Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

Epilogue -3

I left work early today and did not tell Harry.

I've been running around the house like a crazy person for the last hour, cleaning and making dinner so it's ready when he gets home. Yes, I'm cooking an actual meal, who would've thought.
Turns out being with Harry, who was definitely a chef in another life, rubs off on you after living with the man for over two and a half years.

Once dinner is set on the stove to simmer, I hurry to our bedroom to get ready myself. I brush through my hair, leaving it down in loose curls around my shoulders and slip on a lilac color sundress that falls to my mid thigh. My hand trembles a little as I swipe lipgloss on and spray perfume on my neck.

The rumble of Harry's Nova turning into our driveway makes my stomach flip. I turn off the bathroom light and hurry down the stairs to wait for him in the kitchen.

"Baby?" He calls out for me as soon as the front door opens, and I roll my lips into my mouth to fight off a giddy smile. "Why are you home so early?"
I still don't answer and I hear him open my office door, finding it empty, and listen as his footsteps move in my direction. He steps into the kitchen and his eyes immediately fall down my body, taking in my put together appearance.
"Vi, baby, you look stunning." He glances around the kitchen and smirks when he sees the stove is on with something cooking inside of it.
"What's going on?" He asks knowingly.

"Does something have to be going on for a wife to make dinner for her husband?" I quirk a brow at him and he chews the inside of his lip, trying to hide a smile.

"A wife? No. You? Absolutely."

"Just shut up and sit down." I roll my eyes at him and he does what he told, pulling out a chair for himself at the kitchen table. Before I can go prepare our plates for dinner, he circles his arms around my waist and pulls me into his lap.

"What's going on, Violet?" He asks again, this time with his hand trailing up my thigh and under my dress to distract me.

"I just wanted to make you dinner, that's all." I say innocently and lean into his chest. "You do so much for me, I wanted to return the favor."

He smiles and looks back and forth between my eyes. For a second I think I have him until he says,
"I'm not buying a god damn word you say." My eyes widen as I look down at him and he smacks my ass playfully. "What's in the bag?"

How the fuck did he spot that already? I turn my head to look where I know a plain black bag with tissue paper inside is tucked behind some decor on the counter. Only the top corner is sticking out. He's like fucking Hawkeye, and I find myself getting irrationally annoyed by it.

"You're ruining it, you know." I deadpan and he grins up at me without a care in the world. After his birthday surprises two years in a row, he started making a habit of paying too much attention, so now I can't get away with anything.

I reluctantly stand up off his lap and walk over to the bag on the counter. My hands shake a little and my stomach is doing somersaults as I walk back over to him. His face falls when he watches me take a slightly unsteady breathe and I give him a small smile, trying to be reassuring.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I was just messing around, it can wait if-"

"No, no." I wave my hand in the air at him and pull the tissue paper out of the bag. "It's not that elaborate anyway, I didn't have much time before you got home and I couldn't wait."

"Honey, you're scaring me a little." He says softly and I look up to find his eyes have never left mine, not even as my hand wraps around the contents of the bag and pulls it out.

"Look." I hold my hand out between us, palm up, but he doesn't move. "Look, Harry!" I exhale a laugh and he finally sighs and tears his attention from my face.