Chapter Text
The bright, warm environment of the saloon has always been infectious. Looking around the room, you have to admire the true feeling of community that your neighbors exude on a daily basis. It’s not something you were expecting to find when you moved here. You’d been more than content to spend the rest of your days in the confines of your property if it meant you could leave your depressing life in the city behind you. But things had worked out much better than a solitary existence of mucking barns and rooting around in the dirt.
An unexpected hand lands on your thigh under the table and you jump, shooting its owner a scowl out of the corner of your eye. She snickers, sliding her hand farther up until you catch it, intertwining your fingers with hers and locking them in place.
“Tease.” You mutter, smirking. A snappy reply starts to form on her lips, but it fades when her eyes dart toward the front door.
“Oh, look. Must be your lucky night.” A grin spreads across Leah’s face and she nods at something over your shoulder. A tall, broad figure in a familiar green jacket stands by the entrance, his gaze flitting across the room. The doctor exhales and walks to the bar, sitting down on his usual stool. Pulse spiking, you glance back at your best friend and she chuckles. “I have a crazy idea. Bear with me, it’s wild,” She places her elbows on the table, leaning in close. “You could always try… talking to him.” A surge of heat rises to your cheeks and you roll your eyes.
“I do talk to him.”
She scoffs, taking a sip from her drink. “About everything other than what’s really important.”
Glowering, you take a sip from your own glass. She’s right, of course. That’s the most annoying part. It’s been a year and a half since you moved to the Valley and you’ve never been able to bring yourself to admit it out loud. Not to him, at least. Not to anyone other than the redhead sitting next to you. Harvey is a great guy. There’s no beating around it. He’s kind and sweet, and caring. And physically? Dark green eyes, thick brown hair, and those big, wide shoulders…
“Hello? You still with me, farmer?” Leah’s voice crashes your daydream and you flinch. It registers that you’ve been staring at him from across the room for way longer than could be deemed appropriate. She brandishes her empty glass with a smirk. “Would you mind getting me another drink?” Shoulders shaking from the suppressed snicker, she grins at you. You shoot her a flat stare and she leans in close. “I promise I’ll think of a way to make it up to you.” You roll your eyes with a snort and take the empty glass from her. “Thanks, gorgeous.” She murmurs as you stand from the table.
Taking a deep breath, you stride up to the bar. Emily turns to you with her typical gleaming smile and you place the empty glass down in front of her. “Can I get another for Leah, please, Em?”
“Of course!” She snatches the glass off the counter and gets to work on the concoction.
“She’s pretty good at that, huh?”
You have to force back a tremor when Harvey’s deep, gentle timber drifts over your shoulder. A soft smile creeps its way across your face as you turn to him. “What? Making me her errand girl?”
He chuckles, his fingers tightening around the glass of wine sitting in front of him. You slide closer, standing just a foot away. The crooked smile that takes hold of his expression makes your heart attempt a daring escape from the confines of your ribcage. “You’re a good friend.”
You shrug, leaning back against the bar. “Eh, she makes it easy.” You look over at her and catch her waggling her eyebrows in your direction. On instinct, your stomach clenches and you wonder if you might be standing just a bit too close.
“Still,” When you turn back to him you find those green eyes gazing up at you. “It’s nice to see.” Ears burning, you try to swallow, but your throat seems to be lined with sandpaper.
“How are things at the clinic?”
He shrugs, running a hand through his hair. “Pretty slow. Things should pick up in the Fall.” His eyes widen. “N-not that I’m complaining. I’m happy that people are staying healthy. I know how that sounds.”
“It’s okay,” You offer him a reassuring smile. “I know what you mean.” The nerves visibly dissipate and he exhales a shallow breath. “Oh!” You shake your head. “I forgot, I just made a new batch of pickles. They’re kind of spicy, though. I’m not sure you’ll like them.”
“I’m sure I’ll love them if you made them.” A wave of boiling heat rides up the back of your neck and he looks away, clearing his throat. “I— I mean, everyone likes everything you make, so…”
“Here you go!” Emily’s cheery voice rings out from behind you as she places the drink on the counter.
You turn back to him, taking a step toward your table. “Well, I should probably—“ You gesture to your empty chair and he nods, giving you a soft smile.
“Nice to see you. It… always is.”
Heart hammering in your chest, you carry the drink back to Leah with a trembling hand. You slide it across the table, flopping down in your seat. “Here. Happy now?” She snickers, taking a long sip.
“Yup.”
An hour later you both stand from the table. “I’m going to run to the bathroom before we head out.” You murmur, shuffling a step back. Leah nods, pointing toward the door. She spins on her heel, pushing her way out of the building.
The hallway is, thankfully, empty. It’s always the moment you try to leave that someone starts a conversation. You’ve just raised your hand to knock on the door when a figure comes striding out, walking head-first into your chest. “Oof!” You grunt, instinctively placing your hands on their shoulders, and take a wide step back.
“Knew it was you, the stench of dirt is inescapable,” Haley smirks up at you, her blue eyes twinkling. You snort, skating around her.
“Better dirt than cheap perfume.”
Her mouth falls open. “Cheap??” She scoffs, placing a hand on her hip. “It’s expensive to look and smell this good.”
Elbow resting on the doorframe, you lean in with a snide smirk. “And yet all my charm comes free of charge. Fancy that.”
Laughing, she glances over her shoulder. “Where’s your shadow, Peter Pan?” Blinking, you try to decipher this latest rib, but she’s lost you. She rolls her eyes. “Leah? Red hair. Doesn’t talk to anyone except you for more than five minutes at a time?”
“Outside. And that’s an exaggeration… she talks to Elliott.”
Haley raises a hand in concession. “Fair enough.” She tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Well, don’t let me keep you. I can’t afford to give her another reason to dislike me.”
You huff. “She doesn’t dislike you.”
Haley’s smirk transforms, turning into something more mischievous. “Well, I’m sure her bar for friendship has skyrocketed to the moon after you. How could anyone compare?”
Something in her tone gives you a pause. Something smug. Though, that’s not unheard of for her. “I know this is shocking, but some people are more open to making friends than others.”
Again she huffs. “Luckily for me, some people are too dense to take a hint, and somehow, in spite of my best efforts, I end up with new, annoying friendships.”
Grinning, you take a step into the bathroom. “Sounds like a pain.”
She snickers, turning on her heel. “You have no idea.”
The hallway is once again clear when you exit the bathroom, and you make a clean break for it. When you walk past the bar Harvey’s eyes land on you and he gives you one last crooked smile for the road, shooting a bolt of electric heat through your heart before you step out into the warm night air. Leah leans against the railing, waiting for you. She grins, matching your pace when you set off. A light breeze rustles through the trees, and you take a deep breath, letting it fill your lungs with fresh oxygen. It’s one of the best things about the Valley. The lack of pollution. The sense of tranquility that sits, dangling in the darkened sky.
When you’ve made it out of the square and onto the dirt road Leah laces her fingers with yours. Lifting her arm, you plant a kiss to the back of her hand and she sighs, scooting in closer.
She comes to a sudden halt, tugging you until you turn to face her. “Am I holding you back?”
You chuckle. “I mean, right now, yes. You quite literally are.”
“You know what I mean.” Her big brown eyes pierce you, waiting for a real answer.
“We’ve talked about this.” You take a step closer, tucking her bangs behind her ear. A futile attempt, as they pop back out almost instantly. “I’m fine with the way things are.”
She lets out a short breath. “Farm girl, I want you to be happy.”
“Who says I’m not?”
She continues as if you hadn’t spoken. “You like him more than you’re willing to admit, even to me.” You start to respond but she holds a hand up. “What if we talk to him? You don’t know how he’d react.”
Fuck. Just the idea of her proposition makes your palms sweat. You let out a weary sigh, deflating, and she places a hand on your shoulder. “I don’t want him to think differently of me.”
Her arms slip around your waist and she presses her lips to your cheek. “If he thinks of you differently because you were honest with him then he never deserved you in the first place.” You pull back, gazing down at her. “Plus,” She slides her arms around your shoulders. “I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit. Harvey is a good guy.” Her eyes flit between yours. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this—“ She motions between the two of you. “And I appreciate that you’re willing to make sacrifices to maintain it. But just because I don’t want to commit to something steady doesn’t mean that you can’t either. And it doesn’t mean we have to give everything up in the process. We just have to try.” She smiles.
You lean in and catch her mouth with yours. She parts her lips just enough that the sugary taste of whatever she’d been drinking at the bar sweeps across your tongue, and out of sheer habit, you curl your hands around the small of her back. Her fingers weave into the nape of your hair and she uses the leverage to pull you in closer. When you break apart she swipes her thumb along your bottom lip and you chuckle. “Alright. I’ll think about it.”
Hand in hand, you cross the border onto your farm. “Don’t get me wrong,” You glance back at her over your shoulder, rifling around in your pocket for your keys. “I’m not complaining, but I am surprised you’re on board with him.” You unlock the door, holding it for her. She shrugs as she walks past you.
“Why? You’re crazy about him, and I can’t blame you. He’s a thoughtful, caring man. Mature. Intelligent. And it’s not like he’s unattractive. In fact, I’d say he’s probably top of the list.” You smirk down at her, eyebrow quirked. She snickers. “Second to you, of course.” She pushes her shoes off one after the other.
You laugh. “Being at the top of the town’s ‘attractive’ list has always been a goal of mine.”
“Well, it’s true nonetheless.” Ears burning, you glance at her just in time to catch the toothy grin she shoots your way. “And it goes without saying, but if we do decide to approach him about this, I’m not going to be concerned about where I fall on yours. You’ve been more than fair with me.”
Striding up, you grab onto her hips and crowd her against the door until your body is flush with hers. Out of sheer habit, your hands skate the length of her waist, tracing the familiar pattern of her curves. “So, you’ve thought about it before?” The corner of your mouth tugs up, and you cock your head at her. She mirrors you, leaning in till you can feel the soft rise and fall of her chest.
“I’d ride that man like a rollercoaster.”
“Mmm,” Dragging your lips down her throat, a swell of smug satisfaction courses through you when her breath hitches. “An interesting image you’ve painted.” A soft moan escapes her when your teeth graze her collarbone.
“Cross your fingers,” She murmurs. “Maybe your wish will come true.” Suddenly, she grabs your wrist with a laugh. She skirts around you and tugs you away from the door. “C’mon,” Leading you into the bedroom, she pushes you down onto the mattress with a grunt. “I believe I made a promise about paying you back for the drink.” Her fingers dip under the waist of your jeans and you snicker while she undoes the button on your fly. Before she tugs your jeans over your hips she pauses, reaching up to brush your hair out of your eyes. “That’s a sight I’d enjoy too, you know. You and him.” Flushing, you blink up at her.
“Really?”
She chuckles, taking your chin in her hand. “Absolutely.”
The room is pitch black. The only sound you can hear is the muted tempo of Leah’s soft snores. That’s another thing you love about this place. The absence of noise. There’s so much of it in the city. It’s a constant cacophony of car horns, raised voices, construction sites, and ambulances. And that’s just the mild stuff. It was disorienting, at first. The depth of the silence out here, especially on the farm where you’re cut off even from the rest of this small town. But now, eighteen months later, it’s one of the things you appreciate most. You flip onto your side, squinting at the woman sleeping peacefully on the far side of the bed. Your first real friend in town. One of the only people who was nice to you right from the start; who did her best to make you feel welcome from your first day. Well, she and one other person.
Yoba, what would you even say to him? ‘Hey Harvey, do you want to be in a relationship with me, while we both simultaneously hook up with my best friend? Occasionally at the same time, perhaps?’ You cover your face with your hands, already feeling the sharp swell of heat rise to your cheeks. It’s madness, right? You can only imagine the horrified look on his face. You’d never be able to face him again if he rejected you. No. No, you could never do it. Eyes falling back on Leah, you let out a long shaky breath, trying to calm your racing heart.
Then again, how long can you keep this up? Leah’s made her stance clear from the start: nothing steady. Friendship comes first. No real commitment. And that’s perfectly fine. But what about you? She’s right. You like him. You want to be with him. Just not at the cost of losing what you’ve got with her. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with that. Reaching out, you brush her bangs off her forehead and a soft, content huff passes through her lips as she leans into you.
Even with the softest alarm you can manage, Leah always wakes with a start. “You’d think with all your fancy upgraded equipment you’d be able to sleep in a bit,” She groans, pulling the pillow over her head. You croak out a raspy chuckle.
“I didn’t choose the farm life. The farm life chose me.”
She tears the pillow away from her grumpy face. “That’s literally the opposite of the truth.”
Sitting up, you lean in and give her a quick peck before you roll out of bed. “Like you’re not going to fall right back asleep.”
Funny enough, she’s correct. There’s no real sense of urgency with the farm anymore. After a full year of backbreaking hard work, you’d turned things around tenfold in comparison to what it used to be, even under your grandfather’s care. Mostly everything is automatic. Feeding your animals, watering your crops, all of it is done with timers. But there’s something about the routine that you’ve grown to depend on. The rising sun drenching the land with a pale golden light. The constant change of the seasons. All things you’d never really known or cared about.
What used to take an entire day’s work now only takes an hour and a half. You place four gallons of milk and two dozen eggs into the shipping container at the front of your property, keeping everything that remains for yourself. You kick your dirt-laden boots off, leaving them piled on the porch before you walk into the house. The smell of fresh coffee greets you and you find Leah sitting at the kitchen table, clutching a steaming mug with both hands. “Made some for you, too.” She mutters behind a yawn. After you’ve placed the eggs and milk into your fridge you pour yourself a cup of the dark caffeinated liquid. “What are you going to do today?” She glances up at you, rubbing her eye with the back of her hand.
“I think I’m going to make a trip to the quarry. I haven’t been in a while so it’s probably built up enough that I’ll get a decent haul.”
A tired laugh escapes her. “Damn it, you are so sexy when you talk about smashing rocks to pieces with a pickaxe.”
You snort, spilling a few drops of coffee onto the floor, and absently mop it with your sock. “What about you?”
She grimaces, resting her cheek flat on the table. “I’m gonna try and finish the piece I’ve been working on for the past three weeks. Or maybe I’ll just push it off the cliff, who knows?”
“Nah,” You shuffle up to the table. Bending over, you press a kiss to the exposed side of her face. “You know you could never bring yourself to litter like that.” She laughs. “It’s gonna be great. I have complete faith in you.” Flushing, she sits up, her freckles popping against the pink tinge that spreads across her nose. She lets out a huff, pushing her braid over her shoulder.
“Thank you. I think I needed that.” Scurrying around the room, she places her mug in the sink and slips her shoes on, pulling her messenger bag over her shoulder. She strides up to you and throws her arms around your neck, planting a firm kiss to your lips. “Be safe at the quarry today, okay?” You nod, watching as she tugs the door open. “Love you.”
You chuckle. “Love you, too.”
CRACK.
You wipe the sweat from your brow with a huff. So far you’ve made out far better than you expected. Your jaw drops to the ground when you unearth your third diamond of the day. “Damn,” You mutter, placing it into your bag. Luck really must be on your side. Even as your body starts to ache, the mindless physical labor proves useful in clearing your head.
CRACK.
Realistically speaking, it’s not such a shot in the dark, right? Leah had said you weren’t giving him enough credit, and maybe she’s onto something. Theoretically speaking, you’re all mature, grown adults. There shouldn’t be any reason that you can’t at least talk about it.
CRACK.
But the concept of actually sitting down and doing it? Terrifying. To lay it all out there, put yourself on the line for criticism. Judgement. Maybe even outright disgust? How would you ever be able to face him again? You wouldn’t. Although… if he reacted like that would you really want to spend time around him anymore? What was it she’d said?
If he thinks of you differently because you were honest with him then he never deserved you in the first place.
CRACK.
“AHHH— FUCK!”
The sharp, shooting pain that slices your arm is undoubtedly an effective distraction. You glance down and see a small line of crimson leaking out of your flannel shirt. “Shit!” That’s what you get for not paying attention. When you pull your sleeve up to get a better look at the cut, your stomach drops. You’re not going to be able to stick a bandaid on this and call it a day. You hoist your bag over your shoulder and hop into the minecart. Ripping your flannel off, you wrap it around the injury so you don’t leave a trail of blood.
Refusing to leave your sack of spoils behind, you opt to drag it along the flagstone road as you stagger into the town square. The pain is enough of a diversion right up until you reach the door of the clinic. You groan. Why now, of all times? Is this punishment from the universe for thinking that luck was somehow on your side? With no other option, you take a deep breath, steel your resolve, and stride into the building to face the man that’s been occupying your every thought since last night.
If you’re being honest, much longer than that.
Maru sits at the front desk, chin resting in her hand. The moment you swing the door open her face lights up. “Oh, hey! Nice t—“ She freezes when she sees the state you’re in. “HARVEY!” She calls out, voice raised in alarm. You drop your bag onto the tile floor and brace yourself against the wall. In a matter of moments, he bursts into the room, the door swinging behind him.
“YOBA, what is it?!” The second his eyes lock with yours his expression turns from flustered to serious. “Shit—“ He mutters, striding up to you. His brows furrow. “What happened?”
You shake your head, wincing as he helps you off the wall. “I wasn’t in the mines, I swear.” A gentle hand wraps around your elbow and he guides you into the back room. His grip falls to your waist and he helps you onto the closest table, your feet dangling off the side. “I was at the quarry. I think— ahhh—“ You hiss as he untangles your shirt from your wound.
“I know, I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, clenching his jaw.
“—I think a piece flew up and sliced me when I was breaking a rock.” Without a word he turns and washes his hands at the sink. He pulls on a pair of gloves and steps back up to you. “I’m sorry,” You stutter out, embarrassment sweeping through your insides.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” It comes out so soft and kind. Your heart throbs in your chest and you stare at him as he examines the injury. “Damn,” He turns back to the counter, pulling a plastic box out of one of the drawers. “It’s still lodged in there. It’s not deep but I’m going to have to pull it out.”
You nod and grip the edge of the table with your free hand. Clamping your eyes shut, you clench your teeth and turn your head to the side. Cold metal scrapes against the cut and you do your best not to move or make any noise. The tweezers latch onto something foreign inside of you. “Got it.” You can feel your hand shaking against the table, but you refuse to release your grasp. He lets out a breath. “Okay. 1….2….3—”
“—ARGH!” Fuck, that hurt.
He places the small shard of rock onto the table and takes a closer look at the injury. “Ah, good. You don’t need stitches.” He glances up at you and his face falls when he spots the tears brimming in your eyes. “Oh—“ He mutters your name and rests his hand on your shoulder. Without thinking, you reach up and grasp onto his arm, fingers digging into him. “It’s okay,” He murmurs. “That was the worst of it. I’m going to place some sterile strips to help keep it closed and wrap it up, but after that, you should be fine. I’ll need to take a look at it in a few days, though.”
“Okay,” You nod, wiping your eyes on your sleeve. He works with an incredible amount of speed, cleaning and dressing the wound like it’s a walk in the park. Now that the adrenaline has receded, the stress you’d tamped is beginning to rise and you’re unable to stop a few stray tears from spilling. He’s halfway through the second layer of gauze when he glances at you over his glasses. His calm exterior twists a second time. Biting your lip to stop it from trembling, your fingers dig into his arm and you duck your head, desperate to hide your red-rimmed eyes. Cautiously, he pulls you in and you press your face to his chest, allowing one single choked sob to break free.
“I’m sorry,” You repeat, shaking your head. “Ugh, I’m all sweaty and disgusting,”
He clears his throat and you look up to find those green eyes rooting you to the spot. “First of all, you are neither of those things. Not even close. Second, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was an accident. Everything is alright.” There’s a tangible pause and he coughs, taking a half-step back.
By the time he’s finished cleaning you up, your breathing has returned to normal and you feel notably better than when you stumbled in. You watch him as he ties off the layers of gauze. How could you ever have thought this man would be unkind to you? A pang of shame descends into your stomach. There’s no semblance of doubt that Leah was right. You haven’t been giving him nearly enough credit. “Alright, that should do it.” He sighs, pulling his gloves off. He washes his hands in the sink a second time and turns back to you. His ears turn pink when he finds you staring up at him.
“Thank you, Harvey.”
Shoulders deflating, he fixes you with that gorgeous crooked smile. He reaches up, and you swear he’s about to brush his fingers along your jaw when he seems to catch himself, rubbing the back of his neck instead. “I-it’s my pleasure.”
Maru schedules you for a follow-up in three days and you apologize for scaring her as you hoist your bag back over your shoulder. Harvey walks you to the door and steps outside the clinic. “I’ll see you in a few days. Make sure you call me if that gets any worse before then.”
You nod, smiling. “I will, I promise.”
Dropping the heavy bag onto the porch with a thud, you shuffle through the door and plop yourself into one of the kitchen chairs. You push your boots off, letting them clatter to the floor, and make your way to the counter. It’s a bit of a struggle, wrapping the gauze in plastic wrap, but by some miracle you manage, using your teeth to tie it into a tight knot.
The shower feels incredible. You’re careful not to get the wound wet as he instructed, but the steaming hot water beats all the tension from your achy muscles as you scrub the sweat and dirt from your hair. Once you’ve finished, you carefully cut the clear protective lining off your injury and flop down in bed.
Your phone is buzzing. Where’d you leave it? Shooting up, eyes bleary, you slide your hand under the blanket and feel the vibration from the call. When your fingers clasp around the device you pull it out, lifting it to your ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, farmer. How was your day?”
“Uhhh—“ Shit. You meant to call her when you got home but your mind had been elsewhere.
“What? What happened??”
“So, don’t panic, but I kind of got a bit of an injury at the quarry today.”
Leah lets out a string of expletives and you wince. “Why didn’t you call me?!”
“I fell asleep after I got back from the clinic! I promise it’s okay, just a cut on my arm.”
She hums, taking a deep breath. “Alright. As long as you’re okay. I’m getting in the truck now. I’ll be there in a few.”
In a matter of minutes, she barrels in through the door, kicking her shoes off on her way into the room. She crawls into the bed and wraps you in a hug. “You okay?”
You nod, nestling into her. “Yeah, I’m fine. It was a stupid mistake, really.” Her mouth lands on the top of your head and she nuzzles into your hair.
“Mmm, you smell good.” She takes another deep inhale. “Did you just get out of the shower?”
“Before I fell asleep.”
Very carefully, she runs her fingers over the fabric dressing your arm. “Harvey fixed you up?” Just the mention of his name makes your heart let out a barrage of vicious thumps. You hum in response. Leaning back, you look up at her.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said.” She smiles, squeezing your shoulder. You sigh. “I want to talk to him.”
Her eyes go wide and she sits up, pulling you with her. “Are you sure? I wasn’t trying to pressure you, we can do whatever you want.”
You nod. “I’m sure. You were right about everything.”
Reaching up, she tucks your hair behind your ear, fingers tracing along your jaw. “That’s great! I’m… proud of you.” When she presses a kiss to your temple you exhale, melting into her. “You’re 100% certain?” Her voice is no more than a whisper and you laugh, nodding your head in the crook of her neck.
“Yes, I’m 100% certain.”
“Okay,” She smiles, brushing your hair out of your face. “Let’s go.” She rolls off the bed and straightens her shirt, grinning down at you.
“Wait, what?” Your pulse leaps into your throat. “Right now??” She nods, takes your hand, and pulls you off the bed. Your mouth falls open. “Yoba, you’re actually serious, aren’t you?”
“As the grave.” Sputtering, you fail to summon up a response, and she places her hands on your shoulders. “Listen. There’s no use in agonizing over it, you’re only going to make yourself crazy. How did you get hurt today?” Cheeks flushing, you shake your head. Her knowing smile breaks through your defense. “You were distracted, thinking it into the ground, and you weren’t paying attention to what you were doing, right?” You nod, shoulders sagging. A shaky breath slips past your lips and she pulls you in tight. “I promise you’ll feel better if you just rip it off like a bandaid.” She leans back, forcing you to meet her gaze. “No matter what, you and I will be okay.”
The journey to the clinic is painful. Not physically. Your arm is perfectly fine. But mentally? Mentally, you are a walking ball of nerves. And maybe a hint of excitement? Relief? Leah pulls you to a stop on the outskirts of the square.
“Okay,” She places a hand on your waist. “Are you sure you want to do this? Because we can turn back around right now and no one will be the wiser. I’ll never pester you about it again if that’s what you want. It’s your choice.” Her gaze bores into you and a sense of calm washes over you.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Her lips brush against your cheek, and you shake the rest of the anxious thoughts from your mind.
It’s almost 7 p.m. and the clinic is long closed by now. “Maybe we should have called before we left,” She cringes, glancing up at the second floor. “Well, too late now.” You hand her your phone and she pulls his number up, pressing send without a moment’s hesitation. While you wait, anticipation driving an electric buzz through your entire core, you glance around the center of town. The sun has just gone down, leaving a dim purple hue in the sky. Languid clouds roll by, and you can just make out the silver light of the stars starting to poke through the shroud of darkness.
“Hi... No, it’s Leah. She’s fine. Actually, we’re both outside. Can you come let us in?”
Waiting for him to reach the door is torment. Your nerves, gone only a moment ago, return with a vengeance when he appears in front of you. He ushers the two of you inside and looks down at you, eyes wide. “Are you okay? Let me take a look.” Gently as ever, he takes your arm in his hands. His brow furrows when he finds your wound in the exact same state that he left it in. “Uhh—“ He stammers, his gaze darting between the two of you. “Is everything okay?” Leah lets out a controlled breath.
“Actually, we’d like to talk to you about something. If you’re busy we can come back another time.” He looks at her and then back to you. Certain that all the blood has drained from your face, the most you can muster is a single nod in agreement.
“N-no, now’s fine.” He runs his hand through his thick wavy hair. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”
You’ve never been inside his apartment before. He’d offered, on more than one occasion, to let you use it while he was down in the clinic, but you’d always politely refused. Up till last night, you were, in theory, trying not to enable any further feelings for him.
“Oh, wow,” You murmur, glancing around the open room. It’s perfect. Perfectly him. Cozy, and clean, and warm. “This is great.” A bright smile spreads across your face and you turn back to the door. They’re both standing there, staring at you. A deep blush is rapidly spreading across the doctor’s face and Leah shakes her head, shooting you a toothy grin. Heart thumping in your ribcage, you chew on your lip, glancing to the side.
He coughs, rubbing the back of his neck. “Erm—“ He motions to the couch. “Feel free to sit down.” Leah strides over and plops onto the well-worn cushion, pointedly waiting for you to join her. Eyes flitting to him, you shuffle forward and drop unceremoniously beside her. It’s apparent that you’ve caught him unprepared. His unbuttoned shirt hangs open, revealing a tight grey t-shirt underneath, and his tie sits limp on either side of his neck. “Can…” He falters, placing his hand on the back of his neck and your gaze falls on his forearm. Both of his sleeves are rolled up just past his elbows. “Can I get you anything?” You shake your head and Leah gives him a soft smile.
“No, we’re okay. Thank you, though.” Looking unsure of himself, despite this being his own apartment, he walks over and sinks into the armchair next to the couch. The silence that drowns the room is almost unbearable. He clears his throat.
“So, um… what can I do for you?” He glances between the two of you. Leah places a hand on your back and you jump. She gives you an encouraging nod and you turn back to Harvey, who sits, utterly confused, just a few feet away. Your mouth opens and closes a few times before you forcibly clamp it shut, taking a deep breath. You’re an adult. You can do this. There’s no doubt in your mind that you want to do this. You know that with absolute certainty. So why can’t you make the words come out? Steeling your confidence, you give him a calm smile.
“Well, it was nice to see you, Harvey. Thanks for having us.”
You stand and start towards the door. He shakes his head, mouth falling open as you stride away from the both of them. “Woah, hang on, HOLD IT!” Leah calls and you freeze, slowly turning back. She gives you an empathetic nod and pats the seat next to her. Meanwhile, Harvey, looking entirely bewildered, glances rapidly between the pair of you.
“Are you two in some kind of trouble?” He grimaces, voice hoarse.
You shake your head as you sit back down on the couch. “No, nothing like that. I’m sorry.” You fix your eyes on the floor. Keep it together. You scream silently at yourself.
“Um—“ He chews on his lip, fingers digging into the arms of his chair. “I’m trying to stay calm here, but you guys are kind of scaring me. What’s going on?”
Leah stands from the couch, running a hand through her bangs. “Okay,” She gives you a reassuring glance and locks eyes with the doctor. “So, here’s the thing, Harvey…”
She pauses. Much to your surprise, a blush starts to cover the middle of her face as she stares down at the man in front of her. No one moves for a solid minute. She lets out a heavy breath and tugs on her braid. “Damn it, farmer, you weren’t kidding. This is fucking hard.” She makes a pass back and forth along his rug and sets her jaw, turning back to him. “We—“ She motions between herself and you. “We’d like to date you.”
If you thought he looked bewildered before you were sorely mistaken. Holding your breath, you watch as he tries to process what she’s just said. You swear you can see the gears turning in his mind. He shakes his head, apparently at a complete loss for words. Leah sighs, flopping down on the couch, head in her hand. “Let me rephrase that,” His shocked gaze follows her to the sofa, mouth hanging open. “She would like to date you.” The redhead’s hand lands on your thigh and your pulse hauls into double time the second it leaves her mouth. At least you’re above the clinic so they won’t have to drag your limp body too far. “And I…“ She bites her lip. “I’m sleeping with her. I’ve been sleeping with her for a little under a year now. And—“ Her eyes meet yours and she lets out a sigh. “And we’d like to continue doing so. We— we’re going to continue doing so. No matter what happens here, tonight. That’s not going to change. But…”
His eyes are bulging out of his head now and you begin to wonder if he’s still breathing. She continues. “That doesn’t change the fact that she,” She pats your thigh. “—is crazy about you. And to be honest, I’m not exactly uninterested either. However,”
Yoba, how much time has passed since she started? Every second seems to drag by like an hour.
Leah lets out a long, turbulent breath. “I am not interested in being in a committed relationship with anyone. Full stop.” His mouth clamps shut. The first sign of movement since she started talking. “She and I aren’t together. We aren’t a couple.” You give a single nod, eyes fixed on him. Leah stops speaking, places her elbows on her knees, and folds her hands in front of her mouth.
After a torturous minute of silence, he sits back, crossing his arms. His green eyes flit between the two of you. “This…” He shakes his head. “You two are fucking with me, right?” His mouth opens and closes and he looks down at the floor.
“Harvey,“ Leah starts, the corners of her mouth pulling into a frown.
“If— if this is a joke, it’s a really mean one.” His already gentle voice is abnormally quiet and it makes your stomach give a violent churn.
“It’s not.” You’ve finally remembered how to speak and he glances up at you, eyebrows raising. “It’s not a joke. We would never do that to you. I promise.”
Now that the reality of the situation has hit him, a deep, crimson blush rolls across his entire face. He runs a hand through his hair. “L-let me get this straight—“ He chews nervously on his lip. “The two of you are sleeping together, and you’re not dating. You’re just… physical.” You nod. A rush of heat rises up your neck and a heavy lump starts to form in your throat. You cover your face with your hands and Leah’s arm wraps around your shoulder.
“Um, hey,” You force yourself to meet his gaze. He shakes his head. “Please don’t think that I’m judging you, or anything. I just…” He swallows. “I just want to make sure I’m understanding all of this correctly, that’s all.” A breath of sweet relief escapes you and Leah rubs small circles into the middle of your back. He runs his hand through his hair for what seems like the tenth time in a matter of minutes. “So, the two of you are intimate with one another, but you’re not together. And you…” His gaze falls directly on you. “You want to be with me. Like… in a relationship?”
Shoulders dropping, you sigh. “That’s correct.”
His face somehow gets even redder and his eyes dart to the side. “And, again just so we’re clear, that includes a physical relationship… between you and I?”
You try to swallow but your throat’s gone dry. “Yes.”
He finally meets your gaze again and your stomach jolts the second his eyes lock with yours. He glances at Leah. “And you want to keep sleeping with her… as well as me?”
Leah exhales through her nose. “That…” Her gaze flicks to you. “That would be best case scenario, yes, but ultimately it’s whatever you’re comfortable with. Like I said, what’s going on between the two of us,” She motions between you and herself. “That’s not going to stop.” He nods, pushing his glasses farther up on his nose.
“A-again, just to get it all out there…” He gulps, fingers raking through his hair. “Are we talking about each of us being intimate in pairs, or all three of us… at the same time?”
“Both.” You and Leah say in unison.
He sits back in the chair. With everything that can be said being said, you and Leah simply wait. It’s funny. She’d insisted that you’d feel better after you put it all out there for him, and now, before you’ve even heard his answer, you know that she was right. An immense weight feels like it’s lifted from your shoulders. The ball is in his court. What he chooses to do with it is up to him. You smile at her over your shoulder and she grins, her hand landing on top of yours.
“Well, uh—“ He shakes his head. “I think this has to be the absolute last thing I was expecting when the two of you walked in. I’m…” A stunned smile tugs on his lips and he glances between the pair of you. “I’m flattered. And deeply, deeply shocked. I mean, me? Out of everyone?” He placed his head in his hand. “I think I need some time to process this. Can… can I think about it for a little bit?” He bites his lip, his gaze flitting between the two of you.
“No, we demand an answer now.” Leah flattens her voice to a deep drawl, and his eyes go wide.
“For fucks sake, Leah,” You snort, turning back to him. “She’s kidding, Harvey. Of course you can.”
The redhead snickers. “Sorry. Take all the time you need.”
A nervous laugh escapes him and he nudges his glasses up. “That was… frighteningly believable.” Leah stands, stretching her arms over her head. Taking your hand, she pulls you off the couch.
“Well, we’re going to head out. You can shoot one of us a text when you’re ready to talk again. Sorry to kind of ambush you with this.” She tugs on her sleeve with a sheepish grin.
He holds a hand up. “No, I’m… I don’t know. I’m glad you felt like you could talk to me about this. It’s—” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m kind of speechless.” Leah guides you towards the door, pulling it open.
“A-actually,” He says before you start down the stairs. “Uh, I was wondering if I could have a word with you. Alone?” He stares unwaveringly down at you. You look back at Leah and she cocks her head at him. “I promise it’s not anything to do with the three of us.” Her gaze meets yours, and you give her a nod. She shrugs, smiling up at Harvey.
“Alright. See you around, handsome.”
His face returns to a brilliant shade of red and she spins on her heel, jogging down the stairs and into the clinic. Swallowing, he takes a step towards you and you feel your pulse start to quicken. “Um, first, I wanted to check and see how your arm is doing.” You glance down at the gauze-wrapped injury and then back up to him.
“Oh! It’s fine, doesn’t hurt at all. Thanks again, by the way.”
He shakes his head. “It’s nothing. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He pauses, letting out a breath. “And second— I guess… well, I’d like to know when you started to feel this way. About me.”
“Oh— right,” You grasp onto your sleeve. He winces.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” It comes out fast, and a bit panicked.
You shake your head, meeting his gaze. “No, it’s okay. You have the right to know. Um,” You chuckle. “Truthfully? I’m not sure. I think maybe I always did, right from the beginning. But I didn’t notice it until Leah pointed it out when we first started… being intimate. And then it’s all I was able to notice.”
His voice is low and soft. “She said it’s been close to a year. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
You shrug, giving him a weak smile. “I was afraid. I— was afraid of what you’d think of me. Of both of us. And I didn’t think I’d be able to handle it if you thought differently of me because of it.”
His face falls. “So, what changed?”
You smile, staring up at him. “I realized that I wasn’t putting enough trust in you. Another thing Leah pointed out.” That perfect crooked smile graces his handsome face. “Harvey, you’ve been nothing but kind to me since I moved here. I’m sorry that I misjudged you. It won’t happen again.”
“No,” He shakes his head. “You don’t owe me an apology. I understand completely. And…” He trails off, swallowing. “Well, I hope you know that no matter what happens with all of this, my opinion of you will remain the same.” Your stomach flutters, and he reaches out, tucking your hair behind your ear with a shaky hand. “A-and the same goes for Leah. You can tell her that.”
His fingers brush against your jaw and you place your hand over his, nestling into him. “I’ll tell her.” Once again his face flushes pink and he stares down at you through half-lidded eyes. With a satisfied sigh, you pull away and start down the stairs. He stands in the doorway, beaming at you.
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
You grin, glancing over your shoulder. “I look forward to it.”