“What are you doing?”
“I want you to forget when I proposed to you before. I want you to stop thinking I did it only because I thought we were going to die—and wondering if I think you said yes only to make me happy in that moment.” He tapped the side of his forehead. “I’ve felt those worries inside of you.”
“Daniel, I…”
He held out his hand, with something small clasped in his fingers that glinted in the afternoon sun. A ring. White gold with a large round diamond in the center and a smaller purple stone on either side that reminded me of the color of my eyes.
“I want you to forget all that, because I want this to be the moment you remember. The moment we both can remember.” He cleared his throat. “Grace Divine, now that all this crap is over, and when we’re out of school, and you take some time off from kicking bad-guy butt, and healing hapless strangers,” he said, embellishing the words I’d told him he’d used the first time he proposed, “will you marry me?”
I clasped my hand to my face, as if trying hold back the tears that suddenly sprang up in my eyes. “Isn’t that just kind of a given?”
“I’d still like to hear it, so I can burn it into my amnesia-riddled brain.”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll marry you.” I put my hand on my hip. “After Trenton.”
Daniel laughed. The next thing I knew, he’d engulfed me in his arms—his lips melting against mine, my fingers curling in his hair, and my body aching with so much anticipation. For us. For our future.
For the unknown.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am told space is limited for acknowledgments because I wrote such a freaking long book, so while I’d love to gush on and on about all the people I owe my extreme gratitude and adoration to for helping this book even exist, I will attempt to be brief with my appreciativeness. (Though, obviously, brevity is not one of my strong points. Heh. Heh.) First and foremost, the two people who deserve the most thanks for their extreme patience, long plotting sessions, dishing out plenty of encouragement, and knowing just the right moment to tell me to stop freaking out and get back to work—are my husband, Brick Despain, and my editor, Greg Ferguson.
Ack! Look at that, I’m already losing briefness…
Okay. Take a deep breath, Bree. Focus. Stop elaborating and just get to the point.
Ready?
Alright.
Additional love, gratitude, and (too quick) thank you, thank you, thank yous also go out to the following: Ted Malawer and Michael Stearns from Upstart Crow Literary. The other awesome people from Egmont USA: Doug Pocock, Elizabeth Law, Mary Albi, Regina Griffin, Nico Medina, Bonnie Cutler, Robert Guzman, Alison Weiss, and Katie Halata. Joel Tippie at JDrift Designs. Jose Torralba for your always-gorgeous cover photography. My parents, Nancy and Tai, my siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and other extended family members, neighbors, and friends who continue to offer ongoing support and enthusiasm. The SIX: Brodi Ashton, Emily Wing Smith, Valynne Maetani Nagamatsu, Kimberly Webb Reid, and Sara Bolton. My two little boys who try to be patient when mommy is working. And a special shout-out to our dear friends Michelle and Brent Sallay—Brent, you finally made it into one of my books. I hope you’re happy, man.
Whew.
I did it! I did it! I managed to thank everyone without running out of roo