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

Peterson. He points down the hall to the conference room, telling me to hurry. He’s not a man that likes to wait, so I turn away from the metal doors and make my way to my meeting feeling like once again I’m making the wrong decision.

“I’ve never seen Peterson happier after what you brought to the table today. He just signed a three-year contract with us to do all his advertising.” Mr. Hayes beams.

“Are you serious? He agreed to three years? He’s never signed long term with anyone before.” Peterson has some kind of advertising commitment issues.

“I know, but you did it, kid.”

“It wasn’t all me.” I have a team behind me, including Adrian. This man took a lot of research and time to learn how to impress him. It was like trying to make a monk laugh.

“You did, though. You’ve been busting your ass, and your team is only as good as their leader.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Oh, and by the way, did I see your wife in here earlier?”

“Yes, she just came to talk to me about something.” I swiftly close a folder on the table and try to hide my troubling thoughts. I’m surprised I made it through the meeting because I kept wondering about June. She needed me, but like so many other times in the past, she just dismissed her need. And I let her go.

He nods and rubs his chin. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. She wanted to say hi, I think, mostly.”

“Ah, young love. Hold onto that. She seems perfect for you, Alex.”

“She’s something,” I mumble.

“I’m also hoping she’ll help keep her promise she made to me.”

“Her promise?”

“About you making it to the picnic this weekend.”

I completely forgot that the company picnic is this weekend. I always say I’ll go but then find an excuse not to. "I’m not sure."

Mr. Hayes shakes his head with a laugh. "Alexander, I think you need to make sure you come this year. Have you heard the news about August leaving?”

“I have.”

Mr. Hayes leans back in his chair and crosses his leg. “Well, he’s going to be leaving this Friday. This picnic will be his farewell, but I'm going to be announcing his replacement there.” He pauses and gives me a long hard look, but he can’t control a smile curving at his lips. “So again, will you be there?”

"Are you telling me?”

"I think you know what I'm telling you. Alex, you've been with me for eight years. You're the best I have. I'd say, I taught you well."

"You did."

"So again, about that picnic this weekend."

"I’ll be there, sir."

"Good and make sure that gorgeous wife of yours comes as well.”

“She’ll be there.

“Then next Monday meet me bright and early so we can go over the paperwork and get you in your new office."

"Thank you, Mr. Hayes.”

“Don’t thank me. You earned it, Alexander.” He pats me on the shoulder and then gets up and leaves.

I collect my stuff and leave the conference room. There’s only one person I want to tell about my news and I hope she answers.

How things have really changed.

I’m making my way to my office when Whitney stands from her desk, and charges after me. “How did the meeting with Peterson go?”

I ignore her and keep walking.

She of course takes it as an invitation to keep following me.

“Alex? I know Hayes went in to see you afterward. So, what happened? I couldn’t tell if he was happy or mad.”

“Not now.” I dismiss her and march into my office, slamming the door behind me.

I plop down at my desk and stare at the beauty in the frame as I dial her number. It rings four times before she finally picks up. There’s a loud whirring sound in the background, and it makes the connection staticky. What is she doing?

“Hello?” I call out through the noise. “Uh, June?” I ask, and the noise finally shuts off.

“Alex?” she answers finally. “Did you need something?”

“No.”

“Something wrong?”

“No. What’s with the fifty questions? I wanted to talk to you, so I’m glad you answered by the way.”

“Oh.” She takes a deep breath and sniffles. “Okay.”

“I want to say sorry about earlier.”

“Sorry about what?”

“You came to see me, and I should’ve made time for you.”

“You’re at work, Alex. I told you everything is fine.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’m starting to hate when you say that.”

“Did you call for anything else Alex?” she says tightly.

“I got the promotion,” I mumble, and it doesn’t feel as exciting.

“You did? That’s great.” She sniffles again. “I’m happy for you.”

“What's wrong? Talk to me.”

“Nothing. I just stubbed my toe before you called, and I’m still choked up about it.”

“Why do I feel like you're lying to me?

“Tell me more about this job. It’s a good thing you weren’t late to your meeting after all.”

If that’s not a swift aim to my gut, I don’t know what is. And I hate how hard it hits.

“Stop deflecting, June. You were in here needing to talk to me and now you’re crying. Did Whitney say something to you? Is there something else? Tell me.”

“No, I told you, I stubbed my toe. I'm with Maggie and we are baking. I ran into the kitchen table leg. Come on, you know how clumsy I get.”

“She did,” I hear Maggie yell over the line.

I still don’t believe it, but I let it go. I know she won’t admit to me what is wrong.

“Alright.”

“Now what’s this job? When do you start?”

“It’s for the VP position. but it will require me to go to that picnic you promised my boss I would go to. So, Mrs. Wilks, will you