Chosen

Chapter 37

"Much more than okay," Finn smiled at me but glanced down and back up.

He opened his mouth and closed it again. Laughing nervously, he squeezed my hands.

"Rowan," Finn said, looking at my hands in his. "I don't even know how to start..."

My heart started to race not knowing what was going on.

"From the beginning?" I laughed at my repeated words from last night.

God, was it really only last night?

He laughed too and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Yeah, good idea. Rowan," he started again and looked me in the eye. "I honestly never thought I'd be here right now. I never thought any girl had the slightest chance of turning my head coming into this whole stupid Season. I thought I was fine on my own and that's how it would be. Forever."

Finn cleared his throat and went on.

"But then you- you were... everything. You were absolutely everything I never knew I wanted or needed. You were witty and smart. You were funny and clever and beautiful seems too small a word to encompass how entirely captivating I find you. You called me out on my bullshit without hesitation and without apology. You became my everything. I'm not even exactly sure when it happened but one minute you were one face in many, then you were the only face in my world. Every day and night. Every second became you. And when I thought I had lost you- When I thought you loved someone else and I would never have you- never hold you- kiss you- be with you. I went crazy. It was then that I really knew what was happening to me. What you were doing to me."

Finn reached up and grazed my cheek wiping a tear.

God, again?

I sniffed and he beamed and cleared his throat again. Tears were in his eyes too.

"Rowan, I was falling in love with you. Hopelessly, recklessly, entirely in love with you. And then the last few days... While partly the most awful time of my life- having to watch you be in pain and being helpless to stop it... It also made it abundantly clear that I was way past falling in love- I was fully and wholly in love with you."

I inhaled and felt more tears run down my face.

My heart was so full it felt like it was going to bust.

Finn grinned again and squeezed my hands.

He didn't look like he was done but I couldn't take it.

"I love you too, Finn," I breathed, and stepping forward I threw my arms around his neck and embarrassed him fully.

Putting his arms around my waist he picked me up and squeezed me to him, laughing.

"I love you so impossibly much," I cried the tears of joy streaming down my face.

Finn set me down and kissed me before stepping back.

His face was red and he was breathing heavily through a massive grin. Laughing again he ran one hand through his hair and grabbed my hands again.

"Okay, one more thing, just one more," Finn laughed again, catching his breath.

"Rowan Brunswick," Finn looked back and forth between my eyes and lowered himself on one knee.

I inhaled sharply and put a hand to my mouth.

He reached inside his back pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box.

My heart rate exploded taking in the sight of Finn on one knee holding a small box.

Flipping it open he revealed a gold ring with an oval opal stone with two small clusters of diamonds on each side. It glittered in the sunlight sparkling rainbow colors on the inside of the box. It was absolutely gorgeous and I gasped again.