Page 88 of Inheriting Miss Fortune

I let out a small laugh. “Tomas only says that because he’s a terrible card player. It makes him feel better to think he only loses to me because I’m that good.”

“Sounds about right. So what else do you do for fun? Do you like to dance? Go to the clubs?”

“Yes, definitely. I like to travel. I enjoy swimming and fishing if I can get away long enough. I read… about fifty-fifty nonfiction stuff and sci-fi. I can’t stand legal thrillers because they’re both unrealistic and too realistic, if that… if that makes sense.”

I hesitated. Nothing I’d said was particularly personal, but in light of his earlier flirting, I felt like I’d crossed a line and agreed to treat this as a date.

I quickly backtracked, adding, “And I love my work. I’m on the partner track, which means most of my waking hours are spent at the office. But I don’t mind because I truly do like what I do, and I work with some fantastic people.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “You don’t have to sell me. I already signed the engagement letter, Tully. You’re obviously a great fit for what I have in mind as far as the legal work goes. And I hope I’m not crossing a line if I admit I’d like to see you more than just professionally.”

His smile was self-conscious but kind, not to mention alluring as fuck.

And it did absolutely nothing for me.

“Miles.” I shook my head. “I’m…”

Miles’s smile fell a little. “Involved? Not interested?”

I shrugged and exhaled. “I’m not sure what I am, but I know I’m not available. If I were…” I smiled at him. “I’d throw cash down right now and ask for a ride in your sports car.”

He threw back his head and laughed easily, letting me know I hadn’t jeopardized our business relationship with my rejection. “Fair enough. I understand.”

Miles took another sip of wine before suddenly asking, “It’s not Tomas, is it?”

“No,” I said on a laugh. “God, no. Although we did hook up in law school. We’re just friends now.”

“Do you want to talk about your situation?” His eyebrows lifted. “Shit. It’s the guy in the reception area that day, isn’t it? The one with the baby. Is he married? Is that the complication?”

“Not married,” I said quickly. “But he lives in Wyoming, and I live here.”

“Ahhh. I see.”

“Yeah.”

The server brought our bill. Thankfully, Miles understood the firm would be paying for it and didn’t argue when I handed over my company card.

He took another swallow of wine. We’d been so busy talking we hadn’t finished more than half the bottle between us. “You going to leave me as soon as I’ve engaged you as my attorney?”

“Of course not,” I said, trying to reassure him.

He lifted his eyebrow. “It would be okay if you did, Tully. Life’s too short to make big decisions based on a job that will never love you back.”

“Says the guy with millions,” I said, feeling comfortable enough now to be casual with him without giving him the wrong impression.

He nodded. “Agreed. And if you’d said Antarctica instead of Wyoming, I might have worried about your ability to earn a living there.”

He had a point. And it stayed in the forefront of my mind all the way to Friday when I finally, fuckingfinally, boarded the jet to Majestic.

As soon as I stepped off the small set of airplane stairs and onto the tarmac Friday night, I inhaled deeply. Sage-scented air filled my lungs, and an early evening breeze cooled across my face. The giant sky blazed deep blue with clean pink-white clouds moving lazily by. The peaks of Three Daughters stood stalwart in the distance, and a Fletcher Ranch–branded pickup truck was visible through the fence between the tarmac and the small parking lot by the private aviation building.

Unfortunately, Kenji’s slender form was the one standing next to it instead of Dev’s muscular frame.

I threw the strap of my computer bag over my shoulder and yanked up the handle of my rolling suitcase. Even though Dev and Lellie weren’t there, something about being back in Majestic felt like coming home to me far more than landing in Dallas nearly two weeks ago had.

The weight of my firm’s expectation, of the grief of losing Katie, of the singles’ scene, and of the unpredictable expectations of my own family back home all faded away, at least temporarily.

“Hey,” I said, flashing Kenji a big smile. “It’s good to see you. Thanks for coming to get me.”

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