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“Boss,” Mickie interrupted us. “A taxi just pulled up and a rather fetching blonde got out with lots and lots of luggage. She’s also wearing what appears to be stiletto heels. Would this be your wife? Because if not, I’d like a crack at seeing what she’s hiding under that pantsuit.”
Jealousy immediately reared its head. “Off-limits,” I snapped. Both Mickie and Kim gaped at me, and I quickly got my temper under control. “An estranged wife screwing my ranch hand won’t exactly look good. Kim, care to meet your sister-in-law before you head back to Starlight?”
“Would love to,” Kim snarled, bearing her teeth.
“And you’ll be nice,” I warned.
“For now.” She plastered a huge fake smile on her face, and when she turned around, that smile turned even bigger. It surprised me when she outright laughed.
Turning around, I saw what she found so hysterical.
My wife was standing in the middle of the field, frozen, and with a horrified look on her face.
She had stepped in a huge pile of horse manure.
“Welcome home, sweetheart.”
She closed her eyes. “Oh, god. What have I done?”
CHAPTER NINE
Jillian
Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.
I tried desperately to focus on anything other than the substance splattered on the top of my foot and ruining my favorite pair of shoes. Vomit rose in my throat, but I would not make this situation worse. I would face this with as much dignity as possible.
“Are you referring to the horse shit on your feet or the fact that you have to live here?” the young woman asked with a crooked smile.
Damn it. I’d definitely said that out loud, and the smile on Brendan’s face was humiliating.
Identical smirks. Identical eyes. Even the shape of their lips were the same. “You must be Kim,” I said as I stepped out of the shit and held out my hand. “I’m Jillian.”
“With those legs and that ass? I’d assume so. Nothing short of perfection would lure this one down the aisle,” she said sharply. “If you’ll excuse me…”
“Kimberly Ward,” Brendan snapped. “Unless you want to be so buried in paperwork that you don’t see another horse for a fucking year, I suggest you try that greeting again.”
After a moment of hesitation, she took a deep breath and stretched out her hand. “Yes, I’m Kim, your loving sister-in-law. Welcome to our home. I hope you take a shower before dinner.”
Unable to help myself, I chuckled as I shook her hand. “It’s nice to know that I’ll have such a warm soul to chat with while I’m here.”
She immediately let go of my hand. “You can chat with my ass,” she muttered as she walked away.
“Oh good,” I said with fake cheerfulness. “I can already see that this is going to work out splendidly.”
I always told my groups that trying to face adverse situations with a positive outlook would go a long way, and it was time that I took my own advice.
“It’ll be fine,” Brendan said. “Just remember the end game.”
End game. Right. A nice, quiet divorce and financial freedom.
I cleared my throat. “My bags are in the middle of the driveway. If you’ll show me my room, I’ll get them put away.”
“Sure,” he drawled. “Please tell me that you at least brought some tennis shoes.”
“Of course I did. I just wanted to try and make a good impression,” I said as I struggled not to snap. It would be a long stay if I lost it in the first few minutes of being here.
Things already weren’t working out well.
Dr. Jacobson had thrown a fit when I told him that I wouldn’t be working during the summer after all. Even with a week’s notice, he’d gone over my head and complained to my advisor.
That hadn’t been fun because, apparently, Don had already complained about me too, mentioning how I was going away to work on my dissertation instead of being a serious student and remaining on campus.
It was all bullshit… but my advisor had grilled me on my continued commitment to my studies and had hinted that he could make my final year unpleasant if my next dissertation draft was less than stellar.
The bottom line was… I needed to play the role of Mrs. Brendan Ward perfectly so I could get the divorce out of the way. I also needed to write the most amazing and insightful dissertation the world had ever known, or the past four years of my life would have been in vain.
I was having trouble filtering through all the panic inside me. I kept shoving it aside, pretending that it was just nerves, but it was way more than that. The reality of the situation had hit me hard when I got out of the car. I was going to live here, with Brendan. I was going to see him every day. I was going to have to touch him when it was required. Smile at him. Get used to the idea of him smiling at me.
