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We’re seated crisscross applesauce facing each other and I wait to get her verdict. She bites, swallows, and chews but says nothing.

Then Makenzie looks up at me and says, “Remember how hard I came in the elevator?”

I dip some bread in the sauce, which is really fucking good.

“Yes.”

“This is better.”

I laugh and toss a napkin at her. She dodges it and takes another huge bite.

“Will you cook for me a lot?”

“As much as you’ll let me,” I say.

She shovels a giant forkful of noodles in my mouth and grins. Then kisses the errant bit of sauce off my lips.

She sighs. “I think I’d let you do anything.”

“Good to know.”

She kisses me slowly and whispers against my lips, “Best date ever.”

I flip open my phone to see what time it is, and I’ve missed fourteen calls and twice as many texts. I pick through my texts.

DAD: What the hell are you doing?

DAD: Explain yourself, young man.

DAD: We give you a lot of leeway and a wide berth, but we expect you to respect us and study hard.

MOM: Honey, call us. We just don’t understand the bills rolling in from last night. You were supposed to be at a lecture. And you’re on a strict budget.

I roll my eyes because we all know what a Ladd-style budget is. I privately text my brother.

DAX: Dude. They tried to dispute the charges, but a waiter had a picture of a girl being held in the air and you standing next to her. They’re way fucking pissed.

And another one comes in from my parents. Apparently when Mak was lifted up some asshole filmed it.

DAD: Who is she? And could her dress be any shorter?

MOM: Darling. You shouldn’t be drinking anything, but certainly not with a girl. You know the stipulation. You may not date until college. This seems to break our rules and our trust in you.

I don’t get why they are getting involved. Jesus, leave me alone. Dax texts again.

DAX: The bottle you swiped - $8200.

Fuck, it wasn’t that good. Oh shit. What’s done is done. It must have been from that dude’s private collection. I guess it was good but kind of dusty tasting, so that makes sense. But who cares what my parents are pissed about. Yeah, it was a lot of money but that’s not why they’re angry. It’s the girl. My perfect girl, so I’ll take the heat for the money, but as for her, I’m going to stick. How can they stop me?

I love that my room smells like the magnificent Makenzie. All girly and sexy.

We won’t spend a night apart from now on. I plan to keep her as close as possible. Because I’ve never slept as well as I do with her in my arms.

I roll over, and Mak’s arm tightens around my chest. Her hair is splayed over the pillowcase, and she has a slight smear of red wine residue on her lips. It’s probably about 100 bucks worth. I grin. I’ll catch hell, but it’s not like they can come to France and stop me. She’s worth all the hell I’ll catch and every dime I’ll have to work off with command performance visits to relatives or shareholders.

I kiss the top of her head, pull her body closer to mine, and throw my phone into the toilet with a perfect swish.

mak