Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

5

"Victoria, you're on the Three Brothers project." I scan down my notepad to delegate the next job. "And...Mary, you're on Bayview."

They cheer with excitement and the rest of the women in the office clap, genuinely happy for their coworkers. I'm relieved to have these projects taken off my shoulders while I focus on this huge professional task I've taken on with the hotel, and the personal one I'm sure is impossible to avoid with Harry.

I congratulate everyone and fill them in on the company's latest venture and how I will be out of the office more frequently than usual.

"For the times that I'm out, Phoebe will be acting as interim office manager." She smiles softly when I gesture toward her. "Any questions or concerns please run through her, and she will either handle it, or let me know. Everyone clear?"

After I confirm with head nods and a few verbal yeses, I retreat into my office to grab everything I need to take with me.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Phoebe asks, bounding into my office after me and shuts the door.

"You've got to stop asking me that." I mumble as I put notebooks, blueprints and color swatch books in a box.

"Violet, hang on." Her tone is sharp and I slam the box back down on the desk, exhaling a heavy breath before I turn to look at her. "Did you talk to Alex about this?"

"I told him I was offered the partnership, and I'll be working from their corporate office for most of the week for an undetermined amount of time."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Phoebe, it will be fine, okay." I mumble, throwing pens and rulers and whatever else I can find into the box. "I can handle it."

"I didn't say you couldn't." She tosses a pad of sticky notes into the box and sighs, leaving the subject alone for now. "Do you need help taking anything there today?"

"No, but I'd like us to meet every Friday to review the week. Keep me tuned in to what's going on around here." I lift the box and she opens to door for me. "I don't care if it's here or there, we'll decide as needed."

"You got it, boss." She walks ahead of me to open the front door to the building. As I walk past she whispers, "Good luck."

I readjust my grip on the box, kind of wishing I took her up on it when she offered to help. I turn down the street and head toward my new home away from home.

I know Phoebe is just concerned about the current position that I'm in, but I'm a little annoyed by her constantly asking me if I'm okay. It's my own fault though, she's the closest thing I have to a friend in the city, and the only person here that knows anything about Harry.

I filled her in on just about everything one night when I was drinking and missing home. We sat on the floor of my apartment talking until almost two in the morning. When I woke up the next day, I was viciously embarrassed, but she didn't even bat an eye, insisting we get brunch to cure our hangovers. I'm incredibly grateful to have her.

I reach the elevator inside the building and step inside. The doors are nearly closed when a hand shoots between them, causing them to open again. The hand belongs to Harry and I inhale sharply when I see him. Hopefully I get used to this quickly.

Harry pauses when when we make eye contact, like he's surprised I'm here, even though he's the one that stalked me on Friday and convinced me to take the job. He steps in and stands on the opposite side from me, leaning against the wall.

"What's all this?" He asks, gesturing to the box I'm carrying. "Moving in?"

"Yeah, actually." I mutter, trying to fight him off when he steps forward like he's going to take it from me. I'm unsuccessful in my efforts when he swoops it out from my arms, holding it easily in only one of his.