ex

breath and blow out my candles. The small crowd that has gathered in the

g around at the faces before me, I see only a few genuine smiles. Mrs. Jones is giggling with g

arvey, and he's glowering. Harvey Moss has a stern face to match his bald head and his disposition, as well as his reputation as a no-nons

ce at Garth and

ler than Harvey and his shoulders are so wide he could probably easily wrap me around them. His dark hair is pulled back away from his face

was always the perfect hostess. Even though Mother obviously wants what's best for me, I think she secretly wouldn't mind if I fell in love with Garth, m

olate cake into my mouth. He pats his flat stomach. "I wouldn't want to st

e animals hanging in his den, but I've never been in his house before. Not that he hasn't invited me. If Mother kn

e will make me fat. Instead, I scoop up an even bigger bite and shove

om his throat one of disgust. I have to

a piece, dear?"

fternoon. So when she says, "Oh, no thank you. I'm still full from the stew," I wrinkle up my

ue and glare a

. I relish every bite of mine and then lick the fork before setting it down. If I really wanted to push Garth's

times, but he insists that Bexley is a horrible name, so he must ca

y behalf. "She's been working at the firm a bit,

brows raise, and he s

is shocked that I might be able to handle som

he house, of course. But... if she were to receive a marriage offe

ens. I know she wants to speak up for me, but she won

fe," Garth begins, a crooked grin pulling up one side of his mouth. "She's ve

nded as hell that he's now speaking about me as if I'm not eve

women to wait until after their twenty-first b

and shakes his head. "I do find thi

ce, and his cheeks pink a bit. "It's not

sn't mind if he offends the king. "Not that he eve

g Canaan Zephyr. I'm not exactly sure why, but I heard him mention that the land where our village sits, and all of the area on this side of the mountain, was taken unfairly a few decades ag

lieves is fact, and there's no us

ter, Becky," Garth says to me. "A girl like you w

re severe knot. "Tomorrow is my birthday,

drops op

ter. You won't get to celebrate until she returns." He turns and looks at me. "If she returns." A cold

ven knows I exist," I admit. "I've only been here

he won't. "Well, I'm not too worried about it. The king has never kept a girl for more than one night. Of course, the girls who are returned a

umping in is certainly not meant to defend the girls in question so much as it is to assure my

at they say, but honestl

she speaks to Garth. She's told me she thinks he's handsome. I guess pretty much everyone in the town does

oing to be an issue." He looks at me coldly. "As Becky s

he pushes up from her chair, "it has been so lovely having all

s and looks at me again. "Sorry I didn't bring you a present, Becky, but I

na's pretty smile as I bat my eyelashes at him and st

even as Harvey grunts in my general directio

everyone except for Harvey who trails far behind as we enter the

m not flattering him. His bushy eyebrows near

nk them for coming. Fiona gave me a lovely painting of a rabbit e

you on the porch, Becky?" Ga

ng the girls home

'll only tak

it in the yard as I stand by the door. At least Garth's girth prevents the ful

er, and he's agreed that

suddenly dry. I manage to ask, "

oday." He

n I was four." I fold my arms. What is the matter with this man?

sed, he chuckles. "No, not t

a few weeks longer than I've known Garth, which isn'

, here

y tomorrow afterno

traightens, he's still grinning like the fool he is. He walk

ndering when the hell