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“I need to give him a key,” she muttered, going to the door. The thought came so naturally that she didn’t question it until she was already opening the door. She smiled at him.

“Hi,” Noah said softly.

“Hi.”

“So. . . I was thinking.”

“Yes?”

“We’ve never been on a real date. I’m taking you out tonight,” he said.

“I think all of our fake dates were emotionally real.”

“They were. But this one will be really real.”

She smiled. “I can’t wait.”

He grinned at her. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

She closed the door and found herself leaning against the door with a stupid grin on her face.

She thought back to the time she swore falling for the boy next door was too cliché.

Apparently, Claire Bennett did do clichés. She had fallen for the annoyingly attractive man across the hall, and she was completely okay with that.

Claire was nervous.

She didn’t know why.

She and Noah had been on many fake dates.

But this was different.

This was real.

At 5:55, Noah was knocking on her door. He was never late. She appreciated that about him.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She had decided on a cozy beige sweater, mom jeans, and ankle boots. Her hair was in loose curls.

She opened the door for Noah and her breath caught when she saw him. She couldn’t get past how painfully attractive he was.

He was wearing a black t-shirt, light wash jeans, and Converse. His hair looked perfect, as always.

Nobody should be allowed to look so good.

“You look beautiful,” he told her.

She felt her cheeks warm. Apparently, she still wasn’t used to being complimented.

Even though he did it all the time.

She should probably get used to it.

It still caught her off guard.

“Thank you. You look really nice too.”

He grinned. As they headed toward the elevators, he reached for her hand.