QUOTE : I was watching Declan watch me with a blank expression. For a while, I wondered if he didn’t know who I was at all, but after a few minutes of staring at me, he turned his hand over, palm up. I stepped closer and slid my hand into his, and marveled again when his fingers immediately curled around mine. “Hey, Dec,” I said softly. “Glad you found your way back.” He didn’t speak—I wasn’t sure if he even could—just continued to watch me blankly. His family spoke to him around us, but he never looked away from me or acknowledged in any way that there was anyone else there. I looked uneasily up at Jentry, and his dark eyes glanced over to me for a second before darting back to Declan. I followed his line of sight when Dec tapped on my finger, and smiled down at him. “What is it, Dec?” His face pinched in pain as he worked his throat a few times, and I heard his mom and sisters gasp in surprise when he spoke. “Ring.” My eyes widened and mouth fell open in amazement at hearing his voice. “What?” “Where’s your ring?” he croaked. I glanced down to look at the finger he’d been tapping on, and his question finally made sense. Sort of. I stared at the third finger of my left hand for long seconds, and looked at Jentry again to see him watching us in confusion and horror as he caught on to what Declan was asking, and what he thought. “We’re engaged,” Declan said roughly, slowly. “Aren’t we?