Page 53 of One Night Bride
Mom studied me for a minute before she answered. “Then I support you. That’s really the only reason I made that stipulation about getting married to leave the ranch. I wanted you to follow your heart. That always comes before the ranch.”
I gave her a grateful smile, feeling like half the battle was over. Then I looked over to the man who’d taught me everything. The man I was turning my back on.
“Dad?”
He pulled away from the doorway and stood tall. Ruger and I both got our statures from Dad. We were all over six feet tall and wide in the shoulders. The gray was coming in thicker on the sides of his head and the lines on his face had deepened over the years, but other than that, he looked fit as a fiddle. He’d been my hero for so long, I desperately didn’t want to let him down.
“This nonprofit is to help young boys?” he asked gruffly.
I stood, the energy I felt discussing my plans doing more for me than the coffee. “It is. I want to help more boys who don’t have parental role models become healthy men who can help shape society positively.”
Dad digested that and then let his arms drop. “Okay, then.”
“Okay?” My heart pounded faster.
He nodded. “Let’s go get some shit done and we can talk about it some more, but as long as Ruger’s okay with the arrangements, then I am too. The ranch will still stay in the family and that’s all that matters to me.”
Ruger stood up. “Fine by me. I want to run this ranch, Dad.”
Mom popped up and joined the circle. “Sounds to me like everything has worked out perfectly.”
While one part of me felt elated my family was finally on board with my business plans, a bigger part of me felt like none of that really mattered all that much now that Esme wasn’t by my side and wearing my ring. I had everything I thought I wanted, and somehow it had lost its luster once I actually had it. I felt hollow inside, which was admittedly better than the rage and hurt I’d felt the entire time I drove home. The realtor in Tahoe called to tell me I’d need to sign all the paperwork this week, and then the house would be mine. Everything was moving in the right direction.
Except the one thing that mattered.
I hadn’t heard from Esme at all. Not a call, an email, or a “go fuck yourself” text message. Every hour that went by without her reaching out just seemed to confirm what I’d suspected. She didn’t feel for me what I felt for her. She didn’t give a shit about me. Not when she slammed me publicly as a drunken mistake she made, nor when she let me leave without even trying to get me to stay.
My family didn’t ask about Esme at all for the next two days, letting me work out some frustration around the ranch while they tiptoed around the subject. I could tell Mom was about to bust a blood vessel from not asking about what happened. She kept opening her mouth like she wanted to say something, and then she’d slam it shut and go about her business. By the third day, Dad had had enough when we all sat down for dinner.
“I like having you around, Rem, but that scowl on your face is getting on my last nerve. What the hell’s going on with you and Esme?”
Mom’s fork clattered to her plate. “Oh thank God someone asked.”
I huffed out what could pass as a laugh. “Jeez, Mom. You could have just asked me before.”
She sniffed. “You always say I’m too nosy, so I was trying to give you space.”
“Space…” Ruger muttered, shaking his head with a grin.
Mom gave him a warning look, but they all settled down and looked at me expectantly. This was going to be even worse than telling them I didn’t want the ranch. I wiped my mouth with the napkin and threw it on the table. I wasn’t hungry anymore.
“Esme and I got married accidentally. One of those oopsie-daisies you think only happens in movies.”
Ruger snickered again, and if we hadn’t been at the dinner table, I would have shoved him. Hard. Granted, calling an accidental marriage an oopsie-daisy was ridiculous. As ridiculous as me thinking that marriage could actually work out.
I sighed. “I followed her back to Auburn Hill where she lives. Figured I’d stay there while we got the annulment going, but then I realized I kind of liked her.” I glanced up at Mom and prepared for the next statement. “And I figured being married would get me out of the ranch, so what was the hurry to get the annulment?”
Mom hopped out of her chair, her finger already pointing at my face. “Remington Roth. You little shit!”
“Calm down, Jules,” Dad muttered.
I put my hand up when Mom opened her mouth to tell Dad exactly what to do with his comment.
“I know, Mom, I know. Stupid, but then again, Esme was beautiful and smart and kind of the perfect wife for me had I actually been looking. So, I stayed and got to know her.”
Mom sat back down, willing to keep quiet now that I was finally telling them everything. Well, most of it, anyway. I didn’t need to get into how I’d fallen for her completely and she’d broken my heart. A man could do without that humiliation.
“And things were going well for a bit, but being married is hurting her business, so we decided to call things off. Get that annulment. In fact, I need to call my lawyer tomorrow and get that started.”
