The Widow and the Will

by J. Thomas-Like

  Seemed a damn shame to Ford that Jack hadn’t been given the opportunity to meet his birth father. The guy had obviously turned his life around and would probably have been a good influence on his kid. While he didn’t necessarily like to judge, Ford thought the Kingstons were turning out to be a pretty crappy family by not telling their son the truth. Now they were fighting to hang on to Jack’s inheritance at the expense of a woman they’d practically raised with their son. How much more selfish and guilty could they be?

  Ford couldn’t deny that Roger Kingston had done a fairly decent job of maintaining all of the investments left to Jack. He’d obviously watched the stock market carefully to keep the money accumulating. Everything had pretty much stayed on an upward trajectory. When Benjamin Thatcher died in a plane crash nine years ago, the total value of the estate left to Jack had been about five million dollars. Today, it was worth a little more than quadruple that. No wonder he wants to keep his hands on it.

  The bitch of it was, Tess probably would have let ’em keep it. Judging by her character, what little of it he really knew, she seemed like a kind and honest person. She had known for days she was coming into a million dollars and hadn’t done anything careless or wild or stupid. The Kingstons were just being greedy, to his way of thinking. They could have told Tess about everything, offered to share it and then she probably would have declined. What a bunch of idiots. It was no wonder Ford always expected the worst of most of the people he met. So far, Tess Kingston was turning out to be the exception to that rule.

  Leaning back in his chair, Ford closed his eyes and pictured Tess in his mind. Her arms full of packages that day in the post office. In her parents’ dining room, looking beautiful even though she’d been given the shock of her life. They had only seen one another twice, but the lovely widow was burrowing her way into his mind. At first, Ford had fought it, using all the typical arguments about how she was too good for him, but eventually he gave up. What harm would it do to let his mind wander, when that’s all it would amount to? A dream, a fantasy, wishful thinking. Nothing would ever happen between them in reality.

  The office phone rang, pulling Ford out of his study. He reached to answer it, but Hudson beat him to it. From the inner office, he could hear his brother’s professional voice. “Hudson Marks.”

  “It’s David Kingston.”

  Ford made a face and rolled the chair backwards until he was at Hudson’s door. He flipped his middle finger at the phone so his brother could see and Hudson smirked. Ford pulled the door closed and then scooted back to the desk just as Tess Kingston and Lilly Langford breezed through the front door. Ford didn’t startle easily, but her appearance within seconds of thinking about her made it seem as though he conjured her out of thin air. If it weren’t for the facial features and the sound of their voices, Ford might not have believed they were sisters. Tess was petite and curvy, while her sister was long and lean. But when they laughed, there was no doubt they were related. He couldn’t believe how much the sound of them chuckling made his mood lighten.

  “Good afternoon, ladies.” He stood up to greet them, pressing the laptop closed. He tried not to stare at Tess, but it was difficult. Her eyes seemed to dance with a liveliness he hadn’t seen before.

  “Hey.” Tess waved a hand at him.

  Ford thought she looked young and vibrant in the blue dress and leather jacket she wore. She even looked like she’d gotten some good sleep in the last few days; unlike the first time he’d seen her.

  “Ford Marks, this is my sister Lilly. This is Hudson’s brother.”

  He forced himself to look at the other woman and respond with a naturalness he didn’t feel inside. “Nice to see you again,” he mumbled.

  Lilly’s smile disappeared and Ford felt his stomach drop. Shit.

  “Again?” Tess asked, looking at him and then back to Lilly.

  He fought the urge to slap his forehead and groan. “Uh…”

  Lilly rolled her eyes and dropped the hand she had extended out to him. Turning to her sister, she pursed her lips. “I stopped by the other day to meet Hudson,” she admitted. “I just wanted to see who was going to be representing you, that’s all.”

  Ford waited for some sort of sibling squabble to bust out right there in the office, but was surprised to hear Tess laugh instead. It was the first time he could remember having heard her do it and it made him want to genuinely smile. It was a breathy, gentle sound that brightened the room and her face. When it tapered off, Tess punched Lilly in the arm and shook her head. He continued to watch her, transfixed. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had held his attention so firmly.

  “You’re a dork,” Tess said. “You could have just told me.”

  “Well?” Lilly shrugged. “I didn’t want to seem like a buttinski.”

  “But you are.” Tess winked and then turned back to Ford, who stood as still as a statue. When her eyes met his, he looked away fast, hoping she wouldn’t be able to tell what he was thinking.

  A loud voice from the inner office interrupted the moment. Ford turned and looked at the door, making sure he had closed it tightly.

  “Uh, Hudson’s expecting me. I need to sign the retainer and write him a check.” Tess frowned as she listened to Hudson shouting. “I take it he’s here.”

  “Yeah, he’s on the phone, if you couldn’t tell.”

  “We noticed.” Lilly looked at him like he’d just fallen off the turnip truck.

  “Have a seat. I’m sure he’ll be finished in a couple of minutes.”

  Behind him, more shouting erupted from behind the closed door. “You can’t get the marriage annulled, you idiot!”

  Tess’s face went white. “He’s on the phone with David, isn’t he?”

  Ford lowered his head, refusing to look her in the eye. “Yeah.”

  “He wants to annul my marriage?” she whispered. Lilly put a supportive arm around her shoulders and guided her to the couch. All the former humor from a moment ago was gone in the blink of an eye.

  “Sit down, sis.”

  Ford went to the mini fridge and got a bottle of water. He handed it to Lilly, who twisted the cap off and forced it into Tess’s hand. “Yeah. He figures if he can make it like the marriage never existed, then the will is voided too.” Ford watched as her face went from stark white to gray and her eyes began to glass over.

  “Breathe, Tess,” Lilly commanded, rubbing her back. “Take a deep breath through your nose.” When she didn’t obey, Lilly thumped her on the back gently. “Do it.”

  Closing her eyes, Tess inhaled and exhaled slowly a couple of times and then took the bottle of water. She used her other hand to press against one of her ears to block out the continued yelling. Ford recognized the sibling bond as very close to his own. Lilly took care of Tess the way he had always taken care of Hudson. Pivoting around, he crossed the room to Hudson’s office and opened the door. Leaning in, he frowned and shook his head, mouthing the words, “Tess is here.”

  “I think this is a discussion better left for another time.” Hudson slammed the phone down and shot to his feet. “Shit! Did she hear any of that?”

  Ford nodded, but said nothing more. He could tell his brother was still tense with rage by the veins popping out on his neck and the way he clenched and unclenched his fists. Ford felt the same anger, but hid the signs much better. He wanted nothing more than to hop on his bike and ride over to that asshole Kingston’s office and punch him in the face. Luckily, no one would ever tell by the way Ford carried himself. His emotions were something he kept tightly under wraps.

  “Tell her I’ll be right out, okay?” Hudson rolled his shoulders back and flicked his head to the side. Ford heard the tendons crackle and pop. Nodding, he backed out of the room and closed the door again.

  “He’ll be right out.”

  Chapter 17

  Hudson got control of himself and ran his fingers through his hair. The last thing he wanted Tess to hear was an argument with David Kingston. Stepping
into the waiting room, he was blown away by the stricken look on Tess’s face. He told her it was going to get ugly, but obviously she hadn’t really grasped that possibility. And this was just the beginning. His gut said she was up to the fight. She’d shown remarkable strength up to this point. Maybe this was the impetus she needed to get herself geared up for the long haul. In spite of the discouraging way she had come into the office, Hudson couldn’t help but notice how cute she looked in her summery dress. He also couldn’t help seeing Lilly beside her. She had on jean shorts and a tank with little skulls and crossbones on it. If he didn’t know better, Hudson thought they looked like best girlfriends, instead of sisters, on their way to do some shopping or have lunch. He was very glad that Tess and Lilly were together.

  “Hey Tess,” he said cheerily, hoping he didn’t sound too phony. “Hello, Tess’s friend. I’m Hudson Marks.”

  Lilly shot him a look of pure disgust. “Can it. She knows I was here.”

  “L, don’t.” Tess reached for her sister’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

  Taking a seat beside her on the couch, Hudson clasped his hands together and hung them between his knees. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. It might be good that you did, though. I told you it was going to get ugly.”

  “Yes, you did,” Tess admitted. “I guess I didn’t think it would happen this fast.”

  “Consider the source,” Lilly muttered.

  “She’s right,” Hudson agreed. “David Kingston is in full warrior mode at this point. I’m sure he’s drafting a counter-suit as we speak so he can be ready when I file all the documents with the probate court this afternoon.”

  “Why does he want to annul the marriage?” Tess took a small sip of water.

  “Because he thinks he can win on a technicality. The reality is, it doesn’t matter if you and Jack were legally married or not. He was of sound mind when he drafted his will and he left everything to you.”

  Tess tried to smile and Hudson appreciated her effort, even if it was an epic failure.

  “Look, I know it’s pointless to say, but you don’t need to worry about any of this right now. At least try not to. You’re here to sign a retainer and leave a check. After that, you and Lilly should go out and try to have some fun. You’re a millionaire now, right?”

  Hudson knew instantly he’d said the wrong thing. Tess seemed to deflate even further; her shoulders slumping and making her pull inward. Lilly shot him a furious stare and Ford cringed from across the room. Fuck. It was a typical Hudson flub. Ford had always been the smooth one when it came to dealing with people, especially women. Hudson, on the other hand, almost always put his foot in his mouth no matter what the circumstance. It was why he never had a girlfriend for more than a few months at a time. Eventually, he would do or say the wrong thing and they would break up with him. It wasn’t that his intentions were bad. He just didn’t seem to have the ability to connect with women unless he was representing them as a lawyer.

  “Thank you, Hudson,” Tess finally said. “I appreciate the thought. Can I just sign the letter and get going please?”

  “Of course.”

  He popped up off the couch and half jogged back to his office. He returned a moment later with a manila file folder. Inside was a two page letter outlining the terms of his representation. “You should read it carefully and then let me know if you have any questions.” He handed it to her, along with a pen.

  Tess ignored his instructions, took the pen, and flipped to the second page. Finding the spot for her signature, she scribbled it on, snapped the folder closed, and handed it back. Then she tore a check out of her checkbook, signed it, and handed that over as well. Tess tossed the checkbook back into her purse and flipped the pen onto the couch. “Just fill it in. I trust you.”

  Hudson watched her hoist the bag onto her shoulder and walk out the door, Lilly close on her heels.

  Chapter 18

  Tess let herself into the apartment and wandered over to the couch. She flopped onto it, dropping her purse on the floor at her feet. Things sure had gone to shit faster than she expected. Leaving the bank, she had sort of felt better. Happy, even. Not just relief, happy or kind of happy, but honest-to-goodness normal happy. There would be money to pay the bills, and thinking about Jack made her feel grateful and hopeful, not guilty. If only she and Lilly had stopped for lunch before going to Hudson’s office. If only there had been a line at the bank or something else to hold them up.

  It was weird. She wasn’t really mad that David Kingston thought an annulment would keep her from getting the inheritance. What really hurt was that if he won that fight, then it would truly be like she and Jack were never married. It was already hard enough for her to believe it was all real. How could anyone think of their marriage as real if their husband dropped dead within a few minutes after walking down the aisle? David had to know she struggled with that, anyway, right? Threatening an annulment was just pouring salt on the wound. Sure, they hadn’t always gotten along very well, but was he really, truly this callous? This mean? This hateful?

  The answer was yes. For whatever reason, David really hated her now and was going to do anything he could to destroy her, just like he’d threatened that day in his parents’ kitchen. Depressed and overwhelmed or not, Tess knew in her heart she wasn’t going to let it happen. Yes, she was feeling hurt and betrayed and even somewhat violated after overhearing the conversation between Hudson and David, but already she was feeling the beginnings of a righteously indignant rage growing in her stomach. It wouldn’t be long before she was stomping through the apartment, ranting and raving at the cats about the injustice of it all. She’d probably have a few choice words for Jack as well, shaking her fist into the air, as if he were sitting on a cloud somewhere watching her.

  But at the moment, she was too tired to work up the fury just yet. Instead, she leaned over and pulled a small notebook out of her purse. There was already a pen stuck inside the spiral wire on the side. Freeing it, she opened to a fresh, blank page.

  That was what Tess did when she felt overwhelmed. She made lists. One for the feelings still bouncing around her brain. One for the things she needed to do around the house. One for the things she wanted to spend money on, now that she would have so much of it at her disposal. One for the feelings she had toward the Kingston family. Jack had always teased her about the pieces of paper that filled notebooks from cover to cover, but Tess hadn’t minded. She wasn’t a writer by any stretch, but keeping track of the jumbled mess of her mind gave her a sense of control.

  With a cat on either side of her, Tess sat on the couch, scribbling away. When her cell phone rang, she plucked it out of her purse and nearly dropped it when she saw the number and face displayed on the screen. Emily Kingston was calling.

  Tess couldn’t decide what to do. Hudson had said not to have any contact with the Kingstons. But her heart yearned to answer and speak with the woman who had been a second mother to her for most of her life. And she wanted to rat David out for the jackass he was being. Tess’s finger hovered over the “accept” button too long and the call went to voicemail. She waited to see if Emily would leave a message, but was surprised again when Jack’s mother called a second time. Throwing caution to the wind, Tess answered it.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, sweetheart,” Emily said in a breathless, anxious tone. “I thought maybe you couldn’t get to the phone so I took a chance on calling again. I’m so glad you answered.”

  Unsure of what to say, Tess opted to stay quiet. Sweetheart? Please!

  “I’m sorry for that terrible scene last week.” Emily certainly sounded contrite to Tess. “Roger and David feel awful about the way they treated you.”

  Tess snorted. Yeah, right.

  “It’s true, Tess. I’m calling to apologize on their behalf,” Emily insisted, almost begging.

  “If Roger and David really felt bad, they’d be calling,” Tess snapped. Immediately she regretted her tone of voice. “I’m sorry, Emily
, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

  Finally, she spoke, sounding defeated. “That’s all right, dear. You have every right to be upset.”

  Tess paused, and then gave voice to her feelings. “It’s like you guys were accusing me of something, but I’m not even sure what. Why would you do that?”

  “It was shock, Tess. We’d only told Jack about his father’s death and the money a few weeks before the wedding. Roger and I had no idea he would have gone and made a will so quickly. Jack’s father took care of the investments for many years and I think maybe he was upset that he wasn’t going to be in charge anymore.”

  Tess wasn’t sure if the explanation was reasonable or not. She never was particularly close to Roger Kingston, in spite of having been in his life for most of hers. He was just the dad in the house who was so very different from her own. She realized then that she never really knew him. And after his attitude, she was pretty sure she didn’t want to get to know him.

  “I guess I can understand that,” Tess admitted. “But still, I don’t think we should be around each other for a while. Not until I’m more comfortable.” It was obvious to Tess that Emily had no idea what kinds of things David was doing. The situation was going very sideways very quickly.

  “But David wants to help you, dear. He can handle all of the probate and investments and whatnot, so you don’t have to bother yourself with it.”

  Tess frowned, suspicious immediately by the decidedly authoritative tone Emily’s voice took on. “Well, I have my own lawyer. I don’t really need David.” Emily paused and Tess could actually hear the dry click as she swallowed.

  “When did you have time to find one?” Emily’s voice cracked nervously. “I’m sure David would be a much better choice. And what about the fees, dear? How will you pay those while Jack’s estate is tied up? Roger always had access to all the money. Perhaps you should ask him about writing a check to tide you over.”