Page 29 of True Sight
Henry isn’t Margaret.
Henry isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met before. He’s loud and obnoxious and wears things I would rather let Annie destroy my apartment again than wear myself. But he’s also considerate and kind and funny. His British wit makes me laugh—well my version of a laugh which is more of a pained cough—every time I have a meeting with him. When he looks at me I feel…different. Like I’m being fully seen for who I am for the first time even though he hardly knows me at all. My friends, Margaret included, know me better than he does yet when he’s looking at me it’s as if he sees something in me that I don’t see myself.
It’s unsettling and annoying.
My tongue clicks and I force out a breath, trying to wipe the dream and the guy from my head. As I stand from the couch, Annie jumps down and spins in a circle, her silent way of begging me to take her for a walk. I glance over at the clock and decide it’s as good a time as any. It’s early Sunday morning and I have no plans except to walk Annie andhangout for the day. I’d asked the guys if anyone wanted to get together to do anything but they were all busy with their respective partners. Figures. Sad, lonely Conrad continuing to be sad and lonely.
Walking towards the door, I decide that on my walk with Annie I’ll stop in and grab myself a coffee from the coffee shop around the corner. A perfect way to kill a little bit of time before coming home and figuring out what to do for the day. I’ll more than likely come home and just work since that’s usually what I do on days I have nothing else to do. I get Annie suited up with her harness and her leash and snag my keys off the hook before heading out the door. I make it halfway down the block when my phone buzzes in my back pocket. I heel her before pulling it out to read whatever message is waiting for me. Maybe it’s one of the guys asking me if I want to do something.
1 New Message: Henry Baker
I roll my eyes at my phone—of course it is him. Sliding my thumb across the screen, I wait for the message to load and squeeze my top lip between my teeth.
Hey, can you come by the studio please?
I squint at my phone, confused by his request.
Right now? Is everything okay?
I mean, within the next twenty or so minutes is preferred seeing as how I’m here already.
And yes, everything is fine, I just have a question about something.
Look, if this is about what happened on Friday, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sorry for forcing you out but I’m not interested in chatting about it.
It’s a little selfish to think this is about you, don’t you think?
I stop mid step and read his message twice. Is he being smart or have I offended him? I start to send another message when he beats me to the punch.
My asking you here has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the studio, promise
I’ll have to run home first, I’m walking Annie and heading into a coffee shop now.
Oh bring her with you! Get your coffee and head over. I’ll see you shortly.
I guess I’m going to the studio.
Tying Annie’s leash to a bike rack, I run into the coffee shop and order my drink, leaning over to peek at her through the glass front door every couple of moments. Each time I check on her, she’s staring back at me, almost smiling. When the barista asks me if I want anything else, I decide to order a tea for Henry, figuring he can keep it for later if he doesn’t want it now. Cups in hand, I grab Annie and head towards the studio which is just a few streets over.
When we reach the glass front door, I knock twice and within seconds he’s on the other side of it, smiling back at me. His hair has grown out since the first time I met him and looks mussed, almost as if he has just run his fingers through it.
“Good morning, thank you so much for coming by.” His voice is breathy and has a hint of disbelief in it. “Hello, Annie.”
“You made it sound urgent. Here, I brought this for you.” I pass him the cup of tea that’s been burning my hand for the last block and give him a tight smile. He looks up at me from where he’s knelt over, petting Annie, and takes it from me.
“Why, thank you. That was very sweet of you.” His eyes flicker with gratitude and he bumps me with his shoulder. I wish he would stop touching me. Every time he does, something in my stomach lurches. It’s unsettling.
“Now, come on, I need your help with something.” He doesn’t even wait for me to respond with a question before turning on his heels and walking down a hallway away from me.
There’s plastic sheeting, powertools, and stacks of wood and flooring scattered around the studio. I know he’s been leaning on his builders to keep moving and get the work done as quickly as they can but I’m still surprised by how good the place looks. It’s modern and clean, yet still feels welcoming and fun. It’s Henry in a building. As I follow behind him, Annie trailing between us, I notice his outfit. He’s wearing an oversized hoodie with bright orange threading knitted through the seams and black joggers. His shoes are the same shade of orange as the thread in his sweatshirt and I know for a fact that it was a calculated decision to match his shoes to his pants. I would never. As he walks, I can see the muscles in his legs move to carry his body to the back of the studio, my eyes lingering on his ass for a few seconds longer than they should have.
“See something you like?” I hear his voice quip and I blink suddenly, taken aback at being caught staring at him.He’s smirking at me with a raised brow. I stand frozen, unsure of what to say while he gives me a hungry-looking once over with his eyes.
“Uhh–no, I’m sorry, no,” I sputter, shaking my head feverishly and waving my hands out in front of me.
“Hmm, I can’t say the same,” he chirps and then gives me a quick wink.
I’m sorry, what?
