“Greatnephew,” Declan corrected. “So, uh… it’s not a mistake?”
“Youdidn’t know he was gone?” Sue asked, her voice soft.
Declanhadn’t, but he wasn’t as sad about it as she seemed to think he would be. He’dbarely known the guy. He could only remember having a handful of conversationswith him at big family events.
“Ididn’t, know. We weren’t, uh, close,” Declan said. “So I was kinda surprised to hear from you.”
“Well,part of what he’s left you includes a letter. Maybe there’s an explanation inthere.”
“Isthe letter… it?” Declan asked.
Hewasn’t making a four-hour trip for aletterfrom a guy he hadn’t spokento in almost ten years.
“Ohno, of course not. If it was just a letter, I would have mailed that to you.No, your uncle left you his bookstore.”
Fora few moments, all Declan could hear was the rush of blood in his ears.
He’dbeen left abookstore?
Whatthe hell was he going to do with that?
“Areyou still there?” Sue asked after probably thirty seconds of silence on Declan’spart.
“Oh,yeah, I just… wow. I wasnotexpecting to hear that.”
“Ican call you back if you need a moment,” Sue said. “I understand this is asurprise for you.”
“No,I’m… fine.”
Thiswasit.
Thenew start Declan had wanted. That heneeded.
Andit’d just fallen in his lap.
Thathad to mean there was a catch coming.
“Allright. Can I ask if you’re married, Mr. Cooper?”
“Uh,no,” Declan said. “Never married.”
“Oh.Well, that could be a problem. The, uh… the will stipulates that you must havebeen married for at least thirty days to take full possession of the store.Until then, it’s to be held in trust.”
Andthere was the catch, right where Declan had expected it to be.
Notonly was he not married, but he wasn’t getting married anytime soon. There wasno one in his life, no one who’d be willing to marry him, even for half abookstore.
“Iknow it’s not what you want to hear,” Sue continued. “But the trust willendeavor to lease it for you and the proceeds of that will also be kept intrust. It could be quite the little nest egg for when you do want to start afamily.”
MaybeDeclan needed to read Marv’s letter after all.
“Thisbookstore…”
“It’scurrently vacant,” Sue explained. “It has been since your great uncle died. Heran it with a partner for a lot of years, but they’re both gone now. Such ashame, they were a much-loved couple.”
“Ididn’t know he was married,” Declan said. No one had ever mentioned a greataunt.
“Oh,he was. He and Darren were first in line here to get married when it becamelegal. They were in the newspaper and everything.”
