Page 39 of Biker Daddy

“I’m glad. I hated the thought of you stuck there for months alone.”

“What? Months? Why would I be here for months?”

“Oh, shit.” Daniel and Steven started bickering, but Addi ignored everything except the pounding of her heart and Steven’s slip.

“Your uncle’s lawyer contacted me yesterday to make some arrangements from Ray’s will.” He swore. “I thought you’d know by now.”

“What the hell is going on, Steven?”

“Can you pretend you didn’t hear any of that?”

“No.”

He blew out a breath. “Well, I only know my part. I had to make sure you had the time off for taking care of the will business. Your uncle wanted it arranged that you could work mostly from the camp after he died—at least for three months. Of course, I said yes. I know how you felt about him and I’d do anything for you.”

“Three months? Most of my pieces require travel! How the hell am I supposed to pay my bills? And why?”

“He arranged that too. Your paycheck is covered for three months, whether or not you get anything done. I’ll get someone from the university to intern while you’re away. As for why, I have no clue. “

“Oh.” She scratched her head. What was her uncle up to? How could he afford to do that when Drew said he was broke? Was he broke? Was Drew lying or did Uncle Ray have something stashed away?

“Hon? We gotta run, but we’ll come for the funeral and stay the weekend. Steven never lets me work weekends anyway.”

“The deal is, he works a weekend, I delete Outlander off the DVR.” Steven grunted. “He’s a bully, that one. I ought to fire him.”

“You threaten that daily, Steven,” Addi said on a chuckle. “We all know you’ll never follow through.”

“Because I’m the real brains of this operation,” Daniel countered smugly. “Take care, hon. We’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks, guys. I can’t wait to see you.”

And when they ended their call, she looped around the cabins and headed back to the office with a heavy heart, remembering the lawyer telling her about the letter in the desk. She hadn’t seen it, but at the time, she hadn’t been looking for it.

The office was covered in footprints from both her and Drew now, and looked awful. She knew her focus on the dirt was more to avoid the letter in the desk. She just couldn’t face it yet.

She got the bucket and brush out of the closet and started scrubbing the floor on her hands and knees. She couldn’t stop even after she’d scoured and dusted everything. She used furniture polish on every wood surface besides the floor and then began organizing files, ignoring her hands cracking from the harsh floor cleaner.

She was sitting on the floor in the dark holding the letter in her lap surrounded by piles of folders when Drew barged through the doors.

“Addi?” He sounded frantic. “Where the hell are you?”

“I’m here,” she said, her voice rough and scratchy from lack of use, dust, and the buildup of emotion. He stumbled into the office, almost tripping over her.

“Jesus, baby girl, I’ve been combing the goddamned forest for hours looking for you.”

She looked at him, her eyes used to the dark room. His eyes fell to the letter in her lap as soon as he clicked on the little desk lamp.

“I’m sorry I missed our s’mores date.”

“Have you read it?” he asked, his voice gentler now and filled with a different kind of concern. She shook her head. He looked around the room. “You clean when you’re upset?”

She nodded.

“Remind me to piss you off next time you’re near my trailer,” he said in an attempt at humor that fell flat. He sat on the floor across from her. She wondered how such a big man could fold his legs like that.

“Have you read yours?”

It was his turn to nod silently.

---