Page 34 of The Re-Proposal

My heart thunders in my chest. A strange sensation passes through me, like I’ve been here before. In a dream or another life.

My brother’s voice whispers through my head. ‘When you know, you know’.

Clay told me that after he met Anya in the military. I asked him why he was getting married so fast and he hit me with that phrase.

‘It sounds cliche, man. But it’s true.’

I didn’t believe him until this moment. Until I looked into Clarissa’s eyes and realized I was looking at my future wife.

“He’s staring at me!” her friend squeaks.

Clarissa breaks eye contact and I feel the loss so keenly it’s like a physical ache.

“Should I talk to him?” the friend gushes.

Clarissa stays quiet and pointedly avoids my gaze.

The other girl plasters a big smile on her face and saunters over to me.

Oh crap.

Heart beating fast, I get up and walk out of the library. She’s not the one I want.

Unfortunately, the one I want looks absolutely uninterested in me.

6

AMNESIA FOR TASTEBUDS

CODY

“It’s not looking good,”Vargas croaks, eyes on his phone as he sits stiffly in the sofa facing my desk.

On that I agree.

The fact that Clarissa forgave me is supposed to be a win.

She said she accepted my apology.

She said it was in the past.

But her eyes still held mistrust. She tried to close the door between us and lock it so tight not even a bull can charge in.

Unfortunately for her, I’m good at sticking my toe in a closing door and pushing until it opens.

Clarissa might think our story’s done.

She’s wrong.

I’m not ready to close the book.

Hell, we’re not even at the best part.

“What are you going to do?” Vargas asks.

“What else can I do?” I mumble. “I’m going to throw everything I can at her until she’s mine.”

“What?” His jaw drops.

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