Page 21 of Merging Wright

“And two million dollars if you get the town rebuilt by then,” Landon says.

Myles shakes his head, pressing his thumb and forefinger to his forehead.

“What a fucking bastard,” I mumble. How this man tied up Myles’s inheritance with mine is just unconscionable. Not to mention, it’s so typical of Fischer. Myles always got more.

Jane clears her throat and squeezes my hand. “So if we don’t marry, the town goes to the state because Mach isn’t fulfilling the terms of the will.”

Frank scoffs for some reason and looks out the window in Landon’s office.

“Correct,” Landon states. “And the terms of one year are solid. Fischer was clear in his instructions. If you divorce, separate, or fall short in any manner, the town defaults to state property.”

“And if we finish earlier, Myles benefits,” Jane adds for clarification.

“Correct.” Landon nods.

“But falling short makes the property up for grabs for someone else to purchase?” Frank questions, sitting forward with renewed interest.

“Making it the state’s property to then do with it what it wants. Honestly, I don’t think most states are interested in rebuilding existing small towns. We’re thirty minutes from the state capital. From a state perspective, their efforts and funds would be better served elsewhere. They’d let us be swallowed up as a suburb of Charleston despite the thirty-minute commute.”

“Or sell the land to the highest bidder and turn us into a power plant.” Ma scowls at Frank.

“But if we were to marry immediately, the town is saved provided we complete the rebuild in a year?” Jane asks.

“Three-hundred and sixty-five days from the reading of the will.” Landon points at the papers before him on his desk for emphasis.

“Or one-hundred and twenty, give or take a day,” Ma explains for Myles’s benefit.

Jane stares at Landon. “Which means we must marry . . .”

“Today,” the lawyer adds.

“They can’t do that.” Frank glares at Landon.

“There’s nothing that says they can’t. As long as they are married before the will is read . . .” Landon stares down his old friend. From the corner of my eye, I catch Ma ducking her head to hide a mischievous smile.

“But the reading was before a wedding.” Frank’s voice rises, and he glances around the room for support.

“Not if I can get a justice of the peace in here.” Landon exaggerates looking at his watch before leaning forward and typing something on his open laptop. “My calendar says I’m reading this will at four p.m. this afternoon.”

“But you didn’t.” Frank clenches his teeth while gripping his thighs.

“My watch says we aren’t anywhere near four o’clock,” Myles adds, not bothering to glance at his wrist.

Frank eyes Myles’s arm. “You aren’t wearing a watch.”

“Funny, my watch says we have six hours until four, which is good because I have a wedding to attend before the reading.” A giggle fills Ma’s voice as she holds Landon’s gaze again.

“Then I guess you’ll need to get the justice of the peace in here,” Jane murmurs beside me, and I turn to her, still clutching her hand like I’m a drowning man.

Frank grunts as he shoots from his chair, pointing at Landon. “This is bullshit.”

And it hits me while I tug at my tie, needing some air . . . I’m marrying Jane, for real.

13

Playlist: “Red” – Taylor Swift

[Jane]