Page 177 of Knot Happening Again

"Dinner? At the airport?"

"Not exactly," he says, stopping at the guard stand. He and the man who comes out exchange a few words, and Leon shows him something in his wallet before he lets us through under a sign marked VIP Departures.

What the hell?

When we park in a small lot on the edge of what looks like a private runway, Leon gets out and walks around to open my door. I'm still shellshocked when he offers me his hand.

I take his hand and step out of the car, my mind reeling. "What's going on? What kind of place are we going for dinner that we have to fly to?"

Leon's eyes sparkle with excitement. "Toulouse."

I blink, confusion washing over me. "Toulouse? As in... France?"

He nods, grinning like a little boy with a secret. "Do you remember? There was a rooftop restaurant there, overlooking the canals. You said it was your favorite place on earth and you'd do anything to go back one day."

The memory hits me like a tidal wave. My aunt's wedding, years ago. Leon and I, the only teenagers there, bonding over our shared boredom and fascination with the beautiful city.

"That was... we were just kids," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "You remember that?"

His expression softens, a tenderness in his eyes that makes my chest ache. "I remember the sparkle in your eyes as you looked out at the water. You deserve to feel that way all the time, Ophelia."

I'm not sure what to say, my heart thrumming an erratic beat in my chest. Part of me wants to melt at the gesture, at the fact that he remembered something so small from so long ago. But another part, the part that's been hurt and hardened by years of pain, whispers caution.

"It'll be too late by the time we get through security and everything," I say, grasping at practicality like a lifeline.

Leon's smile doesn't falter. "Don't worry, I have reservations. And we're not going through security. We're taking a private jet."

My jaw drops. "A private jet? Leon, this is?—"

"Over the top?" he finishes for me, leading me toward a sleek aircraft I hadn't noticed before. "You're worth it."

An attendant appears, taking Leon's keys. He helps me up the steps of the jet, and I have to stifle a gasp as I step inside. It's more luxurious than I could have imagined, even larger than the one Rhys and Maddox took me on, all plush leather seats and gleaming wood paneling.

"How many jets do you guys have?" I ask in disbelief.

Leon chuckles. "A few."

"This is... a lot," I manage to say as I sink into one of the impossibly comfortable chairs.

Leon settles across from me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Is it working?"

I can't help but laugh, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. "It's not bad," I admit as the attendant appears with a bottle of champagne.

The bubbles tickle my nose as I take a sip, the crisp taste dancing on my tongue. It's probably the most expensive thingI've ever drunk, and I try not to think about how much this whole excursion must be costing.

As the jet takes off, I watch Leon. He's relaxed, at ease in this world of luxury in a way I'm not sure I'll ever be even though I technically grew up in it. But then, my family and his were wealthy in different ways even then. But there's something else too, a nervousness in the way he keeps glancing at me, like he's waiting for my reaction.

"So," I say, setting down my glass, "Toulouse, huh?"

He nods, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Our first date had to be somewhere special."

The sincerity in his voice makes my chest tight. "You didn't have to do all this," I say softly.

"I wanted to," he replies, reaching across to take my hand. His touch sends a jolt through me, warm and electric. "I want to give you the world, Ophelia. Everything I should have given you back then. This is only the beginning."

I swallow hard, emotions warring inside me. Part of me wants to pull away, to guard my heart against the hope blooming in my chest. But another part, a part I've kept locked away for so long, yearns to lean into his touch, to believe in the promise of his words.

"Leon," I start, not sure what I'm going to say.

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