Free Wicked Knight by Tierney O’Malley Page B

And please don't worry about me.”
    “I won't—wait! How about using your way out, Julie? It's about time you draw your ace.”
    “Jeez, you look half-dead, but you still want to chat?”
    “No, I just thought about your out.”
    “You know where I stand on that.”
    Honestly, she thought about using her out. She could end the agreement and Marla's ridiculous attempt to get her money, too. The will didn't say anything about courtship or anything. Just get married and the stipulation would be over. But marry who? She wasn't in a relationship right now. Hiring someone to marry her in exchange for money was out of the question, although the idea of entering a loveless marriage would be better than facing her wicked stepmother.
    A paradigm of her mother's life was enough for her not to follow suit. Besides, if she hired a groom, Marla would definitely find out about it. Damn Marla .
    “How about your friend, Armand? He's been drooling over you since you met him at the Microsoft Corporate Office . If you marry him, it wouldn't be a totally loveless marriage. And you could always divorce him after, uhm, say a month.”
    “Do you think he'd agree if I tell him I just want to be married for a month?”
    “Don't tell him then. Who knows, maybe after a month you'd learn to love him.”
    “While I wait for my heart to beat for him, what should I tell him? Armand, I can't sleep with you yet because I don't love you. I don't think that'll fly.”
    “He's in love with you. It might.”
    “I don't know, Kirsten. He's a good man. I can't just use him or his affection. That's just downright wrong.”
    “What about Mr. Scowl? He smiles at you all the time, but scowls and ignores me.”
    “Mr. Scowl. Are you talking about Tristan's business partner, Edmund?”
    “Yeah. Didn't you notice how he scowls when I am around? As a pediatrician, he should smile all the time so he doesn't scare his patients. “
    “Ah. No, I didn't notice.”
    “I think he's got the hots for you. Whenever he's here, he only talks to you, even if I am sitting next to him. It's as if I don't exist.”
    “And you think he scowls because...why again?”
    “I think because my brothers tease you all the time. Maybe ask him to do you a favor. Pay him if you have to.”
    Julie smiled. Her friend might be one of the great thinkers and fashion designers in all of Washington, but she could be dense when it came to something simple and obvious. She supposed the difference between a designer and a romance author was the designer could see what was missing in the picture, whereas an author like her was good at spotting what was there, what was going on between characters. And she'd bet her Cadbury candies there was definitely something in Edmund's eyes whenever he stared at Kirsten, when he thought no one was looking.
    “Edmund is just like one of your brothers. A teaser, though I highly doubt that he has the hots for me.”
    “You don't think so?”
    “No. And I will not pay him to marry me. I'll think about Armand, Kirsten. Is that fine enough for you to let me leave?”
    “Yeah. Fine. Okay, let me make a pot of coffee. Have a cup before you go,” Kirsten offered, but didn't attempt to get up. Instead, she let out a long yawn that reminded Julie of a lioness basking under the afternoon sun at the Woodland Park Zoo one time.
    Julie felt horrible. Her friend should be back in bed dreaming about gowns and dresses. “Don't worry about it. Starbucks are everywhere. I'll grab a cup at the ferry terminal. Sorry, Kirsten. I hate to disrupt our weekend plan, but it's important that I go home.”
    “I'm sorry, too. My brothers will be disappointed. Percival wanted a chess rematch. Bors was still upset about losing his handcuffs in a poker game and wanted them back. Gawain saved two bags of Oreos thinking he could beat you in an Oreo eating contest he planned for this afternoon, and Tristan...hmm...I don't know what he's planning on doing this afternoon. Whatever. They