Chapter 23
At the banging against the front door of the cottage, Emberly pulled the covers over her head and burrowed deeper into her pillows.
After a restless night, she wasn’t sure how long she’d been sleeping, but her body still felt sluggish, her eyelids were heavy, and her head ached. She had no desire to get out of bed and wanted to make it her permanent place of residence.
“Emberly, answer the door.” Kade’s voice outside her cottage was followed by more pounding.
She peeked past her comforter to find daylight streaming through her bedroom window over the simple furnishings and her simple bed.
It was a new morning. That meant the worst day of her life was finally over—the day she’d discovered the man she was totally and madly in love with had married her because he needed a wife by his thirty-fifth birthday in order to become the next king of his country.
Apparently, kings weren’t single and had to have wives. Who knew?
She should have known. After all, every king in history had wanted a wife to bear him children—particularly sons who could inherit the kingdom. Why would Max be any different?
In googling the laws of Karltenberg last night under her covers and in between fits of crying, she’d learned there wasn’t a law requiring the heir apparent to get married.
But the son in line to be king had always taken a wife, usually by the time he was in his mid-twenties.
Max being in his thirties and still unmarried had created some unrest.
She also hadn’t needed to search the internet much further to discover the king and parliament’s pressure upon Max to choose a wife by his thirty-fifth birthday.
How had she missed the articles during her previous searches?
She supposed she’d been more focused on his personal and family history and hadn’t been paying attention to articles that mentioned the king and parliament.
This time, though, she was keenly interested in discovering anything she could on an ultimatum by the king and parliament.
The news articles made it seem as if Max had very little choice in the matter, that he would either need to marry or allow someone more settled—like his brother Alex—to take his place.
He’d already proven what a top-notch leader he was as the CEO of KWB Group. Every article praised him for his skills and abilities in making the bank so successful and expanding it throughout the world.
If he could lead the bank so well, he would be an excellent ruler of his country.
Actually, there was no doubt in Emberly’s mind that Max would be a good king. During his visit at the ranch and while he’d been stranded with her at the cabin, she’d seen easily enough how much Max loved Karltenberg. He had been ready, willing, and eager to be king.
She also had no doubt that Max was ready, willing, and eager to have a wife so that he could move into his role as king with the approval of his father and his people.
That’s why he’d been considering marrying Sarah—because an arranged marriage would appease his father and parliament. So why not marry an innocent and willing American who he found more attractive than Sarah? Especially a woman who would fall for him in no time at all.
Emberly blew out a raspberry. She’d fallen all right. And part of her hadn’t even seen herself tripping and tumbling. It had happened so fast.
“Emberly, if you don’t open up,” Kade’s voice echoed through the house, “you’ll force me to get the master key and come in.”
So, so fast. Fast, furious, and forever. Yes, she’d experienced the McQuaid legacy of love and had realized it wasn’t just for the men in the family after all, that she could have it too . . .
Except that her husband had married her for what she could do for him and not because he loved her in return, hadn’t he?
His twenty-plus texts said otherwise, as did the dozen or more voicemails.
He’d also stood outside her cottage door for hours—at least four—before her dad had convinced him to leave.
She knew because she’d been sitting on the floor against the door for most of that time, listening to Max try to convince her that their marriage and his love for her were genuine.
He’d claimed many times that the birthday deadline had not crossed his mind when he’d decided he wanted to marry her.
Logically, she knew he couldn’t fake the affection she’d felt from him. He wouldn’t have kissed her the way he had if there hadn’t been at least some depth of feelings.
Even so, she hadn’t been able to convince herself he was telling the truth as her heart had been breaking and the tears had streaked her cheeks. When he’d left, he’d bumped the door, presumably with his head, and told her he loved her and that he would be back.
Then silence had descended.
“Emberly, I’m coming in!” came Kade’s obnoxious call.
Her family had given her some space yesterday and last night. But now they were obviously done allowing her to wallow and had sent Kade.
Would he have Max with him?
Emberly scrambled out of bed and slipped into a sweatshirt to cover her pj’s. Then she peeked into the mirror attached to her dresser to find that her hair was unruly and messy. Worse than that, her face looked splotchy and swollen.
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 his motivation 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.
Was that true of her relationship with Max too?
Was she subconsciously rejecting him and pushing him away because she didn’t feel qualified to be his wife and a queen?
Maybe she had to stop focusing on all the ways she would fall short of being what he needed and instead focus on all that she could do.
The need to see Max swelled sharply inside her. She wasn’t sure if she could work things out with him. But she had to at least try and couldn’t let her insecurities hold her back.
“Thanks, guys.” She waved a hand to shoo her brothers from her room while crossing toward her closet. “Now you can go tell Mom and Dad I’m fine, that I’m done having a pity party for myself, and that I’m planning to track Max down and talk with him.”
Neither of them budged and instead exchanged glances.
She halted in front of her closet door. “What?”
Kade met her gaze with a seriousness that she rarely saw in his eyes. “That’s why we’re here.”
Her backbone stiffened with protest. “I let you interfere with Ryan, and I’m not doing that again.”
Tyler held up his hands as though in surrender. “We’re not trying to interfere—”
“Then stay out of things between me and Max.”
“I know we need to get better at that,” Kade interjected. “And we’ll try. But—”
“No buts. I can handle this all on my own.” She swung open the closet and began to browse through her outfit choices. “I’m assuming he’s still staying at the house?”
Neither of her brothers answered.
As the silence lengthened, her neck prickled with uneasiness. She spun around and braced her hands on her hips. “What’s wrong?”
Tyler met her gaze head-on. “Max left yesterday.”
“Left?”
“Yep. He caught a plane back to Karltenberg last night.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. He’d left the ranch? The country? Her?
She shouldn’t be surprised, not after shutting him out yesterday. Even so, she hadn’t expected him to go without letting her know he was leaving. Maybe he was angry with her, had decided he didn’t need her after all. Maybe he’d realized how crazy they’d been to get married so quickly.
Kade’s lips tipped up into a smirk. “Don’t worry. He still loves you.”
“Then why did he leave?” Her voice cracked as the angst from the past day rushed out and attacked her like an army assailing an enemy.
“He met with us all last night before heading out,” Tyler said, “and he let us know he’s planning to meet with his father and the other leaders of his country to officially abdicate his right to the throne.”
“What?” Her pulse began to speed, but it wasn’t from relief. “He can’t do that.”
A crease formed in Kade’s forehead. “He told us he wants to prove to you that he didn’t marry you to gain the throne, that he married you for love alone. I thought you’d be happy about it.”
“No, I’m not happy about it at all.” She stood unmoving, even as her mind raced a thousand miles per hour.
Yes, Max was noble in his desire to prove he loved her enough to give up the throne.
And yes, he was noble to make such an enormous sacrifice for her.
But . . . she couldn’t let him give up being king.
Not when it meant so much to him, and not when he would make such a great leader of his country.
She had to figure out what to do. But what?
She stared at her brothers, then stared at her open closet, then stared at her brothers again.
The turmoil churned faster. Time was slipping away. If he’d left last night, he was probably home by now, or very close to it. Would he go to see his father and parliament today?
No, she couldn’t let him. Maybe she should call him and tell him he was making a big mistake. But what if he didn’t answer her call? What if he wouldn’t listen to her?
There really was only one thing to do to keep him from abdicating. And she would need everyone’s help if she had any hope of accomplishing her mission.