Donna took a breather as soon as Harvey went to the bathroom. This night.. it was on the borderline of too much. There was only so much denial a woman could go through without becoming mentally insane.
She realized then, that arrogant bastard would really mean the death of her, even if he didn't mean to be.
But for now, she was doing alright. It might have helped that she felt extremely powerful in this beautiful red dress of hers, or it might have been the fact that their fake relationship secretly made her ridiculously happy. She was only willing to admit the former, however.
Harvey had needed to pee the moment he got here, but something prevented him from leaving Donna. Over the years, he had somehow developed a necessity to always stay by her side, but it usually wasn't this bad that he would wait until his bladder was about to explode to take a bathroom break.
Unfortunately, his first view as he stepped into the high-class bathroom was Henry Ebenmeyer drunkenly peeing into the urinal in the middle. It took everything of Harvey not to shove the guy into his own urine, but he figured it wasn't worth it as long as that douchebag left him alone to pee in peace.
Which, of course, was too much to ask for the man with a chip as sharp as Harvey's jawline.
"So, Harvey. How's it feel to be titled "lawyer who fucks his secretary"? Feels good, doesn't it?" he drunkenly slurred.
"Shut the fuck up, Henry. You say another word and I will literally stuff you into your own damn urinal."
"What's the matter, Harvey? Can't take having to step down because you can't keep it in your pants? I wouldn't blame you, she's a hot piece of ass. And a redhead too, which probably means she's easy. Actually, if she hadn't been your secretary first, I probably would've fuc-"
Henry Ebenmeyer never finished his sentence because there was a loud bang and he was all of a sudden being choked, without having pants on, no less. Embarrassing was putting it mildly.
"Listen, you fucker. If you don't leave me and Donna alone after tonight I will physically hurt you. Your wife and your kids deserve better than you sorry ass anyway. Sending the picture to Jessica? What a sleazy move. I thought you were a lawyer, Henry. Not the fucking paparazzi."
Henry gasped for breath. Harvey's grip was so tight. What the fuck? What did this guy do, go boxing on a weekly basis?
"Don't you dare say anything about Donna ever again. She is a hundred times the person you could ever be; I don't even deserve her. And I would kill you right now, except I'm in a nice suit that's worth millions more than you. But really, I have to thank you. Because before this Donna was just my secretary, but you know what? Thanks to you, I think I'm gonna actually do something about it because I realized that I love her. And I was scared to do anything at first, but you know what? I think I will. So spin another story on that, you fucking asshole."
Henry was a nice shade of purple by that time. Harvey let him down, wiping his hands against one another after calming down his heart rate.
He pulled out his phone, planning on taking a picture of Henry keeling on the floor, gasping for breath, only to realized that his phone was mid-call with a certain redhead...
Donna Paulsen, his phone read. He had butt-dialed her when he banged the guy into the wall.
Donna was busy looking for another champagne flute to down before she would have to keep reminding herself that this entire night wasn't real. She had found a guy carrying a plate before her phone rang and she stopped to pull it out of an aforementioned area. As awesome as it was to look this flawless, her dress really lacked proper pockets.
Harvey? she thought, as she saw his name, flashing. What'd this guy need that he needed to call her from the bathroom, for Pete's sake?
"Hello?"
"Listen, you fucker. If you don't leave me and Donna alone after tonight I will physically hurt you." Harvey must have accidentally butt dialed her, but it didn't prompt her to hang up, but rather, to keep listening. She couldn't help but let her heart swarm a little when she heard "me and Donna"...
"Your wife and your kids deserve better than you sorry ass anyway. Sending the picture to Jessica? What a sleazy move. I thought you were a lawyer, Henry. Not the fucking paparazzi."
She heard gaspy breaths in response. Jesus, what was Harvey doing to this guy?
"Don't you dare say anything about Donna ever again. She is a hundred times the person you could ever be; I don't even deserve her. And I would kill you right now, except I'm in a nice suit that's worth millions more than you. But really, I have to thank you. Because before this Donna was just my secretary, but you know what? Thanks to you, I think I'm gonna actually do something about it because I realized that I love her. And I was scared to do anything at first, but you know what? I think I will. So spin another story on that, you fucking asshole."
Donna dropped her phone, and she watched it drop in slow motion, as if she were in a desperate romantic comedy.
Harvey... loved her?
love... LOVE?
She had to calm herself and make sure that was indeed the word he had said, not something like.. rough, or lick or.. fluff? None of those made sense but did anything really, when your boss and your mancrush for the past bloody 12 years just admitted he loved you?!
She bent down to pick up her poor phone, only to stand up and feel like her dress was too tight; she couldn't breathe. She felt so exposed all of a sudden, so self-conscious. But a downside of these meet and greets was that there was never any bloody place to sit.
Well fine, then, if no sitting place, I need a drink. She would put it on Harvey's tab.
Harvey. "I love her". Oh god. When did things get so weird?
It took Donna a Macallan (the most expensive kind, of course) for her to realize that she was most definitely getting ahead of herself. She rationalized that the wheezing guy was Ebenmeyer, and that Harvey had just said all that to put up a front. It was no big deal. She could live with it. She was fine. Her racing pulse was because of the alcohol, and nothing else.
"Donna." She heard a female voice call her name. She spun around, to see the other managing partner treating her to a toast. "You look wonderful in red."
"Oh please, Jessica. Like you couldn't pull this off better than I could. If I haven't already told you, you look amazing, as always."
She smiled. "How's the whole 'convincing people you're his wife' thing going? Leave it up to Harvey to have to put you through this."
"Yeah, as if being his secretary for 12 years wasn't enough." she snorted, and they both shared a laugh. Which was unfortunately followed by an awkward silence.
"Something on your mind, Donna?"
Damn. She had forgotten Jessica's ability to read people like an grade-school level book.
"I just overheard a phone call with Harvey and that dick Ebenmeyer," she blurted. On second thought, she really shouldn't be telling one of her bosses she was in love with the other one. But alcohol naturally erased her filter and now she couldn't seem to stop. "And I know everything tonight is supposed to be fake, but Harvey's Harvey, he's so damn good at closing, I can't help but feel like there's something that could actually be th-"
Jessica's laugh broke Donna's mini-speech. But the redhead was confused, and a little offended, really. What was so funny about her predicament anyway?
"You two are complete idiots."
The laughter stopped when Jessica caught hold of Donna's deadpanned expression.
"Look, I'm sorry, Donna. This probably isn't what you want to hear. Let's back track. Harvey's famous, cliche saying. Caring only makes you?"
"Weak," Donna mumbled. She already didn't like where this was going.
"And you heard him say, without him knowing, that he loved you. To Henry Ebenmeyer."
"Well, it could've just been a facade he's trying to keep up-," Donna tried to argue.
"Not the point. Did he or didn't he?"
"He did."
"Forget about what 'love' in Harvey's head means for a second. Is it fair to say that it shows he at least cares about you?"
"Am I allowed to say no?"
"Only if you really feel that way."
"Fine, yes."
"So here we have Harvey, whom we both know is a real pain in the ass because he always keeps himself so guarded. And now he's saying things like he loves you- to an enemy no less. What does that say about his feelings towards you?"
"I feel like you're about to tell me anyway."
"It means that everything, all this, is not just a big show Harvey needed to put on. There's an underlying current of affection Harvey has for you, because there is no way otherwise he would tell someone he despises his only weak spot."
The woman had a point, Donna figured. But what concerned her was how much it made sense.. her feelings were teetering on the edge of just dragging him to the nearest bathroom and be ravished by him.
"Jessica.. I need some fresh air."
"There's a balcony on the left side of the room. Take your time. And don't feel stupid. You're an admirable woman, Donna. Don't sell yourself short, especially when it comes to Harvey. He doesn't deserve your self-doubt."
Donna flashed her an easy smile. "Thanks."
Harvey was antsy. After leaving the bathroom he had been cornered by three old guys who asked him how he stayed in shape, if he worked out or ate kale or some other shit. He tried to plow through the conversation as soon as possible, because his hands were itching to get back to Donna. To find out if she had really listened in on his little.. confrontation with Henry.
Sadly, he couldn't even find her after he'd been done. You'd think she'd be easy to spot, red hair and all..
"Looking for Donna?"
He spun around, eyes coming to term with Jessica standing behind him, looking way too happy with herself.
"Yeah," he gulped, "have you seen her? We still have some clients we have to convince."
"Stop lying to yourself, Harvey. You're enjoying this. You like it when you and Donna get to play pretend. Just admit it. You love her."
"I'm not admitting anything," he panicked.
"That's not what I heard you say over the phone," she fired back immediately.
He paled. So Donna had heard everything.
"Damn, Harvey. For a Harvard graduate you sure can be pretty dense sometimes."
"Excuse me?"
"You guys are clearly in cahoots with each other somehow, but you're both too stubborn to admit it. Just go tell her already. It's been 12 years and I still haven't seen your respect or admiral for her falter, so stop being such a little shit about commitment and go after her already."
"But, but-"
"Harvey. You remember how we lost that Sallinger case, years ago?"
"Yeah. We weren't on the same page with our arguments."
"Exactly. Lack of communications. If you love her and I know you do, you'd better go straight up tell her otherwise you're going to lose more than just three and a half million dollars this time."
"Do you know where she is?"
"The balcony."
Harvey stared at Jessica for a second, trying to process what Jessica had helped him come to terms with. He had already suspected it, now with his partner's confirmation...
"I'll be right back," he said right after, rushing towards the direction Jessica pointed.
The managing partner smiled. About damn time.
hey guys! sorry this took so long, spring quarter for me is actually crazy and I'm trying really hard to adjust. Also, I was just having like, massive writer's block for a little. But I'm back! And updating. So stay tuned, and you like what you're seeing, leave a message! :) Confrontation will be in next chapter *dun dun duuuuuuun*
xoxo happyoreokidd :D