"I'm on my way to the north side. Yes, to help Miranda move. She's got a new place, I know. Don't worry, Ed, I'll be at Bryant Park before five. I won't be late for the show. Bye!"
Luca hung up the phone as he drove towards Miranda's apartment in Harlem.
Harlem is located in the Bronx, in the northern part of New York City.
The Bronx, also known as "the Bronx," is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City, primarily home to residents of African and Latin American descent. Compared to the other four boroughs, it's less affluent, with a higher crime rate, among the worst in the country.
After signing her contract, Miranda wanted to move to a better place, closer to the fashion district.
With Kate's help, she found an apartment near Third Avenue, not far from the 76th Street apartment. Today, she was moving, and Luca was there to help.
"Hey, Thomas!"
At the entrance of the apartment building, Thomas, the handsome Australian guy, sat on the third step, quietly smoking. Behind him were three large cardboard boxes and a brown suitcase.
"Hey, Luca!"
Thomas lifted his head, his previously tense expression easing a little.
"Sorry I'm late, Thomas."
"No worries, I just came down."
Thomas gave a shy smile and slowly stood up.
Thump, thump, thump.
A series of lively footsteps echoed from the apartment building.
Thomas quietly moved his foot, snuffing out three cigarette butts. Then a cheerful voice called out from the hallway:
"Luca, you're here!"
Miranda came bouncing out of the apartment like a happy little deer.
Her golden hair floated lightly in the wind. She wore a loose, long knitted sweater on top, with tight jeans that hugged her hips, and a pair of chunky white sneakers. She looked fresh, stylish, and sweetly sexy.
She smiled broadly, her dimples filled with infectious joy.
"Hey, Miranda!"
Luca greeted her with a grin.
Ever since the last time he saw Miranda in the bathroom, whenever he saw her, an image would pop into his head:
In a steamy bathroom, a fair-skinned beauty with long golden hair reclined quietly in a heart-shaped bathtub. Her long arms stirred the water, while the rest of her body was submerged, except for two tempting parts floating above the water.
Thinking about it, Luca felt a warm flush in his nose. He quickly shifted his gaze to the luggage on the ground.
"Miranda, is everything packed?"
"Yes, just clothes and shoes. Nothing else really matters."
Miranda kicked the cardboard boxes, all filled with clothes.
"Alright then, let's load up and get going!"
Luca chuckled, putting the suitcase in the trunk.
Thomas quickly loaded the three large boxes into the car.
"Wow, finally getting out of this dump!"
Miranda hopped in excitement and opened the car door to the passenger seat.
"Miranda!"
Thomas called out to her.
"Goodbye, Thomas. I'll miss you!"
Miranda paused, turning around to give him a light hug.
Thomas blushed, pulling out a bank card. "Miranda, you just signed the contract, and you probably don't have much money. Here's fifty thousand dollars. The password is your birthday."
Miranda froze for a second, then shook her head. "Thomas, I can't take your money. I should be thanking you for looking out for me these past few months in New York."
"No need to thank me. We're friends."
Thomas smiled shyly, still offering her the card.
"Thomas, really, it's fine. The company gives me a five-thousand-dollar stipend every month. I'm not short on money, but thank you!"
Miranda gently pushed his hand away, then got into the car.
Holding the unused bank card, Thomas stood there, lost in thought. Right, Miranda had signed with a big company—she didn't need money anymore.
"Thomas, call me if you need anything."
Luca patted his shoulder and got into the car.
Vroom~
The car engine roared to life.
"Wait!"
Thomas suddenly yelled and ran back into the apartment without any explanation.
"Miranda, did you forget something?"
Luca stopped the car, confused.
Miranda furrowed her brows for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope, we can go."
Luca started the car again, but they hadn't driven far when they heard shouts from behind.
In the rearview mirror, Thomas was running after them, holding a giant stuffed bear over a meter tall.
Luca stopped the car.
"Miranda, you forgot this!"
Thomas, out of breath, grinned outside the window. "You said you liked sleeping with it. It helps you not feel scared."
Miranda furrowed her brows and shook her head. "Actually, I don't really like it. It's always shedding."
"Heh, really? Well, I should get you a better one."
Thomas awkwardly scratched his head, then tossed the stuffed bear into a trash can.
"Next time, I'll definitely get you a better one, Miranda, I promise!"
He waved to the car and jogged back to the apartment with his head down.
Miranda blinked at the stuffed bear, "Luca, can I take it with me?"
"Of course, Miranda. It can sit in the backseat."
"Thank you, Luca!"
Miranda smiled sweetly and was about to get out of the car.
"Careful!"
Luca shouted, grabbing her hand. He pulled her so forcefully that she fell into his arms.
"Luca, what's going on?"
Miranda looked up at him, surprised.
Vroom~
Before he could answer, a Harley motorcycle zoomed past the car. Two punks on the bike whooped as they sped by, snatching the stuffed bear from the trash can as they went.
"Thanks for stopping me, Luca. I hate those biker gangs."
Miranda patted her chest, still a little scared.
"The bear's gone. My car can't catch up to them."
In the rearview mirror, the bike sped off, disappearing down the street.
Miranda sighed softly as she looked at the empty trash can lid. "It's fine. It was shedding anyway."
Luca nodded. "Don't worry, Miranda. We'll pass by a stuffed bear store later. I'll get you a new one!"
"Really? I love sleeping with stuffed bears."
Miranda's blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yeah, as a housewarming gift for your new place."
"Yay, thanks, Luca!"
Miranda excitedly hugged him and kissed his cheek. Her kiss was soft and sweet, just like she was.
Luca stiffened for a moment but quickly recovered. It was just a friendly kiss, no big deal.
He released the handbrake, and they continued driving.
When they passed the stuffed bear store on Fifth Avenue, Luca stopped and picked out a much nicer one.
Miranda loved it and couldn't put it down.
Luca felt pleased. Buying gifts for Kate and Lima always stressed him out, but buying for Miranda felt rewarding.
After settling Miranda into her new place, Luca drove to Bryant Park to attend the upcoming fashion show.
(End of chapter)