“Nah,” Harper replied, smiling faintly. “They just raised the bar.”
And with that, they drifted back inside, toward coffee, toward hangovers,toward whatever came next.
But for now, there was sunlight, and laughter, and the lingering magic of a wedding done right.
47
A Proper Date
The text arrived at precisely 10 AM, which Harper had learned was Sebastian’s version of “crack of dawn”—at least when he wasn’t being summoned by nefarious paternal figures or looming constitutional crises.
Sebastian:Good morning, Ms. Sinclair. I have a proposition that is both entirely improper and absolutely necessary.
Harper paused mid-sip of her coffee, lips quirking despite herself.
Harper:Those are usually your best propositions. I’m listening.
Sebastian:Dinner. Tonight. My place.
Harper:Sebastian, are you asking me on an actual date? How wonderfully pedestrian of you.
Sebastian:I’m full of surprises. See you at seven-thirty?
Harper:Only if you promise the Cheshire Cat won’t be judging my table manners.
Sebastian:He only judges people who don’t appreciate good wine. You’ll be fine.
Harper knocked on Sebastian’s door.
“You’re actually on time,” he said, surprise colouring his voice. “I was betting you’d be at least twenty minutes late.”
“I can leave and come back later if it would make you more comfortable,” she replied, but she was already stepping past him into the flat.
Sebastian hesitated, then held out what looked to be a very expensive bouquet of flowers. “These are… for you.”
Harper blinked, momentarily thrown. No one had bought her flowers in years. She recovered quickly, of course. She always did.
She accepted them with a smirk. “Flowers, Sebastian? How startlingly conventional of you.”
“Well, I did some internet searches on how normal dates are supposed to work,” he admitted. “Turns out it’s more complicated than navigating corrupt political dynasties.”
Harper laughed, genuinely delighted. “I like them,” she said, inhaling their scent.
“You look—” He’d noticed how the dress made her eyes look even bluer than usual, how it showed off her long legs to excellent effect, how the neckline hinted at more without revealing too much. “You look perfect.”
He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. She blinked, caught off guard, and he immediately regretted the silence that followed.
“I mean, not that you weren’t before. Or that I expected you to dress up. I just—” He winced. “I don’t usually do the whole dinner-and-flowers thing.”
“I noticed,” Harper said, stepping closer. Close enough that she could smell his cologne, a subtle and expensive scent that made her want to lean in. “Honestly, it’s kind of adorable.” She glanced up at him with a smirk. “Leave it to you to perfectly execute a political coup and then get tripped upby basic boyfriend behavior.”
Sebastian groaned. “I knew I should’ve just taken you to the opera. At least I know how to do that.”
“Too late,” she said, her fingers brushing his as she handed him the flowers. “Now I know you can be sincere.”
The house looked different than during Harper’s previous visits—warmer somehow, with soft jazz drifting from hidden speakers and the scent of something delicious wafting from the kitchen. Sebastian led her through the familiar minimalist spaces, stopping in the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. Harper watched him move with unconscious grace, noting how his shirt pulled slightly across his shoulders when he reached for the high shelf.
“Ready?” he asked, turning to catch her staring.