• Chapter Seventy •

"I really hope that your baby comes out like you and not anything like Shawn" I teased as I took a seat on my office chair "Hey, that's mean" I shrugged at Shawn who pouted "Well, I really hope that our baby is a mixture of us as in some cases one gene is dominant than the other" Gemma stated, leaning further into Shawn as they sat across me "Okay, we get it. You aced biology and everything else in school, don't rub it in, Gem" She laughed and I rolled my eyes "You're just a sore loser, Harold" I gave her a look when she used the name I don't like. "Whatever. Anyway, how was the doctor appointment?" I asked, reaching over for a file I needed to go through for my meeting.

"It was great, the babies and Gemma are all healthy" Shawn replied, my ears perked up and I looked at them with shock "Babies? You're having twins. Way to go, Mendes!" I smirked and he chuckled "I give up with you two. Shawn had the same reaction when we found out about the babies" Gemma sighed and Shawn pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. The smile I had on my face fell as I remembered how I panicked last night when I realized I hadn't used a condom. Fair enough, I'm a father to Noah, but I'm not ready to go through that process with Anna. As I watched the couple before me, it made me wonder what it would be like if Anna gets pregnant by me - in the future of course.

I know I told her how I'd feel about it in the car but a little part of me still doubts if she'll last that long with me. The skeletons hidden in my closet are always going to be a hindrance in my path, a deathly obstacle that prevents me from ever building a proper life for myself. "Harry, what's wrong?" Gemma asked and I frowned further "Your eyebrows look like they're about to meet, what's on your mind?" She leaned forward on the chair and then I noticed Shawn had left the room. "Nothing. Nothing at all" I straightened my face and posture, brushing her question off but the worried look on her face indicates that she's not done yet.

I sighed, waiting for her next question, "What did you do this time?" I gawked at her "Why do you always assume that I had something to do with it?" I gestured to myself, feeling defensive "Do you really want me to go there? Harry, you're always up to no good. Now out with it" I rolled my eyes knowing she's right "Sorry to burst your bubble but I didn't do anything this time, I was just thinking about something" I shrugged and Gemma crossed her arms against her chest "What about?" She now leaned back on the chair and I let out a deep breath, having felt claustrophobic "Anna. About what it would be like if she was pregnant"

I heard Gemma gasp and I shifted my focus from the paperweight on my desk to her, "Are you serious? Were you really considering starting a family with her?" The childlike glint in my sister's eyes made me squirm in my seat "Sort of but not now, maybe later on in life and that's only if she manages to last that long with me" I rubbed my temples tiredly "Are you going to marry her?" I widened my eyes at Gemma "Woah! Hold up, I didn't say that" She rolled her eyes at me before raising her voice "I knew it. You're always going to think that because Mum and Dad had a failed marriage, that you're going to have one too. Harry, it doesn't work that way. Dad was a deceitful fuck that didn't give two shits about us."

She took in a deep breath before continuing and I sat stunned by the rage buried in my sister, I've never seen her this angry. She got off her chair, rounding the desk towards me "Harry, you're nothing like him. Trust me on that" She spoke softly, taking my hand in hers "Well not now, I could be. I could turn out just like him, heck I already did. I made the one woman I fell in love with shed a countless amount of tears because of my promiscuous ways. I can never account to the man Olly was, I'm never going to be good enough for her yet I'm too fucking selfish to let her go" I stood from my seat and began pacing the office as I spoke.

"You love her, don't you?" Gemma asked and I nodded "And she loves you?" I nodded again "Then that's all that matters. You have each other, no one can break that not even the petty excuse of a father we had. Harry, you're your own person and that's what makes you so unique, there's no need for you to follow in Olly's footsteps. Yeah, you're going to have some rough patches along the way but that's what all relationships have. Look at Shawn and I, we had so many ugly bumps along the way and now look at where we are, we're getting married and we have two babies on the way" Gemma said wistfully, her hand going to her abdomen and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat

"It's a clear indication that everything is going to be okay. How did you even start thinking about this in the first place? Did something happen? Is Anna pregnant?" Gemma looked at me wide eyes and I held her arms to stop her from running out the door and into Anna's office "Easy there, she's not pregnant and I don't know, it just came to my mind" I shrugged and she calmed down. "Aw, I was hoping I would have a pregnancy buddy, that would be so nice. You know like how some celebrities and their best friends just so happen to be pregnant at the same time" She huffed and I gave her an incredulous look

"So basically you're encouraging us to have a lot of sex just so you have a pregnancy buddy?" I folded my arms "It's not like you're objective of it" She rolled her eyes and I chuckled "You're right about that" Shawn then walked in, "Ready, babe?" Gemma nodded tentatively "I'll see you tonight, alright" She kissed my cheek and hugged me goodbye "See you tonight" I walked her out my office and the couple left thereafter. I let out a sigh, turning to go back into my office when I noticed Anna, her door was open and her hair had been tied using a pencil into a makeshift bun. Her doe eyes were focused on her laptop screen, her bottom lip was caught between her teeth as she continued to nibble on it.

I leaned onto the doorframe of my office, my arms crossed against my chest as I watched her, following her movements. I chuckled to myself watching as she looked around her desk to find the pencil she uses, under other files and even on the floor. She can be really aloof at times. She's so mesmerizing, a view I wouldn't mind waking up to every day for the rest of my life. "Move in with me, for real this time" I said as I walked into her office. She looked up at me, startled by my presence and I couldn't help but smile at the redness that formed on the apples of her cheeks, her mouth fell agape "What?" She asked and I repeated my words "Are you serious?" I nodded "Dead serious"

I stepped towards her desk, leaning against the edge of it, opposite her. "I love you and you love me, why don't we just move in together?" I shrugged and she continued to stare at me with wide eyes "Can I think about it?" She finally spoke and I nodded "Take all the time you need" I assured her before bending over the desk, towards her and tilted her chin up so her lips met mine. I felt her smile into the kiss, "I want you" I muttered against her lips, pulling away as our foreheads leaned onto one another "Then take me" She whispered, that smirk on her face made my heart do a somersault, if I said I didn't like her like this way then I'd be lying. I broke away from her and shut her office door, making sure to lock it.

I am so lost on how to end this book. Ooo, maybe I'll kill someone. Just throwing some ideas out there.

All the love x