Page 102 of The Daredevil

“It’s the solar wind from the sun entering the Earth’s atmosphere. When the protons, electrons, and neutrons from the solar winds react to Earth’s particles, they release energy and create this magical palette.”

I smiled at my gorgeous nerd and remembered something from high school science class. “Be a proton, always positive!”

He laughed, and his voice echoed through the vastness as though it moved over the flatlands to the mountains and beyond, spreading joy. The sound went on and on, making me grin at my silly attempt at incorporating what little science I knew.

“Yeah, I know it’s cheesy, but it suits this moment.”

“Not cheesy at all. It’s brilliant, and I love it. I’ll remember that when I’m feeling ‘negative.’” His eyes sparkled, and the ribbons of light illuminated them, making his eyes brighter.

A seriousness moved through me as nerves stirred in my stomach. “I guess there’s magic in science.”

“Of course. There’s magic in whatever you love and believe in.” His eyes bore into me, like that statement.

My heart quickened, preparing me to share a truth I held deep within my heart. “I love you, Royce.”

A quiet gasp escaped him, and his face softened. Emotions stormed his eyes, and I wanted to know what he was feeling, but I was also scared. What if he didn’t feel the same way? What if my confession forced him to define something he wasn’t ready to?

The struggle in his eyes showed he was conflicted, but then he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.

Silence hummed between us as my declaration hung in the air. My admission was like the ribbon of light, glowing in the night. But unlike the Northern Lights that were for everyone to love and appreciate, my affection was meant for only one man. A man who didn’t comment on my declaration. I knew he didn’t believe in love. He’d said it before, and yet I couldn’t help but hope my admission would inspire him to give it a chance. He had time to consider.

His phone rang and disrupted the moment.Damn stupid phone.

Royce didn’t pick up, but it rang again. Pulling back, he stared at me with eyes that held so much emotion. “It’s my urgent ringtone.”

He fished his phone from his coat pocket. “Yeah?” While he listened to whatever the person told him, a V formed between his brows, and his jaw ticked. “Thanks. I’ll be in touch soon.” Turning off his phone, he tucked it back into his coat pocket. “Let’s go inside for a drink, okay?”

Rising from the bench, I studied him. “Is everything okay?”

He smiled. “Yes. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

I knew he was lying. Not wanting to ruin our evening, I shoved it aside for now.

Inside the dome, we hung our coats in the closet and changed into soft pajamas. He tossed his phone and wallet onto the bed, and something clanked from his wallet onto the tiled floor. Reaching down, I picked it up, and my heart stopped. My hand trembled with joy as I stared at the stud design that was half an inch long. I couldn’t speak as I held the gold emblem in my palm.

Royce came up beside me. “You like my lightning bolt? It’s cool, isn’t it?”

“It’s not a lightning bolt,” I whispered, as my hand shook from elation and surprise. “It’s an abstract letter M. See?” I turned the stud earring horizontally. “M for Michelle. It’s my earring. I lost it during my first trip to Iceland. The backing must have fallen off. I only realized it was missing when I was already on the flight home.”

Taking the gold earring from my palm, Royce examined it, turning it vertically, which made the design appear like a bolt of lightning. Then he turned it horizontally, which showed the M.

“It’s a masterpiece,” he said, still admiring it. “It’s us. I’m the bolt of lightning, and you’re the M.”

“I’d sketched it for the designer, and he made it for me. The jewelry store that I was looking for closed. I wanted a new one to match the one I had at home.”

“You weren’t meant to have another,” he said, giving it back to me. “You’re now reunited with the person meant for you.”

“I can’t dismiss the idea of fate. It’s the only explanation for this magical event. I thought I’d lost it forever, but it was only being kept safe by you.”

“The day I found it, I’d been debating selling all of my Thor comic books. I used to believe in him, but after my mom died and I moved to live with Aunt Klara in a new country, I lost hope. I thought to myself, if there was a power beyond me, why didn’t it save my mom? Why didn’t it save my sister, keep my family together? As though God heard me, something glistened on the sidewalk. When I picked it up, I thought the lightning bolt was a sign. So I held off on selling the comic books. I’d had those books since I was a kid. Finding this earring—though I didn’t know it was an earring back then—was a sign of hope for me.”

“We literally found each other in the most profound way,” I said, making another mental note to call his aunt to do me a favor about his belongings.

“Do you trust me?” Something in his eyes worried me.

There was no one I trusted more. “Yes.”

“Don’t forget that,” he said. “I’m asking you not to worry about anything and enjoy this vacation with me. We leave tomorrow for a new destination.”

---