In Which Nanalie States What She Has

June 2, 1179

"Oh." Garrett's mouth appeared to be caught halfway between a frown and a grimace. A little more enthusiasm might have been nice, but Nanalie supposed she couldn't have expected it; however little she knew about such things, a month's avoidance following a marriage proposal couldn't have been standard protocol. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

"I know." If she was honest with herself, she'd hardly been expecting to keep her resolve to visit either. It had taken the combined efforts of her little sisters to push her out the door. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disappear like that. You just kind of... I don't know. Caught me off guard, I guess."

His head tipped to one side, blinking as his brow furrowed. It was a look unbecoming of him. He wasn't ruled by his ambitions, but he'd always struck her as sure. And for the past month, she'd been confused enough for the both of them. "I thought it was obvious how I feel about you."

"Feelings aren't really my strong suit." Not that he wouldn't have figured that out by now. "I panicked, all right? I can't really explain it much better than that."

He joined her on the bench, not quite nodding but the softened look of his eye didn't look too far from understanding. "It's all right. I didn't think you'd answer right away."

"Thank you for that." He was taking it better than she'd guessed anyone could and she didn't know what to do with that. A little unsteady, Nanalie took to folding the length of her belt around her fingers. She only had about three belts that she'd cycled through for years, but the leather was more pliable than she'd ever noticed. "I just... I don't know. When Cord proposed to me, I said yes because I thought it would make my father happy and then I was just relieved when it fell through. And if I said yes to you..."

"You wanted to be sure that it was your decision--not your father's."

Nanalie nodded. "Exactly. To be honest, I never even told him that you asked. I only told Asalaye." And if Asalaye had told their father, she would have known it by now.

"That's all right." Garrett let out a chuckle of a breath. It was a light laugh for him, but he was beginning to regain his old self. "I haven't mentioned it to anyone myself, actually. I figured it would be easier on us both if we kept it to ourselves until you'd made a decision."

"Thank you for that." It was almost unbelievable just how calm and sensitive he could be in light of the circumstance. She wondered what he might have done if she'd told him no. Just kept his silence and made his peace with it, she supposed. She could have respected that. "I hope you didn't feel embarrassed or rejected or anything."

Another chuckle. "Should I have? You didn't really reject me, you know... or did you?"

"No!" His brow twitched. Had that been too defensive? Too forward? He couldn't get an answer from that. Could he? "I mean, I said I'd think about it, didn't I? That could mean anything."

"I know." He offered an arm and she let him drape it around her shoulders. She wondered if it was presumptuous to lean toward him; if it was, he didn't complain. "I'm sorry if I was prying. I'd rather not have an answer until you're sure."

"And you're itching to ask if I am, aren't you?"

This time, it was a full-blown laugh. Now that was the old Garrett. "Well, anyone would be. But I won't."

"Just as well. I've thought about it long enough anyway."

She felt his brow brush across her hair as he turned to face her. He grinned often--more often that anyone else she knew--but never quite like that. "You mean...?"

The smile spreading to her own mouth, she kissed him on the cheek. "I mean."

A strong hand led his free arm beneath her knees and lifted her to his lap, hazel eyes sparkling despite the walls around them and the cloud cover outside. "I meant what I said, you know. I want to give you everything."

She nuzzled her oversized nose against his own even larger one. God, their children would be so unfortunate. "No need; I already have it."

NEXT CHAPTER: