Page 10 of My Favorite Mistake
Fanny regarded him in the afternoon light. She honestly didn’t know how to make heads or tails of his story. She’d never given much thought to ‘the sight’ and whether it was real. But… she wasn’t disinclined to believe in it. And Nick seemed completely sincere.
Nick misinterpreted her silence. “Like I said, I know it sounds daft. But that’s a well-known story here in Birchington-on-Sea. Ask anyone. They’ll tell you.”
“Supposing I do believe you,” Fanny said slowly. “So what you’re trying to tell me is that you had one of these… these…”
“Feelings,” Nick supplied.
“And it was about me.”
“It was.”
He didn’t offer any more information, so Fanny prodded, “And what kind of feeling was it?”
Nick closed his eyes. “I saw you standing there, pining after that yellow parasol. And I just… I knew…”
He trailed off again. Fanny poked him with the parasol. “What did you know?”
When Nick opened his eyes, they were full of sorrow, as if he was sure he’d lost her already. “That you were my girl.”
Fanny knew she was gaping at him, but given what he’d just said, she could hardly be expected to stop. Could he possibly mean it? There was a sheen of sweat at his temples, his ears had gone red, and for the first time all day, his chin was ducked.
He wasnervous, she realized with a start. This absurdly handsome, cheeky man was in agony, awaiting her response.
Had Nick Cradduck told her he fancied her all smooth and self-assured, she would’ve laughed in his face, assuming it was all a part of his rakish act.
But those red ears convinced her when nothing else could’ve.
“Your girl, eh?” She propped the parasol on her shoulder and took a sultry step forward. “That sounds like it goes beyond just fancying me.”
His eyes were wary, but he held her gaze. “It does.”
She advanced another step. “And thisfeelingyou have. You believe it’ll be a lasting one?”
He grunted and tried to turn his face away, but she was now close enough that she caught him by the chin. The ink-black stubble on his jaw was rough and smooth at the same time, and Fanny couldn’t resist stroking her thumb over it. “Look, I know it sounds ridiculous.”
“What, Nick? Tell me what this is, that sounds so ridiculous.”
He sighed and leaned into her hand, which was still caressing his jaw. “Aye, it’s lasting, all right.”
“And what do you mean by lasting?”
His eyes didn’t waver from hers. “They can call the banns tomorrow, as far as I’m concerned.”
Fanny froze.They can call the banns.
The banns.
The banns ofmarriage.
Was he truly saying that he—that he wanted to—
He cleared his throat. “So. Can I see you tomorrow?”
Fanny shook herself from her stupor. She wasn’t some buffle-headed nidget. Nick Cradduck was exactly what she liked.Exactly. If the most handsome man alive was ready to profess his love, she wasn’t about to be the one to tell him to stop.
“See me tomorrow?” She threw her arms up around his neck and tugged his head toward hers. “You can see me right now!”
Nick was startled for all of one second, but then he growled, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her flush against him.
