My Boss's Proposal

Chapter 7: Five years and five days

Claire's Pov

He tenses, causing me to frown. I remember him saying his parents are no longer alive, I'm assuming this has something to do with that. I do feel bad for him for that reason, I mean, I hate my mom and dad at times but I don't think I'd last without them. I visibly shrink when I remember his reaction after telling us about his parents, he just laughed it off. I don't think I could have ever done that, and after being his secretary for three years I was never even aware. Maybe I should have fit the pieces together on my own...

He never had any personal calls, aside from a few women asking for him, yuck. He never stopped working, he's like a non-stop vessel of stress, and he always seemed gloomy around Christmas time, which I find incredibly sad considering it's my favorite time of the year.

"What about me?" He replies and licks his lips, staring at me nervously.

"Your family, you said.." I trail off, not wanting to repeat what he had told Mr. Higgins and I.

"They're dead," he says bluntly, shrugging the duvet over his body before snuggling into the pillow," And that's all you need to know. Goodnight Claire."

I open my mouth to say something but he turns around, his toned, broad back facing me instead of his once green eyes.

"Harry-"

"I said goodnight," he snaps, scooting to the other side of his bed.

"But I can't sleep," I whisper causing him to exhale a deep sigh, "Too much on my mind I suppose," I add, playing with my wavy brown hair.

"Then read or something, you want to be an author right?" I nod but still huff in annoyance at his lack of cooperation.

I do feel bad, I mean it's obvious I hit a small nerve when I asked him about his family. It makes me a bit curious and I can't help but wonder what happened to them. The first thing that comes to mind was a car crash, I mean it seems like the most likely and most plausible reason. If that's the case, I mean in any case where they end up no longer breathing is just awful, but if that is the case my heart yearns for him. The poor guy, I mean he seems so stressed all the time and he tends to misplace all that bundled up anger onto his employee's.

I'm not saying that's any excuse to be such an awful and scary boss, but it makes it seems to make me feel a little more compliant. Like, like I feel a little more willing to help him. Maybe he doesn't want to go back to England, not only to keep his job but to not have to face what happened back there. If my parents died suddenly like his might have I don't think I'd want to come back to his house, no matter how much I adore it.

"How about we ask each other some of the interview questions?" I say enthusiastically, jumping off my bed and walking over to my suitcase. He groans and whines like a child, pulling the covers over his head.

"How about we sleep," he suggests.

"How about no," I say and grin, sitting beside him on his bed. He groans but doesn't get out from underneath the covers, not that I particularly care.

"What is my favorite activity," I say in a hushed tone, still cautious since I do afte all have my parents sleeping down the hall. Harry scoots from under the covers with a big smirk on his face, his curly waves falling around his face in a disheveld mess.

"Getting me coffee of course."

"Pffttt," I scoff,nudgin his elbow. "As if."

"As if? Claire are you secretly from the valley?" his pestering smile grows wider as he continues to leave just his head on display for me.