Clair

, I made a promise on a star. Some kids made wishes; I made myself promises. I didn’t believe in the power of wishes, but had all the faith I could muster in my own self-determination.

“You’re breathtaking.” His voice has a low rasp to it that makes me shiver.

“You like the dress?” I ask.

“What dress?” he says, and I can’t help it—I grin. And then I laugh, even as a tear escapes.

“Shut up.”

“That’s not hard. You’ve got me speechless.”

“I would marry you in anything you wore,” he says. The words drop from his lips like a vow, and they cause something to shift inside of a deep, locked and heavily guarded vault of my heart.

She smells like forever, my forever, and my palate is ruined by the taste of her lips. Food and drink will always be bland now, because I’ve had Delilah.

“Delilah, I know I’m a mess. I’m not the best man. I’m not what you probably envisioned in a husband. I know I drive you crazy sometimes. But I want to spend the rest of my life figuring out how to be a man who deserves you, even if I’m doing so one mistake at a time.”

“Stop it,” Weston says, tapping my forehead with his splinted hand. “You’re thinking too much.”

“All the thoughts are about you. But if you want me to stop …” I shrug, grinning.

“I definitely don’t mind your thoughts on me, and me alone. But I’d also like to hear that you love me.”

“Pretty confident that I love you, huh?”

“Not confident. Just terribly hopeful and more than a little desperate.”

“I love you, Weston. I think I have since we were thirteen.”

She was my inspiration when I had none, my hope when it had gone dark, my strength when I was at my weakest. Everything about me is better for knowing her. But have I ever said this in words? Nope. I just make lentil burgers.

But it wasn’t my vision that was going red. It was me imagining blood pouring out of the guy’s nose after my fist connects with it. I’ve never considered myself violent, but I guess I just found my pain point. Of course, it’s Harper. I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Harper, you are my best friend. I can’t imagine a day going by without seeing you or talking to you.”

“Me too,” she says quickly.

In the dim light, her eyes are hard to read. The deep brown is almost black, and the expression is something wholly unfamiliar. I can’t tell if it’s excitement or fear. So, I press on, tracing my thumbs over her cheekbones.

“I don’t want a future without you in it. I want one where I wake up next to you every morning and where, at night, you’re the one curled up against my side.”

She’s nodding now, biting her lip and trembling.

“I know we tried this before. But we were so young. We barely knew each other.”

I brush a strand of hair over her shoulder, letting my fingertips skate along the bare skin there. I hear and feel her sharp intake of breath.

“Harper, can we try again? Try for real? I want you to be mine, not only my best friend, but my everything.” I drop my voice to a husky whisper without even meaning to, and I’m not mad about it at all. “You are my everything.”

“What do you need from me?” Chase asks. “I hope you know by now, I’ll do anything for you.”

These are the words I want to hear. They’re the fairy tale every little girl dreams of. Chase has ridden up to my tower on his white horse. I don’t let him do all the work, of course, I’ve already slain the dragon, but I’m ready to hop on the back of that horse and let him carry me away.