volving door. He moved with the ease of someone who had memorized this building's floor

now this rout

tt glanced back, a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes

eyes, magnified behind thick lenses, moved between them with the practiced skept

d. "And your license appl

they had both signed after a tense, silent review on a marble bench. The clerk's eyebrows ros

d, looking directly at Evangelina. "Are you

lights hummed overhead. Somewhere behind her, a

covered hers

essing against her knuckles. She turned her head and found his eyes waiting

d to the clerk. His voice carried a tender

er lips into shape.

pproval with a satisfying thud. "Through the door,

int chemical scent from the air freshener plugged into the wall outlet. The judge stood b

ther, please

ing with cedar, something that reminded her of winter forests and old libraries. He took her h

The phrases floated past Evangelina's ears, abstract and enormous, complet

u have

le

her cheeks. Of course they di

. He reached into his jacket pock

s robes. It was an elegant, vintage-inspired piece with a flawless, but not ostentatious, diamond. The setti

alue was significant, but it was the craftsmanship that was stagge

"Intended for... a different circumstance. The sentiment is gone, but the ob

But the judge was waiting, and Barrett was sliding th

knuckle as he adjusted the setting, and Evangelina felt

e judge, his tone easy, conversational. "We'l

by the State of New York, I now pronounce y

hadn't considered this. Hadn't pre

. His nose grazed her cheekbone, a whisper of cont

pressure of a seal

gelina's lungs rememb

s printed side by side in formal script. Evangelina stared at the document, at t

tt folded his certificate into his breast poc