Her Reluctant Husband by Erica Marselas (books to read for 12 year olds .TXT) 📕

Get a grip, June.

I pick up my phone to read the incoming message from Annabelle.

Annabelle: Hey girl, wanted to know if wanted to go over the recital before today?

Shit, I forgot all about that.

“What are you doing in here?” Alex asks, appearing in the archway.

“Um, I just found my way in here.” I shrug.

“Everything alright?” He eyes me as he steps into the room and places his hands on the back of the leather chairs.

“No. Actually, I forgot I needed to go to work today.”

“Work?”

I nod.

Alex drums his fingers on the back of the chair. “And where is this said work? Because I’m still believing it doesn’t exist.”

“Do you really care?”

“Did I ever say I didn’t? I think you only assumed that.”

“You’re right,” I mumble, feeling pretty small right now.

“Why do you always deflect or get defensive when I ask? We’ve been in this marriage for a hot minute now, so I think I have a right to know now. Unless it’s some crazy illegal shit.” He tilts his head, giving me a sly smile.

“No, it’s legal.” I wipe my hands on my overalls and know it’s now or never. I open my mouth, but then quickly shut it. Words just don’t seem like enough. “It might be better if I show you.”

“Show me?” he asks, his curiosity spiking along with his raised brow.

“Yeah. Show you, but I need you to promise to keep an open mind.”

“What? Are you a stripper?” He stands to his full height and crosses his arms. “Because that’ll explain why you suddenly can dance.”

“No, I’m not a stripper.”

“Shame.”

I narrow my eyes. “Will you just wait, please?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not if you want a clear answer.”

“Alright, let's go. You have my mind buzzing now.”

We arrive separately outside my dance studio ten minutes later. Alex steps out of his truck, chewing on a plastic piece of his keyring. He looks over at the row of single level businesses and then back at me. “Where are we?”

“Here,” I breathe, steeling myself for however this might go.

“Here?”

“Yeah.” I point up to the section where the words Dance Studio sit above the door in maroon letters, but in the large windowpane, there is a beautiful white script that reads Kat’s Dance Studio. “This is it. I own this.”

His head snaps to me, and his expression is disbelief. “You own? Why? You hated dancing.”

“I didn’t hate it. I just couldn’t do it.”

His lips twist and he folds his arms across his chest as he glances back at the studio. “Why Kat’s?” he mumbles.

“Can I tell you why without you getting all hotheaded and angry at me?”

“I think you need to explain this to me.”

“Kathleen always wanted to open her own dance studio to teach kids to dance. I talked to Liz after I moved back, and we didn’t want that dream to go unrealized because she wasn’t here. So, I used my money that I um…saved, Liz and Mr. Kelley helped with some of the business side and finding the building.”

He doesn’t say anything, completely rigid at my side.

“This is why I didn’t say anything to you. I figured you would get mad that I did this, but I had the money and no matter what you might believe, she was my best friend and I loved her. I miss her. I miss her so much and I wanted to honor her because when she was around, she did so much for me. I know you don’t want to talk about that night.” I steal a breath because I feel like the heavy weight of his silence is crushing me. “And it’s fine that you'll hate and blame me forever for what happened. You’re right, we can never go back, but this is more than that…so much more,” I ramble.

Alex closes his eyes, the silence looming over us. I can feel the tension rolling off his shoulders.

“Say something,” I demand, not able to take the quiet anymore.

Yell, scream, anything.

“I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe I didn’t even notice.” He pushes his fingers through his hair, staring at the large windowpane with his sister’s nickname on it. “I’ve driven down this road a bunch of times since we’ve moved in.”

“I…”

“She never told me she wanted to own a dance studio.” His shoulders sag as he finally turns to me, and I don’t miss the pain radiating behind his green eyes.

“I’m sure she did, but she was also mainly focused on going to San Diego first.”

“I thought she wanted to be on Broadway.”

“Kat had a million dreams.” I frown and everything in me tightens up. His eyes go dark and hollow. I sigh, feeling after all the forward steps we have made, we have now been shoved two steps back into a pile of manure. “This is why it was hard for me to tell you. I didn’t want to upset you.”

“I’m not upset,” he says coolly. “I guess I didn’t know my sister as well as you.”

“That’s not true. She loved you. She always told me she went to you for advice.”

“I don’t need that reassurance, June,” he snips.

“It wasn’t reassurance.” I sigh. “I did this because I owe her everything and I also owe it to myself.”

He crosses his arms, back to not saying anything.

“Believe it or not, I got the passion for dance because of her. She was just starting to teach me before…” I drift off and play with the loose hairs of my braid. “Now when I dance, I feel her, and all this.” I wave my hand to the studio. “I hope that this will keep a part of her alive