Finn looked down at his hands. “I don’t want to let you down.”
“You keep saying that.” Darragh’s voice was gentle. “But you haven’t explained what you think that would look like.”
“The summit. Court events. Formal dinners with important people.” Finn forced himself to meet Darragh’s eyes. “I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake that reflects badly on you right when you need to prove Safe Harbor belongs at the table with other kingdoms.”
Darragh was quiet for a moment. Then he stood and walked around the table, pulling up a chair next to Finn instead of across from him.
“Can I tell you what I’m afraid of?” he asked.
Finn nodded, surprised by the question.
“I’m afraid of waking up in ten years next to someone who doesn’t really know me. Someone who sees the crown instead of the person. Someone I can’t talk to honestly because they’re too busy trying to be what they think I need.” Darragh took Finn’s hand, and Finn didn’t pull away. “That terrifies me more than any diplomatic incident ever could.”
“But…”
“I’m not done.” Darragh’s thumb traced across Finn’s knuckles. “You’re worried about the summit. I understand that. But here’s what I know. I’d rather face that event with someone honest by my side, someone I trust completely, than with the most polished diplomat in the world who I can’t stand to be within a yardstick of.”
Finn stared at their joined hands. “You really mean that.”
“I really mean that.” Darragh squeezed his hand. “So maybe stop protecting me and let me decide what I’m willing to risk.”
Chapter Nine
That afternoon, Darragh couldn’t focus on the correspondence spread across his desk. His mind kept drifting back to lunch, to the feel of Finn’s hand in his, to the way Finn had finally stopped pulling away.
I’m so freaking glad I was right,he thought, leaning his chin on his hand, his elbow planted on the desk.He said the words. He likes me back. His only concern is letting me down…which means he really does like me.
Darragh was so incredibly happy about that. As soon as he’d seen Finn at their dinner together that first night, his mind was made up. Finn really was as authentic as Darragh had hoped he would be. And that meant the next step was obvious. Darragh wanted to marry him.
The realization hit him hard because he felt he could finally acknowledge it. He, Darragh the man, wanted to marry Finn. Not because his advisers thought a king should be married. Not because there may or may not be more perceived stability for his country at the summit. No, Darragh wanted to marry Finn because the man made him laugh, challenged him, and, more importantly, saw him as a man first before he saw the crown.
It was clear from all the things Finn said and hadn’t said in three days that he’d have been happy with Darragh if he owned a local drinking establishment or worked in the shipbuilding yard, and that was priceless in itself. As for Darragh, he realized he wanted Finn, purely and simply, because the thought of Finn leaving at the end of a week made his chest tight and his heart hurt.
Which is the perfect reason for getting married.Darragh was sure of it. He had found his person at last, and he wasn’t going to lose Finn because of protocol or anything else. Before he second-guessed himself, he pushed away from his desk and went to find Helena.
She was in her office, surrounded by her usual chaos of papers and ledgers. She looked up when he entered, taking one look at his face before setting down her pen.
“You’ve decided then.”
“Yes. I want to propose to Finn.”
Helena’s eyebrows rose. “Propose? Darragh, we don’t do proposals anymore. You know that. A marriage contract is drawn up between the two families or parties. In this case, since you have the higher rank, you would present a contract to Finn outlining the terms of the marriage. His family would review it, negotiate if needed, and then both parties would sign.”
“I know the protocol.” Darragh crossed his arms. “But I don’t care. This is something I remember my late father talking about years ago - back when I was a child. He proposed to my mother, and I want to propose to Finn properly, in the old way.”
“The old way.” Helena stared at him. “As in, historically old? Before the World Council standardized marriage contracts?”
“Exactly.”
“Darragh…”
“Finn deserves something special, Helena. Something unexpected.” Darragh started pacing - his nervous energy from worrying he couldn’t make himself understood needed an outlet. “If you think about it, every single thing about us has been unconventional. He’s a fifth son with no court training who fixes roofs. I’m a king who greets merchants at the harbor. Why should our marriage be something we do strictly by the book?”
Helena was quiet for a moment. Then she sighed and pulled out a book from the shelf behind her. “You’re absolutely certain about this?”
“Completely.”
“And you understand that after the proposal, you’ll still need to work out the contract details with him? The proposal doesn’t replace that legal requirement.”
