Page 75 of Inheriting Miss Fortune

He nodded. “Right. So why can’t he see that? Why is he still trying to help them? I mean… I know the answer. The Scotts are one of the firm’s biggest clients. I’m just incredibly disappointed to see him acting in his own best interests instead of the best interest of a minor child, even after I told him what a good father you were, what a great life you could give Lellie.”

My stomach flipped in a good way. Tully’s faith in me meant… a lot.

I moved my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and kept rubbing his tight muscles as he drove us home. The sound of Kenji’s soothing voice speaking to Lellie assured me all was well in the back seat.

“He probably still thinks the Scottsarethe best choice for her, Tully,” I admitted. “Most people would. Especially more traditionally minded folks who have ingrained ideas of what a proper family looks like.”

“Why are you so f-freaking reasonable?” he muttered, stopping himself from cursing. It was something I was still doing a shit job of, but I appreciated him keeping Lellie’s delicate ears in mind.

I shrugged. “It’s easier for me to believe that it’s not personal—that he thinks the Scotts would be best because they fit his idea of a heteronormative, two-parent family—than for me to think he has something against me in particular.”

Tully glanced at me again. “You’re the best choice, Dev. I hope you know that.”

Kenji made a soft sound of agreement in the back seat before reaching out to squeeze my shoulder.

I sighed and sat back in my seat. “Well, let’s just hope the courts agree. At least we’re a little closer to proving it now.”

When we got back to the house, Lellie was dead asleep in her car seat. I carried her inside and changed her diaper before putting her in the crib in her room. Thankfully, she was good at transferring and stayed asleep. Unfortunately, the late nap was most likely going to seriously fuck up our night.

When I made my way back downstairs to the kitchen, Kenji was seated at the table, typing away on his laptop while Tully was unloading a grocery delivery. He’d kicked off his shoes and was barefoot in his suit pants and Oxford shirt, which made my stomach tighten with desire. My city boy looked amazing in his suits, but I would always think he looked better when he unbuttoned a bit.

My breath caught.Mycity boy? Maybe it shouldn’t have felt so right to think of him that way, but it did.

He glanced over and caught me staring at him. “I told Kenji we’re taking a two-hour break from discussing the situation at the clinic and its related issues. Instead, we’re going to swap embarrassing childhood stories. I vote Kenji starts.”

“I’m ignoring you,” Kenji muttered without looking up from his screen.

I winked at Tully but spoke at Kenji. “That’s okay. Your grandmother has told me enough of your stories that I can take over for you in telling them.”

His dark eyes came up and pinned me with a glare. “Reconsider your actions, McKay. Choices have consequences.”

Tully’s laughter made my entire body feel lighter. I joined him in putting away the groceries by telling him the story of howKenji’s grandmother had used chess as a punishment without realizing that Kenji loved the game and would do anything to be able to stay in the Florida air-conditioning instead of being forced to go outside and play with the other grandkids in her retirement community.

“I played for money in college,” Kenji added. “Paid my entire tuition at UMBC by fleecing other students. Don’t tell me my Baa-Baa wasn’t proud then. She still takes full credit for my degree.”

“What about you, Dev?” Tully asked. “You got a scholarship to Yale, but what did you do for money while you were there?”

“Mucked stalls, of course. As soon as I arrived on campus, I found the nearest equestrian center. I thought if I could establish a rapport at a barn, they might cut me a deal on boarding, and I could try and bring up the mare I’d ridden at Delmar and Biddy’s ranch.” I shrugged. “It was a pipe dream. Even if I could afford the board, I couldn’t afford to trailer her all the way to New Haven. And that’s if Katie’s grandparents had meant what they said about letting me have her.”

“When did you get Trigger?”

Kenji snorted and went back to working on his laptop. I ignored him. “That mare that I left behind, the sweetest best friend a shy gay kid in Texas could have besides Katie, ended up giving birth to a stallion who went on to father several incredible additions to their ranch. They were so happy I’d encouraged them to breed her they were willing to give me one of the colts several years later as long as I agreed to let them use him to stud from time to time. The last time I brought him down was when I met you.”

Tully’s eyes met mine across the small kitchen. Memories from that night two years ago were stronger than ever and filled the room with the good kind of tension.

Kenji’s voice broke the moment. “Ask him what happened to Trigger’s foals.”

“None of your business,” I said with a surprised laugh, embarrassed by the fact I’d tracked them all down and offered obscene amounts of money to bring them to Fletcher Ranch this past year. “Did I ever tell you about the time Katie showed up to cheer for a football game after sneaking half a box of Franzia wine with the other girls on the squad?”

Tully’s eyes danced as he plucked a carrot stick out of a bag and snapped a bite of it in the side of his mouth. “How many horses, Devon?”

“What? Nothing. So they go to do the pyramid, right? And the girl who’s supposed to be on top?—”

“Twelve,” Kenji said. “I’m sure you’ve met them in Majestic. Silas calls them Dev’s Dozen. Way calls them Dev’s Emotional Support Herd.”

I busied myself folding paper bags into a tidy stack. “There was no way to know if they were being properly cared for. Now I can be sure they are.”

Tully tilted his head at me. “If you’re that rich, why don’t you have more help on the ranch?”

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