“Get to it, Frank. We’ve got a ranch to run,” Tanner said, and shifted his stance at the fireplace. “You can fill him in after.”
Frank nodded. “Fine, fine. So, Brett also asked me to reach out to Jake, but only after he had passed away. He was firm on that part, so I didn’t question why. I honestly thought he’d told you boys, and Liz here, about him, but I guess not, and now here we are.”
An irritated noise from Tanner made them all look his way, but with one shoulder leaned on the fireplace and his arms crossed tightly, it was obvious he was frustrated at the entire situation when he looked away from them to glare into the hearth. Frank pulled out a thick envelope and continued.
“I was instructed to only read the will once Jake was back on West Line Ranch soil. So, thank you, Jake for making the trip on such short notice for the sake of a formality.”
Jake nodded silently, noting the raised eyebrows on Brady, who shifted uncomfortably in his chair. It was a long way to come for a formality, even if Jake hadn’t minded. Plus, he’d had two days to get used to knowing he had brothers, and what was happening. They’d had an hour, tops.
Jake watched as Frank broke the seal on the envelope, looking around at each of the other people in the room as he did. It must be a thing in Canada that wills were sealed, not that he’d ever been at a will reading before. He waited, the uncomfortable anticipation sneaking up his back and roiling his stomach.
He wasn’t entitled to one thing here, and he didn’t want to take anything away from anyone else. He’d already resolved that if he was left money or some sort of belongings, he would give it back. He’d never known his father, and his father had never tried to find him or his mother. Even during the lean years, when they had little to no money, his father had never been there. When Jake was younger, that had hurt. But he’d long ago given up the bitterness that came with the hurt, mostly so he could move on and make something for himself. It was what it was. So, in that vein, he’d also given up any right to have a piece of what his father had left behind.
“All right. I was instructed that another firm other than mine had vetted the legality of this will, and, as executor, I was not to open the envelope until now. I followed the instructions, but last week I did contact my colleague who worked on the file, and he verified for me that this is all aboveboard. So, let me scan this quickly, folks, before I read it out, so I can explain it if you have questions.”
Nods all around, and Jake watched Frank settle his glasses on his nose, scanning the document quickly, his hands moving down the page. But then Frank stopped, his face blanching, and he took his glasses off again, rubbing his eyes.
“Holy shit, Brett,” he muttered, and looked up, directly at Tanner, who was now watching the lawyer with the same scrutiny he had offered Jake earlier.
“Frank . . .” Tanner stated ominously.
“I’m so sorry, Tanner. So truly sorry,” Frank said, laying the papers down on top of his briefcase.
Brady shot to his feet just as Peony breathed in, one hand settling on her chest. Liz turned to her mother, then swiveled to Tanner, then looked at Jake. He caught the concern and worry in her eyes, the stiffness she was holding in. You could slice the stress in the room with a knife.
“Tell us,” Peony said quietly, steel in her voice even as her hand shook. “What has that fool old man has gone and done, Frank?”
Frank cleared his throat twice before he could speak. He looked directly at Peony and placed both hands flat on the papers. They were shaking slightly.
“He’s left the entire operation to Jake.”
Chapter Four
The room erupted, everyone talking at once. Tanner snatched the papers before Frank could get a word in edgewise.
Liz couldn’t believe it. The old coot had fucked them over. Well, not them. Tanner and Brady. It was their ranch—they deserved it—but now it belonged to a complete and utter stranger who shared some of their DNA.
“What in the absolute hell?” Brady muttered, launching himself over to Tanner, who was furiously scanning the will, his eyes snapping. Liz stayed put, a death grip on her mother’s hand. Her mother was several shades paler than normal.
“Peony. Please, have something to drink.”
Liz looked over to see Jake at her mother’s side, offering her a full glass of tea. Peony opened her eyes and nodded, taking the tea and sipping it carefully. Liz looked incredulously at the man. After what Frank had just said, Jake was offering her mother tea instead of being steaming mad like everyone else?
“What in the absolute hell?” she echoed Brady, and Jake looked over at her, confusion in his eyes. She sensed a great deal of worry coming off him. Or maybe it was shock.
They were all in shock.
“We’ll get this sorted out. There must be some mistake,” Jake said, and got up from her mother’s side and walked over to Tanner and Brady. “May I?”
Tanner thrust the papers at him and strode out of the room without another word. The front door slamming made her mother jump. Frank was rubbing his eyes again, obviously realizing this was now much more of a legal headache than it had been five minutes before.
Jake smoothed the papers out carefully, then, with a quick glance at Brady, looked the document over.
Liz watched his eyes go back and forth, then looking up and catching her eyes again. They shared a momentary acknowledgment of something, and she looked away, feeling the contact was too personal right at that moment.
“Frank, this is bullshit. I don’t want a ranch. It belongs to these people.”
His words flooded Liz with relief. They didn’t know Jake from a hole in the ground. If the will said he got it all, and he was a greedy asshole, he might just take it. But maybe he wasn’t. She wished he’d been able to say that before Tanner had stormed out. It might have helped.
