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“We are at Ignoto, the best restaurant in the city that no one will ever know about,” he says simply.

“Why did we have to enter the way they would have featured in an episode of SVU?”

He gives me a coy smile. “I thought it was more mysterious than going in through the Starbucks at street level.”

“We’re underneath a Starbucks?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he says, waving his hand dismissively. “Do you trust me?” I nod.

A dark-haired man in his forties, dressed in a crisp white shirt and thin black tie, approaches. “Henry, hello. I was happy to see you on the reservation list tonight,” the man says warmly.

Henry extends his hand and they shake. “Leo! It’s good to see you.”

“And you brought a lovely date this time,” Leo says, eyes gliding over me as a question.

“Leo, this is my girlfriend, Norah.”

The words slip out of his mouth in a way that I don’t think was intentional. His eyes immediately shoot over to meet mine. I give a slight shrug of my shoulder, stifling a grin. Leo looks between the two of us.

“Welcome, Norah. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Do you like Valpolicella?” Henry asks, and I shrug again because I don’t have an answer. “Do you still have any bottles of the 2016?” he asks Leo. “I think you’ll like it,” he says back to me.

Leo nods. “I’ll bring that right out.”

“So, I’m your girlfriend, huh?” I give him a devilish grin, elbows on the table in a way that probably isn’t appropriate for the setting as I rest my chin on my folded hands.

“Guess so,” Henry says, cocking an eyebrow at me. “Do you have any objections?”

“I mean, I was going to see how badly we could bomb this first date before making any decisions, but—”

“And how’m I doing so far?”

“Shamefully good.”

“Good.”

“Can I tell you something embarrassing?” I ask.

“Of course.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend before.” I watch Henry swallow slowly, his Adam’s apple bobbing at this new information. “I told you, I don’t really do relationships.”

Henry reaches across the table until I give him my hand. “Norah, I’ve been dying to be any first of yours since we were twelve years old. I’m honored to be your first boyfriend.” He’s looking at me like he wants to be my first, last, and only.

I flush as Leo carries out a tray. He shows Henry the bottle, then carefully opens it and tips the deep purple liquid into a decanter. I watch as he tilts a little into one glass, then a second, coating all the sides, then pouring a small amount for Henry to taste.

Henry inhales slowly into the glass, his eyes fluttering, then takes a sip. He nods at Leo. “Beautiful,” he says, and Leo prepares a glass for me, then one for Henry.

“I’ve never seen that whole process before,” I admit. “You look like a pro, though.”

“To new experiences,” Henry says, raising his glass by the stem. “And new boyfriends.”

I roll my eyes at him as I say, “To us,” and we clink glasses.

My mom always has good wine at her house, but one sip and I know this is the best wine I’ve ever tasted.

Henry laughs as I make a near-orgasmic sound. “I told you to trust me.”