“These were your father’s wishes. Would you really want to contradict them?” he asked then shook his head when I didn’t answer. “Never mind. Of course you would. You hated the man.”
Was that what my dad thought? I was angry with him, yes. We had a lot of unresolved issues. But… “I didn’t…hate him.”I blamed him.
“For what?” His tone was inquisitive, and it made me realize I’d said the last part aloud.
I pulled my robe tighter around my body. “Nothing. Everything,” I whispered. “Never mind.” Why was I even talking about this? “We’ll sell the house, split the proceeds, and move on.”
“Sell?” He choked on the word, and Max went up to him, nudging his thigh with her head. “This place is—” He shook his head. “No.”
“Well, we’re going to have to figure out something because I sure as hell don’t intend to be stuck in this shitty-ass town for the rest of my life.”
His expression was thunderous. “Thistown is full of honest, hardworking people. People who have been nothing but kind to you. Do you really think you’re so much better than this? Thanus?”
“Screw you, Ethan.”
“You wish.” He smirked.
“Real mature.” I spun to head for the house.
“I don’t like the situation any more than you do, sweetheart,” he called.
I paused, shoulders bunching at the term. And then with a huff, I marched the rest of the way across the backyard to the house.
I slammed the door behind me. He probably hadn’t heard it, but it was still satisfying. I clenched my fists, anger coursing through me, until my computer chimed from the office. I ran toward the noise. Ben’s name was on the screen, and I answered, anxious to hear about the Stein case.
“Hey.” I was breathless, and when I caught sight of myself in the small in-camera screen, my eyes went wide. I smoothed down my hair, wiping beneath my eyes where some of last night’s mascara remained.
“You okay?”
“I’m—” I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep, steadying breath. “There’s a small situation here, but it’ll be fine.”
He frowned. “What kind of situation?”
I leaned back in the chair, my eyes darting to the detail of the light fixture, the woodwork near the ceiling. This really was a beautiful home. But what would I even do with it? I lived in Boston, and this home was huge. Much better suited for a family. And I sure as hell didn’t have a family. My mom had left, my dad was dead, and now, I was all alone.
“Your silence is concerning,” he said, reminding me that I still hadn’t explained.
“My dad left the house to me and someone else.”
“Who? Your mom?”
I shook my head, wondering if that would’ve been easier. Though, I hadn’t seen or heard from my mom in over a decade.
“A…friend of his, I guess.” I wasn’t quite sure what to call Ethan, though I gathered he and my dad were close.
“Contest it. I’m sure we can find some technicality,” Ben said with confidence bordering on arrogance. Was that what I sounded like? How I came across? No wonder Ethan bristled at my tone.
I shook my head. “It looks legit. And my dad had a top-notch legal mind, even if he practiced in the middle of nowhere.”
“Sell it and split the proceeds?”
“Already considered it. He doesn’t want to sell.”
“Let him buy out your portion.”
“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have that kind of cash.” If so, he would’ve already suggested it. “I thought about listing it as a vacation rental.”
“A vacation rental?” His tone conveyed his distaste. “Then you’d still be involved, and I need you here in Boston.” I sensed he was talking about as more than just a colleague or even a good friend, but I shook away the thought. Ben was a playboy and my friend, nothing more.
