Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Renn
Big Time
He could almost be convinced he’d imagined the blonde and her long legs wrapped around him if he didn’t have such vivid memories of her yelling into his pillow as he made her come.
He still couldn’t believe she had been a virgin and hadn’t told him.
But once he’d figured it out, he’d made it his mission to give her as much pleasure as possible, and she’d been a fast learner on how to reciprocate.
Now as he packed his bag he couldn’t help but wonder about the woman.
He remembered the bartender had said her name was Miranda Sutton.
He could look her up or stick around Sandy Point to try to bump into her again.
But the only problem was he didn’t want to stay where he wasn’t wanted, and he hadn’t heard from his half-brother Wesley Hart.
So, with the eleven o’clock check-out time looming he grabbed his bag off the hotel bed and opened the door to leave.
But then his phone dinged with an incoming text.
“Meet me at Hart House 112 Sunset Blvd, five o’clock.”
He let the hotel room door close again. They wanted to meet him—maybe it would still be just to tell him to get lost, but at least he’d finally have some answers.
*
“A fourth Hart?” Levi said, with a laugh of disbelief. “This has got to be a mistake.”
“I think you guys are just in shock and a little dose of denial, because he,” a beautiful brunette pointing at Renn said, “looks just like y’all. The spitting image.”
His three half-brothers’ heads all turned to stare at the woman and then back at Renn. They were all standing in the living room of the family house and he had never felt more like a fish out of water than now.
“What are you talking about? He has black hair and brown eyes, mostly. He’s tall—I’ll give you that—but too lean to be a Hart,” Levi argued while his two older brothers sat quietly.
Renn smiled at Levi’s disbelief. It was true he had mostly brown eyes, but his right eye was half blue. Icy blue just like Levi’s and Dalton’s. He’d always assumed their father gifted him that. Just a piece of him.
“Maybe I haven’t been fed as well as you.” Renn took a jab at Levi. He recognized the All-Star ball player and knew for sure he ate like a king while he got paid to work out and hit baseballs for a few months of the year.
The middle brother, Dalton, still sat in the living room not speaking, just studying Renn.
“If you’ve known you were a Hart all this time, why’d you wait until now to show your face?” Wes finally said.
Here it was the million-dollar question.
“To be honest, I didn’t have much use for a man who couldn’t be bothered to participate in my life while he was living.
My mama always said she’d take me to see him when I was ready.
When I turned ten, I decided I was. We drove all day just to arrive in Sandy Point and sit in the waiting room, because your dad was in some meeting.
When I finally got to meet him, I changed my mind. ”
“You met him, when?” Levi asked.
“I think it was spring break because I didn’t have school.
Your dad was definitely surprised to see me—nice enough, but I didn’t stick around to talk to him.
Just seeing him in person made me so mad.
For ten years he’d basically ignored my existence.
Then a month later my mom said he’d died in a car accident, along with your mom. I’m really sorry for your loss.”
Wesley just nodded. “Where is your mother now?”
“She died too. Cancer.”
“And then you got my letter?” Mrs. Hart said.
Everyone’s heads turned to the doorway where Mrs. Hart stood with a tight smile.
“Yes, ma’am; then I got your letter.”
“What letter?” Levi said.
“Gran, you knew we had a brother all these years and never thought to mention it?” Wesley said standing and starting to pace behind the couch.
Dalton continued to sit in one of the wingback chairs quietly. He reminded Renn of a skittish horse and was making Renn nervous, because you never knew if they would bolt or try to kick you. He knew from Mrs. Hart’s letter that Dalton was the town doctor and had been a Navy SEAL.
“When your parents died, there was so much to process. We were all heartbroken, then when I met with the attorneys, they said there were two wills.”
Wes slapped the side of his leg. “Damn it, Gran.”
“Easy,” Dalton finally spoke with a calm warning.
Renn couldn’t get a read on him. Was he combustible or just cerebral?
“Wesley, I’m sorry, I just thought at the time it was best for me to reach out to Renn’s mother and if she and Renn wanted to make their claim I would have told you.”
“Make what claim?” Wes asked.
Renn walked over and handed Wes the will he’d been sent. And Wes looked at him like he was a wild animal that might bite.
“He’s your half-brother, but he was your father’s full son, and your father made it clear in his second will that Renn had a right to part of the family estate. It’s his birthright too.” Mrs. Hart turned to face Renn. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you for years.”
“You’re the one who sent my mama money all those years after Mr. Hart died?”
“Yes, she didn’t want your inheritance, and wouldn’t accept checks, but I hoped the cash would be put to good use.”
“It was, thank you.”
“I was very sorry to hear about your mother,” Mrs. Hart said. “Cancer is a terrible disease.”
“The doctors caught it too late, and she didn’t tell me she was sick until the end. We didn’t get much time.”
Mrs. Hart took another step closer and put her weathered hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure she wanted to spare you some pain. But you have family here if you want it. Your father was my son, so I’m your grandmother whether you like it or not.”
Mrs. Hart seemed equal parts loving and tough, but he recognized the pain in her eyes when she spoke about his father.
“You have more than family, according to Dad’s will—you have a fourth a share of fifty acres of beachfront property, a dilapidated boatyard, and one fourth ownership of the Sandy Point Pier,” Wes said.
“Oh good, maybe you can cover the taxes this year, Renn. They’re a doozy, I don’t mind telling you,” Levi said.
“Well, that’s true; I guess if we’re going to redistribute the inheritance, we need to factor in paying back Levi first,” Wes said.
“Good grief, Wes, I don’t care about the money or the land.
Did you hear Gran? We have a younger brother we didn’t know about.
The poor kid has been walking around twenty-something years thinking we’re crappy brothers!
” Levi said exasperated before starting to pace the living room. “This is intense.”
“I have to admit I’m shocked Dad had an affair, and a son he never told us about,” Dalton said, standing. “But it won’t do me any good being mad at a ghost. What I want to know is what you want, Renn?”
“I don’t want your money or your land,” Renn said.
“No? Then why are you here?”
“I guess that depends on all of you,” Renn said, honestly. “The only family I’ve ever known was my mama.”
Dalton nodded. “Not anymore. Even if Wes’s prickly attitude puts you off, and Levi gets annoying, you won’t be able to shirk Gran now that she’s got you here,” Dalton said with a faint smile and took a few steps closer to Renn before he held out his hand.
Renn nodded and shook his half-brother’s hand. It was ridiculous but there seemed to be some kind of connection, something he’d never felt before. If he was honest with himself, he liked the idea of having brothers.
“Why don’t I make a room for you here—we can all visit and get to know each other,” Gran said.
“All due respect, Ms. Hart, I have a room at the inn. I planned to stick around town for a bit while we figure this out. But I’ll be honest I don’t know what I want.
This question has been haunting me since that day I met your dad.
I saw the pictures of his happy family sitting on his desk.
His three sons smiling at the camera. My brothers. ”
“What question has been haunting you?” Dalton said.
“Who was my father and why didn’t he have any interest in me?”
“Will you at least stay for super? Tell us what you’ve been up to since college?” Gran said.
Renn wasn’t sure how much he wanted to admit to the Harts. But he wanted to find out what type of people they really were and figure out for himself if he wanted anything to do with them.
“Thank you for the offer, ma’am, but I think maybe I better let y’all have tonight to talk things through.”
“Alright, then why don’t you come on over tomorrow. You and I can talk. I make the best peach pie in the entire state,” Gran said.
“That sounds good.” Renn held out his hand to Mrs. Hart. “It’s really nice to finally meet you.”
But the older woman just moved closer and held out her arms wide as she moved up on her tiptoes and he couldn’t help but lean down and let her hug him.
“You look an awful lot like my late son to me, especially when he was your age.” She released him from the warm hug but gripped his arms, “Mischievous and stubborn.”
Renn smiled. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he just lifted his hand in an awkward wave to his half-brothers. “I guess maybe we’ll talk tomorrow if you want. You can reach me at the inn, and Wes has my number.”
Levi stomped over. “This is super awkward, but if you’re my brother then we’re going to need to get past it.” He held out his hand.
Renn shook it, floored by the change in Levi’s demeanor. He didn’t expect the warmth from any of them, even though that probably wasn’t fair. They were just hearing for the first time about him—that much was clear—so he couldn’t be mad at them for ignoring him all these years anymore.
“We’ll be in touch,” Wes said, keeping his distance.
Renn nodded then headed for the door. Having a sheriff for an older brother may not be such a bad thing, if Wes decided he wanted to have another brother.
Putting himself out there had been difficult.
But he didn’t have anything to lose because for the past twenty-six years he hadn’t had them.
Now after meeting his grandmother and brothers it was clear he did have a lot to gain.