Page 259 of Barinov

Far below us, at the very end of the dock, Caleb and Ellie stand alone. The lake behind them has turned into liquid gold beneath the sinking sun. Neither of them notices the house is watching.

Bella’s fingers wrap around my forearm. “Oh my God…” she breathes.

Caleb reaches into the pocket of his shorts.

Bella squeals.

Haley smacks Bella’s shoulder. “Quiet!”

My little sister’s eyes widen. Even from a distance, I can see Ellie’s mouth falling open.

“I think…” Bella whispers.

“I know,” Haley breathes back.

The door behind us suddenly flies open. “What the hell is everyone doing out—”

“SHHHH!!!”

Five voices hit Lex all at once.

He freezes mid-step, blinking between all of us. “The fuck?”

Haley lunges forward in a flash of red hair and lime green shorts. She grabs the front of his shirt and yanks him down beside us before he can ruin everything.

Lex finally follows our line of sight.

“Ohhhh,” he mutters, his grin slowly spreading.

“Yeah,” Haley whispers.

He lowers his voice. “I’ll shut up.”

“Thank you,” she grits out, rolling her eyes and peering back toward the scene unfolding lakeside.

Back on the dock, Caleb slowly lowers himself to one knee. Ellie’s hands fly over her mouth. For a heartbeat, nobody on the deck breathes.

Caleb says something we can’t hear.

“This would suck if Buttercup said no,” Brett laughs, gaining him a well-earned slap in the back of the head from Lex.

Ellie shakes her head through the tears. Then she nods so enthusiastically I swear she’s about to give herself whiplash.

“She said yes,” Bella whispers, already crying.

Caleb slips the ring onto her finger before pulling her into his arms.

The silence lasts exactly half a second.

“YES!” Haley screams.

The entire deck loses it.

Knox cups his hands around his mouth. “ABOUT DAMN TIME!”

Down on the dock, both Caleb and Ellie’s heads snap up toward the house. They burst out into laughter.

Ellie points accusingly and yells up toward Haley. “I knew you were acting weird today!”