Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Kate
“Before you can move forward with anything, we need to probate Mrs. Adams’s will. Gus and I have been over this already.”
I smother a groan after Mr. Smith, the attorney who’s agreed to help us sort out Gus’s estate issues, shoots a frown at the surly ass sitting next to me.
“Gus. Why haven’t you handled this already?”
He sniffs and shifts in his seat like a recalcitrant turd. “Don’t have anyone left for it to go to. Didn’t seem to make a hill of beans whether I did or not.”
The attorney takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose like he’s searching for patience too.
“Now, Augustus. You know dang good and well that Ginny loved that boy. Even after all of that went down. And you know as well as I do that her will states that the land and house pass down through the family. It was her granddaddy’s land and was meant to be handed down through her line. ”
I sit a little straighter. “Wait. Are you saying Gus has no rights to the house and land?”
Mr. Smith waggles his head side to side. “According to the original document, Ginny’s portion would’ve gone to Claire.” He looks at me and offers, “That was Gus and Ginny’s daughter.”
He shifts his attention back to Gus and continues, “But since Claire is gone, it would go to her son. So we have to give him the opportunity to receive or contest the will. You do have some spousal rights, but you know this is what she would ultimately want.” His tone is gentle as he delivers the news.
“Okay, then we know the steps,” I say once it becomes apparent Gus isn’t going to respond.
The only sign of life in his stare is the sheen of tears at the mention of his sweetheart’s name.
He’s completely shut down on us. “Let’s do the next thing.
Let’s probate the will and get Gus back on track with where he needs to be. ”
Mr. Smith nods and stands, offering his hand to Gus. “I’ve already reached out to him. Hopefully, he’ll respond soon. In the meantime, take care of yourself, my friend.”
We head back to the farm in charged silence. My mind whirls over this mysterious “him,” the asshole Gus won’t even speak about, while a pissed-off Gus stares out the front window, grinding his molars the entire time.
“Come on, Gus, quit being mad at me for making you meet with Mr. Smith. It’s called adulting.”
“I don’t see why we’ve got to let that asshole know a damn thing. He left and never came back.”
I wish he’d tell me what happened so long ago. I can’t fathom having family and choosing to stay away from them. I know it’s like that for some people, but I can’t comprehend it.
After my parents died, I searched for anyone I might have a connection to.
Being the only child of only children, about the closest thing I have to family is a distant cousin identified through some deep genealogy work.
And even after I sent her a nice message through the app, the woman wasn’t interested in making a connection.
We reach the house, and Gus tromps inside like a petulant toddler. I scan the barn, once again feeling guilty that Glori and her husband are helping me care for the animals and grateful that I don’t have to deal with them. As it is, one curmudgeon is all I can handle.
There’s still enough daylight left that I can sneak in a short workout, so I head to the makeshift gym I set up in the barn.
I’ll be damned if the physical aspect of the fire recruit training program is the determining factor of whether I succeed.
As frustrating as this living situation is sometimes, I’ve graduated to a much better workout space.
Even if it’s dusty and sometimes creepy.
As long as the light’s good outside, I can open the barn doors and use the empty bay to lift the ancient set of weights that look like they’ve been abandoned in a corner for a decade or more.
Someone, at some time, had a minimal but effective setup.
I pull up my training notes and get to work, not stopping until my muscles turn to jelly and my shirt is soaked in sweat.
There aren’t a lot of women in the fire service around here.
Sure, in some of the bigger departments, but here?
Not so much. The only one I know of is Chief Olivia Collins, and she’s a badass.
It’s feasible I’ll be the lone woman in the recruit program.
And that possibility drives me to work harder to be the best version of myself before training even starts.
Also terrifying and humbling is the fact I’m older than most of the recruits. The average age is twenty-two. I already feel every one of my six years of seniority over them.
Workout complete, I head back to the house and make quick work of prepping meals for us for the next day or two, trying not to think about it being my last shift with my regular crew.
Soon enough, I’ll be starting the next phase of my life.
Even though I’ll miss my guys, I’m ready to put the past behind me, and I can’t think of a better way than launching a newish career.
I check on Gus, letting his grumbling insults bounce off me, before retreating to the kitchen table to study. There’s only so much I can control when it comes to competing physically with the men in the program. But I can study and be as prepared as possible for the mental aspect of the class.
* * *
“And that is how you make the perfect chai latte.” Jules spins and delivers two steaming mugs—one to me at Daily Brew’s cash register and one to Maggie at the low countertop bar.
We descend on them like the life savers they are.
It’s a slow spell in the café, and we’re taking a break from Jules training me on the register.
In the downtime, she’s been teaching me how to make the basics.
I don’t know that I’ll ever get a chance to help out since I can barely keep up with things at the farm right now, but Jules often has trouble finding part-time help, and I’ve realized how important it is to have diverse skills when it comes to the job market.
If anything ever happens with my public safety career, at least I’ll have a fallback plan.
Maggie’s just turned Sticky Sweet Bakery over to her closing part-timer, and she’s got the rest of the day off.
Jules doesn’t have to pick Charlie up from daycare immediately, and I have a solid hour before I pick Gus up from the exercise class I signed him up for.
Glori dropped him off since I had a half day of orientation for my recruit class, and I’m to pick him up on my way home.
To his home. Our home? The place I currently live.
“Still no word from the grandson?” Maggie asks.
I shake my head as I savor my first taste of the spiced deliciousness. “Not that I’m aware of.”
The front bell jingles as a few customers straggle in, and Jules lets me handle both the cash payment and the coffee prep with minimal assistance.
“You’re not a terrible barista, but maybe don’t beat the hell out of my machine, please. That thing’s expensive.”
We spend a glorious half hour catching up before my phone blasts Gus’s ringtone.
“Where the hell are you?” he grouses before I can even say hello.
“Oh, you know. I’m just hanging out at the vegan smoothie shop, getting your dinner.”
“Don’t you bring that shit home. And come get me.”
“Uh, Gus, why aren’t you in class? I have fifteen minutes before I’m supposed to even leave to come get you.” Still, I pack up my belongings and make a face of strained patience to my friends.
“Told that little girl I’m done. I ain’t bouncing on no stupid oversized ball.”
I’m pretty sure she’d be wanting him to balance on the ball. But whatever. He’s obviously fuming and done with my antics.
“Hold yer horses,” I say in my best Gus imitation as I round the end of the bar. “I’m on my way.”
The front bell jingles again. It’s probably best if I get out of the way; the afternoon high school crowd will be descending in a moment, anyway.
And the last time I tried to help create their bougie requests, I got so flustered and had to remake so many orders that Jules lost money.
I did offer to cover the cost, even though I couldn’t afford it.
I’m slipping my phone into my pocket and rummaging in my purse for my keys when I run headlong into a hard body. Big hands grip my arms to steady me.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so—” I gaze up into a ruggedly handsome face and lose all ability to form a coherent thought.
Light brown hair that’s just this side of needing a cut, deep brown eyes with enough crow’s-feet to hint at a full life.
A chiseled jaw complements broad shoulders.
One side of his mouth tips up, and a dimple threatens as I openly stare at him.
Wow. Just… wow.
“Sorry,” I squeak.
I.
Squeak.
Like a horny little teenage miss. Oh my god, I’ve never been so embarrassed. Am I so touch starved that the slightest contact sends me to the stratosphere? Yep. Apparently, I am.
His hands fall away, and I sway from the loss. Should I just go ahead and proposition him? Never in my life have I been that kind of woman, ready to take a man to bed based on appearances alone, but this guy could change all of that.
Risking a second peek at him, I realize he looks vaguely familiar. He also looks like he knows how to handle his body, and I would very much like to find out how he would handle mine.
My phone pings with a message, jolting me back to reality.
Shit. Gus.
The incoming notification is a reminder that I don’t have a place I could drag this stranger to even if I were that kind of woman.
I follow his movements as he bends to retrieve something and am immediately distracted by the perfectly rounded globes of his butt.
He straightens and holds something out to me.
“I think you dropped these. Might need ’em.”
Good lord. A whiskey-smooth voice on top of the looks.
The total package.
A flash of white teeth hits me and double dimples suck the air clean out of my lungs.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a total package, but maybe we could go for drinks later and see where it goes.”
Holy shit. I’m a dumbass. I spoke out loud.
Gus’s ringtone blares again.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“I, uh, I’ve got to go. Rain check?”
Handsome Stranger fires his dimples at me again. “Tomorrow? Same time, same place?”
“You betcha.” You betcha? Jesus, I’ve been hanging around Gus so long I’m even talking like him now. Who says that? You betcha.
Smothering a groan at my awkwardness, I agree and spin toward the door, nearly sprinting to my car. Is he possibly the hottest man I’ve ever met? Yes.
Am I taking that voice to bed with me tonight? Absolutely.
When I pull up to the curb at the gym, Gus crawls into my car with the most ferocious scowl. He opens his mouth to deliver whatever complaint he has, but I cut him off.
“Nah-ah,” I say, waggling my finger at him.
“You cannot complain to me when you just performed the most epic cockblock that ever existed. Seriously, Gus. I’m so mad at you right now.
I met the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on, and instead of chatting it up with him and swapping numbers, I’m driving your grumpy ass around. ”
Gus harrumphs from the passenger seat as we head out of town toward the farm. At least I have a second chance to meet my stranger tomorrow.