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“The walk up to Knob Hill, you mean.”
“Yes.” She bit her lip, pondering. “On our walk up the slope, when I made a little crown of wildflowers and weaved it in my hair, and then you looked at me and heaved a dramatic sigh... Are you implying that sighwasn’ta sound of exasperation?”
“It was not.”
“And when I insisted on climbing that last craggy bit of elevation to see the view, even though all the others were content to remain on the grassy slope, and you insisted on accompanying me and offering your arm, to be certain I didn’t fall off the verge... Are you implying youweren’treluctant and annoyed?”
“I recall feeling something akin to a thrill.”
“Then later, when we sat down to our refreshments and the icing on the buns was melting because they’d been in the heat, and I ate three of them with my bare hands and licked my fingers clean one by one... Was thatnota chastening look you gave me?”
“I assure you, there was nothing chaste about it.”
“Oh.” Chloe lowered herself onto the bench and sat, waiting for her brain to stop twirling. “I see.”
For the second time that evening, she heard him curse. “We may as well have this over with.”
He came to stand before her.
And then he dropped to one knee.
She jumped to her feet. “What are you doing?”
He stood again. “I mean to propose marriage. You’re holding the ring. I’m not being precisely subtle about it.”
Now it was Chloe’s turn to pace.
He said, “I fully expect you to say no, if that helps.”
“It doesn’t help at all.”
“Come.” He waved her close to the lantern, where they could make one another out. “I must speak. Iwillspeak. And you will refuse me, and then this wretched chapter between us will be concluded. I’ll be silent forever. But if I do not express myself now, I will never feel at ease.”
“Neither will I, I suppose.” She braced herself. “Very well. Say what you must. But I won’t sit down, and you must promise not to kneel.”
“No kneeling,” he agreed. He cleared his throat. “My dearest Chloe...”
“Wait. No ‘dearest’ or ‘darling’, either. Nor any similar words.”
“How is one to propose without terms of affection?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t think if you speak that way.”
“Youcan’t think? For God’s sake, I haven’t formed a coherent thought since we met. Not one that didn’t concern you, at any rate. It’s misery.”
She bristled. “So this is what you want to tell me? That I make you miserable?”
“You’ve forbidden me to use any tender words!”
That was true, she supposed.
“This is absurd.” He pushed his hand through his hair. “I love you. There, it’s been said. Plain language, no poetry. I love you.”
How strange. Chloe was certain that she’d possessed knees when she’d risen from bed that morning. But she didn’t know where they’d gotten to now. The space where they’d been was currently filled with custard.
“Iloveyou,” he repeated. “I’ve never spoken those words before. To anyone.”
She’d never heard them before. Not from a man.
