Zoey glanced at her watch, rubbing her temples as she took a break from staring at her computer screen. Leaning back in her swivel chair, she sighed at the stack of documents waiting to be reviewed before sending them on to Riley's office.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. She blinked, recognizing the unexpected visitor. "And what brings you here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Harriet chuckled, holding up a couple of cold drinks and a small box of cake. "Figured you might be swamped, so I just barged in. Been trying to reach you, you know," she said, placing the treats on Zoey's coffee table.
Zoey picked up her phone and laughed sheepishly when she saw it had died. She held it up for Harriet to see. "Sorry, my battery's dead."
Harriet waved her over. "Come on, you need a break. Riley mentioned you barely had lunch," she said, crossing her legs as she settled onto the couch.
Zoey approached and sat down beside her. "Well, I did have lunchâRiley brought me some. Just... there's a mountain of documents waiting for me," she replied, eyeing the food Harriet brought with a smile.
"Hopefully you didn't splurge too much," Zoey teased, inspecting the small box.
Harriet chuckled. "Don't worry, it won't break the bank," she replied, nudging the box toward Zoey.
Zoey tilted her head, giving Harriet a curious look. "Let me guess, you're bored, huh? Not much to do on suspension week?" she teased as Harriet handed her one of the cold drinks.
Harriet chuckled and sighed. "Just for the record, Ms. Zoey Foster, it's officially after your work hours. That's why I'm hereâto pick you up. But if you're swamped, I can wait," she said, taking a sip from her drink.
Zoey laughed softly, sinking back into the couch. "Right, the overtime queen strikes again," she joked, sipping her drink as well.
Harriet glanced at her, then reached out and gently pulled Zoey closer. "You know, you could take a break once in a while. The company won't fall apart without you," she said, shrugging playfully.
Zoey nudged her, eyeing the office door nervously. "We're literally in your family's company, and here you are, getting all touchy."
"Let them watch," Harriet smirked, brushing her hand along Zoey's waist, making Zoey sit up straighter.
"Your hands," Zoey whispered, lightly swatting Harriet's hand away. When she looked back, she found Harriet leaning in closer, a playful smile on her face.
"I told you, I don't care what anyone thinks. None of them are paying my bills," Harriet shrugged, but reluctantly pulled her hand back.
Zoey lowered her gaze. "Must be nice not to care. It's not like people judge you for much anyway," she mumbled.
Harriet sighed, her tone calm but with a hint of disappointment. "Is dating me really that big of a deal for you? I mean, our backgroundsâdoes it really matter that much?"
Zoey hesitated before sighing. "Well, you are a Pierce," she said, rolling her eyes.
"And Pierce is just a last name, Zoey," Harriet replied, her voice softening as she met Zoey's gaze. "Without that name, I'm just me. So, think of it that wayâwe're even." She winked, making Zoey's lips twitch into a reluctant smile.
Harriet opened the passenger door for Zoey, who stepped out, glancing back at her house. They'd arrived sooner than expected, thanks to a rare, traffic-free drive. As Zoey walked toward her gate, Harriet leaned casually against her car, watching her movements with quiet attentiveness.
Zoey paused, meeting Harriet's gaze. "Do you... want to come inside?" she asked, her tone casual, but a nervous flutter betrayed her thoughts. It's not like anything's going to happen, she assured herself. This was the first time anyoneâaside from Riley, who had once barged in after Sienna's "breakup"âwould enter her home.
Harriet blinked, momentarily stunned. "Me? You're inviting me?" she asked, as if needing confirmation.
Zoey chuckled, nodding. "Yes, you. Who else?"
Harriet grinned, looking delighted but trying to keep it cool. "Let me just park the car inside, then."
"Yeah, just pull into the garage," Zoey said, holding open the gate.
Harriet's eyes widened briefly before she nodded, hopping back into the car and maneuvering it carefully into the garage. Once she was parked, Zoey locked up the gate behind her, securing everything before waving Harriet over toward the front door.
"Look at you, smiling like you've just won the lottery," Zoey teased, her own lips curving into a grin.
Harriet laughed, shrugging a little as she followed her to the front door. Zoey tapped her card to unlock it and stepped inside, flicking on the lights to reveal a cozy, minimalist space.
"It's not huge, so... apologies in advance," Zoey murmured, gesturing around.
Harriet looked around with appreciation. "It's perfectâreally," she said, as she took in the open, airy vibe of the room. "You have a nice place."
Zoey laughed, slipping off her shoes. "Not exactly Pierce family level, but it does the job."
Harriet followed her lead, slipping out of her own shoes. Zoey crouched to grab her a pair of house slippers. "Here, so you don't have to go barefoot," she said, handing them over with a smile.
"Thanks," Harriet mumbled, feeling an unexpected warmth rise in her cheeks. It's just a pair of slippers, calm down, she scolded herself, but her heartbeat quickened all the same.
Zoey pulled Harriet toward the living room. "Wait here and feel free to look aroundânot that there's a ton on display, though," she said with a smile. "I'll just take a quick shower upstairs. And spare me any of your naughty ideas, alright?" She pointed a finger at Harriet, feigning seriousness.
Harriet laughed. "Naughty ideas? Me? I wasn't thinking of any... but now that you mention it..." She grinned mischievously.
Zoey rolled her eyes, chuckling. "Oh, please." She headed for the stairs. "Anyway, I'll be back in a few," she called, hurrying up to the second floor.
Harriet shrugged, looking around the cozy living room. A series of framed pictures lined the wall, each one capturing different moments of Zoey's life. Harriet smiled as she took in the snapshots, noting how Zoey's striking looks had been present even in her younger years. "She's always had that charm," Harriet murmured to herself, unable to resist snapping a few pictures of the photos on her phone.
Then, a particular photo caught her eyeâshe leaned in, studying a group photo from an old university competitionâand there she was, standing beside Zoey in the shot. Of course! It was from their university days, a photo she'd nearly forgotten about. "I can't believe she kept this," Harriet chuckled, amused at the realization.
Harriet smiled, lingering on the photo a bit longer. "Why didn't I notice you back then?" she murmured softly. "You definitely had the looks, so what was I missing?" She shrugged to herself, her eyes drifting back to Zoey's familiar face in the picture, as if searching for answers in the past.