AN: Time to mark this one as complete. Thank you to everyone who has been as excited about this story as I was! The prompts on Twitter came up out of the blue, and I couldn't be more grateful for this fandom. It just keeps on giving. To the veterans and the newbies, sending all my love. And in the words of me: stop and smell the roses, adopt that stray pet, eat dessert first, and never take my advice, haha.
…
Jessica Pearson strides up a lengthy deck, overlooking gorgeous foliage and a million-dollar ocean view. She hasn't been to the residence before, and is admittedly impressed by the luxurious abode.
Rounding the corner, her focus switches to the man grilling at a large barbecue, who looks out of place in khakis, but entirely at home despite the fashion faux pas.
"Excuse me." She pulls her shades halfway down her nose. "I'm looking for Harvey Specter. Used to be my best agent. Now he spends all his time running around after some actress."
Harvey pivots, giving Jessica a shit-eating grin. "I can always go freelance. Charge Donna double for my services."
"And which services would those be?" She repositions her glasses, her pointer finger flipping up. "Do not answer that."
"A gentleman would never."
"Then let's pretend you're a gentleman."
He turns down the heat, closing the lid on the burgers, and welcoming his boss to L.A. with sincerity. "It's good to see you, Jessica. How was the flight?"
"Worth it to take in all this," she remarks, leaning over the pine railing.
Below them lies a hidden jungle, where a pool and hot tub are nestled among the greenery, opening directly onto the sandy shore. It's paradise — almost unbelievable, though not as surreal as the 180-degree turn Harvey's life has taken. "If someone had told me six months ago that you'd be dating a Hollywood celebrity and living in a mansion, I would have called them certifiably insane."
He laughs, taking two beers from the cooler and handing her one. "You and me both."
She thinks back to their disastrous first meeting with Donna when Harvey spent the evening deliberately antagonizing the actress, and she'd called out his behavior. "I knew you liked her."
He snorts. "You still lectured me for an hour when I told you we were dating."
"There's a difference between seeing someone and sleeping with them. I needed to know which part of your anatomy you were thinking with."
Harvey gives her a flat look. "When have I ever put a client in danger?"
"Never," she admits. "But you did put yourself at risk. Goddamn moronic, running into accelerated flames." His eyes widen and she smirks. "That's right, I know. Did you really think your little deal with Scottie would hold up?"
He grumbles sheepishly. "She owes me fifty bucks."
"If I were you, I'd let her keep it and double the amount."
It was Scottie who talked her down when she was ready to throttle him, allowing her to see the situation without paternal concern clouding her bias.
"She's the reason you got promoted instead of fired."
Harvey tips up his bottle, taking a sip.
It had occurred to him that it was conveniently easy when Jessica approved his request to head her expansion. But he had no idea Scottie put in a good word for him. "Yeah?" He grins. "What'd she say?"
"Oh, I think you know." Jessica nods her head at the door, where Donna and Louis are stepping out, carrying salads and condiments. "Something about a fool in love."
His smile turns soft as he trails his girlfriend's movement across to the long picnic table. "Scottie wasn't wrong."
Initially, he and Donna had been logical, not wanting to put pressure on their relationship. For two painstaking months, they made the distance work with calls and video chats until one night Donna quietly admitted over the phone that if he was ready, she'd consider moving to New York.
Claiming he'd think about it, he booked a ticket to L.A., and he was on her doorstep the next morning, informing her that he was going to be the one to move. With Jessica's plans already in motion, there was no need for either of them to make a sacrifice, and Donna's beaming smile had sealed the deal.
Best damn decision he's ever made.
"I see you haven't killed teeth, nose, teeth, yet. That must be taking some restraint."
Jessica's snarky comment makes him chuckle.
"I've counted the ways, trust me."
He nods at Louis' emphatic wave. They butt heads continuously over Donna's well-being, and at the root of Louis' eccentric personality is another eccentric personality, but beneath that is a man who would walk on water to make his girlfriend happy. And shit, Donna's agent might actually be starting to grow on him.
Thankfully, he's distracted from overthinking the thought by his girlfriend sashaying over, welcoming Jessica with a warm hug. Apparently, a trick to winning people over in L.A. is being sociable and friendly.
He's working on just being likable as a compromise.
Donna moves to him next, her lips fluttering across his mouth with a light kiss and a gentle murmur.
"Barbecue is set too high."
He cups her waist with a squeeze. "I thought we agreed, no backseat grilling." He's about to pull her in for a deeper kiss when she points across at smoke billowing out from under the lid.
"Dammit!"
He thrusts his beer in her hand and Donna grins at Jessica. "The man never listens."
"From your lips to God's ears." She clinks her bottle against Donna's. "Although, I think you have a little more sway over him than the rest of us."
She blushes. It's true, Harvey didn't pack up his life for the surfing culture, but she's not the only one her boyfriend would move mountains for. "He misses you and the firm. He'd never admit it and I know he's happy, but it means a lot that you're here."
Jessica appreciates the candor. It's never easy when people leave to forge their own path, but this is where Harvey is supposed to be, and she has some news that should ease some of his girlfriend's concerns. "Then it's a good thing I'm reassigning Mike to our office here. Harvey won't have time to miss anyone wrangling his new protégé."
"You knew?"
"Like you said, he's happy. But the man thrives on challenges." Jessica smirks. "You're proof of that."
"Thank you… I think." She isn't quite sure if the comment was a compliment, but she is grateful Jessica is looking out for Harvey's best interests.
Leaning over, Jessica whispers, "Thank me by ordering something in, because there's no way in hell I'm eating those charred burgers."
"I had a feeling we might need a backup plan." She grins. "I'll get the sushi platters out of the fridge."
Whether it's a coincidence or Donna's just that intuitive, Jessica laughs as the actress winks and struts back inside. The woman is good for Harvey, she can see that, and she's proud of him for opening his heart up to a love that nobody expected would blossom the way it has.
As promised, Donna returns with the platters, and the four of them sit down to a meal that's nothing like their first, tense exchange at Del Posto.
The atmosphere is light with laughter, the fresh ocean air breezing around them as Harvey and Donna sneak subtle touches that become more obvious with each bottle of wine.
Long after the sun has fallen behind the horizon, the redhead now casually cozied up against Harvey's chest, Jessica agrees to share an Uber back into the city with Louis. Donna insists she stay in one of the guest wings, but she has some personal business to attend to while she's in town, in the form of an old flame, so she politely declines.
While the actress is saying goodbye to her agent, she pulls Harvey aside for another matter of business: one that's unfortunately more serious.
Taking a yellow envelope from her purse, she hands it to Harvey, keeping her voice low. "This could be nothing. What we agreed still stands."
He slips out the news articles, glancing over them with a deep breath, then he quickly stuffs the papers back inside. "Thanks for the heads up."
"Be careful. Especially with the kid. I want him back in one piece."
Shaking off his unease, Harvey nods.
"See ya, H-man!"
Louis claps him on the back, hard, and he rolls his eyes. "Get out, Louis."
Donna tries not to giggle as the pair say their goodbyes and Harvey closes the door. She should reprimand him for the comment, but she's drawn to the envelope in his hand.
"What's that?"
He throws the package onto the buffet, lifting his girlfriend by the thighs and seating her squeal on the sleek brown wood. "Nothing for you to worry about."
Her legs wrap around his waist, locking him in place. "In that case, why don't we finish this party upstairs?"
"I have a better idea," he grins. "Why don't we keep things going and fire up the hot tub?"
"I like the way you think, Mr. Specter."
Her kiss tastes like strawberry wine and he hums his approval, pecking her lips. "You get the champagne, I'll get the bathing suits and towels."
She jumps down, walking backward with a flirtatious smile. "Just towels."
Reaching behind her, she unzips her dress, and he groans, his cock already half-hard as she teasingly turns around, letting the fabric slip to the floor. His gaze stays glued to her perfectly rounded ass and lacy thong until she's out of his sight.
As soon as she's gone, he swipes the yellow envelope, locking it inside the buffet and pocketing the key. Tonight, his past isn't going to haunt him. His future is beckoning him, and he quickly retrieves two towels, meeting his girlfriend outside.
She's already in the tub when he gets there, holding two champagne flutes, her flushed breasts sitting just above the bubbles. The way she's smiling, naked under the moonlight, steals his breath away.
"Keep staring and I'll start without you," she teases.
He manages to exhale. "Is that supposed to discourage or persuade me?"
Smirking, he quickly strips off his clothes, wading into the frothing water. She hands him a glass and immediately straddles his erection, but before they get carried away, he tucks her against him with his palm.
"Today was perfect. You're perfect."
She smiles, giddy from his loving gaze.
Even though he never says when he's feeling homesick, she can always tell, which is why she suggested Jessica fly out here. And the woman came with a gift she wasn't expecting. "Imagine how much fun you'll have when Mike arrives. Louis can take you boys mudding."
"Let's not talk about Louis and Mike right now." He's in two minds about the kid joining his team, but he'll save those thoughts for another time.
"Something else on your mind, McLaine?"
"Whatever the princess commands." He challenges her, her eyes gleaming wickedly as she drizzles his pecs with champagne.
He can tell what's in store for him: she's going to drive him crazy, have him panting and begging without restraint, but for once, he has no complaints.
He's the luckiest son of a bitch in the world and he finally knows it.