Page 100 of Guarded from Danger

Charlie and Lucy have become good friends over the last couple months, now texting or calling several times a week, and Lucy even attended a book club meeting—virtually, since it was in Sleepy Hollow—with Charlie, Nora, one of the other Blade and Arrow teammates, and Hanna, who’s married to Finn.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Lucy replies, sniffling back tears. “This is incredible.” She pauses before adding, “I have some books for you. Some ARCs for my newest release. So you can give them to Nora and Hanna.”

The next couple hours are more of the same—people coming up to Lucy, hugging her, and saying how happy they are to be here. How happy they are to be a part of this special day.

Even Rambo is decked out in birthday attire, romping around with a yellow bandana and carrying a stuffed birthday cake.

“I thought it would distract him,” Sarah explains with a laugh. “So maybe he’ll be less interested in the real one.”

But he doesn’t touch the cake. As a therapy dog, he’s too well trained. Although he does nose around for crumbs on the floor and sidles up to pretty much everyone eating, casting mournful, pleading looks like he hasn’t eaten in ages. Which is patently not true. Dante and Sarah spoil him like crazy.

Once the cake is done, Niall comes over to me, leaning close to speak near my ear. “Are you ready for the next part?”

My nerves, which have been pretty calm, leap back into a frenzy. Making sure Lucy can’t hear me, I reply, “Yes. It’s a go.”

A few minutes later, Niall stands near the barn door and calls out loudly, “If everyone could come outside, we have another surprise.”

Lucy glances at me, her brows arching up. “Another surprise?”

“Yes.” I surreptitiously wipe my suddenly sweaty palm on my leg. “Come on out to see.”

As soon as everyone is on the grass, there’s a low whistle. It’s Erik, on the other side of the yard, making sure I’m ready. I give him a sharp whistle in response, signaling to go, while trying to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest.

“What is this?” Lucy asks in a whisper. In the dark, with the lights from the trees casting a faint golden glow across her features, she looks absolutely breathtaking.

“You’ll see.” Hugging her to my side, I kiss the top of her head. “I hope you like it.”

A few seconds later, the night sky explodes with color.

Flashes of light shoot into the air, bursting into stunning patterns in every color of the rainbow.

Erik proves his skill as a HAZMAT specialist as he sets off fireworks more elaborate than any I’ve seen.

Aside from the sound of the fireworks going off, it’s quiet. There’s an occasionaloohorahh, but mostly, people are happy just to watch in silence.

Lucy leans into me, her hair brushing my chin. In between explosions, she whispers, “This is an amazing surprise, Xavier. Thank you so much.”

It is amazing. But it’s not the last one.

There’s a pause before the last of the fireworks goes off, long enough for me to fumble in my pocket for the small velvet bag inside. My fingers wrap around the tiny package and my heart beats so hard I fear I might actually pass out.

I’ve been scared before. But this? It’s different.

One more rocket shoots into the air, reaching its pinnacle and hanging there for a moment.

But to me, it feels like an eternity.

My future is there, in that distant spark of light.

And then.

It goes off.

Not an ordinary firework, but a heart. A yellow one.

Lucy clutches my arm. “Oh! Look!”

As the yellow sparkles start floating to the ground, she turns to me. “Xav?—”

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