I’m silent for the rest of the car ride, and I feel Jace’s eyes on me a few times.

Jace turns into a paved driveway, which is a first for me in Fulton. It stretches for a while before I see lights up ahead that indicate we’re approaching a building. Jace pulls off to the side of the driveway behind an assortment of trucks and cars already parked. I climb out and start striding toward the lights.

“Where are you going?” Jace asks, a hint of amusement in his voice as he climbs out as well.

“The gathering you brought me to?”

“Wrong way. It’s behind the barn.”

“Of course it is,” I mutter before changing course toward the wooden structure barely visible in the light cast from the house.

“Whoa, you’re not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on,” Jace informs me, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. Headlights illuminate his stern face for a moment as the two cars of agents park behind Jace’s truck. He follows my gaze. “They agreed to stay in the car.”

I look up into the confused, stormy eyes that have always served as some sort of truth serum to me, then glance away before I blurt out the niggling thoughts swirling beneath the joy. “I’m worried it’s not going to be enough for you. That I’m not. You’ve been with all these other girls, and you’re used to getting all this attention, and I—I’m worried you’ll miss it once the novelty of us wears off. I know that you love me and the fact that you gave up football, and proposed, it meant—means—more to me than I could ever tell you. There’s nothing that could mean more. But remember how surprised you were about the wedding we went to together? How young they were? That’s us, Jace, and—”

Jace interrupts me. “Vivienne.”

I look at him, bracing myself for anger that I’m doubting him, but his voice is soft.

“I get that you’re scared. I do. But you’re enough for me. You’re everything. Give me a chance to prove it to you, okay? I don’t want anyone else. This wasn’t a rash decision on my part. I thought it through. All of it.” He stares at me intently. Another flash of headlights illuminate their steely resolve.

“Dawson! Finally!” a guy’s voice calls from the car that’s just arrived. A tall figure bounds over to us.

“Hey, Jack!” Jace replies, slapping the newcomer on the back.

“I couldn’t believe it when Sam said you were back in town! I mean…” the newcomer’s voice trails off when he spots me. “Hello there.” He grins. “I’m Jack.”

“Vivienne.” I smile back.

“I don’t live under a rock, darling. I know who you are.” Jack winks.

Several guys come over from the same car Jack arrived in, followed by a dozen more. Jace and I are quickly swept up in the raucous group that rounds the side of the wooden barn to the sight of a roaring bonfire surrounded by groups of people. One figure peels off from a group as soon as we appear.