want one cent to leave the family. They were all she had left without Sarah. But Sarah had—what, figured that if the boys didn’t want to marry and live happily ever after, that Bristol should be stinking rich? Or would the money have gone to Danny Cartwright? He’d only passed away seven months ago. That would’ve made it more urgent to marry before the deadline.
Which was their twenty-ninth birthday.
Aiden’s thirty-third birthday had just passed. We’d met for dinner and then he’d gone back to the office. How. Romantic. But that also meant we’d just celebrated our fourth anniversary. Because we’d married before he turned twenty-nine.
Same with Beck. And Xander.
Dawson hadn’t. Had he wanted his marriage with Bristol to mean more?
What did that say about my marriage?
My stomach twisted around the cold drink.
“Everyone got happy endings.” Taya’s grin radiated happiness. Four couples. Together for love instead of money.
Giselle appeared with two carriers full of drinks. “I’m all done. Want help carrying them to your car?”
No. I wanted to run out of the coffee shop and find a corner to cry in. I wanted to track down my husband, pull him off the cattle shoot right onto his ass even if it did look chiseled from a perfect slab of marble, and demand answers.
But I was married to Aiden King. A man who didn’t share more details with his wife than necessary. Not even critical details that affected our marriage.
“Yeah, I’d love some help, thanks.” The foundation of my world had cracked and crumbled. But I could act like it was just another Saturday.
Both Taya and her employee walked me to my car. I was parked out front and the card players would watch over the shop better than any security guard.
Giselle rushed back in. Taya lingered. “Hey, I’m sorry if I was being nosy or gossipy.” She shrugged, her expression chagrined. “It’s not often I get some girl talk, and I end up saying too much.”
“No. No, anytime.” Seriously. Otherwise I wouldn’t know anything. “Please, don’t beat yourself up. It’s all right. We all care about Bristol.”
“She married into an awesome family. Hey, next time you’re in town, we need to meet up.”
“Yes. Absolutely.” I pulled off a friendly smile when all I wanted to do was sob. How could I hang out with Taya? What would I say the next time I saw her? BTW, you totally tipped me off and destroyed the fantasy I’d built around my empty, lonely marriage. My marriage lacking information. My marriage based on a lie.
Taya went inside and I got behind the wheel. I didn’t drive far. I pulled off into the empty parking lot of the school and stared out the windshield.
I could go back and pretend nothing had happened. Sunday night, we’d drive home, and I could go back to the way it was. Only I wouldn’t be able to delude myself any longer. About how I waited for scraps of affection from my cold, distant husband. About how a seven-figure salary—and nine figures in the bank from the trust—wasn’t enough to make my husband slow down and spend time with me. I couldn’t return to lusting after him like I had as a teen when he’d first wrestled my brother.
I’d been in ninth grade. Another introspective freshman had marched to the mat with that rolling gait all the hot wrestlers developed. Like they were stalking their prey, and if it was an opponent, they’d make him submit. But if it was a girl, they’d make her submit without moving a muscle.
I was that girl.
He’d looked over me that day. Through me. Most people had. A mousy girl who probably wore an expression that read the same as her shirt: I’d rather be reading. My hair had been down, nothing more than brushed, and my job had been to hover at the sides of the mat and toss down the towel when the time ran out.
But I’d watched him. The coiled strength. The quiet power. He hadn’t boasted. He hadn’t gloated when he’d dominated my brother, a promising candidate for state champ. Aiden had evaluated him until it was time to wrestle. Then he’d methodically worn my brother down and won. When it was over, he’d shaken hands and walked away. No boasting. No arrogant grin. He’d done what he’d come to do.
I hadn’t thought much of boys until that day. Before that wrestling tournament, I’d been a ninth-grade girl going on old spinster cat lady. But after that day? I’d catapulted through puberty and came out the other side with only him on my mind. Over a decade later, when he’d asked me out, I’d submitted without him moving a muscle.
How did I move forward with this new information? I couldn’t ignore his behavior this time.
Because I couldn’t be Kate King, librarian and overlooked wife of Aiden King, one minute longer.
_____
Aiden messed up his marriage. Will Kate give him a second chance at all the romance they’ve miss out on in King’s Queen?
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About the Author
Marie Johnston writes paranormal and contemporary romance and has collected several awards in both genres. Before she was a writer, she was a microbiologist. Depending on the situation, she can be oddly unconcerned about germs or weirdly phobic. She’s also a licensed medical technician and has worked as a public health microbiologist and as a lab tech in hospital and clinic labs. Marie’s been a volunteer EMT, a college instructor, a security guard, a phlebotomist, a hotel clerk, and a coffee pourer in a bingo hall. All fodder for a writer!! She has four kids, an old cat, and a puppy that’s bigger than half her kids.
mariejohnstonwriter.com
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Also by Marie Johnston
Oil Kings
King’s Crown
King’s Ransom
King’s Treasure
King’s Country
King’s Queen
Like hard-working men who are in control of everything but the one they fall for?
The Walker Five:
Conflict of Interest (Book 1)
Mustang Summer (Book 2)
Long Hard Fall (Book 3)
Guilt Ridden (Book 4)
Mail Order Farmer (Book 5)