Page 18 of Will You (Not) Marry Me

“It might seem a little selfish on my part, and a little inconsiderate towards our guests,” said Finn, adding a layer of chagrin. But everyone was hooked of course, wanting to know what he was talking about. Eva was looking at him with her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“Do go on,” said his father, sounding amused.

“I was wondering if I might take Princess Eva to the cabin. Just the two of us.”

While the Skärov royals looked confused at his suggestion, not knowing the context of what the cabin even was, his parents perked up at his words, obviously pleased with the idea. Eva just looked at him suspiciously.

“No offense,” said Finn, raising his hands. “But frankly you’re all a little excitable. And not to mention, I’d like to show my future wife more of Eschenberg than just the city.”

“I think that’s a splendid idea,” said his mother. “You’d have the whole place to yourselves.”

Admitting defeat and needing clarification, Queen Andrea spoke up. “The cabin?”

“A holiday home in the countryside,” Finn explained, voice bright. “No servants, no neighbors, just us to fend for ourselves for a little bit of peace when we need it. But my apologies, princess, you’re the one who needs to grant permission after all. Would you like to join me?”

He honestly expected her to say no, to make up some excuse that meant staying here at the palace. But to Finn’s surprise, she sat up and smiled, warm and bright at him.

“I’d love to,” she said with more energy than he’d ever seen from her. “I’ve spent so long in the U.S. that it would be wonderful to see more of Europe again. Especially more of Eschenberg.”

The queens cooed their delight at the idea of the trip and instantly started talking about sending them off for a week on their own.

Finn couldn’t help but be suspicious as to why she’d said yes so enthusiastically. Probably because he’d asked her in front of everyone and made it impossible to refuse. But maybe, just maybe, she actually did want to go with him? Maybe there was hope for this engagement to work out after all and avoid the disaster of one of them calling it off.

Maybe Tobias was right. Maybe this was all some sort of strange test on her part. Maybe there was something she was hiding that he had no idea about, something she could tell him away from the prying ears and eyes in the palace?Maybe, and this was potentially the saddest option, she just needed someone to be unconditionally kind to her?

At the very least, he would be able to get to the bottom of whatever she was up to without everybody else there looking on.

CHAPTER8

EVA

The next morning, their luggage already in the car and Finn insisting he would drive them there, not a chauffeur, Eva prepared herself for the next phase of Operation Worst Wife. The cabin was a two-hour drive from the city, and she’d decided her strategy would begin with not saying a single word for the entire drive. Not to answer a question, not to warn that there was a deer on the road, nothing.

Finn’s very obvious last-ditch attempt to win her over by bringing her out here alone was the perfect opportunity. Eva could do away with her proper princess persona altogether and just be a straight-up brat. No more switching back and forth. She was almost looking forward to it. Especially when it had seemed she was wearing Finn down with her antics.

But forty-five minutes into the journey, having not uttered a sound, she was less sure about having successfully gotten under his skin. After his initial few tries at starting a conversation went unanswered, Finn had seemed perfectly content driving in silence, not even bothering to put any music on. Now Eva was the one slowly being driven insane by the quiet.

She had to admit she had been relieved to be asked out here not just because it was a chance to try and push Finn away from her once and for all. Palaces, for all their comfort and beauty, could be incredibly suffocating. After being in New York for so long, Eva had forgotten how trapped she’d felt behind such grand walls. A smaller house in the countryside was just what she needed. But she was under no illusions that they were going to a literal cabin. This was a royal family, after all. It might be smaller, but she was sure it wouldn’t be walls made of logs stacked on top of each other and a cast-iron stove in a corner.

Also, she had brought her camera and laptop with her. She’d had no opportunity the last few days to take a single photo, and her hands missed the familiar weight of her camera. If nothing else was going right, at least she could take some photos and feel a little bit normal.

Eventually, they turned off the main road onto a winding driveway, everything covered in crisp snow and pine trees, the landscape looking far too picturesque for its own good. Eva’s suspicions were confirmed about the “cabin” when they pulled up in front of a house that would be considered a decent-sized family home anywhere else in the world, overlooking a view of the mountains.

“Here, let me get your luggage,” Finn offered once they’d climbed out of the car.

“You think I’m weak?” she asked. It was always good to fall back on the strong, independent woman thing.

“Not at all,” he replied cheerfully. “I was just being a gentleman, but if you’d prefer, please.” With that he gestured to the empty trunk with a pleasant smile, not at all offended by her accusation.

It was starting to creep Eva out how amenable he was being. But she stepped forward and yanked her luggage out of the trunk, trying to hide her embarrassment when it was indeed slightly too heavy and awkward for her. But Finn didn’t smirk, didn’t even blink.

He had to be up to something, didn’t he? His attitude towards her over the last day had turned on a dime. He’d gone from actively calling her out on how rude she had been to being even nicer than when she had first met him.

How had she lost so much ground?

Finn unlocked the door and let her inside. The house, cabin, whatever it was, already toasty warm inside. It was lovely, of course, and so much more modern than the palace, the perfect image of a wealthy family’s getaway home. The pantry and fridge were fully stocked, so she suspected the senior royals had sent people ahead to get the place ready. There was wood ready for the fireplace, but if they couldn’t be bothered lighting it, there was central heating anyway. A large living room joined with a state-of-the-art kitchen in a fashionable flowing space with very few walls. There was a hardwood dining table, plush white sofas and chairs, and lamps scattered in all corners to provide cozy, ambient lighting. Eva hated how much she loved it.

“Down the hall,” said Finn, coming in behind her. “The last doors to the left and right are the guest rooms that have been prepared, apparently,” he said, closing the door behind him, carrying his own suitcase.

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