Act Two // Book One

Chapter Eleven

The entire lobby of the spa was completely silent while it seemed as though the world waited for Harry to speak. The air felt thick with remorse.

Harry awkwardly slipped his hands into his back pockets,

"Hi Samantha."

Samantha tried not to flinch when he said her name. But when her whole body jolted so hard it made her blink she knew she failed.

She did the only thing she could think of doing. She breezed past him out to the sidewalk, pushing past a pissed off Tessa as she burst onto the sidewalk.

Harry followed, ignoring the questioning looks of Samantha's three friends as he sped up to catch her. However, before he could utter a word she whirled around at him,

"What are you doing here?"

"Emma told me you were here." He answered.
She wasn't angry, which is what he expected. She was more...shocked and it seemed as though she was also a little scared. He couldn't blame her. After the way he'd treated her she probably thought he was about to rip into her.

He gestured to what looked to be a small park across the street from them,

"Can we...can we talk please?"

When Samantha glanced across the street and then back at him suspiciously he tried his best to soften his face,

"I promise I'm not angry about anything. I'd like to-" He stopped, "I'd like to apologize."

Samantha's shock froze her in her spot. She was unable to move except for the blinking. Was she even breathing?

When Harry's hand reached out to touch her arm she turned and walked across the street with him close behind her. Once they made it to the grass, she turned back to look at him again.

Harry had been racking his brain the entire walk across the street. How was he going to start this apology? Would she even listen?
He took a breath, blinked once and then began,

"Look, I'm not really-" He stopped, "I'm not used to this."

Samantha nodded,

"Clearly." She said under her breath.

Harry frowned,

"Alright," He said firmly, "Here's the thing. I was angry and I said some things I didn't mean. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

When Samantha folded her arms over her chest, he knew he was in for it. She shrugged,

"And you think this apology so far is good enough?"
He stared back at her,

"W-well...I mean..." His shoulders slumped, "I don't know-"

"You accused me of seducing you for your money."

Harry flinched slightly. He hadn't apologized to anyone in a while. He never really had the occasion to before if he was being honest.

He took a breath,

"I was angry."

She nodded,

"Yeah. I got that when you fired me."

"I shouldn't have fired you."

"Damn right you shouldn't have fired me." Samantha wasn't sure where this anger was coming from. Probably a little bit of it had to do with having dealt with Tessa's attitude all day. She forged ahead though, "You haven't been the nicest person ya know? You can't even say hello to me. That's basic human decency. You're rude, harsh, short and..." Samantha stopped as she tried to think of another word, "You treat your dog like shit ya know?"
Harry's eyes widened and then settled. It was an odd thing to end with but he figured after how she'd bonded with Rufus it made sense.