My hand flew to my rapidly pounding heart in my throat as I stared. Sitting on the stump with his long legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles, was a redheaded guy playing his heart out—an average-sized man among the little people.

I think I made a really weird squeaking sound, but I couldn’t be sure.

His eyes were closed. His wrist moved back and forth over the polished fiddle at high speed, ringing out pure notes of sunshine in the darkness. I would remember every detail of those few seconds for the rest of my days. I’d expected to feel emotional when I laid eyes on him. But I hadn’t expected the emotion to be so intense that it would impact me physically. Blood rushed through my veins at an alarming speed. My mind swirled and I swear I tilted to the side, off balance and unable to fully fill my lungs.

Cassidy was the drama queen, not me. To be so out of control was disorienting.

“Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh!” Cassidy squealed, and started jumping up and down and clapping when she saw him. Mom grasped her by the wrist and begged her not to make a scene. My family beamed at me and my eyes stung.

I looked back at McKale. His father had been right to brag; he played beautifully. I’d never known anyone who played a violin. I loved the bursts of tinny sound, especially when combined with the high-pitched wooden flute of the Leprechaun boy next to him. It was a lively tune that had everyone kicking up their heels, clapping, and spinning one another round.

Brogan turned and caught my expression.

“No’ bad, eh?” he asked. I smiled and nodded my head. I was afraid if I opened my mouth I would squeal idiotically like Cassidy. I looked over and saw her wiping tears from her face. Oh, man, I wished she wouldn’t do that. When she caught my eye she gave a great laughing sob and reached out to hug me. I was such a firmly wound bundle of emotion that I had to lock my jaw and swallow hard. We pulled away as the song ended, and my heart began doing that slamming thing in my chest again.

The crowd cheered and Brogan hollered McKale’s name, waving his arms at him. I held my breath as McKale lowered his instrument and peered around the crowd, searching for the caller. As soon as he spotted him, Brogan motioned toward me. Cassidy stepped away, nearer to our parents, leaving me as the lone beacon for McKale’s sights. His eyes moved slowly from his father… to me, and stuck there.

Later, I would ask Cassidy how long we stayed like that, just staring at one another across the field, and she swore it was only for a few seconds. It felt much, much longer to me, like forever. I schooled my face into its careful, expressionless pose and he seemed to do the same.

He stood, and as he made his way toward me in long, graceful strides, a hush dropped over the party. He towered over the other people, walking with purpose. The closer he got, the more apparent it became that he was gorgeously, blessedly tall. I pressed my lips together against the geeky grin that was trying so hard to appear.

McKale wore a dark green tunic with brown bottoms that went to his mid-calf, and his bare feet swished through the grass. His dark red hair hung in waves about his head. He had sideburns that turned into a thin beard running neatly along his jaw line down to a slightly pointed chin. His nose was straight and narrow and when he stopped in front of me I could see his eyes were hazel. I couldn’t look away from him.

“This is Robyn, son,” Brogan said.

He needn’t introduce us because we hadn’t taken our eyes from one another since locking gazes across the clearing. McKale inclined his head toward me. His expression had not changed, but his eyes searched my face with a pleasant, bashful curiosity.

“This is her father, Leon,” Brogan continued, introducing my family. “Her mother, Cecelia. And their youngest girl, Cassidy.” McKale gave a small bow of his head in greeting to each of them before turning back to face me, stepping closer. I got a whiff of something sweet just then, but I couldn’t place the scent. A natural aromatic of some sort, distantly familiar.

“Very pleased to make yer acquaintance, Robyn.” He spoke in a soft, lilted tenor.

I opened my mouth to say something amazingly intelligent, but what came out was a short burst of joyful laughter. The grin I’d tried to contain stretched across my face.

My laughter seemed to take him by surprise. I forced the smile away.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just that… you’re so… tall.”

Nearby little people gasped. A hot blush flooded my cheeks at the stupidity of my remark, and McKale’s face darkened.

“Aye. That I am.” He cleared his throat, looking away. An awkward silence fell, and I knew I’d screwed up, though I couldn’t understand why. Sure, it had been a lame thing to say, but he acted like I’d insulted him or maybe I’d insulted his people. I felt terrible.

The music still played, but stray clan members were beginning to assemble around us. I opened my mouth, not sure of how to fix the moment, but McKale beat me to it.

“I’d best be returning.” He motioned to the musicians who’d started a new song without him. “I bid you good evening.” He gave me one last reluctant look, as if he’d been shamed, then he turned and bowed toward my family and walked swiftly away from us. My mouth fell open as I stared after him.

Brogan stepped up, smoothing his beard down several times.

“I’m afraid ye’ve found the boy’s tender spot.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He’s a tad sensitive about his height, is all.”