PROLOGUE
Rory
The Clause
I was nota fan of lawyers. Even the ones who pretended to be humble had a certain air about them. Like they held the world in their hands and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Then there was old Mr. Branbury. Honest, but stuffy. A good man, but also an arrogant one. My dad’s lawyer whose pinched brow definitely indicated he knew something the rest of us didn’t. And maybe he did.
His office smelled of expensive cologne, the kind that was more cloying than appealing. A cold cup of coffee sat on his desk, half filled and forgotten. The beige office could easily be mistaken for a waiting room for bad news. An unremarkable room designed to be forgotten. Then again, it was rare one would want to remember the day you had to sit in this office. For us, that day marked the end of an era. We had come here straight after my dad’s funeral, still decked out in our blackest formal clothes and heels.
My mother would’ve been proud of my posture as I sat in the fake leather chair that squeaked every time I breathed too deeply. To my right, Belle’s boot tapped rhythmically against the leg of my chair. I didn’t say anything to stop her. Her anxiety was difficult to manage as it was.
To my left, Vivi was trying to be brave but her trembling hand was like an ice block in mine.
Once more, I eyed the man sitting to Belle’s right. The man with my father’s eyes, at least, they were the same color. But there was a hardness to them my father’s never had.
Mr. Branbury, our father’s lawyer, cleared his throat and continued reading. “… the land, the buildings, and all the livestock, will be divided into four equal shares.”
Four.My lungs burned as I tried to catch my breath.
My gaze moved again to the man at the end of our little row. A stranger, essentially. But my instincts had me guessing who he really was. He was at the funeral, too.
“My remaining assets and holdings will be divided into four equal parcels and be divided between my three daughters.” Mr. Branbury continued. “Aurora Hawke, Isabelle Hawke, Genevieve Hawke.” The lawyer took a deep breath. “And my son, Julian Hawke.”
The name hit us all like a sucker punch. Belle’s foot stilled, Vivi’s knuckles whitened on the arms of her chair. As children, my dad had mentioned we had a brother whom he visited twice a month. We never got to meet him and as we hit our teen years, my dad visited him less and less. We never asked questions and the topic never came up. In all the years, Julian had never been to Hawke’s Landing, the land he now had a twenty-five percent stake in.
Mr. Branbury lifted his head, taking his gaze from the papers in front of him. “These were your father’s wishes, girls. Julian is entitled to his share.”
The man was correct. And while my brother hadn’t spent any time at Hawke’s Landing or even in Hollow Creek, these were my father’s wishes.
I motioned a hand to Mr. Branbury. “Please continue.”
“I also further stipulate that should any of my children die without providing any heirs, their share of the land and assets will be divided among their surviving siblings.”
The clause itself was fair. But the way Julian turned to us, had shivers running up my spine.
Julian smiled at us and Belle leaned over to whisper in my ear. “He may have dad’s eyes, but his are… off. You know, like in cartoons when a shark bares his teeth and it looks like a smile, but he is in fact preparing to eat you? Like that, but more evil.”
After a few clauses and stipulations, none of which would matter, Mr. Branbury dismissed us all.
We found Archer Kincaid, the farm’s foreman, waiting for us out in the hall. He’d been the foreman at Hawke’s Landing since he returned from the Marines, injured. He had worked for my family from the time he was old enough to muck stalls right up until he left for bootcamp. My dad had no trouble hiring him when he returned home.
“Listen, ladies.” Julian’s voice had all three of us turning around at the same time. He made sure no one was watching or listening before he sneered at us. “That land, with those views, is wasted on the animals. I’m thinking a luxury resort would be perfect. You know, the exclusive kind with a golf course and an airstrip. We’re prepared to buy you all out for a very generous amount.”
Julian was right about one thing. Hollow Creek, situated an hour outside of Lexington, had the best views in the state. And our farm was at the center of it all.
His Kentucky accent had been watered down somewhat. It sounded a little like my friend Melissa who had moved to NewYork. It was possible he went out of state for college and made a life somewhere else.
As the person who had been dealing with the farm's books and the only one of us who had a degree in finance, I stepped forward. “Hawke’s Landing is not for sale.”
He let out a sigh and checked his watch. No doubt expensive and high end. “My partners are prepared to offer a pretty generous amount for each parcel, Aurora.” He handed me the proposal. “You could each live on that amount and never have to work for the rest of your life.”
I narrowed my eyes and did the numbers in my head. He was lowballing us. The farm was worth way more than he was suggesting. Not that it mattered. “You obviously didn’t do your homework. The answer is still no.”
His gaze hardened on me and the mask slipped. “This isn’t a negotiation. The offer stands, best you take it. You have forty-eight hours to sign. You don’t want to know what the alternative would be.”
With that he shoved a thick envelope at me with a business card that gave his name and number. The flip side read:The Argent Group.
I looked up to give him a piece of my mind, but he had walked away.
