THAT PARIS WEEKEND CHAPTER 15

"Hello sweetheart, sorry I'm late."

Jim Paulsen leans over the round table to give Donna a quick kiss on the cheek. Harvey, sitting on the other side of her, immediately stands and reaches across with his hand.

"Good to see you, Jim."

"Harvey." Jim responds with a surprisingly firm handshake. This intentional grip coupled with Jim's frosty gaze, makes it clear that it's going to be a long night.

Friday has come all too soon for Harvey. Not only has he been dreading this evening, he's exhausted. It's been a week of keeping things casual at work with Donna, while making love to her at night... of managing merger negotiations, but being completely unable to concentrate on the most routine paperwork.

And now, this dinner with Jim is once again pulling Harvey out of his comfort zone. He promised Donna he would be on his best behaviour, and he's really going to try. But it's not going to be an easy road to gain Jim's trust.

If this were a legal situation, he'd have it in the bag, but there's really no winning when it comes to the father of your girlfriend. Tonight, all Harvey can do is show Jim a side of himself that he hasn't seen before.

Donna has also been stressed about this dinner. She's aware her father has concerns, and she also knows how easily Harvey can get his back up. It's practically a recipe for disaster. So she's made reservations at a new restaurant, an upscale steakhouse in the Meatpacking district. Both men love their steak, and perhaps this different place will provide an added distraction.

Tonight, she's strategically positioned between her father and Harvey. Hopefully, her presence next to both men will serve as a reminder of who they're here for. And if it comes to blows, creates enough distance that no one loses any teeth.

Harvey has already dipped into his second glass of wine by the time Jim arrives. He notices that Donna is pulling out all her favourite topics in a desperate attempt to keep the dinner conversation light.

He's seen her work the room at enough corporate events to know she's putting on her best effort here, including asking her father about his golf game and his plans for the upcoming July 4th weekend.

When the food arrives, it's a welcome distraction. The atmosphere now is not so much tense as it is formal. Donna tells her father about her responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer, and about the lawyers who have recently joined the firm.

Harvey decides to broach the topic of Jim's new venture. Being a corporate lawyer, he's in his element there and figures he can, at least, add something intelligent to the conversation.

"So what meetings have brought you to town?" Harvey asks, trying to appear engaged, as he cuts into the last of his steak.

"It's an exciting opportunity I'm working on... there are a few investors here who are quite interested," he says, his face lighting up at the prospect. "It's for the development of a chain of luxury seniors' facilities in upstate New York."

"Well, there's definitely the market for it. I plan on living very well when I retire," Donna adds playfully. She's trying to be supportive while keeping the conversation casual.

"Have you crunched the numbers yet? What kind of risk are you looking at?" Harvey asks, going straight for the facts. "Some of these projects have red flags all over them."

"I haven't gotten all the numbers yet, but I'm certain I can move forward. It definitely has potential," Jim assures.

"Well, I'd recommend taking your time with it. These lifestyle builds often carry a lot of risk. Investors jump in wanting to make a quick buck and then, in the fine print, they find a way to pull out. It could leave you high and dry," he cautions.

The last thing Harvey wants is to find himself in a situation like the last time, when Donna nearly invested her retirement savings in a venture that blew up in her father's face.

"I'll take that under consideration, Harvey," he responds curtly. Tonight, Jim is not interested in getting business advice, he's on a different fact-finding mission.

"So… I have to say, I was a little surprised when Donna told me about you two," Jim says, looking at both of them from behind his round-rimmed glasses. "When did this come about?"

"Dad, it's quite new," Donna jumps in. "You're one of the first to know. We really haven't told anyone yet."

"What about at the office?" Jim asks.

"Not yet," Harvey offers, as he shifts in his seat. "Donna wants to give it some time, although we've worked closely for so long, I'm sure it won't come as a surprise to anyone."

"I understand wanting to take your time, sweetheart," Jim challenges, as he turns to Donna and places his hand on hers. "Life can change on a dime and it's always best to be in control of your own future."

That was a dig, and Harvey is starting to feel hot under the collar.

"Not to worry, Jim, Donna knows we're in this together. She's very much in control of her future," he confirms, as he reaches for his wine, his other hand resting on her lap.

"Harvey…" The hairs on Donna's arms stand on end in response to the tension building around her.

Jim pushes his glasses up with his finger and continues.

"Donna has also experienced enough disappointment to know that she should put herself first over any relationship, no matter how optimistic she might feel at the beginning."

"Dad!" Donna firmly places her hand on her father's forearm in the hopes of diffusing the conversation.

Still, Jim continues…

"I have to say, Harvey, I'm surprised you'd think you know more than her father about what she needs." Jim reaches for his wine. He's also feeling a little hot under the collar.

"Dad... Stop." Donna's eyes go wide.

Harvey huffs, his fingers now drumming on Donna's lap, the fingers of his other hand tightly pinching the stem of his wine glass.

"Well Jim, you might think that, but Donna and I have had a few conversations recently about what she needs, and I think I'm pretty well informed." Harvey can feel his heart pounding through his shirt now. He went too far.

"Harvey! That's enough!" Donna asserts, her teeth clenched because doesn't want to make a scene.

"First of all, I don't appreciate being talked about like I'm not even here… and I'm not some prize for this pissing contest between you two." Donna abruptly stands up, flattens the front of her dress with her hands and grabs her clutch purse off the table. "I'm going home. Dad, I'll leave the door unlocked. Harvey, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Harvey stands up and reaches for her arm. "Donna, please don't go."

She gives him a burning look that tells him he better let go or she will make a scene.

"At least let me call Ray to take you." His face pained, as he drops his hand.

"This might come as a surprise... but I can take care of myself," she says, her furious eyes glaring at both men. "As for what I need… I definitely don't need this from the two of you." And with that, Donna turns away, her hair swishing in time with her determined pace, the sound of her angry steps fading, as she storms out of the restaurant.

Both men sit in silence as the waiter removes their dinner plates. Harvey notices that Donna hardly touched her food. She's always been one to finish her plate, and his, sometimes. She was clearly stressed about tonight and him losing control certainly didn't help. Harvey decides he's not going to try and win any battles tonight, but he'd like to, at least, leave things on a more civilized note with Jim.

"Looks like we've been taken to task," Jim says, as he rubs his forehead and pours himself another glass of wine.

"She's upset… I should go talk to her." His voice is full of concern.

"Give her time to cool off a bit," Jim cautions.

Harvey slumps further in his chair and takes a sip of his wine, still uncertain whether he should stay or go after Donna.

"It's not personal, you know." Jim says, looking at Harvey from above his glasses.

"You're right… you thinking I'm not good enough for Donna… Why would I take that personally?" He sighs, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Do you have children, Harvey?"

"No." He answers, refusing to look Jim in the eye, his fingers now fiddling with a cloth napkin on the table.

"If you're ever fortunate enough one day… and to have a daughter, then you'll understand," he starts.

"I watched my girl take her first breath, you know. She came out screaming her head off. Red curls, little feet and fists punching in all directions. She was feisty, even back then." Jim smirks.

Then, his features turn solemn.

"Suddenly, you're the parent of this precious child, and all you can think about is protecting her. Holding her hand when she crosses the street, strapping on her helmet when she bike rides, teaching her to fight back when the boys pull her pigtails," Jim explains. "And then, one day, you find yourself trying to shield her from heartbreak."

"I understand Jim, but Donna is not a child any more," Harvey counters, failing to understand that this is a conversation based on emotion, not fact. "Donna has been making her own decisions for a long time now."

"That's true, but that doesn't mean she's no longer my child," he explains. "I bet you think Donna is one of the strongest people you know."

Harvey nods.

"She is… but I've known her for her entire life," Jim explains. "And she's gotten badly hurt more than a few times, including during my divorce from her mother. She may hide it well, but the scars are there."

"She told me about that…" Harvey says, quickly glancing across the table. "About how difficult it was for her."

"I couldn't shield my two girls from the pain of our family breaking apart," Jim admits. "Which is probably why, even though Donna is very much her own person, I'm still so protective of her. I never want her to relive what she went through after the divorce."

"With all due respect, Jim," Harvey challenges. "The last time you and I talked, I was trying to protect her… from what you wanted her to do. I also care about her, you know."

"Look, I'm not a perfect parent. I've made mistakes, and I appreciate what you did back then," Jim concedes. "But let me ask you…have you ever done something stupid that hurt someone you cared about, Harvey?"

Harvey takes a deep breath. He doesn't even know where to begin with that question.

"You can't tell me because I was stupid, that I don't love my daughter," Jim reasons. "I love Donna more than life, and if I think she might get hurt, I'm going to say something."

"Fair enough," Harvey is starting to understand. "But you need to know that what's happening between her and I… it's different. I would never do anything to hurt her."

"Not intentionally, maybe… She was sixteen the first time she had her heart broken. I took her for ice cream and to one of those musicals she likes so much. By the end of the evening, I could tell she'd be ok," Jim explains. "Donna's had her heart broken a few times since then, Harvey, and as a parent, it's been hard to watch it happen over and over again. It's no longer easily fixed with ice cream and theatre."

"Are you saying that you think I'll break her heart?" Harvey asks, his eyebrows raised. He can't believe he's a middle-aged man having this conversation right now.

"You have once, what's to say it won't happen again?" Jim states, matter-of-factly.

"Jim, I never have." Harvey suddenly sits up. He's confused and a little shocked at the suggestion. "You must be thinking of someone else."

"Remember a few years back when she left you to work elsewhere?" Jim asks. "You did then.. she came to me."

Harvey's heart is now thundering at the memory of the night she quit. He admitted that he loved her only to minimize his words the next day. Now, he feels like a first-class jerk, his past behaviour coming back to haunt him once again.

All this time, Donna has never let on just how much he'd hurt her. Leaning his elbows on the table, Harvey folds his hands together and hangs his head.

Shit.

"You don't know how much I regret what happened, and she had every right to leave," Harvey admits, as he takes a wary glance at the man next to him. Jim can see the pained expression on Harvey's face. "…and just so you know, Donna leaving broke me, too."

Jim nods, acknowledging that he understands Harvey's regret, but he's not done.

"Let me be frank with you. Harvey..." Jim's eyes now intensely zoning in. "I don't know how many relationships you've had, but I know you've had your fair share. For whatever reason, my girl seems to have a soft spot for you and there's nothing I can do about that… so… what are your intentions here?"

Harvey's throat is dry and he can feel a bead of sweat trickling all the way down his spine. He's not used to being called on the carpet about his personal life. Yet, he can't help but respect Jim for asking, especially when he, too, has felt protective of Donna on more than one occasion.

"My intentions?" Harvey's eyes go wide as he looks at Jim, his shirt collar suddenly feeling tight. "I love her... I've loved her for a long time."

"So… what do you plan to do with that? Do you want to marry her, have a family?" Jim asks, forcing Harvey into explaining himself.

Harvey presses his lips together and tenses his jaw. Twirling his wine glass between his fingers, he gathers his thoughts before speaking.

"I do… want that. But to be honest, it's also up to Donna," Harvey is looking directly at Jim now. "However she wants this… wants me."

"I'm surprised to hear that from you." Jim is not leaving without understanding exactly what Donna has gotten herself into. "So you've had feelings for her, yet all these years, you've never taken a chance? Given your reputation in the field, I would have figured you'd go right after something if you wanted it."

"Jim…" Harvey says in his defence. He takes a breath, trying not to get his back up again. "It wasn't that simple and it was never completely up to me. I was her boss and Donna had rules around that, which was probably for the best because I also had some things to work out."

Jim might not have the sharpest business sense at times, but Harvey has to give him credit, he's not a man who's easily intimidated.

"So… you think you're ready now? Donna was happy in her last relationship, but for some reason, she can never seem to say no to you." Jim sighs.

Harvey closes his eyes and takes another deep breath.

Thomas Fucking Kessler.

"What did she tell you about Thomas?" Harvey is curious.

"That it didn't work out," Jim responds. "He was supposed to take her to Paris. And the next thing I know she tells me you two are together." Harvey can tell from the look on Jim's face that he's disappointed Thomas is no longer in the picture.

"Did you ever meet him?" Harvey can't help but wonder how serious Donna and Thomas had actually gotten.

"No, we were going to have dinner before their trip, but he had a last-minute business meeting and cancelled," Jim says.

Harvey rolls his eyes and nods. He knows all about Thomas's last-minute 'business meetings'… probably because he was with his wife and kid in Connecticut.

Contemplating what he should say, Harvey pauses. Then, he decides on the truth.

"Jim, I need to tell you something, but it needs to stay between us."

"Ok."

Harvey proceeds to tell Jim of his suspicions about Thomas Kessler, and then the discovery of his double life. He explains how he confronted Thomas, dropped him from the firm and flew to Paris to break the news to Donna.

"You did that?" Jim asks, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I did… and I'd do it again," Harvey states, his voice confident but not proud. "He didn't deserve her, Jim, none of them have ever deserved her."

"And why do you say that?" Jim asks, sensing there just might be more to Harvey than he thought.

"Because she's… perfect, she's everything." Harvey's voice cracks a little and it offers Jim a glimpse into the depth of his feelings. "These guys, they never knew her like I know her. Donna is the most amazing person I've ever met. I'm a better man because of her and I don't even want to think about my life without her in it. She's…"

"…precious to you, right?" Jim completes his sentence.

Harvey turns his eyes to Jim, his features sincere as he swallows, then nods.

"Yes."

"Well, Harvey… maybe we do have something in common…"

"That… and the fact that she's mad at both of us right now," Harvey adds, trying to cut some of the tension between them with a little levity. "I'll apologize to her first thing tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jim has a puzzled look on his face.

"Donna said she would talk to me tomorrow," Harvey reminds him.

"Looks like you still have some things to learn about my girl," Jim says, as he puts his hand on Harvey's shoulder. "You've got to fix that tonight."

Harvey offers the tiniest smile, relieved that this conversation is nearly over. He may not have passed with flying colours, but Jim Paulsen might dislike him just a little bit less, so he considers it a win.

For everything Jim has heard about Harvey, he's surprised that this man, this high-powered lawyer with his fancy tailored suits and chauffeur, is not the arrogant ladies' man he thought him to be.

Harvey also finds himself with a new-found respect for Donna's father. Jim was tough, but he wasn't mean, and he did exactly what Harvey would have done if he were in that position.

As the waiter arrives and places the bill on the table, Jim reaches for it.

"No Jim, let me take care of this." Harvey offers, wanting to leave on a positive note. "You can get the next one."

Jim nods in agreement, understanding what Harvey is actually saying.

Then, Harvey proposes, "Why don't I take you to Donna's and I'll talk to her before I head home for the night."

"How about you drop me off at the diner next to her place. I've got a bunch of emails to catch up on, and that will give you enough time to grovel." Jim offers a knowing grin, as they get ready to leave.

"Thanks Jim, I'd appreciate that." Harvey reciprocates with a small smile of his own. As they walk out, he turns to Jim.

"Why don't you email me the plans for that business opportunity," Harvey offers. "Let me take a look, just to make sure it's sound."

"Thanks Harvey, I'd appreciate that."

xxx

Donna is already in her nightgown and reading in bed when she hears the front door open. She wonders if her father and Harvey actually stuck it out at the restaurant, or if Jim was just giving her time to cool off.

She expects the soft knock on her bedroom door, but it's the voice that surprises her.

"Donna… can I come in?"

Harvey.

"Only if you have ice cream," she says flatly.

Harvey opens the door a just a crack. He sticks his hand through the opening to reveal a container of Chunky Monkey ice cream.

"You think I would show up here without reinforcements?" he teases from behind the door.

"Come in then." She's still upset with him, but when Harvey does things like this, it's difficult to stay angry for long.

He slowly opens the door, places the ice cream and spoon on the bedside table, and sits on the edge of the bed next to her.

"I'm sorry," he says, his hand reaching for hers. "I lost my cool… when your father suggested I didn't deserve you."

"Harvey, he's my father, what did you expect?" she asks, tilting her head.

"I couldn't help myself," he sighs. "Anyway, we talked. I think he hates me a little less now."

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't hate you, Harvey." Donna rolls her eyes, and then smirks. "All the bad guys you've taken on, I would have never guessed it was going to be my father who would take you down."

Harvey's offers a brief smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"He told me something…" he starts. "…that I broke your heart before. Is that true?"

Leaning against the headboard, Donna draws her head back in surprise. She looks away, as she folds her book over her lap.

"How did that come up?" she asks, not keen to give him an answer.

"Is it true?"

"It's in the past, Harvey." She doesn't want to open old wounds.

"Is it true?" A third time.

Donna takes a deep breath.

"You told me you loved me and then took it back… and…yes…I was heartbroken."

Harvey's presses his lips together, his eyes sorrowful, his features full of regret.

"I'm sorry… I knew you were angry back then, but I didn't know that's what you felt."

"Well, I didn't exactly tell you, did I?" she admits, her eyes glassy. "Not that it would have mattered back then... but thank you, this helps to put the past in the past."

"I'm really sorry, Donna, I was an idiot…" Harvey shakes his head, his eyes damp. He massages Donna's leg through the duvet cover. "Remember my panic attacks? Just so you know… that was heartbreak, too… and I don't plan on ever feeling that way again."

Donna presses her lips together and nods.

"Me neither," she agrees, a small smile starts to form on her lips. "Do you want to stay tonight?"

"Spend the night with Jim next door? I'm not going to push my luck!" he chuckles. "Besides, I have some documents I want to look over tonight."

Before leaving, Harvey leans over, his hands cradling Donna's face. Gently placing his mouth on hers, he delivers a deep and affectionate kiss.

Then he pulls back with a smile. "Enjoy your ice cream."

"Wish you could enjoy it with me," she says.

"Tomorrow," he assures.

"Good night, Harvey."

"I love you, Donna."

"I love you, too," she responds, her eyes twinkling.

As Harvey walks out, he stops just outside Donna's apartment door to reflect on the evening. It's been a difficult night, but a good one. Harvey was forced to confront some of the hurt he's caused, and also acknowledge the hurt that he's felt. Like Donna told him, they can leave the past in the past.

Although Harvey dreaded having dinner with Donna's father, he would have never faced these hard truths if Jim hadn't been there.

Through it all, he and Donna are still ok, better than ok, actually.

And for Harvey, that's all that matters.