Chapter 2 #2
Well, this is an interesting plot twist.
“Funny, you should take it there. Clearly, that one time you saw me naked really made an impression.” I waggled my brows because I couldn’t help myself.
“I never saw you naked.”
“You did, too.”
“Savannah.”
“Hayes.”
“I never saw you naked.”
“Why are you so hung up on this? It’s okay that you forgot.”
“You obviously still have a way of derailing a conversation. Why the hell are you upset about inheriting millions of dollars, and when the fuck do you think I saw you naked?”
“Well, my mom said we bathed together once when your mom asked if you could spend the night when Saylor was just a baby.”
“If my sister was a baby, then we were not even three years old.” He huffed. “We were toddlers.”
“Still. It happened.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I’ve been called worse.” I reached for my wineglass. I’d purposely only allowed myself half a glass of wine because I needed to drive out to the farmhouse, where I’d be staying tonight.
Home sweet home.
I couldn’t wrap my head around any of this.
“Fine. I saw you naked, long before you looked like…” he paused, looking away as if he couldn’t stand the sight of me.
“Looked like what, Woody?” I snarled, mad that I’d let the nickname I used to call him slip out.
“Like… this.” He waved his hand in front of me. “All womanly and shit.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. And I laughed hysterically. Irrationally.
My life was a mess right now, and Abe had just thrown a giant wrench into the middle of my shit show. But Hayes gaping at me lightened my mood.
“Thanks for noticing,” I said, oozing sarcasm, even though I loved the way his heated gaze moved down my body as the words left his mouth.
I couldn’t help myself. Even if the man had caused me a lot of heartache, I could still find him attractive.
“What’s the other secret you’re holding out on? You have to wait for the money and stay in this town for a few days? You can’t leave right after the funeral?” His voice was all tease, and I hated that I found him so charming.
I was long over my crush on Hayes Woodson.
Long. Over.
“Very funny. But that’s not it.” I reached over and grabbed his Coke. I needed a little sugar boost. He just raised a brow while I took a sip.
“So, what is it?”
“I have thirty days to find a husband.”
Hayes narrowed his gaze. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. That’s what the will said.”
“That can’t be right.”
“Oh, it’s definitely right. Abe wants me to get hitched and live in that house like he and Lily did.
He left a note for me to renovate the place because that’s what I do for a living.
He and I had always talked about me spending a few months here and renovating the place, but he never wanted to spend the money.
That house is massive. And, yes, it’s a project that I can handle.
But I’ve never been required to get married as part of a renovation. ”
“There has to be a loophole. There’s no way that it’s legal to require someone to get married in order to receive an inheritance. I’m sure you can get out of it,” he said, his tongue dipping out and sliding along his bottom lip.
Was he intentionally messing with me? Or was he literally just that sexy and didn’t even realize what he was doing?
His dark hair was still cut short, just like it was when we were young. His mossy green eyes had a gold ring around them with pops of amber. He wore a gray hoodie and a pair of jeans, and he managed to look like he’d just stepped off of a modeling photo shoot.
“Maybe. The probate lawyer had no time to discuss things with me after he read the will, and he told me I could seek outside legal advice if I chose not to respect Abe’s wishes.
” I was suddenly overwhelmed again. This trip down memory lane had been fun, but I needed to remember that there’d been a reason we hadn’t spoken in all these years.
Hayes Woodson was not my best friend anymore.
He hadn’t been for a very long time.
I’d shared way too much with him already. I knew better.
I needed to end this conversation right now.
I dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the bar and reached for my coat on the back of my barstool.
“It’s been nice catching up with you, Woody. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
His jaw ticked, and he looked a little startled that I was leaving so abruptly. “Yeah. I’ll be at the funeral tomorrow. I’ll see you there.”
I nodded as I pulled my beanie over my head and slipped my mittens on my hands before making my way past him toward the exit.
Tonight had been a lot.
This whole day has been a lot.
Ruby came around the bar and hugged me. “I’ll see you at the funeral tomorrow, and I’ll have River get you on his schedule Monday morning so he can take a look at the paperwork for you.”
“Thank you.” I held up a hand and made my way out to the blizzardy cold.
My car was covered in snow, and I groaned.
I used my gloved hand to clear the driver’s side of the windshield before sliding into my cherry red 1995 Honda.
She was old, but she’d been good to me. I turned the ignition, and nothing happened.
“Come on, Big Red. Don’t fail me now.” I pumped the gas and tried again.
And again.
My head fell forward against the steering wheel, and I fought back the tears.
I will not cry. I will not cry.
Money was extremely tight at the moment—well, aside from the check that the probate attorney said I’d be receiving in the next few days.
He said Abe had granted me a small advance until I was officially married in thirty days, when I’d receive the full inheritance he’d left me.
Then he’d handed me keys to the farmhouse, so I’d canceled my hotel reservation in town, which was one less expense that I’d have at the moment.
The last thing I needed was a huge price tag to fix my crappy car.
But apparently, Abe had thought of everything.
He’d noted that he wanted the keys to the farmhouse given to me the day I’d be called in for the reading of the will because he knew I’d be heading to Magnolia Falls for his funeral and that I’d need a place to stay.
His heart was so big, and every time I thought about him being gone, I couldn’t keep the tears away.
So, I let it out.
I cried because I was back in a place that held a lot of memories for me.
Both good and bad.
I cried for the loss of both Abe and Lily. Two people who had been a constant in my life. Two people who had treated me like family when I’d needed it most.
I cried for the loss of my best friend. A man I still felt a connection to but desperately wanted to hate.
Wanted to forget.
I cried for my father, who was sick and didn’t have the financial resources to get the help he needed.
I cried for my piece-of-shit car that had failed me once again.
I cried because I was tired of being failed by everyone and everything, and I still woke up every day and put a smile on my face and tried to live my best life.
There was a knock on my car window, and I sucked in a breath and swiped at my tear-streaked face.
I could see him through the falling snow.
I was overwhelmed, so I let the tears fall, making no effort to stop them this time.