Mark sat at his computer silently studying the image on the screen. Cassioux, the character on the cover, had defeated evil and claimed the kingdom. He should be triumphant, even if he did have to sacrifice the woman. Women were a dime a dozen, he’d find another. He sighed as he pushed away from the desk, stood and crossed to the window. The problem was, he wouldn’t find another woman like Amy.

As he watched out the window a woman walked out of the shop across the street and looked up at him. They both just stood there and stared for a moment before she grabbed her keys and got in the car. His book was finished, and it would definitely be a best seller. So why did he feel like Cassioux and he had both lost? The women. They just didn’t understand that it had to be this way. He couldn’t settle down with Amy any more than Cassioux could make Quardidra his queen.

His computer beeped, signaling a new email. He walked over and seeing it was from his brother, he opened it immediately only to regret it. The nosey bastard wanted to know why the hell he’d let Amy get away. Why? Because he wasn’t ready for love and marriage and all that goopy shit he knew she deserved. It wasn’t for him, plain and simple. She needed some nice, considerate, town leader type guy to set up house with. The kind that would remember to bring her flowers on her birthday and take her to all those stupid town functions she loved so damn much. Not him, a roaming jackass more comfortable holed up in a hotel with his laptop than, well, anything really. She’d thank him one day. Really. Right?

He put his head in his hands and groaned. The thought of her with someone else damn near killed him. Hell, even if he thought he could try to be what she needed, she probably wouldn’t take him back now. He’d made sure of that days ago. She was sweet as could be, and it was hard to get her mad at you, but once she was mad…

He felt his jaw where she’d slugged him. He still couldn’t believe his sweet little Amy had that good of a punch, or that she’d used it on him. On second thought, a woman like that could probably handle a roaming jackass like himself just fine. He should at least give her a chance, right? He replied to his brothers email and left.

Bro,

Sorry, can’t talk. Gotta go get my woman back.

-M