Page 45 of Finding Forever

“I met him a few days ago,” Fern murmured, her fingers still restlessly tugging at the pleats of her skirt. “He was kind to me.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty damned fond of the bossy old tyrant too… but he needs to be kept in his place, or he tends to overreach. When you do get to know him better, donotlet him run roughshod all over you. He’ll respect you if you don’t. And don’t let Cade either for that matter.Theyneedyou, never forget that.”

“Not anymore,” Fern said. “They pretty much got what they wanted from me already.”

“You’re still Cade’s wife, and he should damned well respect you for however long this arrangement lasts. Make sure he does. Or I’m gonna have to kick his butt.”

Fern’s lips lifted in a small smile as she imagined the softly-rounded, vertically disadvantaged Beth taking on the six-foot-tall, ripped Cade. The image was ludicrous and yet, because she was certain Cade would never physically hurt a woman, she imagined Beth could do exactly as she’d threatened. It was a gratifying, somewhat alien feeling, to know that someone was so firmly in her corner.

“I will. And Beth? Thank you.”

Beth grinned up at her. “Anytime… and just so you know, I’d love to go shopping with you. Just name the date and place.”

A shy smile blossomed on Fern’s lips as soft, comfortable liquid warmth flooded into her chest at the other woman’swords. She felt her cheeks pinken and wasn’t quite sure how to react.

“Are you sure?” she asked awkwardly, unused to peoplewantingto spend time with her. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to disrupt your schedule or anything. You must be really busy? And you… I mean you don’t have to just because I’m married to Cade. I wouldn’t want you to…”

“Fern,stop,” Beth implored with a light laugh, holding up a hand to halt the cringeworthy flood of words. “Firstly, I would love to go shopping with you and get to know you better, and that has nothing to do with your marriage to Cade. Secondly, we’renevertoo busy to shop, Fern. This is a lesson you’ll soon learn. And Cade is going to have to arrange a driver for us. We’re going to do nothing but point, pay, and leave it to our hapless driver to do the carrying for us.”

Fern giggled, her affection for her new sister-in-law growing by the minute.

“That sounds lovely. I can’t wait.”

Beth gave her an unexpected, fierce little hug, before shoving a salad bowl into her hand and ushering her out into the yard to join the rest.

Chapter

Twelve

Cade was quiet and distant for the remainder of their visit. He barely exchanged one word with Fern, and when they got home, Fern tentatively broached the subject after putting the foil wrapped leftovers in the fridge.

He was standing at the kitchen counter, phone in hand, thumb flicking as he scrolled through whatever ultra-important Sunday evening correspondence he’d received while enjoying an afternoon off with his family.

“You’re angry,” she said, biting the bullet and just wading right to the crux of the matter. His thumb stopped moving but he didn’t lift his head and she wondered if that was because he was reading an email or text.

His jaw was tight, muscles leaping and bunching as he clearly gritted his teeth and she immediately recognized that he was biting back whatever hereallywanted to say in response to her words.

“Cade?”

He lifted his eyes—just his eyes—which, with his head still bowed, gave him a sinister mien that sent a shudder of uneaseskittering down her spine.

“You’re aguestin this family, Fern,” he said with studied indifference, his voice arctic. “And as such I’d prefer you didn’t go stirring up unnecessary drama.”

Fern folded her arms over her chest, remembering Beth’s words not to let him bully her, and lifted her chin as she met that baleful glare head on, despite the fact that every instinct she had told her to run and hide and not come out again until she was certain she could remain unseen and unnoticed by the predatory alpha she’d married.

“And what drama would that be?” she asked, hoping to get some sort of rise out him. Because at least there was honesty in anger. “What exactly has your knickers in such a twist?”

His lips tightened and his nostrils flared, he clearly didn’t like being questioned. He probably preferred to sulk in silence, leaving Fern uncomfortable and uncertain and too afraid to even sneeze for fear of upsetting him.

Well, Fern had spent too many years in that same miserable state of existence. This was supposed to be the “new leaf” phase of her life, damn it.

“You shouldn’t have asked about my name.”

Aah, there it was.

On a related note:What the hell?

She took a moment to gather herself and pursed her lips, as well as, tilted her head as she stared at him, pretending to think it over before snapping her fingers in a dramaticI got itway.

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