At the rattle of a key in the lock, she grabbed a pair of thick socks from the pile of clean laundry on her dresser. She only managed to get one on before her front door burst open and heavy footsteps crossed her living area.
“Emberly.” Kade’s voice held concern.
“I’m not dead, Kade.”
He appeared in the bedroom doorway, his face taut with worry. “Why didn’t you answer? We were getting worried.”
“I was sleeping.” She pulled on the second sock and chanced a glance beyond Kade to the other room. No one else was there.
Her heart gave a thud of disappointment that echoed in the emptiness inside her. Even if Max had said he’d be back, why would he be here? She’d all but cut him out of her life.
“How are you doing this morning?” Kade’s voice softened as he took her in.
“How do I look like I’m doing?” She couldn’t keep the irritation from her voice.
“Like you miss Max and want to be with him.”
She’d expected a snarky response from Kade, and at the gentleness in his voice, her throat closed up. She’d been away from Max for less than twenty-four hours, and already she missed him so keenly she was ready to put aside her hurt and hesitancies and listen to him. He deserved a chance to explain himself.
Had he made a mistake by withholding important information from her? Yes. But was the information really so terrible? So he’d been tasked by his father and parliament to get married by his thirty-fifth birthday. If that was a tiny part of hismotivation for marrying her, it still didn’t take away the fact that he loved her, did it?
At the opening and closing of her cottage door, her pulse leaped with fresh anticipation. Was that Max?
Once again, she peered past Kade, only to find Tyler standing on the rug inside the front door, regarding her somberly. Were her brothers there to convince her she’d made a mistake in marrying Max? That she should file for divorce or perhaps get an annulment?
She couldn’t let them step in this time. She had to figure her future out for herself. And like it or not, she owed herself and Max at least one more honest conversation about what had really happened between them and how they really felt toward each other. She had to do that, regardless of how much her brothers might disapprove or try to hinder her.
Even though a part of her wanted to admit defeat and let her shoulders slump, she pushed them higher. “I know you both think I’m a screwup. But I need to figure out my problems with Max without your interfering.”
“A screwup?” Kade’s brow shot up. “What in the world, Emberly? Of course we don’t think that.”
“Everyone thinks that.”
Tyler’s expression grew stormy, and he began crossing the room. “What are you talking about?”
“I didn’t finish college. I had to come back here because I had no other options. And everyone knows you and Dad gave me my job and that I didn’t earn it.”
Tyler pushed past Kade and stepped into her bedroom. With both of her big, brawny brothers in the room, it seemed to shrink. Although she wanted to avoid the discussion and force them both to leave, she supposed it was past time to get the issue out in the open.
Tyler crossed his arms and glared at her. “You are incredibly smart. And you’re talented at what you do. That’s why we gave you the job.”
“I got the job because Karen turned it down.”
“Do you really think we would have offered you a job as event manager at the country’s premier luxury ranch if we didn’t think you were qualified?”
“I don’t have a degree—”
Tyler scoffed. “The position is way too important to give to someone out of pity. We chose you because we knew you were the best person for the job, even better than Karen. We offered it to her first because of her seniority.”
Emberly’s heart gave a strange leap. Was that true?
“The fact is, you’re one of the smartest and savviest people I know, and I really admire you.” Tyler’s tone gentled. “I’m just sorry I’ve never said it before now.”
“I agree with Ty one hundred percent,” Kade said.
“Besides, having a college degree doesn’t define a person,” Tyler continued. “There’s a lot to be said for talent, intuition, and putting your all into learning and knowing a job—which is what you’ve got going for you.”
She studied each of her brothers, their faces etched with sincerity. Maybe her insecurities were of her own making. She’d focused so much on what she thought was lacking in her life instead of looking at her strengths.
