Page 65 of I Heart Mason Cartwright
“All investments were within the trust so if he made anything it would have been added to it. And what he lost was taken away.”
“How much was it?”
“All total? Thirty-five million.”
His mouth drops. “Whoareyou people?”
“I know. Problem is he’s been extremely lavish with Cassandra and AshLynn. They have never wanted for anything. But he overleverages, so eventually his luck will run out—it’s starting to lately. And Cassandra and AshLynn have been put on a budget. They don’t like that. AshLynn has an inheritance that my dad started for her when she was born, but she doesn’t have access to it yet. So, yeah, everyone’s thoughts lately are primarily about money.”
“Did he spend all of the money from your mom?”
“No, I don’t think so. But I’m sure what’s left is too little for comfort. And then my Granny Violet passed and left me everything—”
“I don’t want to know how much.”
I laugh. “I wasn’t going to tell you. But I think it made them all a little bitter.”
“She was your mom’s mom?”
“Yep, so no relation to any of them, but my dad and Cassandra still felt like Grandma Brooks should have at least left AshLynn money.”
“Wait, how is your dad’s last name Brooks?”
“He took my mom’s name. The Brooks name is important in the business world and especially in our hometown of Southlake. It’s helped him considerably in his dealings.”
“I’m baaack!” Zach comes through the back door with two large bags filled with sandwiches and sodas, essentially ending my conversation with Mason.
I get up to help him bring everything to the table, happy for the disruption, then go inside to get paper plates and napkins. I take a moment to fan my face with the paper plates, still feeling warm from Mason seeing Zach’s text and our conversation after, then join the boys outside. The weather is perfect—seventy degrees and clear.
Mason asks Zach about his books. Zach preens as he discusses his favorite topic: himself. I eat my sandwich in silence and listen to the boys talk. I’ve done enough talking for today. They switch to discussing other people’s books and who their favorite authors are.
I already know Zach’s faves are Fitzgerald and Hemingway. But I’m interested to hear who Mason likes. I’m anticipating the typical answers of Robert Ludlum, Lee Child, or David Baldacci. But he surprises me when he answers with Raymond Chandler. And they go on to discussDouble Indemnity, which even I’ve heard of. I’m not a big reader like Zach is, and when I do read, it’s always something romantic with a happy ending. It drives Zach crazy.
I’m surprised to find that Mason is a big reader as well. Knowing Zach can go on and on about books, and happy for the break in hard manual labor, I recline my chair and close my eyes. Shade covers me and I open one eye to see Mason has moved an umbrella to cover me. I smile in thanks and close my eyes again.
I know I don’t fall asleep because I can hear their voices rising and falling along with the occasional laughter. I like that I’ve given them each a friend. Or at least that they are getting along and have things to talk about. P-Tink climbs up next to me on the lounger, circles four times, and flops down with her head resting on my thigh.
The next thing I know, Zach is sticking his wet finger in my ear. Not a fun way to wake up.
“What the—”
“Wakey, wakey, time to help the beefcakey.”
I glance around to make sure Mason didn’t hear him say that. The last thing I need is another embarrassing scenario with him. I slap Zach on the arm.
“Shut up, he’ll hear you.”
“He won’t. He’s all the way in the back vacuuming the dust and stuff with that big orange thing you’re afraid of.”
“Do you ever wonder why so many hardware things are orange?” I ask.
“No.”
“What’d you guys talk about?”
“Books and shit.”
“What does he need my help with?”
