Page 78 of A Temporary Memory

She thought for a moment, chewing her lush bottom lip as she worked over her final answer. “I’ll go. Thank you, Cody.”

“And thank you for this morning. Grayson was...vulnerable. You’re amazing with him.”

“Kids can sense when things are going to change, and sometimes the small schedule shifts are just too damn much.”

“Tova!” Britta called—or was it Kali? “Can we start?”

Tova grinned and ducked out, closing my door quietly.

I knew the meltdown hadn’t been from the milk. The timing after Curtis’s call was impeccable. Before I had decided to send them away, I had talked to the kids about living with their grandparents, and if they’d had big objections, I wouldn’t have made the plans. They had seemed disappointed, a little scared, but then their mom had just passed, and I’d told them living with their grandparents was ultimately her idea.

They were kids, dumbass. What would they say?Why, actually, I think the adjustment to life in a bigger town, a brand-new school, living with people who we’re used to spoiling us but would now set strict bedtime and screen-time limits might be as shocking as getting detention because a teacher doesn’t understand the presentation of grief in children.

I blew out a breath and rubbed my eyes. Was I doing the right thing? Before we moved to Crocus Valley, I wasn’t sure.

That wasn’t true, was it? I was in Crocus Valley because my sister had sensed my quiet resignation, and she’d pushed me to take some time. To think more about it.

And I’d done it. Had I been hoping to change my mind? To find a compelling reason to cause my in-laws even more upheaval after losing a kid?

But I would be losing mine for much of the year.

I stared at my scribbles from the call with Weston Duke. If I could land this contract, the company would be more stable. I could turn some duties over to the King Oil team. I’d have more time on my hands.

There was still Knight’s Arabians and Cattle Company and that damn trust.

I dialed Eliot before I had much time to ponder the thought that came to mind.

He answered with a “Yeah?”

My brother always sounded cranky. “I love you too, bro.”

“Shut it. You only call when you’re giving me bad news.”

“I do not.”

“Do too.”

My last call to him had been to shitcan the idea of the indoor riding ring. Before that, I told him I was leaving for the summer. More financial woes after I got full access to the books Barns had poorly kept. Going back, there was the call that Aggie was taking up with who we thought was her shitty ex. At the time, we didn’t know Ansen was actually a decent guy. Then there was the call that Meg had passed. “Fair. I do.”

He grunted. “What now?”

“About the trust...”

“We talked to Lorenzo. Barns was pretty clear. It’s all in that damn trust. You, me, Austen, and Wilder are tied to this place if we want the money.”

Eliot had known nothing else, hadn’t expressed wanting to do anything else. A comment Aggie made months ago filtered through my mind.Eliot said he took over because none of us were going to.

We’d all assumed it was what he wanted. We’d gladly backed out, except for Aggie, who’d never been allowed in, and left it all for him.

Was that why he was a permanent grump?

“One thing my wife always used to say was that nothing was ever definite in law. ‘It depends’ was her motto.” Loss tugged at my heartstrings, but there was more fondness than normal. Meg had been a beast of a lawyer, and I’d been proud of her. She’d love that she was helping me cut a few ties to the ranch because of her.

“I don’t mean to be a dick, I really don’t, but Meg’s not here to fight the contract with us.”

I didn’t take offense. He’d delivered his point gently, which was a lot for Eliot. “If Meg were here, she would’ve poked holes all over that contract. My point is—there are holes. Do you want to find them?”

“What do you mean?”

---