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I turn to find Maddie standing in the living room. She looks almost nervous and that makes me nervous too.
“What’s wrong?”
She climbs the bottom few stairs and holds out an envelope. “This is from your late husband’s lawyer. I wasn’t sure to give it to you or Sovereign.”
“I’ll take it,” I say, pushing back my irritation. Has he been telling his staff that I’m not the point person for my ranch? “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
She nods, frowning,and turns to go, but I clear my throat.
“Maddie,” I say.
She pivots. “Yes?”
“Did…did I do something wrong to you?”
Her brows shoot up and I can see regret flicker through her face. “No, I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I’m just…withyou being a Garrison, I’m never sure what I can say. You know how Sovereign feels about your family.”
I don’t fault her for that.
“I’m not really a Garrison,” I say in a rush. “I…it’s hard being a woman up here. Would you be interested in maybe having lunch together sometime? Gerard said you eat with your husband, but if there’s a day he’s busy, I’d like to.”
Her face softens. “Sure, he’ll be gone this weekend.”
I can’t hold back my smile. “I’ll look forward to it.”
She smiles, and this time it’s genuine. I skip upstairs and I think I hear her hum lightly as she heads back to the kitchen.
I push the bedroom door open and stop short. On Gerard’s desk is a cardboard box with a lid, the kind used for storing documents. I push the door shut and pad silently across the carpet. There’s black marker scrawled across the top that takes me a minute to work out.
Mrs. Clint Garrison.
I open the envelope so quickly it rips down the side and the paper inside falls open. It’s a typed letter with Jay’s name printed at the bottom.
Mrs. Garrison,
Enclosed is the remainder of your late husband’s personal items left in my possession. If you have any questions regarding these or any other legal matters, I am handing his account off due to the unpaid balance detailed here.
My eyes skim down to the phone number below. And to the second number that’s almost the same length.
Fuck. Why did I not realize I had to pay his lawyer?
The door opens behind me and I turn to see Gerard taking his coat off. I’ve never been good at finances because I never had access to my own money until Clint was gone. The impending doom of unpaid bills scares me. I turn and meet his eyes, panic tearing at my throat.
“What’s wrong, redbird?”
Speechless, I hold out the paper. He takes it and there’s a short silence before he hands it back.
“Don’t worry about it,” he says.
Don’t worry about it? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I’m on the hook for over a hundred thousand dollars and I’m just supposed to not worry about it?
My hand shakes as I grip the paper. He removes his coat and pulls his shirt off. He goes to unfasten his belt, but he sees the tears spilling down my cheek and stops short.
He’s beside me in a moment, pulling me against his bare chest. “I’ve got it, sweetheart. I’ll pay it this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry,” I manage. “I feel so stupid.”
He pulls back and wipes my tears with his thumb. “Stupid for what? They’re not your bills.”
