But when she gave her heart to someone, she gave it all. It was just the way she was made. That was why she had been very, very careful about falling in love.
It would be absolute hell on her if he left. Even if he thought he would be saving her, he would be doing the opposite.
That was not going to happen. Not on my watch.
“You were talking about your engagement. What does that have to do with demons and kings of hell and war?”
“A demon showed up when Ryder proposed to me. Do you think that’s a coincidence?”
“I don’t think anything is a coincidence.”
I spread a hand in athere-you-gogesture.
“So...let me see if I’m following your logic here. You think if you get married, what? You’re going to start a demon war?”
“No. I don’t think my marriage means anything to the demon world. But the whole wedding thing is making me…”
“Neurotic?”
“Hey.”
“Whiney?”
“What the—”
“Stupid?”
“Go back to the first thing.”
She took a moment to really look me over. I didn’t know what she saw in my blue jeans, belt, and black tank under Ryder’s hoodie. I didn’t know what she saw in my slouch, or my hair pulled back in a low ponytail.
But she saw something. And it made her narrow her eyes.
I folded my hands in my lap and picked at a thumbnail.
“No,” she said.
“No what?”
“You cannot hide out here at work worrying about a war that might not even be a thing just because you're avoiding wedding planning.”
I scoffed. “I’m not hiding out.” But the words sort of dried up under her slow blink.
“Delaney Reed, I cannot believe you just lied to me. About work and about your weddingto the man you’ve loved since you were eleven.”
I picked at my other thumb and muttered something under my breath.
“What was that? What did you just say to me?” she demanded.
“Six and a half. I’ve had a crush on him since I was six and a half. And that’s not what this is.”
She waited. No rustle of the page being turned, no squeak of her chair springs. The phone had been silent for two days, ever since the weather went mild, so no help there.
“Want to try that again?” she asked.
“Maybe I’m hiding out a little. Not from Ryder.”
I wanted to get married. I’d loved Ryder since I was so young I didn’t even know how big, how wonderful, love could be.
