“Mom,” he called as he entered her cottage half an hour later. Jameson’s laugh drew him toward the back porch, where the two of them sat amid the Lego tower they were building together.
She sat back, and Brendan greeted her and kissed her cheek. “I heard you had a visitor today.”
“Yes.”
“She stirring things up?” Mom kept the tone light as Jameson continued playing. Brendan nodded, not wanting to have too big a discussion about Jenn in front of him. “You taking care of it?”
“As best I can,” he told her. “Called the lawyer and left a message. We’ll see what he thinks.” The more he thought about it, the more he was sure Jenn had returned and taken down the fence. It wouldn’t take too much, and she would have known how to do it. She could also take it down and just drive away, knowing the horses would find the gap, and she could be long gone.
“Good. Jameson and I made a chicken casserole. It’s in the oven and should be ready soon.”
“Thanks, Mom. I miss your cooking. It’s a lot better than my own.”
She stood and patted his cheek. “Of course it is. I’m your mother.” She slowly went through to check on things in the kitchen.
“Did you have fun with Grammy?” Brendan asked.
Jameson looked up, grinned, and nodded. “We had ice cream and cookies.”
“Of course you did.” Things that she never had in the house when he was growing up had become staples for Jameson. Not that he was going to complain. It was a grandparent’s job to spoil their grandchildren. His certainly had. Brendan got a hug from Jameson and then went inside to see if he could help his mother.
“So Jenn is causing trouble,” she started. “What got into her all of a sudden? She’s never had any interest in anything or anyone other than herself. She doesn’t even care about her own son. What gives?”
“Apparently, her mother saw me with Dwayne and somehow got the idea that we were seeing each other. That got under Jenn’s skin. I think she can handle me seeing another woman, but the thought that I might be interested in a man got her all upset.”
Mom shook her head. “You’ve been up front about your bisexuality for years. Why should any of this come as a shock to her? Unless she thinks that it reflects back on her somehow. She is the most selfish person I have ever met, so who knows.” Mom didn’t mince her words. She had never liked Jenn and, at the time, thought Brendan could do better.
“I did call the lawyer.”
“And you need to nip this shit in the bud. Tell the lawyer to put on his total bastard hat and let her have it. She’s aterrible mother, and we can’t let her get Jameson. He would be miserable.”
“I’m not. She already lost that battle once, and I have proof of how uninterested she’s been. So if she does try anything, I have that covered. I’m more worried about the farm and what she’ll do to cause trouble.”
Mom took the casserole out of the oven and set it on the stove. “Sounds to me like you need some muscle to intimidate the hell out of her. I wonder where you’d find someone like that?”
So did Brendan.
ChapterTwo
Lucas Stonewas more than a little curious as he entered the law office of his friend since before college. He and Greg had most definitely taken different paths in life, with Greg going to college and law school, while Lucas graduated at the top of his class in hard knocks and learning to get by.
He recognized Aunt Anita as soon as he stepped into the office, and she came around her desk to give him a hug. “It’s good to see you,” she told him. “Greg said you were going to be coming in.” She looked him over the way relatives you hadn’t seen in a while did. “What the hell are you eating? You look bigger every time I see you.”
He smiled, knowing it made him look less menacing. “And youaskme that every time I see you,” he reminded her gently. Lucas was well aware that he could be as intimidating as all hell.
She chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I do. Go on in. Greg and his client are waiting for you.” She sat back down, and Lucas entered the office. Both Greg and another man stood as he strode in.
“Is this the man?” the stranger asked.
“Yes, this is Lucas.” Greg shook his hand, and then Lucas did the same with the stranger. “Brendan Marshall, this is Lucas Stone. He and I went to high school together. He was the reason I didn’t get the crap beat out of me.”
“And he’s the reason I managed to graduate.” Lucas had never been able to read very well, and because of Greg and the attention he paid to him, he and his mom had discovered his dyslexia and had been able to get him the help he needed. He hugged his friend. “So what is it you need me for? Aunt Anita said that you had a job for me.” He found Brendanwatching him. “I worked for two years as a bouncer at a club in Harrisburg, but it closed last week.”
“Yes. That’s what Anita said.” Greg motioned for them all to sit. “Do you want to explain what’s been happening?”
Brendan cleared his throat. “Sure, I guess. I have a horse farm outside of town. I own four horses myself that I lease out to riders, and I have sixteen boarders in my stables. I give riding lessons and so on. The land and buildings I inherited from my father, but I’ve built up the business myself.”
“Sounds like you know what you’re doing,” Lucas said.
