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

“Now, now, I’m not trying to play any games, Ms. Madison, or I guess I should say Mrs. Wilks.” He smirks, causing me to roll my eyes, but I can’t deny the odd tingles I get in my belly from hearing my married name out loud for the first time. “I’m not some big bad tycoon out to destroy this place. I actually have a great idea for it, and you might see it’s a much better plan than you two kids keeping it. No reason for you to have to play any more games you don’t want to, am I right?”

“Why should I believe you? You would do anything to get what you want.”

“I think you have me pegged all wrong.”

“I don’t think I do. Liz considered you slime.”

“Oh, I’m sure she did.” He chuckles heartily, like he’s been complimented by the insult. “She didn’t mince her words. It’s what I liked about her. Nothing better than a lady that can fight back, but you see, she came to me in her last days because she knew I would make a good deal when the time came.”

“But now isn’t the time.”

“You haven’t heard what I got for you.”

“I don’t need to hear because no matter what you offer, we’re not giving in. Liz would never want us to sell to you. It’s why she came up with her scheme, to keep this house away from the likes of you and anyone else.”

Mr. Bookings nods with a small smile. “Yes, I guess you would be right. But I’m not as bad as you think I am. As I said, I had a long talk with her before she passed. I know what she wanted, but you see, sometimes in business, opportunities come up sooner than expected. There’s a great one that has been thrown on my lap and I think it’s something you would be very interested in. There’s a huge give back to the community. Also, no fake marriages included.”

“Mr. Bookings, I promise you, we have no interest in what you are trying to sell, and Alex and I are fine with our predicament.”

He reaches inside his suit jacket and hands me his business card. “Listen, here’s my card. Call me when you change your mind.”

“That won’t be happening. Have a nice day.” I close the door on him and lean against it. How many people know about me and Alex getting married? I’m starting to feel like the whole town is behind this.

I shuffle to the kitchen and shove his business card in my purse. How dare that asshole try to worm his way into my head? We’ve made it this far and there’s no way we would just hand it over now. I debate if I should tell Alex about my encounter, and like some sign from above my phone rings, Alex’s name shining on the screen.

“Alex?” I answer.

“June, thank god. Are you home?” he replies, his voice sounding panicked.

“Yeah? What’s wrong?”

He breathes heavily into the phone with his relief. “I need a huge favor. You know that presentation I’ve been working on?”

“Yeah?”

“I left it on my desk in my room and I need it stat. I have this huge meeting with my boss in two hours. Could you grab it and bring it in to me?”

“Sure.”

“You will?” he gasps, not hiding his shock.

“Why are you acting surprised?” I roll my eyes.

“I’m not,” he scoffs.

“Right. Well—stay on to make sure I find your stuff.” I quickly make my way upstairs and head for his bedroom. As I step into his room, I suddenly feel like I’m stepping on sacred ground. I haven’t allowed myself to come into this room.

“Don’t go through all my shit while you’re in there,” he grumbles. The asshole inside of him is never too far away.

“Oh yes, I was totally going to raid your underwear drawer. Chill the fuck out,” I snap and he chuckles. The tension eases immediately. “Now, what am I looking for?” I move over to his desk and he has hundreds of papers piled up on it. “It’s a hot mess you have in here.”

“There’s a yellow folder. It should be on top. If you open it up it should say Peterson.”

“Okay, I see it and I have it. Can you text me your office address and I’ll head right out?”

“Thank you, June.”

“Was it painful to say that?” I tease.

“It might have been.” He laughs softly, and we’re back to the bickering we had this weekend.

“I’ll see you in an hour.”

I grab the yellow folder, along with some of the extra folders, just in case. I’d hate for him not to have everything or I didn’t grab the right thing and have him all pissy at me when we’re sorta getting along now. In my haste, I knock over a framed photo where it clatters to the floor.

“Shit,” I curse, hoping I didn’t break the glass. I’ll never hear the end of it if I did. Crossing my fingers, I pick up the fallen black frame, and breathe a sigh of relief when I see it’s all in one piece. My fingers tingle and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge when I see the image is of Kathleen, Alex, and me when we were young. Our arms are around each other...grinning happily at the camera. This feels like a lifetime ago.

Alex had this picture on his desk for years, but when I was in his room a month ago, I notice I wasn’t in it. It’s easy to see by the heavy crease down the middle where I was; he’d tried to erase me from the memory.

But why am I unfolded now?

And why does it give me hope?

As I walk into