Page 50 of Forever King

I stop just outside his office and take a deep breath. Dealing with him when he’s so unhappy is difficult for me because nothing I say seems to make him feel better, which is all I want to do. I don’t want to start a fight, but I need to know what’s going on with him.

Pasting a smile on my lips, I step into the room to see him staring out the window. Ordinarily, I’d make a joke about working hard checking out the grass, but I get the sense that won’t be met with his usual gentle smile and willingness to tell me what’s wrong.

So instead, I say, “Hey, what’s going on?”

I try to make the words sound casual, but there’s no mistaking the worry beneath them.

He slowly spins his chair around so he’s facing me, and I swear I’ve never seen him so glum. He looks as unhappy as he did when he first returned home because his father was dying.

“What is it, Ava?” he asks flatly, instantly making me feel like I’m intruding.

“I just wanted to check on you and see if you’re okay,” I say with a big smile.

Matthias takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly. “I’m fine. You keep asking me if I’m okay, and I keep telling you I am. I don’t know how else to say it. I’m fine. I’m fucking fine!”

As he speaks, his voice gets louder and louder until he finally barks that last sentence at me. I try not to show I’m hurt, but I am, and I get the feeling my face isn’t doing a good job of hiding that.

I can’t give up on him, though, so I stuff my emotions down and ask, “What’s wrong? I’ve never seen you so miserable.”

That gets me the first smile I’ve seen from him in nearly half a day. “Yes, you have. Admit it.”

I take another step toward him and stop, still feeling unwelcome. “Okay, but I’m just trying to be supportive, Matthias. What’s wrong?”

And as quickly as that tiny smile appears, it’s gone and he returns to being sullen. “It’s work. Nothing I want to talk about. You don’t have to worry. I’ll handle things, and everything will be fine.”

His cryptic words leave me with more questions than answers, but I don’t push, even though I want to. For so long, I got used to him being open and willing to share things with me, but now it seems those days are over.

I just don’t know why.

“It’ll be okay. Don’t worry, Ava. Everything will be better by the time the wedding comes around.”

Unsatisfied with that answer but sensing I won’t get any further by pushing him, I walk around his desk and kiss him lightly on the cheek. “Okay. You know I’m always around to talk to, and I’m your biggest fan, so that makes talking to me even better, right?”

He gives me a second smile, much warmer than the one from a minute ago, and kisses me softly on the lips as he cradles my face in his strong hands. “I know. I’m the luckiest man in theworld because I have you and the kids. Don’t worry. I’ll be better soon enough. I’ll be so good you’ll get sick of seeing me happy.”

I look into his dark eyes so full of sadness even as he says those sweet words and wish I could make whatever’s upsetting him go away. “I could never get sick of seeing you happy, honey. If you want to talk, I’m all ears.”

Dropping his hands from my face, he returns to his previous miserable expression. “I know. I love you, Ava. You know that, right?”

“Of course, I do. And I love you, Matthias.”

As I walk out of his office, I turn around to see him back to staring out the window. Something is very wrong, and I’m starting to believe it has nothing to do with work.

But if it isn’t work that’s making him unhappy, why is he lying to me?

18

Matthias

My nerveson edge while I wait for my nine o’clock appointment, I walk out to where my assistant Donna sits at her desk and remind her no one is to come in until after I’m done. “I don’t want to be bothered, so whoever needs to see me, no matter what the problem is or how urgent they claim it is, do not let them interrupt my nine o’clock.”

She nods, and in her husky voice, says, “I won’t let a soul through, Matthias.”

I probably didn’t have to tell her that for the third time this morning, but the last thing I need today is one of my brothers strolling into my office during my meeting as they have a tendency to do. Kellen is the worst offender, but that’s likely due to the fact that he works here and has an office just a couple floors beneath mine. Still, I don’t need anyone distracting me today.

“Do you want me to alert you to when Miss Dwyer arrives, or would you like me to send her on in as soon as she gets here?” Donna asks.

Since I often have her keep people out here waiting on me, it’s not a silly question. I’m not playing any games today, though, so there’s no need to make her stay out here.