Page 22 of Will You (Not) Marry Me

Eva tiptoed past Finn’s door, not wanting to wake him, but seconds later noticed that there was a soft glow of light coming from the living area even though it was still pitch-black outside. Treading forwards softly on her bare feet, Eva peeked around the doorframe. Finn was sitting at the dining table, hunched over something, a lamp pulled up right beside him. There were books stacked on the table in front of him next to the vase filled with fake flowers that wouldn’t die in this brutal cold. The whole scene looked cluttered and slightly bizarre, but Finn clearly took no notice, intent on whatever he was doing.

Eva thought about being a coward and turning on her heel and going straight back to bed.

You’re going to hide?she scolded herself.Like a wimp? C’mon. It’s a perfect opportunity to seem like a crazy woman who never sleeps. Who wants to deal with an insomniac?

Besides, she still desperately needed a drink of water before her tongue fell out of her mouth.

After the swift and violent argument with herself, Eva mussed up her hair a little more, leaning further into looking as bedraggled as possible, and quietly entered the main room.

She stood there for a good thirty seconds without Finn noticing her. He was scribbling furiously away into some sort of notebook, his gaze laser-focused on the page. Eva crept a couple paces closer before she announced herself.

“You really like working, huh?

Finn jumped in his chair, a yelp getting strangled halfway out of his throat and his pen flying from his hand and clattering to the ground. He looked over at her with wide eyes before catching his breath. Eva raised her hands in apology. She wanted to scare him off the marriage, sure, but not give him a literal heart attack.

“Sorry,” she said with a grimace.

Finn let out a breath before he could speak.

“S’okay,” he said, reaching down to pick up his pen.

“You okay?” Eva asked, seeing how bedraggled and tired he was himself.

“Fine,” he said, forcing a smile.

“You can turn the main light on, you know? You’d be able to see whatever it is you’re doing better.”

“I like lamps,” he said. Then he winced at himself and shook his head.

Eva smothered an affectionate grin. “They’re more moody,” she offered in agreement. “More chill.”

“Yes,” said Finn, still sounding embarrassed. “Yes, more relaxing.”

She flicked on the main light anyway so she could see her way to the sink.

“Sorry,” she said. “I’ll turn it off when I leave.”

“You don’t have to leave.” He said it so quietly Eva wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it or not. But as she looked back over her shoulder, glass now in hand, Finn was watching her with the smallest of smiles. It was an invitation, hesitantly offered.

Eva filled up her glass from the faucet and gulped down the water, buying herself time to think. By the time she looked back, Finn was looking down at his notebook, shoulders hunched and fidgeting with his pen.

He just looked so… lonely.

You’re supposed to be scaring him off, she thought, angry at herself.

In the light of day, it was easy. But she couldn’t do it while he looked like that. It would be like kicking a puppy. Eva sighed internally.

“What are you working on?” she asked, gesturing to his notebook, her feet not taking any steps back towards her room. She presumed he was working on something related to royal duties; it was all he seemed to do.

“Oh,” he said again and shuffled his arm in front of the notebook to block her from seeing it. “It’s nothing. Just scribbles. Nonsense, really.”

Eva cocked her head, curious despite herself. “Sorry,” she said. “Is it super private, important, royal work stuff?”

“No,” said Finn, trying to laugh it off, but the rims of his ears were turning red and betraying him. “It’s nothing special.”

“I showed you my photos,” she teased, sitting down. “Uneditedphotos, too. Return the favor?”

Finn kept his arm firmly in the way of Eva’s view. Looking at his shy, grim expression, she felt guilt twist in her stomach over her behavior toward him. She didn’t regret it; she still wanted out of this marriage. But he was so suspicious of her now.

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