“This is fine,” I quickly said, giving the waiter an apologetic smile.
Harrison furrowed his brow and frowned. “Uh, I think we had an espresso too,” he said easily.
“No problem.” The waiter smiled. “I’ll bring it right out.”
Before I even had time to object, he was gone.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I mumbled.
“Didn’t have to do what? Ask him for what you ordered?”
“It was an honest mistake. I hate to cause a scene over something like that.” But when the waiter came back secondslater, carrying a small glass cup with the perfect shot of espresso in it, my heart swelled with pleasure and I took a grateful sip.
Harrison lifted a brow and took a sip from his own cup. “Politely asking for what you ordered is hardly causing a scene.”
“Maybe I didn’t say it loudly enough,” I replied weakly.
He snorted. “You definitely did. Why are you being so weird about this?”
My skin bristled in defense. “I’m not being weird. I just don’t want to make anyone’s life harder.”
I could feel his gaze on me but kept mine fixed to the waves in front of us.
“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” he started.
“When has that ever stopped you from saying something before?”
“All I was going to say is that you’re too much of a people-pleaser.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being a people-pleaser.” He was right, though. My insatiable drive to be liked inevitably made me the biggest people-pleaser of them all. But what was so bad about that? “I’d rather be a people-pleaser than actively try to scare off everyone who comes into contact with me.” I grabbed a pita and started shoveling in the food resting on the small table between us.
Harrison blew out a breath. “Fair enough. But trying too hard to appease others isn’t healthy.”
“Oh, as opposed to you who would rather die than do somebody a simple favor?”
He groaned and tilted his head back. “Damn, Lila. I wasn’t trying to start a fight about this. I just don’t like the idea of you not standing up for yourself.”
“I stand up for myself when it matters.” I swallowed the bite I was chewing. “Like when a certain someone used to be anasshole to me for no reason. I definitely didn’t let him walk all over me. I’m not completely spineless.”
“I know that,” Harrison said, purposefully keeping his voice gentle. “The only point I was trying to make was that it’s okay to say no sometimes, or to ask for what you want. You aren’t being difficult, and people will still like you.”
“You didn’t like me,” I pointed out, cringing at how pathetic that sounded. I scooped up another bite of dip. Nothing like stress-eating to calm the nerves.
“I don’t like anyone,” he said, turning in his chair so that his feet were on the sand and he was facing me. “Exceptyou.”
I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. “Sure, you say that now because we’re stuck on this trip together, but?—”
“Lila, I’ve always had to push you away because you’re the most likable person I’ve ever met, okay? You need to stop trying so hard.”
I tipped my espresso back, polishing it off with one last gulp before setting it back on the table. I was unsure of what to say next. Part of me wanted to continue to deny that I tried too hard, but I knew he was right. I was slammed at work because I couldn’t say no to anyone, and I refused to delegate. Even the whole thing with helping Harrison at his shop—I hadn’t had the time for that, but I was so desperate for him to like me that I’d convinced myself I did.
“I promise, I won’t try too hard in the future.” I saluted in his direction.
Harrison ran his hand along his jaw and assessed me.
“What? I’m serious. I’ll try.”
“I hope so,” was all he said.
