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

"I was there. I just made sure you didn't know that.” She smirks, looking way too fucking proud of herself and it makes my blood boil.

That’s impossible. I was looking for her.

I glance over at Mr. Kelley for confirmation and he nods.

"Fine!” I reluctantly agree, knowing I need to bite the bullet. The quicker June gets whatever Liz left her, the sooner I can kick her out the door. “Let's get this over with," I huff and fall into the armchair across from the desk. As a teen, I spent a lot of time in this chair, getting reamed by Aunt Liz.

Damn, I miss her.

"To start, Elizabeth left you both letters.” Mr. Kelley picks up two sealed envelopes off the desk and reaches across to hand them to us. “You are to read them first before I go over the contents of the will."

I take the envelope from him and my full name is written out in Liz’s perfect cursive. I rip back the seal and pull out the folded letter.

Alex,

I love you.

You were a son to me.

My brave boy, my wise boy, my boy who had a heart of gold and loved hard.

I loved being able to watch you grow into the man you are today. I couldn't be more proud of you and all the things you have accomplished. Except for the one thing holding you back from being the greatest you can be.

For years, I watched as resentment and pain ate away at your heart. You closed off everyone—even me. You stopped letting love in. For the last five years, you hid your pain behind your work. You even stopped coming home.

Don't worry, I understood. My love for you never changed or wavered. I only missed you.

That's why as I'm writing this in my final moments. This house is filled with wonderful memories but ones you feel are tarnished. I really don't want that for you any longer.

I want the house I made to be a home again. To shine with new, good, lasting forever memories.

But for you to do that, I have a mission:

I know you’re not going to like it and you’re going to be upset with me, but it’s my last chance to make things right.

I already hear you cursing from heaven. Mr. Kelley will explain more. Listen to him, please, before you get all uppity. Take a deep breath and know I'm doing this because I love you.

I love you more than words can describe.

Even when you didn't want to see it.

I know you’ll be reluctant, but it's time for your heart to find forgiveness and peace.

Especially with the beautiful girl that sits beside you.

There's so much I didn't tell you. I stopped defending her to you because I didn't want to lose you as well. You also weren't ready to see or hear it. That's okay. It took me time too. To let go and see what was happening in front of me.

It’s time now for you to let go. Time to forgive. Time for truth.

Time to find the love you have been missing. Open that heart of yours again.

No more pain, Alex. I love you.

Keep looking up, I'll always be there looking after you.

Love,

Aunt Lizzy.

I peek over at June, just as she presses the letter to her chest and smiles. Oh, for fucks sake.

"What the hell is going on Kelley?" I snap as I fold my letter back up and tuck it into my pocket for safe keeping.

He ignores me and glances over at June. "June, are you done with your letter?"

She nods and wipes her fallen tears. I roll my eyes, and she catches it. "What?" she sneers as she stuffs her letter back in her envelope.

"Nothing," I scoff.

"Alright, you two. We can start. I have brought you two together to go over the matter of Elizabeth Wilks's will. As you know, Liz had a big heart and loved you both, so with the little money she had, it will be donated to a charity: One that helps children of abuse. She figured you both would understand.”

"Of course.”

“Liz made a list of items around the house she left to friends. I will leave that with you, as I have already contacted them. Now, June, Liz wanted you to have her porcelain doll collection.”

Dolls. I snort. “Those things used to creep you out. Think she did that on purpose?”

“Shut up, Alex.”

Kelley clears his throat. “Now for the house…”

I shift in my seat and fix my tie. “Where do I sign?” I rub my hands together.

“Alex,” Mr. Kelly sighs, running his hands through his gray hair, “let me finish.”

“Sorry, just figured it would be obvious.”

“For the house. As you know, Alex, this home once belonged to your grandparents Arthur and Beverly.”

"Yeah, grandpa helped build this place with his own hands.” When they passed, they left the house to Liz and my father, but my father didn’t want to stay in Kinder Falls, having already moved out to the city for work and for my mom, so he gave it all to Liz and her husband at the time.

“Yes, he did. Your Aunt Liz inherited it and so the house is paid off. The only thing that would need to be handled is the property tax, upkeep, along with the horses and the other animals, and insurance, etc.”

“I can handle that.”

“You both will need to handle that.”

“Excuse me?”

“She left the house to you and June.”

"She did what?" I bark, rising from my seat. My heart is thumping in my ears. Not believing what the fuck I just heard.

"I'm not done yet, Alex. Sit," Kelley says sternly, jabbing his pen towards me. I sit back in my