Chapter 10 #2
“You’re leaving,” I reminded them. “It was one thing for me to be your friend or whatever we were in the beginning. You three were still…you three. I was the outsider. I was temporary, because no matter how much I wished it wasn’t true, you three were temporary for me.
So when I heard about your plans to leave Summerhaven, I was supportive.
I was going to walk away when it was time anyway.
But now things are different. For me, especially.
I don’t have to be temporary. I don’t want to be. ”
“You were never temporary for me,” Roe said quietly.
“You’re leaving,” I said again. “I had to be temporary.”
“It’s possible to want more than one thing, Lottie,” he said, sounding angry. “Why does it have to be either-or?”
“That’s true. You can come with us?” Wyatt suggested.
That question also proved that I had changed things for the three of them. “What if I want to stay in Summerhaven?”
“Is that what you want?” Roe asked.
“Are you going to stay if it is?” I asked.
He didn’t respond and he didn’t have to. I could see the answer in his eyes. He would stay.
Seeming to also see his friend’s unvoiced response, Wyatt cursed as he rolled onto his back.
If I was selfish enough, maybe I’d find that romantic. A guy willing to sacrifice everything for me. I’d clearly been acting selfish with my need for them and I couldn’t continue doing so.
I got up from where I’d been sitting on the bed and went over to the closet.
Mac had brought me a few pairs of shoes.
I had changed out of my pajamas into a cream lounge set after Reid had left.
The only thing that would look okay with what I was wearing were tennis shoes or slippers.
I grabbed the tennis shoes and quickly shoved my feet into them.
I needed to get out of this fucking house.
“Lottie,” Roe said.
“I need some air,” I said as I headed for the door.
Wyatt shot up from the bed. “We’ll come with you.”
“No. I would like some space to think for a little while, please.” With that said, I walked out into the living room.
Bash and Theo watched as I stormed across the room toward the front door.
“Where are you going?” Bash asked.
“For a walk,” I tossed over my shoulder as I opened the front door and stepped into the daylight.
The sun felt good on my skin as I walked down the sidewalk through the neighborhood. The air felt easier to breathe. The weather was nice, too. It was the peak of springtime.
My head felt full and loud. I didn’t know where to begin, but I knew I couldn’t keep putting things off any longer.
Find strength, Lottie.
I walked aimlessly, lost in my thoughts.
When it started to get darker out, I realized quite a bit of time had gone by.
I took in my surroundings. I was still in Bram’s neighborhood, but I had no idea where I was.
I turned around and noticed I wasn’t alone.
Bash and Theo were standing maybe thirty feet behind me.
I made my way over to them. “Do you know the way back?”
“What would you have done had we not been here?” Bash grumbled. “Do you even have your phone?”
I glanced around the neighborhood. “This wasn’t one of my finest moments.”
Theo silently turned and started walking back in the direction we’d come from.
“This is our first day of knowing you. We don’t know how true that statement is,” Bash said as he and I followed Theo, walking next to each other.
“My whole life I was taught that appearances, reputation, and the opinion of others were all that mattered. It was drilled and beaten into me so much that I, too, thought it was important. For the first time, I am able to learn who I really am, and right now, you just taught me that I don’t give a damn about the opinion of others. So thank you for that,” I said.
Theo snorted and Bash stared at me with raised brows.
We walked back in silence for a while until Bash asked, “So did your boyfriends piss you off?”
“Not really,” I said. “Things were brought up that I was burying my head in the sand about. Not just with them, but with everything.”
He nodded as if understanding. “Did the walk help?”
“A little,” I said.
When we got back, Roe’s motorcycle and Wyatt’s car were gone, which I wasn’t surprised about.
What I hadn’t expected to see was my blue G-wagon and a black Mercedes parked out front.
Bram was also home, waiting outside by the front door.
He was frowning with his arms folded over his chest. “Heard you took off.”
I came to a stop in front of him. “I went for a walk. I needed to clear my head.”
“Did something happen?” he asked.
“Nothing bad.” I didn’t want to talk about it.
As if understanding, he nodded. “Next time, take your phone.” He glanced at Bash and Theo. “Thanks for the help, boys.”
“See you tomorrow, Bram,” Bash said as he and Theo mounted their motorcycles that were parked in the driveway.
“How did my car get here?” I asked Bram just before Bash and Theo turned on their bikes. Because they were so loud, Bram’s response was to nod his head toward the front door. I followed him inside, and waiting in the living room were Prue and a tall man with tawny skin wearing a very nice suit.
As soon as they saw me, the man walked over and smiled like he was pleased to see me. He held out his hand. “Hello, Charlotte.”
I glanced at Prue again, wondering if he was who I thought he was.
As if knowing what I was thinking, Prue gave me a single nod.
I stared up at the man as I put my hand in his. “Hello.”
When I’d spoken to Prue that morning, telling her that I was all right, where I was, and that I was ready to meet my father’s lawyer, I hadn’t expected her to show up with him that same day.
Instead of shaking, he put his other hand on top of mine. “Jayden Johnson. You may not remember me. I was Noah’s, your father’s, lawyer and closest friend.”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t remember you,” I said. “But I received my father’s letter that you sent me, Mr. Johnson.”
“Please call me JJ,” he insisted.
“I was planning to meet with you last week, but things…” I trailed off, unsure how honest I should be.
“I heard from Prudence about what happened and what’s been happening,” JJ said.
“Maybe we should all sit down,” Prue suggested.
The modular couch was U-shaped. Prue and JJ chose to sit in the middle. Bram and I each chose a different end of the couch, sitting across from each other.
JJ sighed. “Where to start?” He reached inside his suit and pulled out my father’s letter. “I need to apologize to you. I told Prue to find this before your mother did. Thankfully, Prue did. The last thing we need is for your mother to think we suspect her for being involved in Noah’s death.”
“You’re apologizing because you read it?” I asked. “How did you know it was important and Prue needed to find it before my mother?”
JJ handed the letter back to me. “Because your father wrote four letters. One to you, one to Prue, one to me, and one to your grandfather, Sullivan Kendry. All to be delivered and read when you turned eighteen. I don’t know exactly what your grandfather’s letter says.
He wouldn’t say when I spoke to him a few days ago.
Because he’s been overseas working on something in Japan, it was only last week that he was finally able to read whatever Noah wrote him, but whatever it was is bringing him here to Summerhaven next month.
I would really like to have a meeting with all four of us. ”
“To discuss what’s in the letters,” I said, feeling overwhelmed. “Because my father wrote to everyone that he thought my mother was going to kill him.”
JJ nodded.
“In my letter, my father knew I wasn’t really his.
That’s not going to be an easy conversation to have with my grandfather.
” I rubbed the side of my neck, trying to ease the tension.
I was pretty sure my grandfather already knew.
At least, that was the reason I assumed we weren’t close.
I was sure he hadn’t said anything all this time because of what a scandal it would be if people knew.
He was a very intimidating and influential man, especially in the business world.
The Kendrys may have been one of the first settlers who helped build Summerhaven, but it was Sullivan Kendry who put the power and weight in the Kendry name.
I assumed that was one of the reasons why Mother was so insistent that I be perfect.
For her reputation and for my grandfather’s.
Not because she cared about him. Knowing what I knew now, I bet it was not to draw his attention to her.
“And you want to talk about how my mother killed his son?” I couldn’t have withheld the stress in my voice even if I had tried.
“Yes. I know it won’t be a comfortable conversation, but he deserves to know,” JJ said. “And we only suspect that your mother had anything to do with Noah’s death. We don’t have any proof as of right now.”
I met Bram’s eyes on the other side of the couch. He knew the truth. He knew what I’d seen, and in that moment, as he stared back at me, he was doing his best at a schooled expression, which only stressed me out more.
I glanced at Prue. “How does this help me? You said that he was going to help me. And how did you bring my car here? If Mother finds out—”
Prue held out my keys to me. “It’s your car, not hers.”
I tried to not let it show that I was shaking as I took the keys from her. “Technically, she paid for it.”
“It was paid for with your money, Charlotte.” Prue looked at JJ. “I told you she didn’t know. You helped him with his will. It’s your job to explain it to her.”
“I apologize,” JJ said to me. “When Prue called, telling me to meet her here, I was on my way home. I’m not prepared to go over everything with you, such as the details of Noah’s will.
” JJ cleared his throat. “As your father stated in his letter to you, he left you almost everything. Your mother was not happy to learn that twelve years ago and did try to fight it. When she lost, she fought your grandfather for custodianship and won.”
“Custodianship? I don’t understand what that means,” I said.
Bram finally spoke. “It means your mother had control of everything your father left you until you turned eighteen.”
“Noah had expressed that he wanted to appoint your grandfather as custodian in case he died before you reached adulthood, but he insisted he needed to have a conversation with him first. I don’t know if they ever spoke about it, because your grandfather wasn’t appointed before Noah passed,” JJ explained.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to process.
“I apologize again. I would have been better prepared had we met at my office,” JJ said.
I opened my eyes again. “What if she spent it all?”
“If she has used your money for personal gain, you could sue and she could face criminal charges,” JJ said.
“Can you help me with that?” I asked.
“Yes, I can,” he said proudly. “I will help you with anything I can, and if I can’t, I will find someone who can. If you want, I can start by helping you evict your mother out of your house.”
So the house was mine as well.
All I could do was nod.
“I can tell this is a lot for you. It might be best if we give you some time to process.” JJ stood.
Prue and Bram did the same. JJ reached into his pants pocket, pulled out his wallet, and retrieved a business card.
“Here’s my number again. Please call me when you’re ready to speak more.
” He patted my shoulder before Bram walked him out.
Prue lingered for a moment. “Your mother was out today, so I took the opportunity to pack as many of your things as I could. You’ll find everything in your car.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“She’ll know that I helped you. So I won’t be going back,” she said. “I’m going to go visit family far away. I’ll come back for the meeting with your grandfather.”
“Why did my father send you a letter?” I asked.
She gave me a small smile. “I’ll tell you if you go to that meeting with your grandfather.”
Of course she knew I was reluctant to go.
“I will see you in a month,” she said, and followed JJ out.
After a few minutes, Bram returned. I hadn’t moved from my spot.
He sat back on the couch but closer to me. “Do you need to talk about it?”
“It’s been a shit day. I think I’d rather go draw.”
He nodded.
I stood and headed for my room.