And Then (Part 1)

Chapter 4

I can't believe that the Daniel Rivers is excited to be meeting me. This whole situation has me thinking about my theories from earlier. Possible concussion, or maybe still asleep in my room, a coma, but it all feels so real. I'm just going to go along with all of this, whatever it is, I am loving every minute.

I beam at Daniel Rivers as he leads us inside when I suddenly realize that Harrison is not next to me. I look behind me for him and he's just standing there looking a bit lost. "Hey, handsome, you coming or what?" He smiles and comes closer. "Why were you still over there?" He looks at me through hooded eyes "You looked like you didn't need me anymore." My jaw drops "What? Are you nuts? I came here with you, I want to be with you. Yes, I'm a bit star struck about meeting Daniel freaking Rivers but I'm here with you. Now stop being crazy and come with me." I reach for his hand and thread my fingers through his. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry, I still just can't believe you're here, with me, that's all. I thought maybe..." I place a finger on his lips and get up on my tiptoes and kiss him a little harder than I meant to because I had started to fall. He catches me and hugs me tight. I can't believe we only just met today. It feels like we've been together forever. This is all so crazy.

"Hey you two lovebirds, didn't you come here to eat?" Did I hear a bit of a jealous tone to his words? Nah! I must be losing my mind. "Yeah, Danny, we're coming." Harrison pulls me gently to walk with him to the table. Daniel has pulled out the chair for me to sit down, I smile at him as I take my seat "Thank you Mr. Rivers, that's very kind of you." Harrison smirks but doesn't say anything and sits down next to me instead of across from me. I'm ok with that, I actually prefer it. "Call me Danny, all my friends do."

"Oh my gosh! Ok, Danny, thank you." I blush again. This is freaking Daniel Rivers telling me to call him by a nickname. Wow, just wow! I think I hear Harrison scoff. As Danny walks away Harrison leans into me and asks, "So you will call him Danny, but you won't call me Harry?" I look up at him surprised "I guess it's probably because ever since I looked you up on the internet, in all my fantasies, I've always called you Harrison." I look away quickly. Crap, did I just say that out loud? I didn't even think about it, the words just came out. I peak back at him and he's smiling from ear to ear, his dimples popping out, on display just for me. His eyebrow goes up, "You've fantasized about me? Do tell." I cover my face with my hands "I can't believe I just told you that! I am mortified!" He pulls my hands away from my face and holds them on the table "Don't be embarrassed, I'm glad you told me. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that has had fantasies." I look at him shocked by his words "What? You've fantasized about me? When? How?" No way!

"After I read your first book, I was curious about the person that wrote it, and I looked you up on the internet. I didn't find much but there was this one picture of you at a wedding. You were breathtaking. I couldn't stop thinking about you after that. And now here you are, with me. It's hard for me to believe that any of this is real. It's all more like a dream, a really great dream." He continues to surprise me by saying all the things I've been thinking. It's like we were meant to meet, like fate or something.

Just then Danny comes back with a lot of plates of food for us. "We didn't even look at the menu. What's all this?" I ask. "These are all the house specials, try everything and let me know what you think. And don't even think about trying to pay. Annie freaking Hart is in my restaurant! Please let me take some pictures. No one is going to believe me! Bobby is going to be so jealous!" I nod agreeing to let him take pictures. He takes what seems like a hundred pictures, selfies of us together included, and then quickly retreats to the kitchen smiling from ear to ear.

"Wow! It is still shocking to me that he is excited to have met me." I shake my head in disbelief. We proceed to eat most of the food that Danny brought to us, and it is all really good.