He hoped that’s not how he’d come across on his date with Olivia. The last thing he wanted her to view him as was rude. Even if they had differing opinions when it came to certain subjects, he at least wanted her to feel respected when they were going back and forth.
Shit, am I actually an asshole?
It made him rub his hands over his face a few times.
He’d need to be a hell of a lot more conscious of what and how he said things. He didn’t want to drive her away before she even got a chance to know him. Especially if she was already wary of him, to begin with, because of her previous disdain for his business practices.
Henry stood and headed out of his office. He’d need to show her how and why he did things. Maybe then she wouldn't view him in such a villainous light. He could understand how looking at it from an outside perspective, it seemed pretty shady. Even if he’d been taking all of the right steps in order to follow legal procedures.
But the upper echelons were so tight-knit with their funding and business deals that it was hard to get them to accept anything else without having to crack down with an iron fist.
He wanted his younger artists to succeed. He wouldn’t be throwing money at them in order to support them if he didn’t believe in their talent in the first place. His only job was to fight the battles for them and get their foot in the door. The rest was up to them to succeed.
It was a lot like what Olivia had said. Newer artists deserved the same spaces as older, well-established ones. Because what was the point of art if it remained stagnant?
Shaking his head, Henry headed into his closet and pulled out some clothes, holding them up to himself in the mirror while he paired them together. He wanted to remain in the casual realm he’d been in on their first date.
Since, for one, it seemed to throw Olivia off, and two, he would catch her every so often, running her eyes over him. Which absolutely made him want to do everything in his power to keepthatgoing.
Deciding on a basic outfit, he slipped it on and quickly checked the time on his watch.
After the end of their first date, Olivia had agreed to go to the street-art event happening downtown, much to his surprise.
She’d even had a cute blush dusting her cheeks that took everything in him, not cup her face and pull her into a heated kiss.
Henry decided to head out twenty minutes early to meet up with her. He wanted to take the drive to her apartment slowly in order to reel his panther in and keep it from pouncing on her the second she opened her door.
Which wasn’t a classy look, no matter how he could spin it.
Heading out of the parking garage, he allowed himself to relax into the soft music playing from his speakers. It was a nice distraction and one he wholeheartedly welcomed while driving through the busy streets of downtown.
Arriving at Olivia’s apartment building came much sooner than he had expected. He parked right outside of it and headed up to her floor, checking his messages for the door number. She’d only texted him a few times since their last date.
A sign that made him a little nervous now that his mother’s words were replaying over and over in his head. If Olivia was only going on this date in order to placate him, he was done for. He might as well take his car and drive it straight into the river.
Finally getting to her floor, Henry headed to her door and stood in front of it. His hand hovered at his side while he flexed his fingers.
Remember to be on your best behavior!
He groaned softly.
Damn it…
He hated taking his parents' words to heart so deeply. But he’d always been like that. Even as a kid, he’d held their opinions very highly, and it was a hard habit to break. Even as an adult.
He gritted his teeth. If Olivia was truly only seeing him because she felt obligated to, he’d need to change her mind. Plain and simple. He could absolutely do that. He was a charming person, right? He’d be able to win over his mate before she decided she completely hated him.
Right. Of course.
He lifted his hand and knocked.
The seconds between the knock and the door opening seemed to drag, and so he wasn't staring dead at her when she opened the door, he averted his eyes, landing on a painting instead.
The perfume was the first thing that hit him when the door opened, drawing him in to lean against her door frame while he took in her lovely scent. He felt his mouth drop open when he finally registered her standing in front of him in a cute little outfit that made her look drop-dead gorgeous. He was so stunned that he didn't even process what she had asked him.
“Wow” was all he could manage to say.
He felt his nails extend, digging into the molding outside of her doorway. His panther clawed at every single ounce of self-control he had left in him. He hoped like hell his eyes weren’t glowing and that he just looked like a normal, starstruck man.
“You look amazing, Olivia.”