- If we're talking about sexual harassment, we'll need another witness - Harvey Specter shut his phone and went in the cafeteria. He was a man of habits: there were things he loved, like jazz. There were things he hated, like losing. There were nights passed between models and high class places. But there were also his everyday moments, things that he would never quit, like beginning his day with an espresso taken in a small cafeteria not far from Pearson and Hardman's. That day didn't make an exception: after cutting the conversation with Mike Ross - another thing he loved - he ordered a double espresso, glad to savor its intense and bitter flavor. While he was waiting for his coffee, he turned to face the room, and like every morning, she was there.
The girl sat always in the same place, a table in a corner right in front of the cafeteria glass. Resting her chin on her slender wrist, she was deeply immersed in her book. Harvey was watching her from weeks now, she became a part of his routine.
Her attention was absolute: she turned pages almost with eagerness, without losing a single line, drinking the words that were filling the pages without even blinking. Noises around her, guys trying to get some of her attention with glances full of hope: nothing seemed to distract her from the book open in front of her. And beyond that total abstraction from reality - thing that alone was a really interesting feature in a city like New York - was the fact that she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever saw. Considering his reputation of womanizer, that he was building day after day, the quiet beauty of the cafeteria girl didn't passed unnoticed. She had something of messy, something of wild: that day she wore a red cotton dress, which crossing in a knot on her hip emphasized her slender waist and her seducing curves. Her legs, crossed, were long and toned, and while one feet wore an espadrille, the other one had slipped out of the shoe and it was dancing on unknown notes. A cascade of thick, brown hair framed her face, and the only other gesture she made - beside turning pages - was rebooting them, regardless of how they fell on her tanned shoulders. She lowered her long lashes, and she often bit her lower lip, an habit that Harvey had learned to love, watching her everyday. He had never done anything to talk to her or to discover something more about her. In a certain way he respected her alienation, those moments that she devoted to reading, because he understood that was a sort of rite, just like his morning espresso, something he wanted to enjoy alone, without any interference.
While he was drinking his coffee without loosing a single move of the girl, he noticed a glimpse of Mike Ross, that evidently had all the intentions to come in and profane one of his favorite places. He hastened the exit.
- What are you doing here? - he said, stopping in front of the window.
- What do you mean we need another witness? We already had Jamison deposition, and it seems pretty much solid to me - Mike replied, ignoring his question. Harvey stopped listening to him when a waiter, on the other side of the glass, bumped into the girl's chair, almost heaped the content of the tray he held in his hands. She moved quickly, then she raised her eyes and smiled to the mortified boy. Harvey remained still. It was the first time that he could see her face. Her eyes were wide, round, like a doe's, and they were lit by the smile that was curling her full lips. That mouth. It was swollen, seductive, set in the perfect oval of her face. She said something to the waiter, then she turned to her book. And in that moment their eyes met for the first time.
Harvey felt bounded. He bored his eyes in hers, a gaze that everybody had learn to know and fear. Nobody could escape that, nobody could hide from Harvey Specter until he decided it. The girl, mouth at first slightly open, bit her lower lip, blushing a little. She blinked, regaining some control. She shut the book, slide her foot in her espadrille and, her stuff packed, she headed for the exit, avoiding accurately to look outside. Harvey followed her with his eyes, finding her way to walk incredibly sexy, with her book kept close to her chest, the skirt dancing around her long legs.
-Damn – said Mike. Harvey looked his young associate, raising his eyebrows.
- What was that? – he asked, hurrying behind Harvey who had began to go in the office direction.
- What? – answered Harvey, his hands in his pockets.
- That "We're all Madison County all of a sudden" –
- Since when you bother me with Madison County quotes? I found annoying the Cohen ones, but now, seriously Mike… you must do something to getting laid – Harvey gave him one of his infamous smirks. Mike rolled his eyes, as they entered the building.
- Ok, ok, I get it. You're an island and I'll stop trying to build a bridge between us human beings and you, golden god –
Harvey pushed the elevator's button, still smiling – Cameron Crowe, you're improving… just in front of me – he said.
-Where the hell were you two? – Jessica Pearson entered Harvey's office, where he and Mike were passing a list of possible witnesses.
- Good morning, Jessica – Harvey gave her his cocky smile. She raised her eyebrows, not impressed at all.
- We had an emergency. Kolk's lawyer called to say they will present two new witnesses, and it seems that both are ready to swear they were with Kolk the night of the aggression – Harvey cursed under his breath. The case was already really weak: Ethel Jamison, wife of the billionaire James Jamison, was suiting for sexual harassment Randy Kolk, one of the most powerful producers in the record market. Kolk had hired an entire team of lawyers and distributed bribes here and there, things that normally wouldn't bothered Harvey. The problem was that Ethel was accusing him of having her drugged during an hypothetical specimen, of which didn't exist any proof. Basically, it was her word against Kolk's, who had obviously all the possibilities to dig them in tons of paperwork.
- Now we had to find other witnesses – said Harvey, looking Mike. The boy nodded. Jessica inclined her head.
- If he did this one time … - she began.
- … he surely did it before – Mike ended her sentence with a camaraderie smile. Harvey glared at him, while the woman just ignored him.
- I expect you to fix this – she said to Harvey, then she walked away.
Harvey smiled at his young associate, and Mike rolled his eyes.
-Yes, I know. I'll go and looking for something – he said.
- You're really impressing me today kiddo – Harvey just kept smiling, leaning back in his leather chair.