For a moment there, a split-second in all her uncertainty, Lorcan wondered whether she was reconsidering the whole thing. She'd had all her qualms about it last time they'd thought about it - she had been so sure it wouldn't work.
Turned out she must want her shop rather a lot, he supposed, if she was seriously stooping to marrying him to get it. (Stooping - well, not socially. If anyone was stooping socially, it was him, marrying a girl from a bakery; or so people would say.) And this was all about the shop, just as she'd promised him it would be in theory. Funny, wasn't it, that the shop and the inheritance were now the things that would run their lives. It was... not what he'd imagined, to be getting married.
And it would be a shame to miss out on the celebration side of it all, because Lorcan had always liked a party. 'Course, it wouldn't be much of a party if Uncle Pádraig and the rest were there, probably staring daggers at the very least. And Lorcan's own father... well, he was a hard bloke to disppoint to begin with, but would this be the first time Lorcan managed to piss him off? That'd be something special. (But no, Lorcan moving out; Desmond would probably be pleased.)
Well, at least Lorcan could frame all this as an adventure. Uncharted territory for them both, and at least Maggie wouldn't have to go it alone. Whatever the other consequences, they'd had fun before, and they'd make this fun too, real marriage or sham. "I like it," he announced, swinging back towards overzealous enthusiasm, just so her doubts didn't get the better of her. "Rip off all the bandages at once," he said, cocking his head approvingly. "Liven things up a bit, give everyone a surprise." This would be a better way to shock Finnian than any prank he'd ever pulled for his brother's birthday.
Still, he wasn't sure what precisely he would say to his family. Would he have to tell the truth about it all? Surely I'm married wouldn't be the end of it. Was he going to have to share the whole story, the money, the shop, about it being for convenience? He supposed it'd be obvious they hadn't eloped for love...
He reached out and touched her wrist, having been going to take her hand and squeeze it but thinking better of it. "I... can't wait," he said, his smile fading into something a little more sincere.
Turned out she must want her shop rather a lot, he supposed, if she was seriously stooping to marrying him to get it. (Stooping - well, not socially. If anyone was stooping socially, it was him, marrying a girl from a bakery; or so people would say.) And this was all about the shop, just as she'd promised him it would be in theory. Funny, wasn't it, that the shop and the inheritance were now the things that would run their lives. It was... not what he'd imagined, to be getting married.
And it would be a shame to miss out on the celebration side of it all, because Lorcan had always liked a party. 'Course, it wouldn't be much of a party if Uncle Pádraig and the rest were there, probably staring daggers at the very least. And Lorcan's own father... well, he was a hard bloke to disppoint to begin with, but would this be the first time Lorcan managed to piss him off? That'd be something special. (But no, Lorcan moving out; Desmond would probably be pleased.)
Well, at least Lorcan could frame all this as an adventure. Uncharted territory for them both, and at least Maggie wouldn't have to go it alone. Whatever the other consequences, they'd had fun before, and they'd make this fun too, real marriage or sham. "I like it," he announced, swinging back towards overzealous enthusiasm, just so her doubts didn't get the better of her. "Rip off all the bandages at once," he said, cocking his head approvingly. "Liven things up a bit, give everyone a surprise." This would be a better way to shock Finnian than any prank he'd ever pulled for his brother's birthday.
Still, he wasn't sure what precisely he would say to his family. Would he have to tell the truth about it all? Surely I'm married wouldn't be the end of it. Was he going to have to share the whole story, the money, the shop, about it being for convenience? He supposed it'd be obvious they hadn't eloped for love...
He reached out and touched her wrist, having been going to take her hand and squeeze it but thinking better of it. "I... can't wait," he said, his smile fading into something a little more sincere.
