Her Reluctant Husband by Erica Marselas (summer beach reads txt) 📗

“You’re the best big brother I could ask for.” Kathleen’s voice echoes through my head. Words she told me moments before the picture was snapped. Then she retracted the statement after I threw a pie in her face an hour later.

But she wasn’t the only one who faced my pie throwing wrath that day.

I flip over the frame and pull out the photo. After five years, after I had shunned her, I un-crease the image to reveal June. Her cherub cheeks, bright eyes, shining blonde hair, and large smile stare back at me once again. My Ju-Ju. This is before she went off the deep end. Before her father died and she was more like a little sister to me. Even then, she took up a big part of my life, and just like Kat, I wanted to protect her from all the dangers in the world.

I admit, I miss this girl. The one who would crawl into bed with me when there was a storm or just to talk my ear off early in the morning. The girl who always laughed at my jokes. And I’m not funny. The sweet, innocent, beautiful girl who had a light in her eyes. The girl I lost a long time ago.

“Because it means you taking some of the blame too.” June’s words for hours ago blast through. I pushed them away earlier, so I could work and not let my anger boil over into doing something I might regret.

Maybe I am to blame. That light in her eyes burned out after her dad died and I didn’t do whatever it took to ignite that fire again. Hold onto her tighter and protect her. I gave up when it was my job to protect her, but instead, I just left her.

“You always leave.”

I shake off June’s voice from that night in the closet and put the picture down.

“She’s hurting. I wish I knew how to help her…” Kat’s voice swims back around from one of the many nights she called me confused and lost over her friend.

“But what else am I missing Kat?” I mumble.

Opening my desk drawer, I spot the velvet box I had Mr. Kelley bring me weeks ago. It sits on top of the framed photo Maggie and Ms. Gandy had sent to my office.

Actions.

If that’s what she wants, that’s what she’ll get.

I grab the velvet box and head for her bedroom. I don't knock, just twist the handle to let myself in. I’m half expecting to find her asleep, but the light by her bedside illuminates her unmade bed. I know she's home because I've heard her leave and come back and then mosey around the house, but I haven't heard her awake from a nightmare yet.

I head downstairs and find the television glowing and June curled with Liz’s blue and purple afghan around her chest.

“Room for one more?” I slide in next to her, Silver Bells belting from the screen.

“Go away, Alex, I’m not in the mood to get into anything with you. I was just hoping this Netflix movie would help put me to sleep.”

"I think I'll stay. What are we watching?" I pick up the remote and hit the info, chuckling when I see the title. “The Christmas Prince? Taking new meaning to Christmas in July.”

“Don’t judge me. I needed something light. I could watch a serial killer documentary, but like I said I want to be lulled to sleep.” She snatches the remote from me and pauses the movie. “I thought you had earplugs to keep me tuned out?”

“I haven’t been to sleep yet. I’m working on this project, but I also know you haven't been to bed yet."

“Trying to get another promotion?” she asks, ignoring my comment.

“Yeah. Big presentation Monday. It could make or break me.”

“You were always chasing the next level. My dad really did rub off on you.”

"He did.”

“Is that all? Because I want to get back to my movie.”

“Listen, June, I meant it when I said I want to try and put the past behind us.”

She blows out a big breath. “And I said—”

“I know what you said—Actions. So how about a peace offering to start with?”

Her little nose wrinkles as she eyes me suspiciously. “A peace offering?”

“Well, I think really it would be more like confirming our commitment.” I pull out the velvet box from my shorts pocket and hand it to her.

"What is this?" She eyes it curiously.

"Open it."

As she lifts the lid her mouth drops open. "This, this, is…" she mumbles in total disbelief.

"Liz's ring," I confirm.

“You’re giving this to me?”

“I was wrong not to give this ring to you in the first place. It does belong to you.”

“No, you were right. It was going to be Kathleen’s. I don’t blame you.” She closes the box and tries to hand it back to me. “I don't want you to feel like you have to do this. I asked for actions, but—”

“Will you be quiet,” I snap and shove the box back at her. “Listen, I was wrong about that. Liz actually did want you to have this ring. Kathleen had our mom’s ring…” The image of Kathleen in her casket, with mom's wedding band on her finger before they closed it flashes before my eyes, but I quickly shake it off. We're going forward. “So, if she was here, Liz would have always given it to you anyway, so take it.”

“Thanks.” There’s still uncertainty in her voice as she rubs her finger over the fuzzy velvet of the box.

"You going to put it on?"

She bites her lip and opens the box again. She pulls the ring out and pinches it between her fingers, her forehead wrinkling as she examines the