My Husband's Wife

By Nick Haskins

My Husbands Wife showcases the portal of a distorted husband, two loving wives, and three soon-to-be-shattered lives. When Dr. Reynolds said I do, he meant it both times. He married Katie Morganthe sassy, unsuccessful, hateful blonde seven days, fourteen hours, six minutes, and thirteen seconds before he wedded Courtney Byrdthe ambitious entrepreneur who has everything including an Ivy League education, thin waist, and a Colgate smile.

Erick Reynolds, who poses as Eric (E-R-I-C) Reynolds and Erik (E-R-I-K) Reynolds, has been medically characterized as a dejected schizophrenic case. Disintegration of thought and auditory hallucinations, mixed with paranoia and bizarre delusions doesnt stop Erick from molding himself into the image of a wealthy dentist to capture the hearts of his two wives. Just as Erick was becoming comfortable with his position as the perfect husband, Courtney mistakenly fumbles across information leading straight to the other Mrs. Dr. Erick Reynolds. The wives then painfully discover their colonial brick style homes share the same zip code, their five-carat diamond wedding rings were cut from the same jeweler, and theyre married to the exact same man: a calculated imposter who led them both to believe he was placed on this earth to love, honor, and cherish until death does them part

Once all of Ericks secrets are uncovered, he ends his fraudulent life in front of Katie and Courtney, leaving them both to face a lifetime full of humiliation, confusion, and pain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479752881

Nick Haskins

Nick Haskins was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. His first book On The Edge Of Heat was released May 2011. He also released Urban Erotic Tale Jamal May 2012. Nick is currently studying to obtain his Bachelor's degree in Communications, with hopes of starting his own literary agency. Readers can visit Nick’s websites, ontheedgeofheat.com, or MHW.com, and e-mail him at [e-mail]

Book preview

My Husband’s Wife

Nick Haskins

Copyright © 2013 by Nick Haskins.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 09/18/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

114817

Contents

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

A READING GROUP GUIDE

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

I dedicate this book to a very dear friend of mine, Mr. Elijah Pressley. Though you will never read any of these words, I want to take this time out to say that I love you and miss you with everything inside of me. You will always be with me in spirit. You’re gone, but will never be forgotten. Rest well, Lijah.

Acknowledgments

I thank You, Father, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me yet another opportunity to do what I absolutely LOVE to do.

Love you, Mommy!

Prologue

I do… I do! . . . I-do… I practiced my I do’s in the mirror until my voice went hoarse, and I didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I’m not going to let a little strain to my vocal cords bother me. It was for a good cause, so I kept right on going.

Hago eso! That is I do in Spanish. I was a little rusty.

I do. I smiled at the image in the mirror as she smiles back at me.

I do… There goes another I do along with what was left of my voice.

Inflammation of the larynx—better known as laryngitis—is the least of my worries. Come to think of it, I didn’t have any worries at all. My life is absolutely perfect. Well, perfect if I could erase the fact that I flunked out of law school, or I hide my two failed, very embarrassing attempts to become a licensed chiropractor. Did I mention how embarrassing that was? Then there is the teeny tiny little issue of me turning thirty next month without a degree.

Now why did I have to bring that up? Usually, when I think of my failed college education, I go into my woe is me faze, but that wouldn’t be necessary; not today anyway.

My life is finally on track. Excuse me, my love life is finally on track. I’m still turning thirty without a degree. I shouldn’t let that bother me though, right? It’s just a piece of paper. Why do people, especially parents, make such a big deal about it? A degree doesn’t make me any less of a woman. I think if I keep telling myself that long enough, I might actually start believing it… Not! Truth be told, I will not be satisfied with myself until I pass the bar. I’m determined! I get that from my father.

He always said, Katie, that’s me, determination without hard work means nothing.

Now, Daddy never took the time to explain to me what it meant when you worked hard, had the drive, determination, a good education, and still ended up a failure. I did mention how embarrassing the whole chiropractor thing was, didn’t I?

I’ll try to forget the unsuccessful portion of my life for now because I’m about to marry the man of my dreams. Actually, Mel Gibson is the man of my dreams, but my new fiancé will just have to do.

I giggle to myself as my schoolgirl thoughts of Mel start to race through my brain. Now all I need is a trapper keeper, a few colored pencils, and a Saved by the Bell episode to seal the deal.

I can’t imagine why I’m thinking about some dried up, unfunny cast from an 80s sitcom along with a dried up, unfunny, aging actor when the love of my life was staring me right in the face. He wasn’t actually staring me in the face at this exact moment because he’s away on business. He’s a doctor. Dr. Eric Reynolds to be exact, and in less than two weeks, June seventh, after the priest announces us husband and wife, I’ll be Mrs. Dr. Eric Reynolds. That has a nice ring to it.

Speaking of rings, I blush as I look down at my hand to face the yellow gold, pear shape 5.98-carat engagement ring Eric placed on my finger that sparkles against my porcelain skin like glass out in the middle of the sea. Everyone was intrigued by Eric’s selection.

He has impeccable taste were the words that came out of my resentful sister Kyle’s mouth the day she laid eyes on my ring.

The night Eric and I announced our engagement, I could see the gaze in Kyle’s eyes. It was almost as if she was swept away right in front us. Her face sang the lyrics to the daydream going on inside her head. She wished she had my life—she wanted it all for herself. She wanted what Eric and I had. She thought it should’ve been her about to marry a gorgeous, distinguished, wealthy doctor.

Kyle doesn’t think I deserve a man like Eric, and she tells me so every chance she gets. She’s such a loser.

I wanted so desperately bad to pat her on the back and tell her the love of her life was waiting for her right around the corner, but why lie? I don’t believe that, and neither will she. Kyle knew she would never have a man like my Eric. He’s successful, handsome, strong, a good provider, and has all of his own teeth. What would he, a well-to-do dentist, want with a woman like my thirty-four-year-old unemployed sister?

Categorically, in my opinion, Kyle has nothing going for herself that would make any man look twice at her, even though there is one thing she has that makes me envious of her, and that is a college degree. She has an online college degree so I guess I really don’t envy her at all. What a loser!

Kyle would put you in the mind of Kim Zolciak from The Real Housewives of Atlanta if you look at her long enough. An even bigger loser. Like Kim, Kyle was loud, boisterous, obnoxious, rude, and she has a bad false sense of self.

The only good thing about my sister is she doesn’t grab for a microphone and force her un-God given talent on anyone. (Not anymore that is.) Lo-ser.

Then there is my little sister Epiphany. She’s the youngest of us three. She’s the polar opposite of Kyle. I could actually stay in the same room with Epiphany longer than five minutes without this sudden urge to strangle her.

Epiphany looks up to me, still obeys whatever I say, and she doesn’t cross me. I like that in a woman.

Epiphany is also easygoing, soft-spoken, and knows exactly when to shut up. She even has the ability to offer up some good old fashion, sound advice at times. And you know I actually find myself listening at times.

Epiphany doesn’t have a degree either. I guess she planted somewhere in the back of her mind she would retire from her bank teller job when the time was right. I think the only thing more pathetic than a twenty-six-year-old bank teller is a woman who would take the time and hang an online college degree on her wall for the world to see. Both of them are such losers!

Then there’s me: Kate Lynn Morgan. I would consider myself the sane one out of us three. I’m everything I dreamt I would be. Just getting married at twenty-nine and childless wasn’t exactly in the plans, but hey, better late than never. I would like to believe that, but I don’t. I thought I would be married at twenty-one, have my first child at twenty-three, pass the bar at twenty-five, and be ready for retirement at forty.

My life didn’t quite work out that way, but I think I still have it going on. Some might even say I’m the total package. I’m intelligent, natural blonde. I have a great body, perfect skin, and a nice set of ta tas if I may say so myself… And I will say so. I have said so.

I’m everything a man would want in a wife, so why did it take Eric Reynolds so long to find me?

One afternoon, I was patiently waiting in line at the library to check out some books when I spotted him standing two people ahead of me. I could smell his cologne from my position in line. It was either his scent or one of the two old ladies that separated us. But I knew it wasn’t either of those hags, it was him. He was wearing a Marc Jacobs fragrance. I couldn’t make out exactly which one, but he smelled so good—good enough for me to knock down the two old ladies and get a little closer, but I knew that thought would pass. And it did. All I was interested in was going back home, eat over half of the cookie dough ice cream in my freezer, and cuddle up with a good book, maybe two. That’s not what I actually wanted to do, but what other choices did I have? I didn’t exactly have a parade of gentleman callers lined up waiting for me. But little did I know, after a visit to the local library, I wouldn’t need a parade of gentleman callers, because now I would have just one. The right one: Eric Reynolds. No middle name, just Eric.

He said, Hello there, when I exited the library through the automatic sliding doors. I don’t know if he was waiting for me, or if he was just standing there. I didn’t ask because I didn’t care. Yes, I did!

My heart skipped a beat as the fading sun melted into his golden brown skin. My mind instantly raced. I was no longer interested in any of the novels I planned on finishing that night. At that moment, I could’ve cared less about the main characters, the plot, or the endings. This man now standing right in front of me snatched my attention without so much as asking if it was OK.

After he introduced himself with, My name is Eric Reynolds, he repeats his first name and then spells it out for me: Eric, E-R-I-C. I thought that was kind of odd, but I didn’t question him.

All I could think was what should I say next? What could I say? How about, Hi, I’m Katie? No, that would’ve been stupid, so I said the second thing that came to my mind which was, Good for you, Eric Reynolds.

I read in Cosmo coy is the new black. I have to remind myself to cancel my subscription.

My next reaction was to say something else before he walked away with a look of defeat on his face, but I didn’t have to worry about that because he didn’t walk away. He cracked a smile and said, . . . aw hell, I don’t remember what he said.

That smile, those dimples, the small cleft that rested at the bottom of his chin—his strong voice, his dark bedroom eyes… everything about him had me mesmerized. I had to know more. I couldn’t let him leave. Not now. Not yet. Not without my phone number. My e-mail address. My shoe size. Ring size. Something! I was on fire for this handsome stranger, but I kept my cool. Something else I read in Cosmo. Maybe I won’t cancel my subscription after all.

My name is Katie. I wouldn’t dare say Kate.

Katie, huh…

There goes that smile again.

It’s really nice to meet you.

Quick! Where is a Cosmo when I needed one? I didn’t know what to say next. I didn’t know what to say at all, so I didn’t say anything. I let Mr. Eric Reynolds take the lead.

His eyes pointed toward the plastic bag I was holding. "The Eternal Engagement, Jamal, Don’t Blink. He starts rambling off the titles in the bag one by one. Wow, you’re really into fiction."

At that moment I felt so silly. I wasn’t planning to read Employment Law for Business by Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander and Laura P. Hartman when I left the library. It was obvious I wasn’t going to be up late refreshing my memory on the black-letter rules the same as I’d done the night before the bar exam. I didn’t have anything of substance in my bag. My reading material consisted of nothing but colorful make-believe, so I lied. I’m just taking it easy tonight. I winked at him when I said, Lawyers need a night off too, you know. I lied big time! I quickly switched the conversation without leaving him anymore time to probe. I asked, Where are your selections?

Actually, I just came to the library to do a little research.

I didn’t bother to ask what he was researching. I was too busy staring into his beautiful mouth. Behind his full lips sat thirty-two of the most perfect teeth I’ve ever seen.

I was silent. He was silent. The outside was silent. You could hear our hearts thumping at the same time, to the same beat.

Right then and there, he popped the question. There was no more small talk. No more flirting. He just did it. He asked, Katie, will you…

I thought, this is it! My heart was on overload. I’ve been waiting to hear these words my entire life. I wanted to leap into his arms and show him my gratitude for choosing me, but all I could say was, I do!

That’s when he looked at me. He grinned when he asked, What did you just say?

As I’m standing there panting for air and trying to think of a valid retraction to my foolish blurt, Eric popped the question again.

Katie, will you… have dinner with me?

Well, it wasn’t the marriage proposal I thought I heard fall from his luscious lips, but it was a start. In that instant, I could see myself carrying this man’s baby. Make that babies, as in more than one—more than ten if he wanted me to.

At that moment, I wondered if this is what love at first sight feels like? I would phone Epiphany and ask her, but not before I accept Eric’s dinner request. I had to say something fast, and not another I do.

I calmed myself and felt an easy Sure evaporate from somewhere inside of me. I said sure even though I really wanted to say, I do because I did. I loved this man. I didn’t need a publication or my sister to tell me so. This was love. I think he felt it too because we’ve been inseparable ever since.

That was three whole years ago. I confessed to Eric the night he proposed to me that I fell in love with him right there at the library. I also confessed I wasn’t really a lawyer.

All he could do was smile. He was good at that. Really good at that.

I truly love Eric with all my heart, and was more than ready to become his wife.

I do… I was practicing again. My day had to be perfect. My gown, my hair, my makeup, my wedding party, and my I do’s.

I wouldn’t allow anything to go wrong. I had the perfect man, at the perfect time and our lives will be perfect together.

Prologue

Courtney, please come out here so I can see how you look.

That was my best friend Shaun who doubles as my wedding coordinator. He’s the best wedding coordinator out on the west coast so his flights to and from Los Angles were on me. His flights, his dining, his lavished hotel suites, and his wardrobe were always on me.

I never understood why Shaun needed a new outfit each time he came back to Baltimore nor did I find time to ask—I just went with the flow. Thank God for American Express!

He waited not so patiently on the other side of the curtain in the boutique for me to come out in the attire I planned to walk down the aisle in. I’m not wearing white. I wasn’t classified as a whore, but I wasn’t the Virgin Mary either.

Courtney, what’s taking you so long?

That was Shaun again. He was really starting to agitate me in the worse way. I had enough on my mind to think about like getting married in a month.

My body tingles every time I think about it. Who would have ever thought I would meet the man of my dreams, fall in love with him, accept his marriage proposal, and actually go through with a wedding? The tingles in my body started to turn into nausea. I love Erik, but marriage? I wasn’t so sure I was ready.

I stood up straight as I took deep breaths. I smiled at myself in the full-length mirror in the dressing room as I felt the nausea suddenly leave my being.

Cream, or eggshell as Shaun would say, was most definitely my color. My hand landed on my stomach as I sized myself up. I wouldn’t say washboard, but those few extra hundred sit ups did me a lot of good.

Courtney, please!

Shaun was getting frustrated, and he had good reason to be. This was the fourth boutique we’d been in, and the tenth ensemble that I’m sure I would decline to wear. I wasn’t walking down the aisle in just any old thing. Everything… every single detail had to be perfect on this day. If I didn’t feel like the beautiful center of attention that I planned to be, everything would be a disaster.

Courtney Byrd, if you don’t come out here right now, I’m coming in there after you. Don’t have me get put out of this place.

I laughed almost aloud listening to Shaun gripe on the other side of the curtain. He was a funny little character. His humor was what I loved most about him; his humor and his ability to pull off a fashionable, fabulous, flawless wedding day for just about anyone if the price was right. But I wasn’t just anyone. I’m his best friend, and the price was most definitely right. My husband-to-be made sure of that.

Byrd, I’m waiting.

It annoyed the hell out of me when Shaun referred to me only by my last name. Besides, I’m not Courtney Byrd anymore. I’m now Courtney Fenmore. My last name, Byrd, sounded so country, so I decided I needed something a little more glamorous just to spice things up a little. I thought about Courtney Love, but that’s already taken, so Courtney Fenmore it is.

I’m a twenty-four-year-old successful college graduate. I attended the University of Maryland and graduated at the top of my class with a master’s degree in business.

I’m currently a loan officer at Citizens Bank, but that would all change once Fenmore’s opened for business.

Fenmore’s would be an upscale tapas bar right in the heart of Baltimore. Hopefully by the fall, my joint, as I called it, would be opened for business.

So far, my life is on point all the way down to the man of my dreams I mentioned earlier. His name is Erik Reynolds. He has become my heart and soul. Sometimes, I think he’s the reason why I was placed on this earth.

Erik is my everything, and each time he calls my cell phone, R&B legend Monica reminds me of that. Her record Everything To Me serves as his official ringtone and text tone. I know that’s a little childish, but hey, I’m in love and sometimes people in love do strange, corky things.

Reviews for My Husband's Wife

[Jaymesha Morrison · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best books I’ve read on here, I wish it didn’t have to end!