Before I can tell him anything else, his phone rings.
He glances at the name on it. “It’s Grandpa.”
He turns it on and puts it on speakerphone. “Hello?”
“Kevin has filed a lawsuit, contesting my will.”
“You’re alive though.” Nash is shaking his head.
“Yes, well, apparently, he had already started filing to contest it when he thought I was going to die.”
“Surely, it’ll get thrown out. You’re alive. It’s not like there could be anything in a lawsuit?”
I pull out my phone and immediately start searching for how to contest a will in court. Apparently, there are many ways and reasons to file those lawsuits. Good grief. People should find themselves a hobby. I always assumed whatever was written in a will was final. But people still go to court over it.
“I’m pretty sure it will get thrown out,” Alexander says. He sighs loudly enough that we can hear him over the phone. “But he’s finally pushed me too far. I’m calling the whole family, and we’re having a reading of the will—while I’m alive and healthy. I’ve switched everything to a living trust. Can you be there this Friday?”
“Yes,” Nash says heavily. “I’ll be there.”
“Good. It’s bound to get messy, so brace yourself.”
Nash hangs up the phone and looks at me blankly. “Now do you see why? This is ridiculous.”
“Can you disown family members? I’m just asking for a friend.”
He smiles weakly at that. “I wish it were that simple.”
“Some people are poison. And just because they’re in your family doesn’t make that fact any better.”
Nash shakes his head. “You don’t want to be a part of this. I think it’s best if we end our engagement for the rest of the family. Grandpa knows, so it’s not like we have to keep it up in front of the rest of the family. You need to walk away from this, from me. These kinds of lawsuits can be messy, especially if you’re going to start a new business. You do not need your name dragged through the mud with me. We need to separate until this is over.”
I stare at him for a moment as I think about what he’s actually saying. He really is breaking up with me on our first date. This might go down in history as the most volatile relationship ever. Engaged on day one, then breaking up on our first date…
I want to ask him if circumstances were better…would he feel differently? But I don’t bother. Because I already know the answer. He feels trapped by what his life is right now.
I slip the ring off my finger and set it between us. “I never met your father, but I assumed you were just like him. I guess I was wrong.”
I stand up and walk out of the pub, straight to the car that Eli is sitting in.
“I hope you get paid well,” I mutter as I sit down in the front seat. I rub my thumb against my empty ring finger. Ican’t believe I’ve gotten so used to wearing that ring. But I just can’t look at it tonight. I can’t be a yo-yo right now.
Eli grins at me. “I could retire a happy man right now.”
His words pull me out of my horrible mood for a moment, and I look at him. He has to be somewhere in his late thirties or early forties.
“I’m glad to hear that. Why do you stick around then?”
He shrugs. “This family has enough drama to keep me entertained. There isn’t a soap opera on TV nearly as entertaining as working here. And Alexander and Nash are good to me.”
“As they should be. Do you mind driving me home?”
Eli glances back toward the restaurant where Nash is exiting, a stern look on his face. “Are we not waiting on him?”
“You told me you liked the drama. That man just broke up with me on our first date. To protect me, or so he says. And to be honest? I’m still mad.”
Eli grins. “I can come back and pick him up.”
He steps on the gas and peels out of the parking lot, leaving Nash behind. And it’s the first time I feel like laughing in the last hour.
