From Ashes, I Learned to Fly

"Evelyn, marry me."

The door opened again.

Adrian Falkner walked in carrying flowers, dropped to one knee, and held out a ring box.

For one second, I forgot how to breathe.

Three years earlier, Adrian had tried to set up a proposal in my design studio.

Something went wrong, and the studio caught fire.

The blaze destroyed almost everything.

My wedding-dress sketches burned.

My business closed.

And afterward, even lighting birthday candles could send my body into panic.

During the worst months, Adrian had held me through nights when neither of us slept.

He described our future wedding again and again until I could almost see it.

So when the ring he'd once promised me finally appeared in front of me, I should have been happy.

Instead, my chest tightened.

My fingertips had almost reached the box when Delaney Croft launched herself onto Adrian's back with a laugh.

"Adrian, you won."

Adrian caught her automatically.

With the fond patience he never seemed to run out of for her, he turned the ring box away from me and offered it to Delaney.

The pink diamond slid onto her ring finger. It was exactly her size.

Delaney lifted her hand in front of my face.

"Evelyn, consider this payment for treating you."

She smiled brightly.

"I bet Adrian you had at least a little dignity left and wouldn't take the ring.

"But he said you loved him so much you'd grab at even the smallest chance to become his wife."

I went rigid.

I looked at Adrian.

He didn't deny it.

He only stood, tucked a loose strand of hair behind Delaney's ear, and said, "I won the bet. Winner grants the loser one wish."

He looked at her.

"So? What do you want?"

Delaney wrapped herself around his arm.

"I want you to help me get the keynote slot at the trauma forum the day after tomorrow."

She held up the ring.

"And I want this. You gave it to me, so don't let her guilt you into taking it back."

Mom hurried to reassure her.

"That ring was made in your size anyway."

She glanced at my hand.

"After the fire, Evelyn's ring finger was badly injured. She can't even wear it properly."

Adrian smiled.

Then he looked at me with tired resignation.

"Be reasonable, Evelyn. I'll take you shopping later and buy you another one."

Something clenched violently in my chest.

Darkness flickered across my vision.

I stared at the man I'd once carried out of a burning building.

"So you picked my birthday for this."

My voice came out hoarse.

"You wanted to give me enough... surprises to last the year?"

Adrian sounded exhausted.

"Evelyn, it's been three years.

"We can't have smoke in the house. We can't have an open flame.

"I'm human too. Sometimes I need small things like this just to relax."

Mom patted his shoulder sympathetically.

Delaney gave an exaggerated sigh.

"I've worked in trauma treatment for years. People like you are what make the job hardest.

"You say you're sick, but I tested you today."

She gestured toward the burn scars on my face with the hand wearing my ring.

"Someone who was genuinely as fragile as you claim wouldn't have made it through that setup."

My hand flew to my cheek on instinct.

Adrian immediately stepped in front of Delaney.

"Enough.

"Delaney came back from overseas specifically to help you. She doesn't owe you anything."

Mom rushed toward me and slapped me across the face.

"Apologize to Delaney."

She grabbed my injured palm and pulled me forward.

Pain shot through my hand.

I looked down at her fingers wrapped around mine.

Those same hands had held mine while crossing streets when I was little.

They had braided my hair and cooked my favorite ribs.

Then I got sick, and Dad died.

And all the guilt she felt toward me shifted onto sweet-talking Delaney.

"Mom..."

My voice cracked around the word.