said he wants to get to know me better. I didn't argue or deny his offer to go out for lunch. This is the kindest he's acted towards me.

"Is Eve at work?" Her father asks me.

"No, she's at home. She took a sick day off because she didn't feel well. Around two I was going to check on her," I explain briefly.

"She always gets sick around this time, and she becomes real stubborn about it," I smile at his words and stir my coffee with a spoon. "So, how's it going with being in a relationship with my daughter?" His voice lowers and his light brown eyes stare at me.

"Good," I say. "You've raised a wonderful daughter." I compliment.

"Thank you," Her Father's eyes stare at me.
"Is your relationship with your Mom good?" Patrick asks me.

"No," I say. "It's complicated." Eve's Father nods and sips his coffee.

"Has Eve met your family?"

"She has," I say. "Twice," I add.

"That's good," He murmurs. "Sorry if I seem like a hard ass sometimes, it's a mixture between me being protective of my daughter and my inner marine," Her father says to me.

"No, you're fine." I say. "I would act the same if my daughter was still alive and got into boys when she's older," I find myself blurting out.

Patrick's eyes stare at me and his head tilts. "You had a daughter?"

"I did," I answer. "And a wife," I say.

"They both passed?" He asks timidly.

"Yeah." I say with a small sigh.

"May I ask how old was your daughter?"

"She was three, turning four in two months," I reply. I sip my coffee and look back to Eve's dad who has softer eyes.

"It's always hard losing a child," Patrick says. At least he can relate to me since he lost his wife and son. "How long ago has it been since their passing?"

"Seven years now," I answer.

It made seven years in September. I wasn't with Eve then, we were on our break. So, on that day I just spent it all in bed reliving that night where my family died.

Elena's birthday is at the end of the month. She would've been ten, which makes me sad. I missed so many big moments with her.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Eve's Dad says to me.

"Yours too," I say. He smiles weakly and stares down at his coffee. "May I ask what Eve was like as a child?" I've always wanted to know what she was like as a little kid or even as a child.

"Of course," This topic makes him seem happy. "She was very caring, like she is now. When Eve was nine, she brought home this stray cat that was all starved looking and weak. She bathed her, fed her, and put a towel around the cat to stay warm. I came back home from work and saw Eve on the couch with this cat. All she said to me was, 'she needs a home'.