The Cold Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Justin sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell Carrie that we lost everything.” It was only seven in the morning, so Carrie and Ryan were still asleep.

  “I could help you out. You are my nephew.”

  “I appreciate the offer, Uncle, but I’m an adult and I want to earn my wealth back. I got up early this morning and worked through the numbers. I have enough to rent an apartment and provide for my family for a month. I can take a couple pieces of furniture but everything else will have to go.”

  “I notice that Carrie’s crystal figurine collection is in the box of things you plan to take with you. Those are worth a pretty penny.”

  “I can’t get rid of them. She enjoys them too much.” And it reminded him of his efforts to win her over.

  “You have a lot of experience with investing. You know you’re always welcome to keep your job at the firm.”

  He considered that option but it suddenly occurred to him that without Harrison Grant Sr. working with Mr. Leroy, there was an investment job opening at the bank. It would be ideal. He would only work regular business hours and the only entertaining he’d have to talk Carrie into would be dinner parties, and she was used to those. There wouldn’t be any more Mr. Tyndalls or Mr. Davidsons making irrational demands. He could do what he loved doing, and Carrie would be happy with his work hours.

  “I appreciate the offer but I’m going to apply for the job at Mr. Leroy’s bank. Will you have to run the Monroe Investing Firm by yourself?” Justin asked.

  His uncle smiled. “For a couple of months. Then I will marry Miss Duff and I’ll ask her to become my partner. I was thinking of having her join the team anyway, but now that I consider it, three is a crowd.”

  “You proposed to her?”

  “I did last night when I realized that you loved Carrie so much you were willing to give up everything for her. I figured that if a good woman is that important, I’d be stupid to let something like age stand in my way. Besides, Mary doesn’t seem to mind the age difference. I think we will do well together.”

  “I thought you didn’t believe in mixing romance and business.” Not that he could ever recall his uncle even having a romance but still... It wasn’t common for men to become partners with their wives.

  “Last evening, she quoted the entire proposal you wrote word for word, and she can calculate numbers in her head in a matter of seconds. Such talent shouldn’t go to waste. Plus, she handles clients with great finesse. She was made for this type of work. It would be an insult to sit her on a chair and tell her to look pretty and be quiet.”

  “I think you’ll find that going to bed with a soft and warm woman is much more enjoyable than brining another client to the firm.”

  His uncle grinned. “I have a funny feeling you’re right, and I look forward to finding out for sure on my wedding night.” He raised an eyebrow as a new thought occurred to him. “You know, if you get that bank job, we’ll be competitors.”

  He chuckled. “I guess we will.”

  “Harrison Grant Jr. decided to move out of the state. He intends to start up his own investing firm but wants to be in a place where people won’t connect him with his father. He said that he wants to earn his own way based on his merit. I think it will be good for him to expand his wings instead of living in his father’s shadow.”

  Justin considered that his uncle was probably right but still didn’t care much for the man, though he admitted he owed him some gratitude since he stopped his father from harming Carrie.

  “I better get to the office,” his uncle said, breaking Justin out of his thoughts. “Good luck when you give Carrie the bad news.”

  After Jonathan left, Justin bathed and got dressed in his best suit. He needed to appear as professional as possible for his job interview. He just hoped Mr. Leroy would let him apply for the job without prior notice. Since the bank opened at eight, he was the first one there. To his relief, Conrad interviewed him and hired him on the spot.

  “I know you have to move due to the unfortunate situation with Mr. Grant, so I’ll have you start work on Monday,” Conrad said as they shook hands.

  Feeling much better about his financial situation, he took Carrie and Ryan for a walk down the main street after he returned home.

  “Why are you taking the day off?” she wondered.

  “I’m not. I don’t start work until Monday,” he replied.

  “What?”

  He stopped in front of a building and motioned to it. “What do you think of this apartment building?”

  She glanced at it as she stopped the stroller. “It is fine. Are you going to explain about your job?”

  “I will. But I need to ask you something first. Can you see yourself living in this apartment building for the next year?”

  She frowned. “Are you going buy this building and rent the apartments out to tenants?”

  “No.” There was no easy way to tell her. He took a deep breath. “We have to move out of our house and into an apartment because we don’t have enough money to get us past the next month. I figure it will take about a year to save enough money to put a good down payment on a house.”

  Her eyes grew wide.

  “What happened to your father, happened to us yesterday,” he explained. “The fire at the Grant house burned everything I kept in my office at work. I have no way to prove I didn’t transfer funds to bad stocks or that I didn’t empty out my savings account.”

  To his surprise, she burst out laughing.

  Was laughing a good sign or was she laughing at his inability to hold onto their wealth? He eyed her warily.

  “Just wait until my father and Brad hear about this,” she said between fits of giggles. “They made me marry you because my father went bankrupt and you were rich. And now that I decided to stay married to you, you went bankrupt.”

  He uneasily nodded. “Right.”

  “Oh Justin.” She hugged him. “I love you. I don’t care if we’re rich or not. I’d marry you all over again if I was given the choice.”

  Suddenly, he felt much better. “I just got the investment job at the bank. It will give me regular working hours, and you won’t ever have to deal with another Mrs. Davidson who’ll give you a hard time. The only entertaining we’ll have to do for Conrad’s clients is a dinner party. My uncle was going to let me keep my other job, but I thought this one would work better for both of us. I start work on Monday.”

  “That sounds wonderful. I like having you around more often. You may not believe this but I can’t remember why I ever fought my father and brother on marrying you.”

  Now that was music to his ears. He smiled and gave her a long kiss.

  “It’s good to see The Cold Wife warm up,” a man commented, chuckling as he walked past them.

  Despite her embarrassment, she and Justin laughed.

  “I have an idea,” she whispered. “Let’s go home and I’ll show you how hot I can get.”

  “That is an offer I will never turn down,” he confessed and followed her home.

  The End