“I don’t need you,” Mariel said. It was delivered with such a foolishly stubborn tilt of her chin that it made Clem feel a bit giddy. Why were they standing so close to each other? It had seemed vaguely necessary for knot-untying, but now Clem realized it was ridiculous. Mariel was ridiculous. She was stubborn and handsome and a lost cause, but right now her lips were bitten-red and her eyes were dipping low, and Clem had a theory.
