Page 55 of From Our First

I swallowed hard. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now,” I said.

“Why don’t we get you home?” Lacey whispered. “I need to get home to my babies and the ranch, but I’m only a quick drive away if you need me. The lawyer will figure out everything else. I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions, too.”

I looked at my cousin and swallowed hard. “Thank you. I just… I don’t know what to say.”

She reached out and wiped the tears from my face. “We lost Grandma Sharon. I don’t think there’s anything we should be saying or doing right now.”

As the lawyer and intern quietly left us alone, I held onto my cousin, one I didn’t know very well and hadn’t spoken to in years, and I wept.

By the time we left the office, I was emotionally drained and physically exhausted. I would have countless things to sign and go over before I was even close to finished with all of this.

I had estates to deal with, money I hadn’t ever dreamed of having, and countless other small things to work through. I knew right away that I wasn’t going to keep every dollar my grandmother left me. I figured that was probably why she had given it to me in the first place. I’d find a way to make things work, even though I knew my family and my parents and cousins would never forgive me for being named as Grandma’s heir.

I drove without thinking. When I found myself in front of Nate’s house, I let out a small sigh. I couldn’t even avoid him when I wanted to. Instead, my subconscious had led me here, and now I would have to see him. I got out of the car as he stood on the porch, Daisy on a leash, currently chewing it as she tugged at him.

“We just finished with a walk, and she had her water, but now she wants to chew. Do you want to come in?” He studied my face, and I swallowed hard before making my way to him. He hugged me tightly, Daisy sliding between us, trying to cuddle and get more love.

“Today sucked,” I whispered.

“I’m glad you came.”

“I don’t know why I’m here.”

“We’ll figure that out. I’m glad you’re here.”

He brought me inside, cuddling we close. We got Daisy situated, and she passed out on her little bed in her octagon as soon as she finished drinking water. Nate brought me a glass of ginger ale.

I took a sip and coughed. “Is there whiskey in this?”

“Of course.”

I snorted. “I didn’t realize I needed a drink.”

“You looked like you did. I can get you a regular ginger ale if you want, but I figured you might need the courage.”

“It’s what I needed.” I took another gulp and set the glass down, picking up the water he had also handed me.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“The girls said you had the reading of the will today. I’m not going to ask if you’re okay because, clearly, you’re not. But do you want to talk about it?”

I nodded and told him exactly what had happened in the office. His eyes got marginally wider with each addition I made to the story.

“Holy shit,” he whispered.

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t know if I’ll ever be in the right frame of mind to deal with everything that Grandma Sharon left me.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility. But, Myra? You’re amazing. You can handle this. And you’re not alone. We’ve got your back. The Brady brothers and the pact sisters. Always.”

I wiped tears from my face, annoyed that I was crying again.

“One day, I will see you and not cry. I’m not a crier. I promise.”

“A lot came at you recently.” He paused. “Speaking of. You really think your parents are going to contest the will?”

I nodded quickly. “I think they’re going to do everything in their power to get to what my grandmother had. They didn’t even let me come to the funeral. I definitely don’t think they expected to hear what the lawyer had to say today.”

“I don’t know why not,” Nate said, and I frowned. “Your grandmother used a lawyer from her old town, and everything’s set up where you live now. They came out here, knowing that something was going to be weird. They had to expect something like this.”

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