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fifty-two

Harlow

Lucia’s other stop?

The lingerie store .

She said I need something hot to surprise Knox for when he decides to ravish me tonight. Her words, not mine.

But I did pick out a cute set: a matching light green mesh bra and thong. Lucia and Rory both tried to talk me into something a bit more risqué, but if tonight goes well, I’ll have plenty of time for things like that. Starting off small is the better way to do this.

When I get back to my apartment after we finish shopping, I’m still riddled with anxiety over tonight. I should just be happy, but I can’t shake all of my worry. So, to clear my head, I decide to go for a jog.

A jog.

Me, jogging.

Me, someone whose physical activity doesn’t exist outside of walking around the stadium.

I circle the neighborhood a few times before giving up. It’s not working, and I’m practically out of energy already. I’m dying for a bubble bath to soak in right now and mentally cursing myself for choosing an apartment with only a shower.

During my shower, though, my head finally seems to stop racing. It’s like I’m finally realizing that even after everything last month, Knox still chose to ask me on a date. Why am I so worried when it’s clear he doesn’t honestly believe any of this is fake anymore?

With a calm mind, I get ready for our date. I dry my hair so it settles into my signature waves before fixing my makeup—eyes neutral with a bit of blush pink and that cherry red lipstick Lucia had me wear out for her birthday.

I slip into the off-white lace dress I bought this morning and pair it with nude strappy heels and the baseball necklace I’m still wearing.

I give myself a once-over in my floor-length mirror, and I can’t help but smile. I look good. I feel good.

And I finally have a good feeling about tonight.

Right as the clock hits seven, I hear a knock at my door. Knox is here precisely when he said he would be.

I pad over to the door and take a deep breath to calm any remaining nerves before swinging it open.

Knox stands before me with an arm behind his back, looking absolutely flawless. His beard is trimmed and even. He’s wearing a white short-sleeve linen shirt with the top buttons undone, tucked into a pair of above-the-ankle navy slacks, and finished off with a pair of white sneakers.

God, he looks so handsome .

“H-hi,” I manage, breathless.

“Harlow,” he stammers, stepping into my apartment. “You look… beautiful.”

I blush. “Thank you, Knox. You look great, too.” He smiles at me as I take notice of his still-hidden arm. “What are you hiding behind your back?”

“Oh,” he says in surprise, apparently forgetting he was carrying anything. “I brought something for you.”

Here is where, on every first date I’ve been on, I’m presented with a bouquet of flowers, colorful and fragrant. I always smile and graciously accept even though they’re something I’d never want. But when Knox pulls out a bouquet of red roses, I’m left in awe.

They’re fake.

He remembered.

“You-” I pause momentarily, trying to collect myself so I don’t cry. “You brought me fake flowers, Knox.” My voice comes out barely above a whisper.

“I remember what you said, Lo. You don’t like flowers, and if you ever get any, you prefer fake ones.” He gives me a soft, sweet smile that I just want to kiss off his face.

I clap my hands over the lower half of my face, still trying but failing to keep it together. “I only told you that once.”

He looks at me sheepishly. “I remember everything you tell me, Harlow. I took a mental note of that when you told me and kept it in my back pocket. Right now, I’m happy I did.”

The tears welling in my eyes finally spill over. For so long, I dated men who wouldn’t put in much effort. I told myself that was normal. But here Knox is remembering something I told him once months ago.

He put in the effort I told myself no one ever would.

He cared .

I leap forward and wrap my arms around his neck, bringing his mouth to mine and kissing him between sobs.

“Thank you,” I say when we part, pressing my forehead against his. “These are absolutely perfect.”

“If this is how the date is starting, I’m ready to see how the rest of the night will go,” Knox says.

I smile at him, happy and content. “So am I.”

He reaches out and takes my hand. “Shall we then?”

When we leave my apartment, Knox walks me down to his car before opening the door and helping me inside. He’s done that before, but it feels so different, so much better knowing that it isn’t for the cameras this time.

He holds my hand the entire drive back to his penthouse in Battery Park City, shooting me sweet smiles amid some light conversation.

Knox is so relaxed tonight. I was so anxious about this date earlier, but he isn’t nervous at all. He’s getting what he finally acknowledged he wants— me .

I tease him a bit when we pull into his parking garage. “Little soon to be taking me back to your place, don’t you think?” I say with a sly smile.

“Ah, you think you’re funny,” Knox grins in return. “Our date is not at my place, but it is in this building.”

I look at him, confused. “Your building is nothing but apartments, though. How could we have a date here?”

“Don’t worry, Lo.” He takes my hand, still entwined with his, and kisses it. “I’ve got it all planned out.”

He exits the car then and walks around to open my door, grabbing my hand again as I step out. Now, hand in hand, he leads me inside, and we head to the building lobby.

“Hi, Stephen,” Knox says as we approach the concierge desk. An apartment building with concierge service. My budget could never afford something like that.

“Mr. Spencer!” Stephen drawls. “I have the key card ready for you right here.”

Knox reaches out and takes a card from Stephen’s hand. “Thank you, Stephen. I appreciate this.”

Stephen waves us off as Knox and I walk over to the elevator. We step inside, and instead of pressing the button for the top floor, he hits the button for the roof and scans the key card.

“I guess it’s not much of a surprise now,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, “but we’re heading up to the roof. I want tonight to be just us—no cameras, no fans. This was the only way I could think of to make that happen on such short notice.”

I lean back against him as we continue our ascent. “This is perfect. I honestly love this idea.”

“Thank God,” he says, letting out a breath as I turn around to face him. “I’ve been worried about this all damn day. Cole told me to stop overthinking it, but I really want tonight to be nice.”

I wrap my arms around his waist. “You talked to my brother about your plans?”

Knox runs a hand through his hair—his nervous tic—and sighs. “Yeah, I didn’t want to do something you wouldn’t like.”

“Have you not learned how easy it is to please me, Slick?” I chuckle.

His smile turns mischievous as he says, “I like to think I learned that well.”

I instinctively blush. “Uh… yeah… but that’s not what I meant.”

Knox kisses the top of my head as the elevator dings and the doors slide open. Across the way from us, there’s a red-checked picnic blanket with a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and what appears to be an assortment of sushi.

“This looks lovely,” I say as we step off the elevator and walk over to the picnic blanket.

“I picked the spot and set the blanket up before I came to get you. Stephen procured the sushi and champagne and brought them up right before we arrived.”

“Procured?” I shoot him a curious look.

He rolls his eyes. “Come on, I’m trying here.”

Knox and I both laugh as we sit on the blanket, him directly across from me, our knees brushing. “For someone who didn’t get close to anyone, you sure know how to plan something romantic.”

“Romantic, huh?” he asks, popping the champagne and filling our glasses.

I take my glass from him. “Very romantic. We’re fifty stories up, and only we know we’re here. We have privacy, champagne, and quite a bit of sushi. This is absolutely perfect.”

His smile brightens his face. “Well then, I’ve learned today that I can be romantic.”

“Lucky me,” I say lightly before sipping my champagne.

And I’ve truly never felt luckier.

I’m sitting here on a rooftop in lower Manhattan with the man I love.

My life is perfect right now.