Wickedly Ever After | Hevie

Chapter 22: Lover

The sun began to set on the Isle of the Lost, with the sky painted beautiful tones of pink, red, and orange. Rays of sunshine peered through the windows into Evie's boutique, illuminating the store in warm lighting that contrasted the cold temperatures outside. It was the second to last Friday of October and winter was just around the corner.

It had been one week since the aperture of Evie's boutique, and like a newborn that had just been born, the princess cared for it every day, nurturing it and making sure things were running smoothly. She came in every day at the crack of dawn and left when it was already dark out. She was as surprised as anyone to see people from all over Auradon City go over the bridge to the Isle just to visit her boutique. It warmed to think that maybe by her having her store there, the Isle would lose the stigma that surrounded it and people would come without having to clutch their purses to their bodies and have their hands in their pocket and heads bowed as to not make eye contact with anyone.

"And that concludes our first week of operations," said Evie as she emptied the cash registers and organized the boutique's winnings. She only ever had up to four employees working a day, besides herself. She trusted them all enough to know that they'd take care of her boutique if she wasn't there. She went to her office in the back and wrote paychecks for every one of them. She also wrote personal 'thank you' notes and slid them inside the pastel blue envelopes. Once she walked outside, she handed each one with a smile. "I see a very bright future ahead of us," she said. "I also see Evie's Four Hearts boutiques everywhere from Auroria, Charmington, Cinderellasburg, and oh, to Agrabah."

"I think we should focus on just this one, Evie," said Diana, one of Evie's employees.

"Yes, I think so too but hey, all my dreams have come true so far," the princess chuckled. "Well, I hope you all have a wonderful evening and I'll see you tomorrow."

They all smiled and waved their goodbyes as they put on their coats and scarves and walked out of the store into the Isle. They all lived nearby, unlike Evie who lived a half-hour drive away. However, she wouldn't be going home just yet as that night was a special occasion. Harry had told her the day after the boutique's opening that he needed a week to plan for their first date. The day had finally arrived and all that he had asked was that she wear casual attire and that he borrow her car for the day as he wanted to pick her up at the boutique. He didn't have his driver's license but Evie trusted him enough not to wreck her car. She only hoped no cops stopped him on the road.

Evie looked at herself in the fitting room mirror and tugged at the ends of her bright blue sweater. She fixed her hair and retouched her makeup. She had no idea what Harry had planned but she knew she could discard the idea of a fancy dinner. She knew Harry was far too spontaneous to take her on the most cliche first date possible. She paced around the empty boutique, often taking glances outside to see if she could spot her car. Ten minutes passed and she finally heard the familiar engine, prompting her to begin flicking off the lights and locking all the doors. Once she stepped outside and locked the boutique's entrance behind her, she turned to see Harry leaning against the car with a huge bouquet of red roses.

"Y'know how many roses there are here?" His cheeks were flushing a light shade of pink as she neared him slowly with a huge smile on her lips. "Forty to be exact, which means my love for ye is pure."

"Who told you that? The cashier at the flower shop?" She asked as she greeted him with a quick peck on the lips before lowering her head to smell the roses.

"He was probably making it all up," confessed the pirate. "Ye look stunning as always."

"Thank you," the princess blushed. "You look very handsome."

Harry wore a burgundy sweater much like Evie's and some dark trousers to match. Over his sweater, he wore a leather puffy leather jacket designed by none other than Evie. He wore his hair combed back, and it seemed like he liked wearing it like that ever since the boutique's opening. Evie couldn't remember the last time he went out with his scruffy bangs covering his forehead.