One Wild Night

After everyone had left her bedroom, Jade fell on her bed face down and beat the pillow with both hands in embarrassment as she yelled into her pillow.",

"Screw you, Harry!" she cried and then sat up to cast a glance at the basket of flowers once again.

She bit her lower lip as her gaze moved from the card to her phone, and then she picked up her phone.

As hard as it was going to be to swallow her pride and call him, she wasn't going to give Harry the satisfaction of knowing just how embarrassed she felt.

She shut her eyes as she dialed his line, and almost immediately, he received the call, "Hey, esquire! Calling to check on my dad or me this time?" Harry asked in an amused tone, and Jade pressed her lips together.

"I realized I didn't ask how you were doing the last time, so I wanted to see if you're fine," Jade said, and Harry grinned.

"Yep! I'm fine. I just had breakfast. The nurse isn't only pretty and young, she cooks fine too," Harry said, and Jade gritted her teeth.

"Then you should have just sent her the damn flowers!" Jade snapped at him, and Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, I should have. I'm sure she would be more pleasant and appreciative. Unfortunately, she doesn't make me laugh as you do, and she isn't as beautiful as you," Harry said, and Jade felt herself blush.

"Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed, and Harry smiled.

"Why are you so stubborn, esquire?" Harry asked, and Jade raised a brow.

"What do you mean stubborn?"

"You could have called last night when you got home. Why didn't you?" Harry asked, and Jade scowled.

"You called me insecure in the presence of everyone else," Jade pointed out.

"You know me, Jade. If you didn't want such a response, you shouldn't have asked me such a question in the presence of anyone. And I don't recall calling you insecure," Harry said, and Jade rolled her eyes.

"What's the difference between calling me insecure and saying I have low self-esteem?"

"I didn't say you have low self-esteem either. If you were not too proud, you would have realized that I was expressing my disapproval at you for asking me such a question. Your question indirectly hinted to anyone that heard you that you are insecure, you don't trust me, and that I might be irresponsible. Do you know that?" Harry said, and Jade pouted.

"That wasn't what I meant. Was that why you didn't call?" Jade asked,

​ "Was what why?" Harry asked, wanting to know what she meant.

"Did you fail to call because you were mad at me?" Jade asked grudgingly, and Harry resisted the urge to chuckle.

"I don't hear your apology, esquire," Harry said, knowing she was feeling remorseful now.

"What am I apologizing for?" Jade asked stubbornly.

"I can't answer any of your questions until you apologize to me," Harry insisted.

"Fine. Whatever! I'm sorry...."

"Who says whatever when apologizing?" Harry asked with a slightly raised brow, and Jade took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

"Good. You apologized for making me miss you all night because you stubbornly chose not to call me. And for making false assumptions. I wasn't mad at you. Although I didn't like your question, but I wasn't mad. I stayed up late awaiting your call, but you stubbornly chose not to...."

"I stayed up late awaiting your call too!" Jade snapped at him.

"Whose fault is that? Didn't I ask you to call when you were bored or lonely?" Harry asked, and Jade pressed her lips together.

"Who said I was bored or lonely?"

"If you weren't, why did you stay up late awaiting my call?" Harry asked, and this time she didn't have a response.

"I assume your silence answers the question. And I'm sure you must know already the reason I didn't call this morning," Harry explained.

"You could have called instead of waiting for my call," Jade muttered.

"No, esquire. I told you, I'm not tolerating any of that pride and stubbornness unless I decide to. You have to get off your high horse if we are doing this," Harry said, and Jade sighed.

"So I have to put up with your pride and stubbornness, and you...."

"I'm neither proud nor stubborn, esquire. I will, however, be both if that's what I have to do to put you in your place," Harry said, and Jade sighed.

"So I don't get an apology too?" She asked, and Harry shrugged even though she couldn't see him.

"If you can tell me something reasonable you want me to apologize for, I will," Harry offered, and Jade narrowed her eyes as she considered it.

He had answered her question in front of the others exactly the way he usually did. He was blunt and annoying, and she had always known that. And yes, she understood what he meant. His father had been in a dire situation, and he had chosen a suitable nurse, yet she had made light of it by asking him such a ridiculous question in the presence of everyone else.

And he had asked her to call, and she had decided not to because she wanted him to miss her. Well, it had worked. He admitted he missed her all night, Jade recalled with a broad smile now.

"You said you missed me all night, right?" she asked excitedly, and Harry chuckled.

"Is that what you want me to apologize for?"

"No! You said you weren't going to miss me yesterday, and just now, you said you missed me!" Jade said happily, and Harry shook his head.

"I guess you realized there was nothing for me to apologize over. Did you like the flowers?" Harry asked, and Jade smiled.

"Of course! All my favorite flowers and chocolates are in the basket. How did you know to pick them?" Jade asked with a curious smile.

"Why don't you guess?" Harry asked as he sat up on his bed and crossed both legs at his ankle while he adjusted his pillows behind him.

"You've been stalking me?" Jade asked in a teasing tone.

"You're smarter than that esquire. Give it another shot," Harry suggested, and Jade pursed her lips as she thought about it.

"Tom told you?"

"Close enough. I told you how I helped Tom send you gifts on your birthdays. I sent some of those flowers and chocolates at different times on your birthday over the years. Tom had a list of your favorite stuff," Harry explained, and Jade smiled.

"And you remembered each of them?" Jade asked, feeling touched.

"I made my own list. And sometimes I added some extra gifts from me to you without indicating it. I didn't know how you would feel about receiving a gift from me," Harry admitted, and Jade's eyes rounded in surprise.

"You did? Tell me what you got," Jade asked eagerly, and Harry chuckled.

"Maybe if you're a good girl, I will tell you," Harry promised.

"Did Tom know about it?"

"No. I never told him," Harry said, and Jade sighed.

"Harry? Where are you?"

"In my bedroom. Why?" Harry asked.

"I want to see your face," Jade said, and Harry raised a brow.

"Right now?"

"Yes," Jade said, and Harry got off his bed, wanting to go and freshen up so he could go and see her.

"Alright, give me twenty minutes..."

"What for? Are you naked? You don't have to show me your body unless you want to," Jade said in a teasing tone, and Harry paused when he realized she was requesting for a face time and not a physical meeting.

"Oh! Alright," Harry said as he returned to the bed and switched the call to video call.

Immediately Jade saw that Harry was requesting a video call, she ran to the dressing table to check her reflection, and she quickly glossed up her lips and ran her fingers through her hair.

She adjusted the spaghetti strap of her sleeping robe, which she had worn downstairs for breakfast, to make sure her cleavage was visible before pulling the basket he had sent close to her and receiving the call.

Harry smiled when he saw her smiling face beside the basket, "You are beautiful, and your cleavage is beautiful. I know you wanted me to see that," he said, and it was all Jade could do not to blush.

"Thanks," she said, and Harry chuckled as she set her phone to rest in front of the mirror and picked up one of the chocolates.

"So, what did you think when I called you earlier? You must have had a good laugh, huh?" Jade asked as she unwrapped the chocolate and ate, and Harry chuckled.

"I knew you were going to call, but you called earlier than I expected. I expected you to take some more time to debate and argue with yourself whether or not you should call me first," Harry said with a grin, and Jade raised a brow.

"Well, what if I didn't call until I received the basket?" Jade asked, and Harry grinned.

"You don't find it strange that you received the basket almost immediately after you called?" Harry asked, and Jade narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Jade asked, and Harry shrugged.

"Let's just say the basket was waiting for your call. I know you, Jade. I know how you reason and how you react to things. That's the advantage I have over you in this relationship. You are only getting to know me now, but I've known you for years. In the same way, I know you are not going to listen to me, and will try to show up during my date with Aurora. If I see any trace of you around there, we are done," Harry said, and Jade's lips fell open in disbelief.