Chapter 20 Nell #2
She tried, and failed, to contain her giggle before it bubbled out in a choked burst she disguised as a cough. Even Sarah’s shoulders shook with her own laughter, her hand resting gently against her thigh.
“If he quotes The Godfather next, I’m done,” Sarah said, low enough for her to hear as she gave her thigh a gentle squeeze.
Sarah being here today meant everything to her. Nell’s family surrounded her. Her chosen family—those who saw her without wanting to change her.
For the first time in nearly three decades, she felt a sense of freedom, like she could finally put down the last of the burden of waiting for her father’s acceptance that she had been holding on to.
She had built a life on the very rejection that was meant to break her and keep her in her place.
The only acceptance that had ever mattered in life was her own.
She’s Nell fucking Stanhope, after all—she would never change that.
When the service ended and the throng of people spilled out into the courtyard, Nell kept her head down, Nate and Sarah on either side as they made their way back to the car, but her attention was pulled by a familiar voice.
“Hey, Nell.”
She turned to see Cooper, her youngest brother, standing there, his hands jammed awkwardly in his pants pockets.
He was older now, nearing forty, with a few gray strands visible in his otherwise dark, wavy hair, but his eyes still carried that same sincerity that had always set him apart from Charlie and Carter.
“We’re having a friends and family wake back at the house.” He cleared his throat. “If you and Nate and your, uh”—he glanced at Sarah, hesitating—“partner want to come by, you’re more than welcome to.”
Partner. The word settled in her. Hearing it from Cooper, even in his gentle, fumbling way, shifted something in her.
His invitation lacked malice or the usual ulterior motive she was accustomed to uncovering with her family.
She studied him, searching for the trap, but there wasn’t one.
Cooper had always been sweet. She was glad that hadn’t changed after all these years.
“Thanks, Coop,” she said softly, “but no. We need to head back to Pennsylvania.”
Brief disappointment flashed across his face, but he nodded. “Yeah, of course. Maybe we could catch up soon?”
“Yeah, maybe,” she said, as she continued walking away, Nate and Sarah by her side.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Nell said abruptly.
They had returned from the funeral a few hours ago, and dusk was beginning to fall, covering the world in a pastel haze.
Sarah followed her, grabbing her jacket from the back of the chair and laughing as she watched Nell wiggle Mortimer into his leash and harness.
“You taking your cat on walks is so perfectly you. I’m surprised you don’t have a stroller for him.”
“I tried, but he hated it. And besides”—she pulled the laces of her boots tight before standing and smiling at her—“it was a complete pain in the ass to push on the woodchip paths.”
She held the door open for Sarah, then closed it behind them as they set out into the cool spring evening.
They walked in silence for a while, arms looped together, thighs brushing ever so slightly as they moved.
Mortimer trotted along beside them, occasionally pouncing on a bug here and there.
Woodchips crunched beneath their feet as they walked past the stables, around the duck enclosure, and up the drive to the covered bridge.
“Is there anything more northeast than a covered bridge?” Sarah asked, as they walked up the sloping drive.
“I bought this property because of the bridge, actually. It reminded me of when Nate and I would sneak away from boarding school and drive up to his parents’ place in Vermont to go skiing and check out girls together.
” Weathered planks of reclaimed wood creaked beneath their feet as they walked across the bridge, stopping in the middle.
Mortimer leaped up to perch himself in the octagonal cutout, looking out over the creek that ran under them.
“How old were you when you knew you were gay?” Sarah asked, turning to her.
“I think I was eleven the first time I really remember knowing I liked girls. I told Nate immediately, and he thought it was the coolest thing.” She laughed, the memory of that day popping into her mind.
“You two have a pretty special bond,” Sarah said.
“We do. We’ve always just gotten each other. Kind of like you and me.” She reached out, taking Sarah’s hand in hers, and squeezed gently.
Quiet hung between them as they looked out over the trickling water, and she realized that, over the past few months, quiet moments had become their thing. The comfortable space that existed between her and Sarah, where neither had to be anything other than who they were in the moment.
“I’m glad we met,” Nell said softly.
“Met? You say that like we had a chance encounter. If I recall correctly, you orchestrated our first meeting.” Sarah’s eyes sparkled in the way they always did when she was amused.
Nell raised an eyebrow. “Are you complaining?”
“Never.”
More quiet followed as they continued walking, fingers intertwined, enjoying the way the cool breeze wrapped around them. Mortimer had given up on the walk and was now neatly tucked under her arm, purring.
“I need to tell you something,” Nell said abruptly. Her mouth made up its mind to speak before her brain could catch up with her.
Sarah stopped, turning to face her, and Nell could practically hear the questions populating on the tip of her tongue.
“Nothing serious. Just some clarity I’ve recently come across.”
Sarah shifted, turning to look at her. “Does this have to do with why you changed your mind about going to your dad’s funeral?”
Nell couldn’t help her smile. Of course Sarah was already putting the pieces together; she was, after all, just like her—always a few steps ahead of everyone else.
“It does, yes.” She took a deep breath, the faint smell of cherry blossoms from a nearby tree filling her lungs. “Earlier this morning, I received a call from my father’s estate. He seems to have left me several of his companies. Which was unexpected, to say the least.”
A look of surprise crossed Sarah’s features as she tilted her head in question. “Wow, that’s . . . big. How do you feel about that?”
She shrugged. “Like I’m inheriting his ghost. He couldn’t claim me when he was alive, but he has no problem trusting me with his legacy in death.”
“That’s pretty fucked up,” Sarah said.
Nell burst out laughing. She couldn’t stop herself as she doubled over, Mortimer wiggling free from her grasp. Sarah smiled widely as she joined, their laughs mixing as they each tried to catch their breath.
“Yeah, it is pretty fucked up, isn’t it?” She sighed, wiping at the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. “But it got me thinking. Actually, you got me thinking about this months ago.” She steadied her breathing, shaking off the last of her laughter. “I have a proposition for you.”
“Uh-oh. The last time you had one of those, we ended up in your little game of control.” Sarah slid her hands into her jacket pockets, but the smile never left her face.
“But that was so much fun,” Nell teased, her tone softening. “And it got us here.”
“It was, and it did,” Sarah agreed.
“This proposition is different,” Nell said, taking a breath.
“You have this desire to do good, Sarah. I’ve seen it firsthand.
Not only in your work, but in how you approach everything in your life.
With your family, with how you helped Wren, and with me.
You’re always trying to do the best thing for everyone.
” She paused, biting down on her lip as she considered how exactly she wanted to position her offer to Sarah.
“I know that case last fall shook you and has left you with more questions than answers about what comes next for your career. I keep thinking that maybe you’re supposed to be pointing that incredibly gifted mind of yours somewhere else, somewhere you can actually do some good. ”
“Alright, I’m intrigued. Go on,” Sarah encouraged.
“I want you to come work at StanCorp,” Nell said plainly, “but not as a lawyer. We’ll come up with an impressive title for you, but I want you to figure out how to offload my wealth.
” Sarah’s breath caught as her understanding set in.
Nell continued. “I’m one person. I don’t have any children.
I have more money than Nate and I could ever possibly need in this lifetime.
And I want you to help me get rid of it. ”
A short, stunned laugh escaped Sarah. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. I’ll need to keep about five billion—”
“Just a casual five billion?” Sarah cut in.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Nell said, smirking.
“That’s small change compared to what Thaddeus left behind and what I’m already worth.
I’ll need the five billion to complete a few smaller projects I’m currently working on.
But the rest? I want it gone, and I want you to be the one to decide where it all goes.
Get me under nine hundred and ninety-nine million, and every time the number tips over, I want you to tell me what we’re doing with it.
Charities, grassroots organizations, scholarships, political campaigns—wherever you think will make the most difference, you say the word. ”
Sarah’s lips parted, but no words came out as she stared blankly at her, completely caught in disbelief. Finally, she found her voice. “Why?”
“Always with the questions.” Nell grinned unapologetically.
She loved Sarah’s endless pursuit of understanding, and it only solidified her confidence that this was exactly why Sarah was the perfect woman for this job.
“Because I spent years trying to prove myself to a man who decided long ago I didn’t count in his eyes unless I did exactly as he wanted.
” Her throat tightened. “But now, it’s like I can see it all so clearly.
None of it mattered. Even in death, he still tried to script my life.
I don’t want to follow in the family footsteps of hoarding wealth and power for the sake of it. ”
Sarah was still staring at her like she had suggested that the moon was made of cheese. “Fuck the money?” she asked.
Nell grinned at Sarah’s use of her rule. “Exactly. It’s time to use that money to build something that actually matters.”
Sarah laughed. “I don’t know if you’re delusional or brilliant.”
“Can’t I be both?” Her smirk relaxed as she reached for Sarah’s hand, the warmth of her touch spreading through her.
“You were right that night in Vegas. You saw through me in a way I wasn’t ready to admit.
People like me shouldn’t have as much wealth as we do.
You said it best.” Her gaze locked on Sarah’s, unwavering as the words left her mouth with complete and utter certainty. “Billionaires should not exist.”