The Partner Quandary (The Partners Book 3), page 1
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2024 Jade Marshall
ISBN: 978-0-3695-1052-5
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Lisa Petrocelli
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
For Tyson
You filled my life with love and happiness
You will be missed
THE PARTNER QUANDARY
The Partners, 3
Jade Marshall
Copyright © 2024
Content Warning
The Partner Quandary may contain triggers for some. As a reader, I find trigger warnings to be spoilers, but as an author, I understand that they are sometimes necessary. Although I am not going to list each one, there are many, please feel free to check my website for your specific trigger(s).
Website:https://jademarshallauthor.wordpress.com/
For those of you who wish to go in blind, please remember that this is a work of fiction, and I DO NOT condone or wish to romanticize any of the situations or actions of the characters.
Happy Reading.
Jade Marshall
Glossary
Proving Law: Worldwide law instated to test females sixteen years and older for their fertility status.
Proving Test: The test performed under the Proving Law.
Proving Center: The building where proving tests are performed.
House of Fertility: After a woman is tested as fertile, she is removed from her home and sent to live at the House of Fertility.
Keeper: Woman designated to train a fertile woman.
Partner: Male designated to a fertile woman through a series of tests to determine whether they have the highest probability of conceiving.
Chapter One
Blair
Growing up in a small town has both perks and pitfalls. It’s great to know everyone and have the support of a close-knit community, but it also sucks. Everyone is always in your business and making their opinions known.
At sixteen, I was taken to the Proving Center by my mother to learn my status. After the Proving Test was administered, I was found to be one of the many infertile females. Just like everything else in my life, I was nothing special. My mother took me home and our life continued as normal.
I was not taken to the House of Fertility. I would not be partnered by the government. I would live a regular life.
The only bright spot in my life was school. I wasn’t exceptional there either, but at least I could daydream of the three boys I had quietly been pining over and fallen in love with—Dax, Ford, and Holden. None of them had ever spoken to me or even acknowledged my existence but it was nice to think about. Until they graduated and even going to school became a chore.
But life in the real world went on without missing a beat, and soon after my graduation tragedy would strike. When my mother passed, I received a small amount of money and put it toward my dream—a bookstore. Everything I have is tied into my business and I will do whatever it takes to make sure it is a success. That means I have never tried to find a Partner, and getting married is the farthest thing from my mind. After all, I can’t procreate, and most men want a fertile female. The three men that held my heart so long ago had joined the military to protect our way of life and I never even gathered the courage to tell them how I felt. But I need to put that out of mind, no use in living with regrets over things left unsaid.
I tell myself these lies all the time. I don’t need a man. I’m not lonely. My life is happy and fulfilling. You know, the things everyone tells themselves.
“When are you going to find a nice man to settle down with?” Mrs. Ellis asks, cutting into my wayward thoughts. She adds the latest bodice-ripper romance novel to her cart, drawing my attention. “You can’t be alone forever.”
Rolling my eyes, I stack the rest of the books that came in with this morning’s shipment. Little Letters, my bookstore, is the only one in a hundred miles, and I pride myself on always having something to read no matter your taste. People drive from far and wide to get their book-fix from me.
I personally prefer romance, especially the spicy kind, but I know each person has different tastes. So, my stock includes everything from children’s books to horror, romance, and everything in between.
“I’m not alone,” I say for the millionth time, “and I don’t need a Partner to complete my life.”
I smile stiffly at Mrs. Ellis before taking the now empty box to the back, the lie falling from my lips without effort. It’s easier to nip these conversations in the bud before the old ladies get on a roll. Once, I had to spend an hour listening to her lecture me on the joys of being in a partnership, even if one could not have a family. She means well, as do most of the others, but I can’t stand to go through that again. I also don’t want to get set up with one of the grandsons.
My life is great—another lie. When I find love, it will be because it’s meant to be. The man I fall in love with will enjoy the same things I do and not be put off by my status. In high school, the girls that shared my status enjoyed being promiscuous because they didn’t have any fear of repercussions. I prefer to wait until the person I am with is ready to commit before putting my heart or body on the line. That part isn’t a lie.
The bell above the store door tinkling in the near silence draws my attention as I return to the counter. I watch as Dax Harris—the same one from high school—stalks into my bookstore without a care in the world, like he has been here a million times. I heard he was back in town, along with his friends, Ford and Holden, but I haven’t seen them yet.
My heart beats a mile a minute in my chest as my gaze remains glued to him. Even in high school, it was impossible for me not to stare at him. He is my perfect male fantasy—or one of three at least. Dark hair that’s a little too long, dark eyes that can see right into your soul if you ever gave him a chance, strong jaw, muscled shoulders, and thick thighs. The way he carries himself with confidence is just the perfect mixture of manly control and cockiness that I can’t seem to get enough of.
His gaze collides with mine as he lifts his head before he gives me that perfect smile.
“Well, if it isn’t Blair Nelson,” his deep voice reverberates through me. He leans his hip against the counter after making his way through the store.
Clearing my throat and shaking off the instant lusty thoughts from my mind, I paste my best professional smile on before replying, “Hello, Dax.”
I’m trying to remain composed and not give away the massive crush I’ve always had on him. My gaze drifts over his shoulder as I wonder if he is alone before returning my full attention to him.
“I heard you were back in town,” I say in a conversational tone. Though when I heard the news, I stupidly started wearing makeup more often.
“Yes,” he hums. “It was time to head home. You know, find a good woman and settle down.” He stares at me intently while speaking. “Maybe get lucky and have a few kids.”
Laughter burst out of me without permission. “Sorry!” I hold up my hand trying to get my laughter under control. “You do remember that we live in a small town? Not much has changed in the seven years you’ve been gone. You should have found a Partner in one of the cities.”
“Yeah,” Dax muses staring at me. “Some things never change. But some things do.”
The bell tinkles again and Ford pops his head into the store. “You coming?” he asks Dax.
Ford’s gaze sweeps over me dismissively, the same way it always does. I feel the same way inside, too. It hurts that he can just overlook me so easily. It hurt when I was sixteen and it still hurts today. Everyone knows about my infertility, and he is the only person who became more dismissive after I got my results, like I was somehow less of a woman after that.
Instead of giving into that old hurt, I divert my attention back to Dax.
“I’m glad you made it back safe,” I say, meaning it. “I know many didn’t.”
“The war was rough, but we got lucky.” His attention is still fixed on me. “You should come over tonight,” he says changing the subject.
“What?” I blurt way too loud.
“We’re having a barbeque. Reconnecting with everyone.” He smirks. “You should join us.”
Dumbfounded, I stare at him as I try to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. I was never part of the popular crowd growing up, never invited to anything. Hell, if I’m being honest I was never part of any crowd. Dax and his friends were the kings of our little town, handpicked to become something great, trained to fight for our country and our way of life. I was just the nerdy girl always hiding my nose in a book and keeping my head down.
Instead of waiting for me to answer him, Dax grabs my cell phone off the counter and starts typing. His cell rings in his back pocket before he hands mine back to me.
“There. Now you have my number and I have yours,” he says and smiles again. “I’ll text you the address.”
He leans over the c
ounter and places a kiss on my cheek before sauntering out. My mind goes on the fritz, and it takes a moment for me to understand what the heck just happened. But when I do, I can’t help the massive smile spreading across my face.
I just got invited to a party.
****
Dax
“Damn,” I huff out as I walk out of Little Letters and run my hand through my hair.
“So, is she coming?” Holden asks as we start making our way down the street, Ford walking behind us.
“I don’t know,” I reply sullenly. “Maybe.”
“Well, that’s better than a straight no,” he muses.
“I didn’t really give her a chance to say no.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Ford asks as we pile into my truck.
“The plan is to get her to our house and spend some time with her,” Holden interjects. “We all know her well enough to know we need to take this slow.”
“Knew her,” I say.
“Meaning?” they both ask at the same time.
“It’s been seven years. Things change and people change.” I sound sullen even to my own ears.
“We’ve asked around town. She doesn’t have a Partner,” Ford says.
“That’s not what he meant,” Holden says while looking out the window. “What Dax is saying is that we may have lost our window.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no, Ford?” I ask while waiting for the light to change. “We knew it was a possibility when we came back.”
My heart hurts just thinking about it. In high school, we all knew we wanted Blair. She is the perfect girl for the three of us. It never mattered to us what her Proving Test results were. It’s easy to know even when no one says a word. The girls that remain in school after the age of sixteen are clearly infertile. Neither of us cares about the fact she will never bear children, we only want Blair.
The real problem back then was the fact that she was too young. So, we joined the army as we had always planned and served our country. None of us expected to be away for seven damn years but it is what it is. Now we’re back and it may be too late, but we are still going to try to get our girl. We can’t just give up.
I rub at the center of my chest. The thought of not being able to have the girl all three of us have been in love with for years, is enough to cause physical pain. But we don’t simply want her for a single night or a weekend. We want her as our Partner, and we will do whatever it takes to get her.
Dax already got permission from the government for the three of us to claim her together. It was tough going for a while, but they finally conceded. We have all been tested and none of us stand a high chance of procreating so the government would rather not risk giving any of us a fertile female as a Partner.
“I mean,” he says as he casually sits back in the passenger seat, “that I saw the way she looked at you. A blind man could have seen that.”
“Being physically attracted to someone is fine,” Holden points out. “But that doesn’t mean she wants to spend the rest of her life with the three of us. Or even one of us. She could want a single Partner, or none at all. We don’t know.”
It would kill me if she only wanted one of us, but we agreed to do whatever made her happy. We spent many nights talking about her while the war raged around us, putting our dreams and desires into words. It was the only way for us to remain sane in a crazy situation. We already discussed what would happen if she couldn’t accept the three of us as a unit. None of us would stand in her way if she chose only one of us, but the dream is to have her as ours. To love. To cherish. One Partner for the three of us to share.
It will be hard to see one of my friends with the woman I love, but I will do it for her, just like I know they will as well. The rest of the drive home is done in uncomfortable silence as we each digest the fact that this may not go the way we have planned.
Chapter Two
Blair
Standing in front of the mirror in nothing but a towel, I stare at my reflection. My mind jumps back and forth with indecision. What should I wear? Should I go to the barbeque or not? I’ve always longed to be invited to something like this, but fear has me wanting to crawl into bed and sleep until Monday. Maybe I should just forget about the offer. Why would he invite me anyway?
My thoughts are scattered as my cell rings in the quiet of my home, making me jump. Luther, my cat, gives me the side eye from his spot in the center of my bed as I stare at the screen without answering.
Dax.
His name flashes across the screen. Taking a deep breath, I answer before it can stop ringing.
“Hello?” it comes out as a question even though that isn’t what I intended.
“Hey, pretty girl,” his husky voice caresses my ear.
I don’t reply. Hell, I’m not even sure I’m breathing.
“Blair?” he asks. “Are you there?”
“Yes,” I say in a whisper.
“What’s wrong?” he asks sounding concerned.
“Um.”
“Maybe I can help,” Dax replies and I know he is only trying to be supportive.
“I don’t know what to wear,” I reply. Because apparently, I’ve made up my mind in the last twenty seconds and I will be going to the barbeque.
“Well, that’s easy,” he chuckles. “What are you wearing now? I’m sure it will be perfect.”
“A towel,” I blurt out. My cheeks instantly flame in embarrassment. I do not know how to do any of this, especially not with him.
“Fuck,” Dax says lowly.
I hear a scuffle in the background before a new voice speaks into my ear.
“Hi, Blair. It’s Holden. Just wear whatever you’re comfortable in. It’s just a couple of friends having a beer or two so no need to dress up.”
“Okay,” I croak out.
I don’t have any friends so he must be talking about their friends. I know everyone in town, but I never spend time with other people. I am a loner, by every definition of the word.
“We’ll see you in an hour, Little Dove,” Holden replies before ending the call.
What the heck am I supposed to do for an hour? I never take that long to get ready. The message Dax sent earlier says six o’clock and it’s twenty minutes to six now. They are probably used to women who take forever to get ready, but I’ve never been that girl. I can’t spend an hour fixing my hair and makeup. If I do, I will absolutely talk myself out of going tonight and I really don’t want to mess this up.
Dropping my cell on the vanity, I open my cupboard while I gather all the courage I have. I am going. I am going to welcome them all back home and enjoy my night. I might even have fun.
****
Ford
We all stood in the lounge as Dax called Blair. We couldn’t hear the conversation because we didn’t want to invade her privacy by having her on speakerphone without her knowing, but both Holden and I instantly saw the change in Dax’s demeanor.
I have no idea what she said to him but he was gripping his phone so hard I think it may have cracked. After finally getting it from Dax, Holden finished the conversation while Dax sat on the couch with his head in his hands.
“What did she say to you?” I ask when he seems to have finally calmed down.
“She couldn’t decide what to wear.” He looks up at the two of us, his gaze filled with an emotion I’ve never seen and can’t place, but I think it may be longing. “I asked what she was wearing because I was sure it would be perfect no matter what.” He stops and rubs his hand down his face. “She wasn’t wearing anything. Just a towel.”
“Shit,” Holden hisses. “And she just said it like that?”
“I don’t think she meant to,” Dax says. “But now I can’t think of anything else.”
“Agreed,” I say as I rub my temples. “The idea of her in nothing but a towel will remain with me forever.”
“Well,” Holden says. “We need to take a breath and be on our best behavior tonight. Put it out of your mind.”
“Easier said than done.”
Chapter Three
Blair
“Stop being a wuss,” I say loudly to myself as I sit inside my little yellow car.
I’ve been parked in the driveway of the address Dax sent me for the past five minutes. There are a couple of other vehicles parked in the street but this spot was available. Lucky for me because sitting in my car in front of some stranger’s house might have made me look like a complete psycho.
