Once Upon a Marriage

He couldn’t put any faith in a union that had a gauntlet hanging over its head.

Waiting to fall. To take her away from him.

Keys in hand, he pushed the button for the elevator that would take him upstairs to collect Gabrielle and Liam.

He had to tell her the truth...

She was happy. In love.

A miracle. As Gabrielle and Liam had said every single day that week when he’d driven them to work. Neither of them could believe the change in her. The glow about her.

It was a miracle, all right.

One that was as fragile as Marie’s newfound ability to trust.

If she found out he’d lied, before he told her himself, believing that he’d never planned to tell her, the damage would be worse. At least if he came clean, told her why he’d kept his secret, surely she’d give him a chance.

If she loved him as much as she said she did.

She’d know he’d never wanted to deceive her. She’d know he’d married because he had needed so desperately for her to be his wife.

Their love would see them through. After all, love was stronger than any of the evil forces that opposed it. Or so he’d been told.

All a man had to do was live with integrity and happiness would be his. Right?

He was going to stop borrowing trouble. Stop worrying. He’d tell Marie the truth and trust that everything would be just fine.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“DADDY? IT’S ME.” Marie turned her back to the closed door of her office Friday morning, leaning forward in her seat. “I have something to tell you.”

“What’s up, baby?”

She opened her mouth. Stared at the boring black walking shoes on her feet—shoes designed for those who stood all day.

“How was your flight?” He’d texted her when he arrived back in the States late the night before.

“Fine. Long. Same as always.”

“And Monte Carlo? Did you win?”

“I did.” Could mean monetarily. Might not. “Now, what do you have to tell me? Is it about your mother? Is she...okay?”

Translation: Did she go through with it?

“She’s married, Dad.” Her mother’s business was her own. Barbara had given Marie’s father enough of her life. But... “And I really think she’s going to be happy. Bruce considers himself a very lucky man.”

“He is one.” Her father was not. The unfinished part of the sentence hung between them.

There wasn’t a lot she could say to it. Her father had blown it. Many times. And now wasn’t the time to lay anything else on him.

Or look to him for reassurance.

Her mother was on her honeymoon on the ocean or some island. And...

“Okay, well, I just wanted to hear about your trip,” she said, changing her mind about the phone call.

/> She’d say goodbye and go make the best coffee drinks she’d ever made.