“We should—” I start, my hands still resting on his chest, feeling his heart beat while the engagement ring sits heavy on my finger, as he says, “I wish we didn’t have to—”
“Same,” I say at the same time he says, “You’re right, we should.”
We stare at each other for a beat.
And then we both smile.
Smiling leads to us cracking up.
It’s ridiculous.
But it’s also like being in a warm, cozy bubble of safety where no one’s trying to attack anyone else, where no one’s fighting, where no onewantsto fight, where I’m not realizing I have to give up my home to move back to Tinsel, and likely where we both feel a little off-kilter.
Is he off-kilter?
I am.
I can’t remember the last time I crushed this hard on a man.
I’m so distracted by myself and my overwhelming attraction to Dane that I almost trip over Chili on the way to the front door. Dane gives him extra pats and a treat while I stutter an apology.
And then we’re headed out the door.
Except there’s a big rock sitting in the middle of the front porch.
And I don’t mean a rock like the one on my finger.
I mean a stone rock.
With an envelope underneath.
I freeze, then look up at Dane.
This is a change.
Whoever dropped it off wasn’t afraid of being seen if it’s all the way here on the porch. And it wasnothere two hours ago.
I took Chili out for a short walk. I would’ve seen it.
“Did you—” he starts, then shakes his head.
“Put it there?” I guess.
“See who put it there.”
“Oh. No. I was—”
“Getting ready,” he finishes for me.
He squats and retrieves the envelope, then tosses the rock off the side of the porch to join the rock bed scattered around the holly bushes.
I lean into him while he slides a finger under the flap and gently opens it.
And then we both devour the words on the paper, each of us holding one side of the letter, his free hand at the small of my back.
My dearest sister,
We received your update that Maud’s dowry was sent, but that rapscallion Anderson boy claims what he received was not what was promised, and he refuses to return it to our family.
