Where there's a Will, there's a Tiara | Complete (ONC 2021 Longlister)

13. Revelations

"Probably a little bit of both, if I'm being honest." He ran a hand through his hair and held it at the back of his neck. "I don't think you are ready and I'm not sure you're in this for real. And if you're honest, you aren't sure either."

Ouch. Accurate, but ouch.

"Of course she is!" Nora came to my defence from across the room. Because of course she was still there, acting as our chaperone like we were literally alive in the 18th century.

"Nora!" I snapped, turning to face her. "Can we just, maybe discuss this slightly more privately?" I could see the hurt on her face at my using her name — I was really trying to call her grandmother, but sometimes my facade fell off. "Sorry, grandma, this is just stressful."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, looking between Edward and me until finally she pursed her lips and nodded, turning on her heels and making her way across the room to stare out a window in the farthest corner.

I took a deep breath. Time to do what Nora wants. I need to get her to release me from this and then I can go home. And then everything will be fine.

"You are right," I admitted. "I'm still not sure. I've met you so many times and I still feel like I barely know you. But I do want to get to know you. This is what we have to do, right? It's, like, our duty or something."

His eyes flashed across mine and for a split second I thought I might have seen the real Edward hiding in there somewhere. He looked almost pained. What did I say? I ran back the whole conversation in my head and couldn't find anything overtly untrue so I just waited for him to speak.

"It is not, and should not be, entirely duty. I have made a promise to you and your family and I intend to honour that, but this ultimately is up to us. Did no one tell you that? It's not decided. It's just a proposition."

"It's... what?"

"You can still say no?" he said the phrase as a question. "I assumed you were aware of that."

"I was not," I admitted.

"Did you read my letter at all?"

I bit my bottom lip and looked up at him, shaking my head. "Not really."

"Maybe you should," he said, leaning in toward me and whispering. Then, he returned to full height and spoke at a volume probably just loud enough for Nora to hear. "So, what do you think about coming to the party? Maybe it would be easier if you came as my guest and not as my fiancée?"

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. Though you will have to leave that giant rock at home." He pointed to my finger and I laughed.

"You picked it!"

"That I did."

Something about the matter-of-fact response and the way he looked down at his hands clasped together made me feel like there was something he wasn't telling me. But if I asked him about it, there was no way I'd get out of there without giving him some information about me and everything he could possibly learn would only make my time with my grandmother increase.

"So it's decided, then. I will come as a guest and leave 'this giant rock' safely tucked away. But you know, no one would know I'm engaged to you if I did wear it."

He smiled. "I think they might have a guess."

I looked down at the ornate detailing of the ring and the large flawless stones within it. "Okay, you might have a point there. It is very beautiful, though."

"It was my grandmother's. I added some of the gems for you."

Why on earth had he entrusted me with a priceless family heirloom? I always knew the thing was worth a lot of money but this was something else entirely.

And then I said the only thing I could think of at that moment. "I'm really hungry, do you have any snacks."

When did I become so incompetent at handling myself in public? Get it together, Becker. 

* ~ * Author's Note * ~ *

Looking for more Romance in your life? thatcalamity 's ONC Entry, Thaw My Heart, might be a great choice for you! 

Stiff and notorious for boring routines, Fern is left alone on the ice when her longtime ice dance partner quits. But Fern's Olympic dream won't wait for her to find the perfect partner. Enter Roch, the hot-headed French Canadian with a chip on his shoulder and a tendency to crack under pressure.