Had she heard Aden correctly? She grabbed the side of the desk to steady herself. None of this made any sense. Turning to him, her mouth clamped shut when she saw he was absolutely serious. Aden’s eyes searched hers, sending an unspoken message she couldn’t decipher. He moved to stand next to her, staying close, and looking at her with a warmth she’d never seen from him before. “I want to marry you.” He sounded convincing. As if the words were true. Her breath unexpectedly caught in her throat. “Aden,” the bishop said, his voice composed amid the turmoil in the room. “I must say, yer proclamation is a surprise.” “Ya.” Sol took a step toward Aden, his eyes flaring. “It is.” Bishop Troyer put out his arm, holding Sol back. “There’s nee need for anyone to get upset, Solomon. Let yer bruder explain himself.” Aden grasped her hand. She flinched but didn’t pull back even though she wanted to. She didn’t understand what he was doing, but she knew she needed to play along for both their sakes.
