Page 12 of Three Reasons

It’s everything we talked about in passing but never realized our genuine need for, and we don’t even know if it’s a life she wants for herself. Which leads me to worry about another problem—Callan’s attitude.

“Don’t fuck this up, Cal,” I mumble to myself, knowing he has control issues, a temper, and a generally bad attitude.

“Eli?”Speak of the devil.I laugh as I shake my head and walk into the kitchen to find him making the coffee and toast I was after. “What’s so funny?” He looks and sounds a hell of a lot more excited for the day than usual.

It’s the Gray effect. She’s got us both livelier today than our typical demeanours.

“Not a damn thing, man,” I grin as he hands me a cup of joe. He eyes me critically as I ask, “What’s up?”

“We have an appointment with the Donaldsons today about getting those mini-Firs the missus wants uprooted and moved.”

Work…always on his mind.“Right. She ever say where she’s expecting them to go?”

He shakes his head as I sit at the table to drink my coffee and read the newspaper. Flipping to the business section, one word pops out in a headline:Wyatt Ryhan set to be named Hannibal & Malcolm Law Firm’s newest partner.Immediately, I think of Gray because her last name is Ryhan. While not uncommon, the spelling is unique. If I'm honest, having a stuffed shirt for a parent isn’t what I pictured with her.

“You see this?” I pass the page to Callan as he sits across from me.

He must be reading the entire article while I only skimmed the headline. “You think she’s related?” There’s a niggling of doubt in his eyes, as well. He’s thinking the same as me.

“Would it be so wild?”

When we lived in Calgary, I had heard rumours about the firm’s reputation—apparently, they’re popular in the province. There were unconfirmed rumours about payoffs to judges so they could win critical criminal cases, but nobody proved any of the stories to be fact, as far as I know.

Callan goes back to reading. When I notice a frown appear, I lean forward. “What is it?”

His eyes slowly move up to meet mine. “Looks as though there’s some sort of Christmas ball and a surprise announcement between Malcolm’s son and Ryhan’s youngest daughter.” I cringe at the thought. It can’t be too much of a surprise since it’s in the paper.

“What are you thinking, Cal?” The wheels turn in his eyes.

An ominous look crosses his face faster than I can catch it as he wonders, “Either Gray is hiding something, or she has no fucking clue about any of this.”

“Son of a bitch.” I don’t fucking like that at all.

We’re both silent as we head out to the Donaldson’s first thing. Lost in our thoughts and concerns as to what the hell is about to happen with the girl we’ve already begun to think of as our own.

“Shake it off, man,” I say as we arrive. He grunts but gets out of the truck and heads up to the house.

Mrs. Donaldson quickly opens the door and ushers us in on the chilly morning with the offer of coffee and sweet breakfast cakes. “Thank you, boys, so much for coming. I just knew you were the right men for this job.” Her warm and genuine attitude melts away any anger we’ve felt since reading that article.

After explaining that she’d like to use the Firs as non-traditional Christmas trees this year and that she’s getting too old to care for them outside, we get to work.

Thankfully, it’s been a milder fall so far, and there’s been no overnight freezing. The snow hasn’t been too terrible, so we get the trees dug up and out of their bed by her front door in no time. After repotting them inside and leaving her with care instructions, the elderly woman is pleased as punch, sending us off with homemade cinnamon rolls and looking ten times happier than when we showed up.

“It’s going to be okay, you know. We’ll get it figured out with Gray tonight,” I try to reassure Callan as we leave. He grunts noncommittally and ignores me for most of the day.

Callan

After spending the majority of the day in a piss-poor mood, I wish I’d never seen that fucking article. I’m angry that Gray might have duped us, although I don’t get the feeling that’s what this is. No, if anything, I believe it’s her father. And if this is her father, hehas done something behind her back.

Once we finished with the Donaldsons, we had a couple of clients who needed direction on how to take care of their temperamental outdoor plants over the winter months, but now, our appointments for the day are done, so as soon as we arrive back at the office, I head for Google and search Wyatt Ryhan. I need to know if this is actually Gray’s father or not. The mere thought of Gray deceiving us has plummeted the more I think about it. While guarded, she was refreshingly honest with us and didn’t seem like she’d lead us on.

H & M Law isn’t exactly known for its stand-up clientele, so I wouldn’t be surprised if their newest partner has done something shady as hell involving an unsuspecting daughter in order to get on the firm’s good side and earn that partnership.What confuses me most about this, however, is that men like them wouldn’t go for a woman like Gray. Yes, she’s gorgeous and appealing and makes you look at her three times over with how she catches your eye. Men like these assholes would typically be looking for the Suzy Homemaker type. The girl next door. Wholesome, sweet, doesn’t talk out of turn. Gray’s tattoos are loud, in your face, and stand out in a crowd. Add in her cherry-coloured hair, brash attitude, and her take-no-shit detector, and the woman screams don’t fuck with me.

Whatever their plan is, it’s likely to backfire and blow up in their faces because if there’s one thing I know about Gray, it’s that she’s not one to be led around like a loyal dog. She’s her own woman with her own personality, thoughts, and dreams.

It’ll be hell once she finds out what’s going on, and I half-expect there to be a blow-up big enough it’ll be written about, and the law firm will finally be exposed for their dirty dealings. Whatever their logic is, it won’t work on Gray; their scheming will only serve to enrage her, and I can only hope she’ll allow Eli and me to be there during the fallout.

“Find anything?” Eli asks as he comes inside, anticipating what I would find out.

---