Page 110 of Second Alarm

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"I know."

"Such a specific kind of idiot."

"I know."

"Does she know."

"Yes."

"When did she figure it out?"

"Her first day back."

"Of course." He shakes his head.

"Cal."

"Yeah?"

"I love her. I'm going to marry her."

Cal's face freezes.

"Don't say that out loud."

"Okay."

"You aren't allowed to tell me you're going to marry my sister in a bar."

"Okay."

"You have to do a whole — a whole — "

"I'll do the whole — "

"The ring, the permission — you have to ASK me, Brennan, do you understand what I'm — "

"Cal."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to ask you. First. Before I ask her. And I'm going to let you say no, if you want to say no, and I'm going to accept the no, for one month, because it's you — and at the end of the month I'm going to ask you again, and we're going to do that as many times as it takes, because I'm not going to do this without your blessing."

He stares at me.

"Do you hear yourself?"

"Yes."

"That isn't the kind of — "

"It's what I want to do."

"Brennan — " He stops. Leans back. He's been thinking about his next line for days, and the version he lands on isn't the dramatic one. He takes a breath. "If you hurt her, I'll literally end you. And I know where they keep the axes."

"I understand, Cal." I hesitate. "Was that your blessing?"

"Yeah, Brennan."

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