Page 6 of One Wild Chance

“Yes, a pleasure to see you again,” he replies stiffly.

I motion to the waiting room. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m a paralegal for James.” He tips his chin a little. “Went back to school a few years ago and earned my National Association for Legal Assistants CP certification.”

“Sounds…” I search for a response other than boring. “Very official.”

His eyes brighten. “Yes, it is, actually.”

He’s wearing a white dress shirt and tie. In Golden Springs. No one dresses like that unless they’re getting married or leaving in a casket.

“James said he’s on his way.” Blaine gestures toward a snack bar and a fancy new coffee machine that looks sorely out of place. “Help yourself.”

“How soon will he be here?” Rhett asks, moving toward the snacks.

“Why? You have a date?” Wyatt asks.

“No. My agent just sent me a contract, then I need to hop on a video call.”

My brow pulls down. “Another sponsorship?”

He nods. “For Arctic Energy Water, the new sports drink.”

That’s probably a million-dollar deal, while I don’t even have a job yet.

The door opens just then, and James hurries in, his hair wind-blown. “Hey, boys, sorry to keep you waiting.” He shakes our hands, then waves us toward his office. It’s a small room lined with dark bookshelves stacked with legal books. The building itself is showing its age—cracks in the plaster, creaky floors, and a faint musty smell. A drooping plant sits on the windowsill.

We take our seats while James rounds his desk. “We’re just waiting on one more person.”

“One more?” I look at my brothers. “Are you talking about Cal?”

Cal is our foster brother who came to our family when he was in middle school. He left for Texas to do the rodeo circuit at eighteen and never returned.

“No, Cal couldn’t be here.” James reaches for some papers in a drawer. “Someone else.”

I frown. “Who?”

“Sorry I’m late.”

I turn to find Summer Daniels in the doorway, a little breathless, wearing the same jeans and tank top from earlier, plus a jacket now. A few tendrils of hair have escaped her ponytail, falling softly around her delicate neck. As soon as her eyes land on mine, they narrow before snapping back to James. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere but in this room right now.

“Summer, come in.” James motions her inside. “We’re just getting started.” He gestures toward the only empty chair, inconveniently next to me.

Wyatt shoots me a confused glance, and I shake my head. I don’t know why she’s here, but my gut tells me it’s not good. Even though Summer worked for Lucky Chance Ranch back in high school, it doesn’t make her part of the family, nor does it give her any right to the Chance inheritance.

Maybe Mom left her something small. Something we wouldn’t want anyway.

“Well,” James begins, organizing a pile of papers on his desk, “now that we’re all here⁠—”

“Sorry to interrupt.” I raise a hand. “But I thought this meeting was for family only.”

James sets down the papers. “That’s what I want to talk to you about. I invited Summer for a reason.” He folds his hands on the desk. “It was your mother’s wish to have her here. She asked me not to discuss this until you were all together.”

“Discuss what?” Grady asks.

“Your mother had her will amended before she passed,” James says. “And that amendment involves Summer directly.”

My eyes swing over to Summer. She’s staring at the floor, avoiding eye contact. Does she know what this is about? As the oldest brother, I ought to have been made aware of any changes to the will.