Page 12 of Ropers Can't Tie Knots
He winks and leaves us be while Jackson shakes his head as he sips his coffee. “My life isn’t boring. I’ll say that. But we aren’t here to talk about me.”
I called him first thing this morning because the best thing to ease some sorrow is a talk with a good friend and a slab of homemade cheesecake. It doesn’t matter that it’s only 10 AM. Desperate times and all that.
“Right. I need to tell you something and I trust you’ll be honest with me.”
“You know I will.”
I launch into telling Jackson how Gabe arrived, and I was still going through all my receipts when Gabe asked if he could help me.
“Ah! So you asked him to look at the will, then?”
“I did, and I’m pretty sure I can trust him. Riley wouldn’t be friends with a guy who isn’t honourable, would he?”
Jackson shakes his head hard. “No, and you know they’re close. Remember when Riley’s Aunt Agnes fell just as we got serious? He called Gabe, and I found them sleeping together.”
“What? Like…sleeping or fucking?”
Jackson laughs at my question and shakes his head.
“Sleeping, Hunter. Riley was upset and needed comfort, which Gabe gave him. They used to do that a lot, from what Riley says.”
“Can I go back and ask what you did when you found them like that? Honestly, I probably would have punched first and asked questions after.”
Diamond shows up with fresh scones for each of us and little pots of homemade jam. Blueberry is one of the flavours. I should tell Jamieson since he loves this stuff. “I’m sorry I can’t offer clotted cream right now. The delivery guy is late. I’m so sorry.”
Diamond is truly apologetic for the oversight. “I’ll survive Diamond. Thank you. Just tell any of the English folk before they order, so you aren’t mobbed.”
We both laugh as Diamond hurries away to the long line of customers that have just arrived.
“I almost punched him.” Jackson says as he slathers a scone with strawberry jam. “But I knew Riley enough to keep calm. He wouldn’t have been with me then fucked someone else forty-eight hours later. Plus, Gabe immediately identified himself, which helped.”
We eat quietly for a few minutes. Exclaiming about how great it all tastes, fresh cream be damned, while inside I’m a nervous mess. But I’m not leaving here without having a plan of action.
“So…Jesus…I don’t even know how to say this, Jack.” Running a hand over my face, I puff out a breath before summoning the courage to just say it. “According to the residual trust, it’s mine if I meet the conditions.”
“That’s amazing!” I hold up my hand and shake my head. “Oh. How is it not amazing, then?”
“I need to be married.” Jackson sputters his coffee and I pass him a napkin. “My bad. I should’ve let you swallow that first.”
“Married!?” Jackson’s eyebrows raise as he processes my info drop. “Like, say ‘I do,’ and have a proper husband married?”
“If there’s another kind of marriage, please share,” I say dryly.
Jackson blinks a few times before puffing out a breath. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I was hoping you had an answer.”
Jackson’s eyebrows return to earth and this time draw into a scrunch on his forehead. He does that when he’s thinking, and it’s something I’ve seen plenty of times when we were rodeo partners. “Okay, tell me what else it said. Let’s workshop this.” Jackson cracks his knuckles and sits forward. “We’ll solve this together.”
And that’s why I called Jackson. He’s always in my corner, even when I’m an asshole. Sometimes I think I don’t deserve a friend like him, but fuck, I’m glad I have him right now.
“There aren’t a lot of details. Gabe said the only heir inherits the rest at certain intervals if they’re married and stay married. I think he said three months, six months, and a year.”
“What exactly happens at those times?”
“A portion of the money is released from the trust to me to do with as I wish.” I bring my mug to my lips. “As long as I’m married.” I wash the words away quickly with warm coffee.
Jackson nods and rubs his chin. “I feel like there’s a catch. Unless you being married is the catch.” Jackson presses his lips together. “Actually, do you think he’d do that?”
