Chapter <b>39 </b>


    Harper


    <b>36 </b>


    <b>55 </b>vouchers


    Friday evening finally arrived and I kept checking myself out several times in the mirror while Grayson was on his way to pick me up. I wanted to look perfect. I had no makeup on except for some lipgloss, hair in a messy bun, white tank top and some ck high waist jeans.


    It had been years since we’d had fun together and I couldn’t wait for us to bond again. He showed up in a tight grey shirt that entuated his physique and white sweat pants. His hair was a little messy and fuck, I felt like an idiot as I imagined that we were in another universe and he hade to pick me up as my boyfriend so we could go on a date.


    “You look gorgeous,” he said, wrapping his arms around me.


    I just wanted to snuggle in his chest but had to y it cool.


    We first went bowling, where he told me about the confrontation Tiffany and Maddox had after he’d dragged her away from everyone at his birthday party.


    The bowling ball felt heavier than I remembered and as I lined myself up with thene, I said, “Wait, they really argued like that?”


    “Yup,” he said, standing just behind me.


    I swung the ball forward, releasing it with more hope than skill. It spun too far to the left and only clipped three pins, making him mockinglyugh at me.


    “Damn, only three? You suck.”


    “Shut up.” I yfully rolled my eyes. “You know, I can’t believe that Maddox and Tiffany said all those things to each other at the party. He seemed cool when he came outside and we talked. He never said anything.”


    He picked up the ball like it weighed nothing, then looked back at me and said, “Maybe you’re not as close <b>as </b>you thought you were.”


    I wanted to tell him that he was wrong as I had gotten to know a few things about Maddox, but I knew what he was trying to do and it wasn’t going to work.


    He swung the ball smoothly and it glided straight down thene before smashing into all ten pins.


    “Ha! Now that’s how you do it!” He pped hard for himself.


    “Show off.” I crossed my arms and gave him a mocking re.


    He won the first round and even after it went on a few more times, not once was I the better yer. I was aware of that and just loved watching him y, even with that wedding ring on his finger.


    I had also missed the yful rivalry we always had when we were younger.


    <b>16:04 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>16


    There was <b>still </b>so much to do and I was already enjoying every moment of it.


    <b>36 </b>


    55 vouchers


    We stopped by a vending machine and he handed me a soda, his expression a little serious like something had been bothering him.


    “I still feel awful that it was because of me that Tiffany made that post about you sleeping with your boss.<b>” </b>


    I chuckled. “Come on, we talked about this.”


    “I know, but it still bothers me. I gave her exactly what she needed. I’m really sorry.”


    There was something about the way he looked at me that made my heart flutter.


    “I just really need you to believe that I’m deeply sorry, Harp.”


    My grip tightened on the bottle because of the way he said my name.


    “Apology epted, again.” I chuckled. “Come on, let’s not kill the mood. We came here to have a good time.”


    I only meant to get him hyped up, but when he took a few steps forward and towered over me, I forgot how to breathe. “You’re right. It’s just you and me.”


    Words escaped me and his eyes dropped to my lips, then back to my eyes. Even though I hoped it meant something deeper, I told myself not to read too much into it. It was for this reason that I took a few steps back and turned to face the other side.


    “We should go before the movie starts. It’s a fifteen minute drive.” I cleared my throat.


    He walked right past me, reaching for my hand and leading the way. I looked down at our fingers intertwined and pressed my lips together to hide my smile.


    I had arge bucket of popcorn while he had a smaller size, his arm over my shoulder like I meant something


    more.


    When we got to the entrance of the movie theater, I stopped in my tracks at how it waspletely empty.


    “What’s up?” he asked.


    I looked around, my voice filled with doubt. “Are you sure we’re in the right ce?”


    “Yup.”


    “Then where’s everybody?”


    “They’re right here.” He pointed at both of us with a smile of amusement.


    “What?” My eyes went wide.


    “Yeah, <b>it’s </b>just you and me.”


    16:05 Tue<b>, </b>Sep 16


    …


    My jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you booked out this whole ce for us?<b>” </b>


    36


    55 vouchers


    He proudly nodded, taking me along with him since his arm was still over my shoulder. “I wanted today to be about the two of us, especially in a ce like this.”


    Since my return to San Francisco<b>, </b>there had been quite a few times he’d said and done a lot of things that made me feel special, but nothing couldpare to that moment.


    For years, I yed out the perfect date in my mind with him and that was starting to feel that way. I didn’t want him to see just how much he was making me blush<b>, </b>so I stuffed my mouth with popcorn.


    We’d both picked out a ssic horror movie we used to watch together and just like him, he hadn’t seen it in


    years<b>. </b>


    We took our seats somewhere in the middle and the setting felt so intimate due to the lighting.


    Throwing his arm over my shoulder again, he said, “Just in case you get scared.”


    My heart skipped a beat, but I chuckled as I looked up at his jawline. “I’m not scared. I know how the story goes.”


    He looked down at me and whispered, “I’m still not letting you go.”


    He even brought his face a bit too close, making me hold my breath, but only a few secondster, he looked away by facing forward to focus on the movie.


    I pinched myself hard as I looked to the left. What the hell did I think was going to happen?


    After the movie, Grayson brought me to a luxurious bar, one that he personally owned and even though I sat with him at the counter, I was still uneasy.


    “Are you sure this <b>is </b>a good idea?” I asked.


    “I already told you that Tiffany has no problem with us spending time together.”


    “Yeah, but-”


    He leaned forward. “Don’t tell me you have a problem with it now. You weren’tining when we went bowling and watched a movie, where it was just the two of us.”


    I huffed. “I just don’t believe it.”


    “You should’ve seen her beg me. She hates it when I’m mad at her. I was fucking furious, Harp. I told her I was leaving her-”


    “You wanted to leave her for good?” I said it a bit too quickly before I could stop myself. Shit.


    <b>16:05 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b>Sep 16