He wanted to look for her, to bring her back to his side. Not just because it was important for them to show a united front and a happy relationship. He just wanted her there.
He was pulled in a dozen different directions then, shaking hands and making connections. Henry was right there with him, taking down numbers and making promises for private meetings.
At this rate, Finn wasn’t going to get a moment to himself until election day.
Then, if he got elected, it would be endless as well.
And if he didn’t?
Honestly, he didn’t even have a backup plan for that scenario. He’d lived, breathed, eaten, and slept this campaignsince college. There was no vision that didn’t involve politics, making changes and helping the people of all the communities.
His father had been killed trying to protect the old laws. Finn wanted to help create newer, fairer ones—ones that would benefit everyone, not just the select few interest groups who could afford to buy off the former corrupt politicians.
If he couldn’t do that, he had no idea what his life would be like. Where would he work? Would he lose Henry to some different campaign in another state? Would Iris feel compelled to follow through with their arrangement?
That last one gave him the biggest gut punch of all.
Once the rest of the constituents had cleared out, Henry ushered Finn into the staging area, going over all the meetings they would be setting up, how he thought things had gone, and which paranormal groups they’d gained.
“Unfortunately, at this rate, I don’t know if we have a chance of winning over the vampires,” Henry was going on as Finn craned over his shoulder to see if he could spot Iris anywhere.
Where could she have gotten to? Especially once everyone was gone?
He wanted just a couple of minutes alone with her to tell her how well she’d done, how impressed he was with her grace and kindness.
And ask her about her background, what royal duties she liked, and which ones she couldn’t stand.
He also would like a chance to ask her what she saw in her future. Intheirfuture. Was she planning on being a political wife? Arranging charity events, doing community outreach, hosting lavish parties at their home?
Did she have dreams of her own career?
“Especially not after that whole fiasco.” Henry waved out toward the stage.
“What fiasco?”
He and Henry were usually on the same page when it came to how successful an event was or not. They’d been working so closely for so long, sometimes he swore he could hear the exact words about to come out of his campaign manager’s mouth just seconds before he uttered them.
His surprise was enough to make him stop looking for his fiancée and focus on Henry.
“With Iris,” Henry said, scrolling through something on his phone, then rapidly typing with one hand. Finn could just picture his calendar filling up in real time.
“What are you talking about?”
“The way she went on and on about the ocean,” Henry said, tapping away.
“She’sfromthe ocean.”
“Yes, fine. But this town hall was not about her. None of this is about her.”
Taken aback, it took Finn a moment to sort through his thoughts.
“I know you’re not aiming to be an ass, but you really hit the mark,” Finn said, watching as his head lifted, brows raised.
“You know I didn’t mean it that way. I meant that you need to be the focal point of these types of events, since these people will be voting for you, not her.”
“Still. Watch how you talk about her. She could have overheard and misinterpreted.”
“Understood. Now, let’s go over—”
