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I nod, breath rushing out. “Of course. Happy to have the little man.”
Wig does some soft but giddy squeaking and claps his tiny pink hands. I can’t help but smile, though Clara toting a mouse around in her hair is going to throw a wrench into my plans. I adore Wig, but I was hoping to get Clara alone later tonight.
I have plans. Big plans.
But thankfully Adrina is in on my secret—I had to enlist her help to purchase a ring from her village jeweler—and knows that Clara and I are…odd. The kind of odd that might require a friend to watch our strangely intelligent pet mouse for an hour or so while I ask the most important question of my life.
As expected, at the graduation feast none of the boys can focus on Da’s speech. Their eyes are glued to Clara and Adrina—mostly Adrina, since it’s common knowledge that I’ve somehow managed to make the most beautiful girl in the world fall in love with me.
My friends joke that they can’t understand it. My rivals say the same, just in more cutting tones.
There are days when I don’t understand it myself, but I’m more than pretty sure she’ll say yes.
I’m mostly sure.
Still, when we leave Wig with Adrina and steal away before dessert, sneaking down the trail to the lookout where I first spotted a strange bird falling from the sky, my stomach is full of knots. I suddenly wish I’d gone easy on the lamb stew. There no longer seems to be room in my belly for food. It’s jammed with schools of fish wiggling in frenzied circles, and my heart is lodged firmly in my throat.
Clara, knowing me the way she does, notices something’s wrong straight away. “Are you all right? Your face is red.” She presses the back of her hand to my forehead, frowning as she smooths her knuckles over my cool skin. “But you don’t feel warm.”
“I’m not warm,” I say with a nervous laugh, feeling shy and strange now that the moment, which I’ve planned for months, has arrived. “I’m…just right.”
Her forehead furrows deepen. “You don’t look just right. Did something happen while you were out with Timon? Did he say something to upset you?”
I blink and laugh again, more easily this time. “What on earth could he possibly say to upset me. Timon’s like a puppy. Always friendly and sweet or really sorry that he peed in your shoes.”
Clara chuckles. “True. But you seemed…serious when you came back from your walk.”
I shake my head. “Not serious. Just a little overwhelmed.” I take both her hands in mine, studying her face in the sunset light. “I’ve never seen you this dressed up before.”
“Oh.” She smiles and looks away but almost immediately glances back again. “You like me fancy?”
“I love you fancy,” I say, laughing with her as she blushes and clings tighter to my hands. “You’re beautiful. But you’re beautiful every day, just in a different way.”
“You, too,” she whispers. When I roll my eyes, she insists, “You are. You don’t get to decide if you’re beautiful. I’m in charge of that.”
My chest goes tight, and I swear I fall a little more in love with her. Right there. On the spot. And just like that, I know it’s time and that the right words will come.
All I have to do is trust in this—in her and the way she makes me feel like I’m every bit as special and rare as she is.
With a deep breath, I drop to one knee, holding Clara’s gaze, expecting a reaction. But her jaw doesn’t drop, and the only thing flickering in her eyes is…confusion.
Because she has no idea what you’re doing, fool.
The realization makes me laugh and settles some of the fish zooming through me. Clara seems so human these days that sometimes I forget she wasn’t born or raised as one. She’s probably never seen a man propose. Her life before we met was spent mostly in the shadows, roaming the night, and staying as removed from people as possible.
“What?” Her eyes narrow, but she’s smiling as she adds, “I’m doing it again, aren’t I? Like with the birthday candles.”
I laugh again, remembering the pity in her eyes as she’d advised that we reposition the candles if we truly meant to ignite my nineteenth birthday cake. “No, you’re perfect.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Don’t patronize me, Declan Cooper.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Clara Cooper,” I say, my smile falling away as confusion tightens her features again. “At least, I hope that you’ll share my name someday.” I take another bracing breath. “I love you, Clara. So much. You’re my favorite person and my dear friend and the best part of every day. You make me laugh and think and feel so many things.” I press my lips together, fighting to keep my voice from wobbling. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, and I don’t ever want to find out. Will you do me the honor of wearing my ring?” I pull the simple but lovely braided gold and silver ring from my coat pocket. “And someday soon, becoming my wife?”
