# Chapter 16: The Valentine’s Day Grovel
Hello everyone, it’s me again! How are you all doing? I hope you’re cozy, because today we’re stepping into a chapter full of pink roses, nervous sweats, and one very overdue apology. I’m so glad you’re here with me as we walk through Chapter 16 of *Marriage on Madison Avenue*, where Clarke West finally has to face the one person he never wanted to hurt: Audrey Tate.
It is Friday, February 14, and if a man has to eat an enormous slice of humble pie, Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any. Clarke stands outside Audrey’s brownstone, tapping a bouquet of pink flowers against his hip and stalling for time. He knows he’s good with words. He’s charming, smooth, and usually able to talk his way out of almost anything. But groveling? That’s different. He has never mastered it, mostly because he has never cared enough to try. He has upset women before, sure, but usually he was already halfway out the door, so what was the point?
Audrey is different. Audrey has always been different. And until now, Audrey has never been truly mad at him. This time, she has every right to be.
Clarke’s mind races with everything they need to discuss. His father’s ultimatum. The company. The fact that he didn’t tell his father to take that ultimatum and shove it. Elizabeth. The ski trip, where Clarke behaved like an unpardonable ass. And that kiss. Audrey believed he kissed her because Elizabeth was watching, but that isn’t true. In that moment, Clarke forgot Elizabeth existed. All he knew was Audrey—and the sharp, possessive ache he felt when he saw another man making her laugh.
Clarke has never really understood jealousy, but he has felt it twice recently, and it is brutal. Scott’s easy flirting with Audrey was mildly annoying, but Saturday brought real jealousy. It came from his bones, from his soul. He wanted to stake a claim, to remind the other guy—and Audrey—that she was his. Except she isn’t. Not in the way he has been wanting lately. He can’t remember the last hour he hasn’t grappled with the uncomfortable realization that his feelings for Audrey are shifting with every kiss, every smile, every glance.
But none of that matters as much as their friendship. That comes first. Always.
Still nervous, Clarke knocks. He knows she’s home because she posted an Instagram Story less than an hour ago, but he isn’t sure she’ll open the door once she realizes it’s him. When she does, his breath catches. Audrey is dressed for a night in—cropped sweatpants, a red T-shirt, her dark hair in a messy knot—and she looks so damn good. Clarke braces for anger, but instead he sees curiosity and wariness. Audrey is wary of him, and that makes his chest ache. He has spent his whole life trying not to hurt her, and in the past week, he failed horribly.
She invites him in, and Clarke follows her to the kitchen. He shoves the flowers at her, and when she asks if he brought her Valentine’s Day flowers, he shrugs. “Valentine’s Day. Apology. Clarke’s an ass flowers. Take your pick.” She chooses the first one, pretending they are Valentine’s flowers. Nobody has ever brought her Valentine’s Day flowers before. Her father used to bring her mother roses and give Audrey and her sister a single long-stem rose, but flowers from her dad don’t count. Then she asks if Clarke bought them for her as a sister. His voice is gruff when he answers, “No.” These are not brother-sister flowers. They are not friend flowers, either. They are indulgent, lavish, expensive, and something dangerously close to sensual.
In the kitchen, Audrey arranges the flowers and asks about Brayden. He never gave her anything for Valentine’s Day, claiming he was traveling for work. Only later did she realize he was probably spending it with Claire. Tuesday-night trysts are for mistresses, but Valentine’s Days are for the wives. And the fiancées. Clarke takes Audrey’s left hand and runs his thumb over her bare fourth finger, saying he apparently no longer has a fiancée. She reminds him they agreed to call it off after Naomi and Oliver’s dinner party, but she was still wearing the ring on the ski trip. Before Jarod Lanham? No. There was no spark there. She isn’t looking for a fling with a billionaire. Clarke asks what she is looking for, and she says, “Nothing. You know that better than anyone.” He reminds her she used to want it all: the spark, the prince, happily ever after. She just shrugs.
Then he gives her the gift bag. Audrey looks surprised, and for a moment Clarke knows she thinks it might be for Elizabeth. Of course she would think that. He has always been the kind of guy who made sure women knew he wasn’t playing for keeps. But with Audrey, he wants to prove he can be a one-girl kind of guy. Inside the bag are three thoughtful things: an iPhone lens, a case to clip it onto, and a filter. She once mentioned wanting more photography options without carrying a separate camera. When she realizes what it is, Audrey throws her arms around his neck and thanks him. Clarke apologizes, and she says it’s okay. He tells her she shouldn’t make it so easy for a man—she deserves the groveling. But she says she got flowers, a heartfelt apology, and the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given her.
They don’t fully talk about Elizabeth. Audrey says they don’t have to. Clarke tries to explain that his silence wasn’t about keeping secrets from her. The truth is messy: when Elizabeth was around, she was the last person on his mind. On the ski trip, he let Elizabeth stay glued to his side because he needed a buffer—from Audrey. His ex-girlfriend felt bland and safe, while the mere thought of Audrey conjured dangerous, intense emotions. Looking at Audrey now, trusting and understanding, Clarke realizes there is nothing dangerous here. Intense, yes, but simple, too: this woman is the best part of his life.
He asks her to dinner. He has made three reservations: Italian, French, or a pretentious West Village place deemed the most Instagram-able spot in the city. Audrey laughs and points out that Scandal Boy has been suspiciously quiet, but maybe that’s the benefit of getting out of the city. Clarke keeps his voice casual, not wanting to beg, and mentions that people would love a shot of them on Valentine’s Day. Audrey hesitates. What’s the point if they are no longer engaged? She could suffer through wearing the gorgeous diamond one more night. Or… they could stay in. Sushi or pizza. No false eyelashes for her. No tie for him. A photo op inside. Audrey says she could use a break from being @The Audrey Tate. What if it was just them? Like before Instagram, before Elizabeth, before the fake engagement and Scandal Boy, back before things got complicated. She wants simple. She wants *us*. Clarke agrees without hesitation. He wants that, too. He is just afraid he is starting to want other things as well.
Later, they sprawl on her couch, sipping red wine and picking at leftover lo mein. Her calves are draped over his thighs, his hand rests on her shin, and Clarke feels a fleeting thought: he can’t remember the last time he was this content. Then he glances at Audrey and realizes he *can* remember. It is every time he is with her.
## Reader’s Impressions & Star Rating This chapter is a perfect blend of ache and warmth. Clarke’s internal monologue is raw, funny, and deeply vulnerable, especially when he admits he has never cared enough to grovel before Audrey. The Valentine’s Day setting adds pressure and sweetness, and the gift—a practical camera lens instead of generic jewelry—reveals how carefully Clarke actually sees her. Audrey’s quiet strength and her desire to return to “simple” make the ending both tender and bittersweet. The tension is not resolved; it is only softened, which makes the story feel real.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.9 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction The next chapter will likely crack the cozy bubble they built on Valentine’s Day. Clarke still hasn’t told Audrey the full truth about his father’s ultimatum, and that secret is too heavy to stay buried. I predict Audrey will begin noticing how Clarke looks at her—not as a friend, but as something more—and it will scare her as much as it thrills her. Meanwhile, Elizabeth or Scandal Boy may resurface and force them to define what they really are. The biggest question is whether Clarke will confess his changing feelings before someone else exposes the truth for him.
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